He Likes Boys//It (2017)

t w e n t y t h r e e

Chapter Twenty Three:

It seemed to disappear the moment they spotted it, blending back into the woods and hiding in the trees. Stan felt afraid once again, but less so than before, knowing he was with Hom.

They walked tightly in a group back through the woods and over to the creek, each of them making sure that no one else got hurt today, one was already one too many, and they feared that next time someone might actually be killed.

They walked in silence. Bill had suggested that no one talked due to the fact that It might hear their movements, and come after them again. By the fact that Stan had already seen the creature again, it meant that It was probably following them through the forest. Bill quickened his pace, wanting to make sure that they were ready to fight the monster this time.

And that they had Beverly with them to fight. He knew there was no way to get her here or to contact her, but Bill was still determined to find a way to tell her that It knew about them. And that It might try to go after them again.

Stan and Hom trudged on through the forest, holding onto each other's hands for dear life because neither of them quite knew what they would do or how they would manage to go on if the other one of them got hurt. Stan turned to face Hom.

Stan stared into his eyes, growing more beautiful by the second, he wanted to stare into them forever. He wanted to remain holding Hom's hand forever. He wanted to be with Hom for forever, although he knew that there was no such thing as forever. And that everything was always temporary. Nothing lasted, and nothing would ever last.

Hom thought about the future as he walked alongside Stan. Everything about it was hazy and unknown. He didn't know what he should expect or what he should prepare for. All he knew was that he was heading into it head on, for better or for worse. He was facing the future.

Finally they arrived at the creek, to see Beverly already there, skipping stones along the water. Hom quickly unlinked hands from Stan and walked over to Beverly. He looked back at Stan's face as he walked. Stan gave him a small nod, before sitting down on one of the rocks, far away from the two of them.

Stan understood that Hom had to do this. He had to keep pretending with Beverly, but eventually someone would have to break the truth to her, and Stan just hoped that it wasn't him who did it. He knew just from the way she looked at him that she would freak out the moment she heard. Stan recognized the look in her eyes. Because he often had the exact same look in his when he looked at Hom.

"Hey Beverly." He smiled wearily at her, and scratched the back of his neck, not quite knowing what to say or do. He wanted to be truthful with Beverly, but at times like this, his nerves got the best of him, taking over his whole system and controlling his voice so that he didn't say the things he really wanted to.

"We're all going home." Hom explained. "It is lurking somewhere around here and that son of a bitch got Stan. I was going to help take him to the hospital." He continued, speaking a bit too fast and a bit too high. He hated the sound of his voice at times likes these, feeling like it made him sound suspicious, or like he might be up to something. Beverly didn't seem to notice it.

Beverly took one look at Stan's bruised and yellowing neck and decided that going back to her gran's might just be better than staying out here in the creek. Her grandma may like asking a few too many questions, but at least it was better than staying in same house as her father.

"I'm going home, then. I guess." Beverly shrugged. "I'll see you guys later." She grabbed her bike from the spot she'd dropped it and left, riding away slowly into the night, taking her time with things. She wanted to stay with her gran, and be back home as late as possible. She couldn't bare to spend another night with her father. Knowing he was lurking somewhere around the house. Knowing he might even be right there, at the edge of her bed, watching her as she slept. The very thought of it made her shiver, but she had woken up to the feeling of his breath against her neck one too many times. Her legs pumped the pedals faster as she rode up a the hill to her gran's getting lost in her own thoughts.

The losers all parted, each of them going home quite shaken from the events that had just occurred, although if any of their parents noticed strange behaviours, they would almost certainly not tell them the truth. If most adults found out the truth, or went through what they were going through, their minds would break just trying to make sense of it all, let alone come up with an actual plan to fight the monster.

Stan and Hom walked quietly down the lane to the empty the hospital, the empty waiting room lights awaiting them.

"Are you sure we should do this?" Stan asked, feeling nervous, as he always was.

Hom took one sideways glance at Stan's neck and nodded. "I'm sure. Your wounds aren't going to fix on their own, I don't think."

Stan gaped. At least his voice didn't sound so raspy, he realized. "Are you sure? My voice is already starting to return to normal."

"Do you really want to take that risk?" Hom asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Stan sighed. "No." He whined, shoulders dropping, as he entered the hospital.