A story set in Derry (Y/N x the losers club)

Chapter 9- The second girl

After deciding that Ben's condition was too bad to be ignored the whole of the losers club made their way to the chemist to fix up the new member with some patches. Once we had walked through the glass double doors there were rows upon rows of medicines and bandages to choose from, Eddie led the way because his mum had took him to the emergency room so many times that now he knew as much about medicine as a junior doctor. He grabbed handfuls of this and packets of that before turning to Stan and asking how much money we actually had "About $3...wait no...30 cents..." Stan said with a worried look on his face. "Well, that's no good." I muttered and everyone turned to look at me before noticing the girl who had just entered our row, "Hi..." She said with a warm smile and suddenly the atmosphere grew very awkward. "S....s....say could y...you do u...u..us a fa...fav....favour?" Bill asked and before I knew it Stan was pushing me out of the door while the girl distracted the cashier. Outside I didn't pay any attention to what was going on I just stood against the wall staring at the sky and occasionally glancing down to see what Eddie was doing to Ben. I kept thinking about the creature that was inside of Neibolt street, there was something about it that made me want to know more. Something that fuelled my thirst for knowledge, I decided to go check it out and as I was about to leave a hand lightly tapped my arm. I turned round to see Richie smiling at me, "Where are you off to then me dear?" He asked in an Irish accent. "Nowhere." I replied rather suspiciously, he laughed and shook his head before giving me a response "Nice try but your gonna have to come up with a better excuse that that..." he said as he rolled his eyes. I took a deep breath and tried to think of the most ridiculous excuse that I could, it was pointless really but I enjoyed winding Richie up so I answered hastily with "I'm going to the chicken shed so that I climb inside of a wardrobe and find myself in a magic land called Narnia." Richie was silent for a second before we both burst out laughing. I laughed so much that a tear came out of my eye and for a second I saw Eddie scowling, as he glanced over his shoulder. Stan must've caught a bit of the sentence too because he was sniggering quietly to himself. During the brief laughter the girl had exited the pharmacy, had a conversation with Bill and then left again. I gave a brief wave before making my exit as well, I let my shoes scuff along the floor as I shuffled slowly towards Neibolt street. I rounded a corner and suddenly my heart leapt out of my chest, Henry was stood right in front of me and I froze in terror. I had no one to back me up and I was completely on my own, he took a step closer to me with a smile and laughed in my face. "Is the little squirt on her own? Is she?" He teased and I felt my anger welling up inside of me; "Leave me alone Henry." I muttered through gritted teeth. He took a step closer to me and my fingers curling into a fist, I wanted to knock that smile right off of his face but I couldn't do it here, not in the street where everyone can see. He pulled a knife out of his pocket and ran it along my cheek, I flinch back a little as the blade cut into my skin. Blood began to run down my face and I clutched the wound with one hand, "You know what you are Henry?" I asked him solemnly. And he made a crying gesture with his hands "What? A baby?" He asked and I slowly shook my head "No as good as dead..." I muttered and yanked the knife out of his hand. "Nooo! My knife! I can't lose another one! I already wasted one on that loser called Ben!" He screeched I held it over the storm drain and whispered "This is what you get." Before letting go of the knife. Henry screamed and lunged for the falling dagger but he was too late and the blade slid effortlessly into the drain. I jumped over him and ran, as fast as my legs could carry me just like a hare. I came to the end of Neibolt street and slowed down to a walk, I arrived at 29 in no time at all and I had a strange feeling at the back of my mind that said I should have brought someone with me but it was too late now. The blood on my cheek had dried and I was ready to face my fears.

There was a noise behind me and a balloon floated out of the bush on the other side of the road, it was red in colour and seemed to be floating against the wind. I could see the silhouette of a box inside and I dug my nail into the side of the balloon. There was a loud pop and then the box fell into my hand, I looked at the neatly tied ribbon and pulled the end so that it fell away from the box. I lifted the lid and gazed at what was inside in amazement, the knife was sitting amongst a tray of pebbles and I dropped the whole box on the floor with a scream. The contents of it scattered in all directions and I left the overturned rectangle in the street with a mound of pebbles underneath it that buried a knife, I didn't go to Neibolt street, instead I went home, to the place where I belong...