The Love Is Still There |Richie Tozier (2)

~12~ The Ritual

I pulled out my stuffed penguin from my bag and smiled down at it. 

Bill went first, and we looked at him as he spoke. He pulled out a paper boat. "This is the boat I build.....with Georgie." he looked at it one last time, before throwing it into the flames. 

Eddie pulled out his inhaler. "This is my inhaler." he took one last inhale and threw it.

"Come one dude." Richie rolled his eyes.

"Shut up Tozier." I whispered. 

Beverly was holding a postcard. "Something I wish I held on to." 

Next, it was my turn. "One of the few things that reminded me to be a kid." I looked up at Richie, as he eyed the stuffed penguin. A small smile played at his lips as recognition dawned on his face. I gave the stuffy one last little squeeze before throwing it into the flames. 

Ben looked at the piece of paper he was holding. "This is a page from my old yearbook. Only one person signed it. I probably should have forgotten it, but I kept it in my wallet for twenty-seven years." 

Beverly gazed at Ben, as he dropped the yearbook page into the fire. I caught a glimpse of Beverly's name on it, and I smiled. 

Richie pulled out a token. "This is a token from the Capitol Theatre." he threw it in.

"You brought an actual token?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, that's what we were supposed to do, asshole." Richie replied, frowning at Eddie.

"Do you have any idea how long it's going to take to burn?" 

"Guys, come one." Ben sighed. 

"Yeah, but so is your inhaler dude. All the toxic fumes and shit." Richie retorted. 

"Both of you shut the fuck up. Now's not the time." I said.

Eddie and Richie glared at each other but thankfully, they stopped arguing. 

Mike pulled out a rock. "Look closely Bev, do you see it? It's where you hit bowers."

Beverly smiled. "Rock fight."

I reached up and pushed Richie's forehead. "You got you ass knocked down right after you declared the rock war."

Richie shoved my hands away. "Shut up."

"The day these bonds were forged." Mike looked at the rock.

"That's not gonna burn either." Eddie whispered to Mike.

Mike ignored Eddie, and threw the rock in.

Eddie gasped. "Oh wait!" he pulled out a shower cap from his pocket. "Can't forget about Stan again."

He threw the shower cap into the fire. I smiled sadly, wishing I could have Stan stand next to me again. 

"Everyone hold hands." Mike instructed. 

Richie held my hand, while Eddie held my other. Everyone's hands linked together. I looked at the artifact burning together in the flames. 

Mike began the ritual. "The Ritual of Chüd, it's a battle of wills. The first step was our reunion. The second step was gathering our tokens. This is the final step."

The flames suddenly went out, making the room turn dark. 

"Oh fuck." I whispered. 

"What the-" Richie muttered.

Eddie stepped closer to me, pressing his shoulder against mine as I squeezed both Eddie and Richie's hands. 

I looked up to the ceiling, seeing a bunch of lights there.

"The fuck is that?" asked Bill, looking up too.

"Don't look at them!" Mike cried.

"Okay." Eddie whispered, shutting his eyes. 

We all closed out eyes.

"Turn light into dark. Turn light into dark!" Mike yelled. "SAY IT!"

"Turn light into dark." Bill said.

We all started screaming it loudly. "TURN LIGHT INTO DARK! TURN LIGHT INTO DARK!"

"Turn light into dark!" Richie yelled. "Mike, what's happening man?"

"Mike ignored Richie's question. "KEEP CHANTING!!!"

We kept screaming and screaming. "TURN LIGHT INTO DARK. TURN LIGHT INTO DARK!"

Suddenly, I felt the light go out, surrounding us in pure darkness.

We all opened our eyes. 

"Did we do it?" whispered Eddie.

Mike looked at the artifact. Suddenly, I bright red light began to glow from inside. It sounded like a balloon.

"Is this a part of it?" asked Beverly.

"Mike, is this supposed to be a part of it?" asked Richie, squeezing my hand tightly. 

"No! NO! KEEP CHANTING GUYS. KEEP CHANTING!" Mike screamed.

We started chanting again, but the red balloon kept growing and growing. The balloon kept growing out of the artifact, and we all stumbled out of the way. The balloon popped loudly. I let go of Richie and Eddie's hands as I fell, and covered my ears. 

I reached out and grabbed my flashlight. Richie reached out to me and I felt him trying to grab me. "October?"

I felt around and grabbed his hand. "I'm right here."

"Fuck I don't like this." Eddie said from beside me. 

I reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "It's okay sweetie."

"Wait, did we do it?" asked Beverly.

"We did it, right?" asked Ben.

Mike hesitated. "I don't know."

I heard someone stepping in front of us. I pointed up my flashlight, and screamed.

Pennywise was standing there.