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viii. neibolt
THE JOURNEY TO THE NEIBOLT HOUSE was ironically pleasant; the sun shone warmly, and a pleasant breeze caressed Verity's face as she cycled. She couldn't enjoy this, however, as the closer they got to the house, the more dread she felt.
Eventually, they got to the house. Its windows were smashed or boarded up, the wooden exterior was rotted, and the lawn was overgrown and wild. Funnily enough, a large group of sunflowers had grown in the grass, waving their brightly coloured faces at the Losers as they set their bikes down. Bill stood on the front steps, looking at the old house with determination.
"It looks like a face.." Stan muttered, staring up at the building before them.
Verity frowned. "What?"
"The windows are the eyes, see? And the door is the mouth.. fucking creepy."
She saw that Stan was right; it did look like a face. A face that seemed to suggest something wasn't right behind the dilapidated facade.
"Bill!" Beverly called, jumping from her bike. "Bill, you can't go in there, this is crazy!"
He turned to them. "Look, you don't have to come in with me. But what happens when another Georgie goes missing. Or another Betty, or another Ed Corcoran, or, one of us? Are you just gonna pretend it isn't happening, just like everyone else in this town? Because, I can't," his voice faltered. "I go home, and all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals, but.. he isn't. So walking into this house, for me, is easier than walking into my own." He turned away from them, quickly dragging a hand across his cheek.
Verity looked at Bill's retreating figure closely, feeling a sort of kinship towards him. They were both just two kids, whose families had been plunged into a nightmare. She understood what he meant, and a small spark of bravery was lit in her chest.
"Wow," Richie said, staring after Bill.
Eddie frowned. "What?"
"He didn't stutter once."
Richie moved to go with Bill, and Beverly followed suit.
Stan looked at them, his eyes shifting nervously. "Wait! Um, shouldn't we have some people keep watch? Y'know, just in case something bad happens?" He said, looking at his friends.
Verity coughed, and it sounded suspiciously like the word pussy.
"And I guess you want it to be yourself, eh Stanny?" Richie said, rolling his eyes.
