Lisp • Richie Tozier (1)

11

"I saw the well. W-we know where it is a-and next time we'll be better prepared." Bill says. "No! No next time, Bill! You're insane!" Stan yells. "Why? We all know no one else is going to do anything." Beverly says. "Eddie was nearly killed! And look at this motherfucker, he's leaking hamburger helper!" Richie screams. "We can't just pretend it's gonna go away. Ben, you said it yourself, it comes back every 27 years." Ben shakes his head. "Fine. I'll be fourty and far away from here. I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town too." I watch them all fight. I do understand why Bill wanted to go back, but still, I don't want to risk my life for a chance that we'll find Georgie. "Because I wanna run towards something, not away." Beverly argues. "I'm sorry, but who invited Molly Ringwald into the group?" Beverly flips Richie off. "Richie. . ." Stan says. "I'm just saying let's face facts, real world. Georgie is dead, stop trying to get us killed too." My eyes widen. "Richie. . . Don't." Richie ignores me and goes to walk past Bill, who pulls him back. "Georgie's not dead!" Bill argues. They're too close for my liking. "Look, you couldn't save him, but you can still save yourself." Bill gets closer toward him making Richie back up. "No! T-t-take it back. You're scared a-and we all are, but take it back!" He shoves Richie. Richie grunts and shoves him harder. Bill retaliates by punching him hard in the face. Richie falls to the ground and immediately gets up and starts to run towards him. Mike and Stan hold him back while he yells. "You're just a bunch of losers! FUCK OFF! You're just a bunch of losers and you'll get yourselves killed trying to— catch this stupid clown— ugh!" Bill shoves him again while they hold him. "Bill! STOP!" Beverly yells. "This is what it wants. It wants to divide us. We were all together when we heard it, that's why we're still alive!" Richie gets Stan and Mike to release him and he adjusts his glasses. "Yeah? Well I plan to keep it that way." He walks past Bill, purposely hitting his shoulder. "You coming?" He asks me. "I- Richie I can't just-" he sighs. "Are you coming or not?" His voice was loud and angry. I glance back at Bill, who's staring at the ground. "Yeah... I'll go." Everyone's grabbing their bikes and leaving. I see Richie, already way ahead of me. "I'm sorry Bev, but maybe this is all for the best." I mutter before chasing after Richie on my bike.