𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 | ꜱᴛᴀɴʟᴇʏ ᴜʀɪꜱ ¹

𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

"I NEED TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING."

     "More than what we saw at the quarry?" Richie shoved his glasses up over his nose.

     Eddie waved a hand in his direction. "Shut up! Just shut up Richie!"

     Veronica shot Richie a glare. "Beep Beep, Richie."

     She hadn't even noticed that she had used an old saying when talking to him. She was sure the group hadn't used it since she left two years ago. This thought was only assured when Eddie looked down at the ground, his eyebrows knit in confusion over what she had said.

     Beverly sensed the tension. "My dad will kill me if he finds out... I had boys in the apartment."

     "Then we'll—we'll leave a lookout." Bill threw his bike on the ground beside him. "Uh—Richie, st-stay here!"

     "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Richie was still on his bike as the other moved towards Beverly's apartment. "What if her dad comes back?"

     Veronica turned around. "Do what you always do! Start talking!"

     "How come you guys are taking her in?" Richie called out. "I mean, come on, Stan. Even after what she did to you?"

     "Ignore him," said Eddie, who was right behind Veronica. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it."

     "That little dick," Veronica said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky yesterday when Beverly and I whooped his ass in chicken, didn't he, Bev?"

     "Nearly wet himself," said Beverly, with a contemptuous glance at Richie.

     "I wasn't too happy myself," said Ben.

    The group began to walk up the steps without Richie, each of them minding their business in their own small conversations.

     "He's a nasty kid, Richie is."

     "Sort of makes you want to freeze your insides, doesn't he?" said Stanley.

     "Makes me wanna pass out, too," said Veronica in a low voice.

     "Forget it, Ronnie," said Eddie bracingly. "You just came back and now all of the sudden you're pretending to be all buddy buddy with us again, right, Bill?" He turned over towards his friend.

     "Anyway, how about we go check out that bathroom, B-Beverly," said Bill. "Gotta be gro—gross, right?"

     The only time Bill had ever taken someone's side in something was in the third grade. Feeling slightly more cheerful by his response, Veronica helped herself through the hallway to where Beverly said her bathroom was.

     Beverly was examining the door down the hall. "In there."

     "What is it?" Stan said nervously.

     "You'll see," said Bev, frowning as she looked over his shoulder, "I just.. need someone else to see it."

     "Are you taking us to your bathroom?" said Eddie, nervously mumbling, "I just want you to know that 89% of the worst accidents in homes are caused in bathrooms. And"—Eddie leaned closer to the group, still rambling: "And—And I mean, that where all the bacteria and fungi are and its—its not a really sanitary place for—"

     "Eddie, shut up," said Veronica shortly.

     The door opened. Everything was coated in what seemed to be a fresh coat of paint, but Veronica knew they wouldn't be that lucky. Not after the stunt that happened last night. Every last object—the toilet, the sink, the shower head, even the small rubber duck in the corner of the room—was covered in blood.