🅃🅁🄾🅄🄱🄻🄴🄳 // R.T.

eleven

The next morning I woke up with a bead of sweat across my forehead, I'd had another nightmare. It was that same one I had before. Dad was here and then he wasn't. And that psychotic laugh appeared again. It was a scary, re-occurring dream and each time.. IT got closer to catching me.

I dressed in blue overall shorts with an AC/DC shirt that Dad had given me before.. everything, and an old dirty pair of white high-top converse. My hair was tied in a ponytail, as high as I could make it, with a red scrunchie.

The ride to the barrens was silent between Stanley and I and it was nice. The sun was hot and shined down on us hard. The only sound heard was the clicking of Stan's wheels.

As I climbed off the back of Stan's bike I instantly saw the gang. They were all surrounded right by the entrance of an old sewage pipe.

"Oh hey, hot stuff! I didn't think you were gonna show today." Richie exclaimed as he saw us walk over to them. I rolled my eyes with a scoff as we met with everyone.

"I shouldn't have." I replied sharply to which he responded with the roll of his eyes.

"Don't say that, baby, you know you still love me." He flirted, making my face flush red at his name for me. Baby. But, I quickly shrug it off knowing that he flirted with anything that had boobs or an ass.

"So, what're we trying to find in here anyways?" I asked, stepping carefully into the wet water lying in the sewers.

"L-leads." Bill responded, following in after me. I nodded even though I still was confused.

"You guys coming in?" Richie asked, right beside me. I looked back with him to Eddie and Stanley who were waiting quietly at the pipe's edge.

"No, that's grey water." Eddie shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Richie and I looked at each other and then back to him.

"What the fuck is grey water?" Richie asked.

"I.. It's basically just piss and shit, so you guys are walking around in hundreds of gallons of Derry piss." He began freaking out which I shook my head to.

I shoved passed Richie and continued further in the pipe with Bill.

"You think we should go further?" I asked, an alluring silent sound calling to me. Bill looked back seeing Richie torturing Eddie and Stan standing quietly.

"N-not without t-them." He sighed, returning to me and I nodded. Oh well.

Few minutes went by of nonsense and a foot of mystery when suddenly a loud splash echoed through the sewage pipe. I turned abruptly, my eyes landing on the new kid lying bloody and hurt in the water.

Everyone went to him but I stayed back. That same silent noise calling to me. I tried shaking it off as I stepped forward, but I felt compelled to take that step back.

"Grrr..."  IT called after me. I looked back further into the pipe, a dark silhouette dancing down it with the light pitter patter of feet in the gray water.

"Meadow! Where ya going?" Richie's voice snapped me out of it. I shook, shivers shooting throughout me and goosebumps covering my skin. I was right where the pipe curved, so close to losing myself and my friends.

"You alright?" Stan called as I stared into the alluring darkness before me.

"Yeah." I responded nonchalantly. I turned away from the attractiveness of the oblivion that once called me and skipped to the group.

•••

We rode to the pharmacy, Ben bleeding on Bill's bike, and I on the back of Richie's. Stan didn't want his bike smelling of sewers or it getting wet from me, but i'm pretty sure he just wanted to see what would happen between Richie and I.

"I'm hot and you know it!" Richie exclaimed still blabbering about nonsense i didn't care for.

"Would you shut it Tozier?" I asked, climbing off his bike, an odd cold feeling forming against the inside of my forearms as I let the boy go, "You're starting to give me a headache." I mumbled, rubbing my temples.

"I'll try bu-"

"Shut up Richie!" Bill yelled aimlessly. "Y-You're s-staying here to keep an eh-eh-eye out, you too M-Meadow."

"Me? Why me! I can't be left alone with, with—him!" I cried out, dramatically.

"Woah, woah, woah-"

"Shhh!" Eddie exclaimed before the group went running to the pharmacy. I sighed turning to face Richie.

"Are you still mad at me?" He questioned.

"Well, if that wasn't obvious, yes."

"Why?"

"Are you se- You were a total dick yesterday!" I explained.

"Why because of what I said about that girl?"He questioned, dumbfounded.

"Yes." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I'm-"

"Hey are you alright?" I moved on, questioning the wincing boy on the ground. He nodded, a light blush sweeping over his plump cheeks, I smiled.

"Can I.." I whispered, bending down to his level. He didn't say anything or move as i lifted his dirtied shirt. His thick, pale skin showed, blood and dirt covering it.

"Holy shit!" Richie whispered. My eyes widened as I saw the H carved into his thick skin.

"Jeez..."