𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫

71. Crazy Wheelers

March 25, 1986

Richie's heart was racing, his ears ringing as he grabbed at the tail of the monster who was clawing at Beverly's hair. "FUCK YOU!" He screamed practically at the top of his lungs as he threw it hard at the ground. Beverly immediately slammed the heel of her boot onto its head.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" He screamed further along with Eddie as more and more creatures flew over towards them, their high pitch roars filling their ears. "NANCY, BEHIND YOU."

Nancy yelped as a large bat-like creature clutched onto her back. Richie ran straight for the oar his cousin had dropped onto the ground, swinging the heavy piece of wood into its face, making sure to avoid hitting Nancy in the process.

"God, shit." He groaned in pain, grinding his teeth as he felt small teeth sinking into his shoulder. He couldn't help but cry out in pain as more flew at him, attempting to attack at his moment of weakness, all while he could feel the teeth of the monster sinking deeper into his shoulder. "Bev," He croaked. He could feel the pain slightly worsening. He bit hard into his tongue, a small amount of blood filling his mouth.

"God, I'm so sick of this shit." The redhead yelled as she swatted at the creatures surrounding her and Richie.

"Go to hell!" He gritted his teeth even harder as he slammed the back end of the oar onto the creature's face.

But, he suddenly screamed, he gripped tightly at the side of his head, his vision blurring as he shivered, which wasn't just from his clothing being soaking wet. "Fuck." He whispered, his lip trembling as he sank down to his knees. His head was pounding as he could feel it tightening from the pain he was currently experiencing. He couldn't understand what was happening to him. Nor did anyone around him understand it either even if they were busy and distracted by all the flying creatures headed their way.

He could feel blood dripping profusely from his nose and down his face. What the hell was happening?

He's been experiencing the headaches and the nose bleeds over so often. However, it was never this sudden, and it definitely wasn't this extreme before.

"JESUS H. CHRIST!" Richie winced from the sudden yell Eddie let out and the oar being thrown onto the ground.

"Richie!" Beverly shouted, running over to him, kneeling beside her best friend's side, placing a loving hand onto his back. "What's happening?" She cried out, it was almost like a plea. She hated to see him in pain, especially if she isn't able to help him.

"You don't think these things have rabies, do you? I mean they a literally my number one greatest fear because once symptoms set in, it's way too late. You're already dead." She was pacing as worry was overtaking her. "I mean what if that's why Richie's like this all of the sudden? I mean no way the symptoms can start that soon. What if those things got some like crazy upside-down diseases?"

Richie could feel his heartbeat slowly starting to slow down, as well as the bleeding from his nose. The pain in his head was still there, the pain, however, was much more dull. "Birdy, I don't think I got some disease from this crappy place." His eyes squeezed shut as he rubbed at the side of his head, a weak attempt of removing the pain away, which really didn't help anything.

A loud piercing nose came from inside of the trees in front of them. More of those stupid bats. There were only a few of them, all headed straight toward them.