𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒚-𝑻𝒘𝒐 | b. rodriguez

the camp out

Benny's POV

"See guys, that's why you can't go over there," Bertram says, breaking the silence. "Nobody ever has, nobody ever will."

All throughout Squint's story, no one spoke. I tried to look at Shaye, to see her reaction, but Kate was in the way.

Damn it, Kate. Why'd you have to sit between us?

"One kid did," Ham says. "But nobody ever seen him again."

"That ain't true," DeNunez objects.

"–Yeah it is," Ham argues, before munching on another s'more in sadness. "He got eaten."

Normally, I'm fine with Kate hanging with us guys. But for a moment, before she came it was just Shaye and I, and her smile, and her cute laugh–

Damn it.

"Mm, nah-uh," Scotty says, waving everyone off. "No. None of that's true. You guys are just making this up to scare me–"

"–Oh yeah," Squints starts, hopping off the window ledge. "Stick your head out that window." He points to the far window of the treehouse that overlooked Mr. Mertle's yard.

"And look down."

Kate was right. She was right, and I know it now.

Hesitantly, Scotty stands up from his spot in the treehouse. He looks at Shaye, whom I still can't see from behind Kate's big head.

"Fine," I hear her huff as she stands up. She slowly approaches the window, and waves for Scotty to follow without turning away from it. He follows, and they both peek their heads outside the small window, to see over the fence.

Over 150 baseballs have gone over that fence – not one of them has been seen again.

At least that's what I've been told. Honestly, I don't really believe all of Squints' story, but the Beast is real, alright. And we have lost a lot of baseballs.

I hear a low growl and imagine the Beast sitting inside it's lean-to. Chains rattle as it howls.

Scotty screams. "He's down there!" He quickly rushes back to his spot on the floor and grips his pillow.

"You bet he is," Squints says, pulling his cap rifle closer.

Shaye still stands at the window, probably trying to make out the Beast in the dark. She jumped a little when the Beast howled, but it seemed like she was more startled by Scotty's little-girl scream.

"Whatever goes over that fence," Ham breathes, "stays there." He turns a bat in his hands.

"Becomes the property of the Beast.. forever."

✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

After another hour or so of goofing around, making s'mores, and telling scary stories and stupid jokes, mostly everyone was wiped out.

Except for me.

She's all I can think about.

I close my eyes but as soon as I stop forcing myself to hold them closed they open again, and I'm back to staring at the ceiling, restlessly thinking about her.