**Say What You Mean Out Loud**

~ S I X T E E N ~

Stage Whatever

Greyson Elliot was crushed.
Devastated.
Shattered.
Call it what you will.

Everyone was washing the grief and the blood and the dirt off themselves, sadly recalling their friends.
Grey didn't hear a word they were saying.

She sat on a tall rock off to the side, refusing to get back that quarry.
At some point someone started crying, and there was hugging. Maybe ambiguous laughter.

All she could hear was the static in her head.
He was right there.
She could've gotten him out if she had more time.

Their last moment played over and over and over, with no relent.
I love you.
I love you more, I win.
You win.

He was right there.
"Grey?" Bev called, barley snapping her from her thoughts.
She was subconsciously tracing the long claw marks on her forearms, and looked up her.

All 5 of them were staring at her.
Her completely passive gaze at nothing.
Her world had broken off it's axis and they were already reconciling.

She got up from her spot on the rock and started walking back, towards the hotel.
She didn't want to see them.
She didn't want to see anyone.
But Stan Uris.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Richie Tozier was driving along the stupid fucking rural countryside.
He remembered every bit of it now.

Most of his memories were confusing and repressing, but his friends gave him joy at his worst moments.

He passed by the arcade.
Get outta here you fuckin fag!!
He glared and revved his engine, disturbing the goddamn peace of quiet little Derry.

He passed by the pharmacy.
Suck the wound, get in there!
God, Eddie should've been a doctor. Why wasn't he a doctor?

He swung by the park at the center of town.
The place where he once ran into Eddie, telling him he had more important plans.
After that, he watched Eddie read from behind a tree for nearly 20 minutes straight. He couldn't leave.

He gripped his stupid expensive steering wheel, staring at the little scar on his hand.
Where he swore to finish it all.
He did. And Eddie wasn't here to see it.

Before leaving town for good, he decided to do one final thing.

Years back he had carved their initials in the Kissing Bridge, knowing they'd make it one day.
He was too much of a pussy then to do anything about it, but now he could make sure they were together forever. On that bridge at least.

The road there was strikingly empty, and as he got closer he saw something alarming.
He pulled into the bridge, slamming on breaks when he saw what it was.

Grey was standing on the edge of the bridge, her feet teetering over the edge.
Richie barely took off his seatbelt before jumping out of the car.

"Grey!" He yelled, slamming the door shut.
She didn't even flinch, turn around, look startled.
Nothing.

He could hear her sniffling, and her toes stuck out over the side.
He couldn't hear the water rushing at the bottom, and it was the middle of the day.