✓Hanahaki Diease [ Reddie ]

III. Face to Face

TW
UNDERAGE DRINKING, SMOKING

The forest looked no different from when he left. Richie wandered around trying to find the trapdoor to the Losers secret hangout. The one Ben built awhile ago. Everytime they all hung out it was always there. Once he finally found the latch he lifted it, hearing the silence. Richie stepped down the latter and his shoes hit the ground.

"Richie!" A voice called behind him. He jumped and turned around to see a banner with the words,

"Welcome home Richie." Written in big bold font. Everybody was there.

He adjusted his glasses, still in shock. "Hey guys." A smile crept onto his face.

"We're glad you're back, we didn't have any trash mouth comments." Stanley was organizing the comics on the shelf in attempt to make them more presentable.

Bev had a cigarette inbetween her lips as always, giving a short smile and nod. Bill sat next to Mike, proudly presenting the sign they made.

Ben sat with Bev, glancing up her occasionally. Eddie on the other hand was sleeping in the hammock. Assumingly he must've fell asleep waiting for Richie to arrive.

"Eddie, c'mon wake up." Bill stuttered a bit, tapping on the boy in the hammock.

"Hm?" He mumbled, trying to wake himself back up.

"He fell asleep, he was here pretty early." Mike exclaimed, looking around. Richie fidgeted with his hands,

"I almost though you guys forgot about me." He nervously shuffled. The Losers looked at each other and laughed a bit,

"We'd never, it's not the same without you." Beverly flicked her ashes down in the nearby ashtray. Eddie sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes.

"Bev those cancer sticks will make me lose brain cells."

"Says who?"

"My mother." Eddie mumbled in less confidence. "Hey Richie how was your trip?"

"It was, something." Richie laughed it off, sitting in the hammock next to Eddie.

"Scooch over Eds." He said placing himself next to him.

"Don't call me that and find your own spot!" Eddie stubbornly responded.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" Richie asked kicking his legs into the hammock. Ignoring Eddie's comment.

As the voices around him began talking they fizzed out. He readjusted his glasses trying to understand what they were saying but he felt a low rumble in his heart. Suddenly he couldn't breathe and it built up-

"Richie, are you okay?" Mike asked, shifting his legs over.

"Yeah I'm fine." Richie squinted his eyes in Mike's direction to see him more clearly.

"Oh God please not now."

"I think I just need some air." He added, quickly shuffling to the exit. Ben noticed this but said nothing.

Once he reached outside he began coughing, and again petals covered in blood came out again.

But this time, the petals got darker.

He shuffled back to the hammock, trying to ignore their eyes piercing the back of his head. "As you were saying?" Bill gestured to Mike.

"Yes, so you missed Bowers getting arrested, heard he killed his dad." Richie felt his jar drop,

"Seriously? Man I always knew that kid is a total psycho."

"That's not even the best of it, they finally found his pedophile buddy's body." Mike's lips pulled into a line.

"He was a weirdo, fucking creeped me out." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What about you Richie?" The room fell silent.

"Well nothing much happened, just my parents being totally dick duds." He shrugged,

"Make any friends out there?"

Richie's nose bridge scrunched up.

"Nah." He replied, dodging Eddie's foot trying to take his glasses.

"Eddie!"

"It's not my fault you don't follow basic rules."

"That is a sad rule you made up." Richie in defeat, as Eddie took his glasses.

"We should play a game. I ran out of cigarettes so I'm bored." Bev joked with a wide grin.

"Like what?" Mike shot back.

"How about a bit of truth or dare?" Her grin grew as she pulled out a bottle of alcohol.

"Yes Bev we love peer pressure." Stanley sarcastically responded.

"Hey wasn't gonna force just saying I know how to celebrate."

"Well we do only live once."

"I'm down." Richie sat up.

"Alright, time to get this show on the road."

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word count: 702