𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜, richie tozier

xvi. ( beverly )

MISSING!

MELISSA SAT ON richie's bed and stared out the window. clouds passed through the blue sky and over the trees.

"you ready for this jewish thingy?" richie asks. "bar mitzvah, richie. get that in your head." melissa giggled and grabbed his hand pulling him to the door.

"i like your dress, hot stuff." she stood there with a light cream dress that hung below her knees. her flats where fitted and her hair was in a low bun.

"thanks, richie. i like your..." she stopped and looked over his blue suit, a smile on his lips. he was hoping for a compliment that he wasn't going to get.  "face. your suit however is horrible." she smirked. he glared at her and scrunched his face. "let's go." he sighed angrily.

RICHIE, MELISSA AND his mother sat in the booth. they were staring with their mouths ajar, not understanding anything stan was reading. stan slammed the book closed and stomped down the stage.

"stan? what do you think you're doing?" his father gritted his teeth. "no, i'm not doing this!" richie and melissa smiled at each other and in a knowing manner, they nodded.

his father reached for his arm. he shoved the hand away and ran out of the room. the two love-birds stood up and clapped. richie's mother grabbed them down but melissa dodges her and runs up to stan.

"hell yeah man! fuck your religion." she stopped and bit her lip, she regretted that immediately.  "uh, you know what i mean!" she corrected herself and looked around the room. she made eye contact with richie and pulled his arm.

"sorry, i've got to take your son away from you." she straightens her shoulders and sticks her tongue out at mrs. tozier. "yeah, sorry mom but imma bout to shake this girl up." his mother's eyes widened and her face grew red. melissa bites her lip and kicks his shin. they run out, leaving the audience in disgusted awe.

MELISSA STROLLED WITH rich down the street, hand in hand. "what are you doing at the arcade? i'm just gonna play street fighter."

"i want another cherry-lime." melissa scoffed. "you made a bunch at the house, you're crazy." he shook his head with a small laugh. "shut up, richard. let me get my drink!" she elbowed him and gripped his hand tighter.

MELISSA SAT ON a stool, sipping her drink. she watched richie angrily press buttons and his face scrunched up. her view flicks to the door and a familiar stutter walks in. she rolls her eyes and jumps up off the seat.

"what do you want, bill?" she grunts as she mets up with them. richie looks up in confusion and then sighs. "melissa." bill starts. "what do you want? do you see that guy i'm hitting? i'm pretending it's you." richie continues to punch the buttons and switches childishly.

"it got beverly." he stated. melissa dropped her drink and started to shake. "what?!" she screeched. richie began to focus on them. "it, guys. it got beverly." melissa pulled the boys out of the arcade, tripping over bags and empty cups.

THE LOSERS STOOD together and watching the unmoving house. they felt it stare right back like it was human; or not human.

the boarded up walls and broken glass gleamed like diamonds but dirty, evil ones. ones that want to kill you and eat your flesh.

the group took a deep breath and started up the stairs. stan stood still and melissa looked back at him. "stan?" she asks. "stan, we have to go. beverly was right. if we split up like last time, that clown will kill us one by one. but if we stick together⎯ all of us, we'll win. i promise." bill spoke with seriousness.

stan gritted his teeth and finally walked up the creaking steps. when they pushed through the door, bill led them to the well. it was dark and grimy.

a dark abyss of whatever fear they held.

( written by STRAWBCRRYGLOSS )