Cherry Bomb [S. URIS]

13

unedited

Today was July fourth, and the gang had all gathered next to the allyway by Uncle Jacks Ice Cream Parlor, and across from the Aladdin. Currently a parade was going down the street, and they had all wanted to go. Well every once except for Mike, but Mikayla told him he was now apart of the gang and convinced him.

  Their high schools band was marching down the street now. Mikayla not paying any attention as they all stared at the missing poster with Edward Corcorans face plastered on it.

  "They said they found part of his hand all chewed up near the sand pipe," Stans wobbly voice said. Mikayla looked over at him, and then at Richie as he bothered one of the band members.

  "He asked to borrow a pencil once," Ben added on as Mikayla looked over at him. Noting how useless and pointless that information was.

  "It's like she's been f-forgotten," Bill said as he raised up Edwards picture, "because Corcorans missing." His hand moved away letting the poster fall back over Betty Ribsoms.

  "I mean she kinda has," Mikayla slowly admitted as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. Everyone's eyes turned to her as she spoke. "I mean..have any of you given Betty a thought since the summer has began? Another kid will go missing and cover Edwards poster."

  "Is it ever gonna end?" Stan asked, everyone's eyes now moving to him.

   "What are you guys talking about?" Eddie asked as he now joined he group. Two plain vanilla cones in his hand as he licked the one in his right. Richie coming up behind him and taking the other one.

  "What they always talk about," Richie said as he took a lick from his ice cream. Mikayla moving over so she could steal a lick as well. Causing Richie to let out a "hey!" as she blew him a raspberry and scurried over to Stan.

  "I actually think it will end," Ben said as Mikayla grabbed Stans arm and hid behind him as Richie tried to spit on her. Blowing another small raspberry at him before listening to Ben talk. "For a little while at least," Ben finished.

  "What do you mean?" Bev asked as Miki let go of Stans arm and stood on her top toes. Resting her chin on his shoulder as draping her arms around his waist.

  "So I was going over all my Derey research," Ben began as Mikaylas eyes moved from him to the ongoing parade behind them. "And big events the Ireland..." Mikayla began to zone out as he talked. Opting to watch the way Eddie ate his ice cream which oddly bothered her.

  "I realized this stuff seems to happen every-"

"Twenty seven years," Bill interrupted Ben, cause Mikayla to actually pay attention to the conversation. Right then Mikayla noticed a adult staring at the group of kids.

"Guys we should probably move else where. Adults are starting to look, and besides the whole stage performance is about to start. That way we will have more cover," she said before hoping on Stans back all the way causing the boy to stumble. But she felt his arms holding onto her legs. "Onward stead!" She said as she pointed towards the exit of the ally way.

  The group moved over by the giant statue of a lumber jack. Mikayla sat awkwardly on the back rest of the bench, as she made Stan sit in between her legs so she could toy with his hair. It took her a minute to convince him, but eventually he gave in with red tinted cheeks.

  "So let me get this straight," Eddie began as they all settled into their seats. "So this thing comes out for like a year, and then what? It just goes into hibernation?" Mikaylas eyes moved from Stans curly hair to Eddies face.

  "Maybe it's like...what do you call.." Stan began as he tried to think of something.

  "Cicadas," Mikayla said helping him.

"Yes, thank you! They come out once every seventeen years," Stan said now with a smile as Mikayla continued to run her fingers through his curls.

"My grandfather thinks this town is cursed," Mike added on, everyones eyes shifted to him except for Mikaylas whose was busy pushing Stan forward slightly and then sliding down onto the bench, so her chest was pressed to Stand back. Her legs on ether side of him, and then wrapping her arms around him. She rested her head on his back facing Mike so she could pay attention.

  "He says that, all the bad things that happen in this town are because of one thing," he paused for a moment making sure everyone was paying attention. "One thing that, feeds of the people of Derry."

  "But it cant be one thing," Stan said, causing Mikayla now to put her chin on his shoulder and listen to what he was saying. "We all saw something different."

"Maybe, or maybe it shows us what scares us most and that's what we see," Mike said as everyone's head shifted to face him again.

  "I-I saw a leaper," Eddie said as his eyes stared at Mikaylas arms for a moment then moved around to different things as if he was trying to think. "It was like a walking infection."

  "I saw a giant spider, like as big as a person," Mikayla said as she stared at Eddie for a moment. His eyes meeting hers before they tore away.

"But you didn't," Stan said as he looked at Eddie, since it was hard to look at Mikayla considering she was behind him and holding him in place. "Because it isn't real. None of this is real. Not Eddies leaper, or or Miki seeing a giant spider, or the woman I have been seeing."

  "Is she hot?" Richie chirped, causing Miki to snort.

"No, Richie, she's not!" Stan stared at him as if he was a idiot. Richies face had fallen as his eyes looked towards the ground. You could tell the boy was bored out of his mind.

"Her face was all messed up," Stan added on, his voice filled with tension. "None of this makes any sense! There all like bad dreams."

Mike now spoke up, "I don't think so. I-I know the difference between a-a bad dream and real life, okay?" Mike said stammering some in his rush to get his point across.

  "What did you see? Saw something too?" Miki asked as Mike relaxed into the bench.

  "You guys know that burnt down house on Harris Avenue," he said with slight remorse in his voice. "I was inside when it burnt down. Before I was rescued my mom and dad where trapped in the next room over from me they where pushing and pounding on the door. Trying to get to me," he paused between each sentence. His eyes staring at his shoes as he told the story. "But it was to hot. When the fireman finally found me, the skin on their hands had melted down to the bone."

   Mikayla buried her face in Stans shoulder now. Trying her best to chase the image of hands, and screams from her head. Her stomach pulled as Mike continued on with his story. Mikayla lying less attention now.

  "Where all afraid of something," Mike added on as a firework went off into the sky.

  "Got that right," Richie said as he looked back at the stage.

  "Alright, Rich. What are you afraid of?" Eddie asked as Richie cane to face the group again. Fixing his glasses as Miki raised her head up to look at him. Stans body shifting slightly in her grasp.

"Clowns."

A/N: how are y'all?