dusk till dawn ( stan uris ) ✔︎

eleven!

(  WARNING:
insults, slut-shaming, mentions of blood, and other such things. if any of these things trigger you, please do not read on. your health is more important than this book. )

ELEVEN

Levi rode behind Mike, the lump in her throat making it hard to breathe as she pumped her legs as hard as she could; the wind whipped at her tear stained face, causing her hair to stick to her wet cheeks.

The pair had branched off from the group not even two blocks away from Neibolt Street, heading towards Levi's house. The Johnston girl had felt a pair of eyes on the back of her head as they turned the corner, ignoring the sensation completely; she knew that if she turned, it would only make things worse for her.

As soon as the baby blue house came into view, Levi haphazardly jumped off her bike, fumbling for the keys in her pocket and practically wrenching the door open as Mike came to stand behind her, Hannah's limp body in his arms.

"Mom," Levi called out as she barrelled into the house, following behind Mike as he gently pushed past her and rushed to lay Hannah on the couch. When no response came, Levi raised her voice. "MOM!"

The clicking of heels echoed through the house and in what seemed like seconds, a worried Mrs. Johnston rushed into the living room, going straight for her daughter, who shook her off and dragged her towards Hannah, a strangled gasp slipping past the woman's lips once she laid eyes on the bleeding girl. 

"Levi," The woman called out to her daughter, who looked up at her with glassy eyes. "Get my car keys. Now!" 

Shooting one last glance at her best friend, Levi reluctantly moved from her place next to her mother and rushed up the stairs, leaving her mother in the living room along with Mike. Mrs. Johnston moved in a flurry as she checked Hannah's pulse and pressed her ear to her chest. 

"No, Mike, don't move. Just keep applying pressure to the wounds." Mrs. Johnston stopped the boy, who was just about to take his leave. With a single nod and resumed his previous position, his brows furrowing in worry as his eyes roamed over Hannah's paling face. 

Levi rushed back into the room, breaking the silence and tossing her mother the car keys, both her and Mike following behind her as she carried Hannah to the car and gently laid her in the backseat, turning around to look at the two children. 

"Levi, stay," Mrs. Johnston instructed her daughter as she opened the door to the driver's seat. Levi inhaled sharply, her eyes flitting between the back seat where Hannah laid and her mother, who was already settling down in the front seat and turning the key in the ignition. 

"Mom, please. I need to go. I need to be with her," Levi pleaded, her throat closing up as a new wave of tears welled up in her eyes. Mrs. Johnston's heart swelled in pain at the sight of her daughter but she stood her ground. 

"Levi, I mean it. It'll only be worse if you come..." Mrs. Johnston pulled out of the driveway, giving her daughter one last apologetic look. "I'll come get you when she's okay, baby. I promise."  

With that, Mrs. Johnston's car practically peeled out of the driveway and disappeared from Levi and Mike's view, leaving them standing on the sidewalk; Levi bit her bottom lip harshly, her thoughts racing as she tried to swallow her tears. 

"Are...Are you okay?" Mike wrapped his arm around the girl's shoulders, already knowing the answer to his question. Levi let Mike draw her into his chest, shaking her head as she pushed down the lump in her throat; Mike's grip tightened around her frame, rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her. 

"Can we just...We should get back to-to the others," Levi managed, giving Mike one last squeeze to show her gratefulness before she broke off, wiping under her nose with the back of her hand as she grabbed her bike from her front lawn. 

The ride to the Denbrough house was quiet, both of them too wrapped up in their own thoughts and feelings to hold a stable conversation with each other. 

The scene they were met with upon arriving at the Denbrough's driveway made Levi's puffy eyes widen. Mrs. Kaspbrak was dragging her reluctant son toward her car, all while screaming insults and accusations at the rest of the Losers, who were desperately trying to defend themselves. 

"This is all your fault!" Mrs. Kaspbrak screamed as she nudged Eddie toward her car. With a defeated expression on his face, the boy complied, getting into the backseat and refusing to look back at his friends.

In her frenzy, Mrs. Kaspbrak dropped her keys. Beverly stepped forward to get them for her, but Mrs. Kaspbrak only gave her an icy glare and snatched her keys from the ground.

"I know who you are," Mrs. Kaspbrak sneered as she pointed a finger at Beverly, who took a step back in surprise. "And I don't want a filthy girl such as you, Miss Marsh, near my Eddie."

Levi clenched her jaw and stepped forward, forcing the words to leave her aching throat. "What the hell is your problem, lady?"

Mrs. Kaspbrak's menacing eyes snapped to her, the faint semblance of surprise passing through her expression before it was replaced by the same look of disgust.

"You're the Johnston girl," Mrs. Kaspbrak spat, her blood boiling as Levi crossed her arms over her chest and let a challenging expression take over her tear-stained face. "Of course you had to be a part of this. You're nothing but trouble."

"Yeah, I am." Levi took a small step forward, standing beside Beverly. "And I'm also your son's friend. So suck it up, lady, and live with it."

"You disrespectful, dirty slut," Mrs. Kaspbrak responded, narrowing her eyes at Levi and hurrying towards the driver's side of her car. "Don't you ever come near my Eddie again. None of you!"

With that, she slammed the car door shut and sped away, the Losers' Club walking out to the driveway and watching the car disappear around the corner.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE )
so this might be a bit short but i just wanted to get something out before Christmas as my gift to you guys. also, idk if i'll be on for the 24th but just in case I want to wish you guys a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays! I love you xx