"I have to go,too," I spoke up, my voice barely above a whisper. "My mom's waiting for me." It was only half the truth.
I went around the circle, giving each of my friends a tight hug, saving Ben for last. I tried desperately to keep the tears from...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
•°Corinne's POV°•
Mike led us on a tour of our forgotten past, taking us to all the places we used to haunt. Our final stop was a place that existed more in memory than on any map.
"The Barrens," Beverly stated, a note of wonder in her voice as we pushed through the overgrown foliage.
"This is where we came after the rock fight," Ben said, a genuine smile gracing his features for the first time since we’d been back.
"The clubhouse," Richie said, the memory clicking into place.
"You built that for us," Beverly said, turning to Ben. His smile widened, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest. He looked best like this—proud and happy.
"Yeah, the hatch has got to be around here someplace," Richie said, kicking at the undergrowth.
Ben walked a few paces ahead, and we all followed like ducklings. "You did. I do remember that!" Eddie exclaimed.
I stayed close to Ben's side. It might have been wrong, but his presence was an anchor in the swirling storm of my anxiety. I felt safe with him.
"You know what? I actually think the door was more like around..." Ben said, stomping his foot on a seemingly solid patch of ground. It gave way instantly, and he dropped straight down into the earth with a yelp.
I rushed forward, my heart in my throat. "Are you okay?" I called down into the darkness.
"Found it! I'm okay!" he yelled back up. I sighed in relief, my hand over my heart.
"Come down!"
I climbed down the rickety ladder, my feet searching for holds. Halfway down, I felt a pair of strong, steady hands on my waist, guiding me the rest of the way. Ben was there, making sure I didn't fall. My feet touched the packed earth, and I gave him a sweet, grateful smile. His cheeks flared a brilliant red, and my smile grew even wider.
One by one, the others climbed down, their voices echoing in the small, dank space.
"What the dick is this? How'd you build it?" Richie asked, dusting himself off. "When did you build it?"Bill asked, looking around in awe.
"Here and there, I guess. It was already dug out from something, so I just had to reinforce the walls and get some wood for the roof door, and that's pretty much it," Ben explained modestly. I was impressed. He’d built this entire sanctuary with his own hands.
"Pretty good for my first time, huh?" Ben said, beaming with pride. He put his hand on one of the support pillars to emphasize his point, and a section of the roof promptly caved in, showering us with a light rain of dirt. I couldn't help but giggle.
