Lost ❄️ Reddie

5

Richie walked downstairs with his bag and met the eyes of Maggie Tozier.

"Where are you going, sweetie?" she asked, noticing Richie giant bag as well as how upset he seemed.

"Bill's for movie night," he said with quietly. "It'll be the first one without..."

Maggie nodded and embraced her crying son. She knew he was hurting, but she couldn't stop it. All she could do is be there for her baby and hope that, in time, he'd be able to work past his depression and pain.

"Where's dad?" Richie asked. He knew he'd never come home again, and he wanted to make sure he said goodbye to his dad.

"In the living room," Maggie said, hugging Richie once more before he walked off to where his father sat.

"Dad?" Richie asked, standing next to his recliner.

Wentworth looked up to where his son stood beside him, looking nervous and hesitant. "Hey, Rich. What's going on?"

"I'm, uh, I'm going to Bill's, for, uh, movie night. I just wanted to, um, to say goodbye," Richie stuttered out.

Went smiled at Richie and patted his back from where he sat. "Have fun, kiddo. Call us if you need us to come get you or something, okay?"

Richie nodded and walked toward the door, saying goodbye to his parts once more, then closed it gently behind him.

The air was cool, as it was October and soon to be November. The wind stung a little bit, being colder than it had been so far in the year.

Richie pulled his jacket tighter around him a readjusted his backpack so it was closer to his back. He debated actually knocking on the door to Bill's house, but he knew that they'd all be able to see right through him and know he wasn't going to stay in the town. So, reluctantly, Richie left a note on Bill's doorstep and began to walk toward the town's exit.

He crossed the kissing bridge to get there, looking at the names and initials carved there. If Eddie had been around, he'd definitely put both of their initials there. There was no point in doing it now that Eddie was dead. Yet, it didn't stop Richie from stopping at the bridge and running his finger over an empty space, wishing he could see Eddie again.

Richie picked up his bag and turned to keep walking toward the edge of town when he heard footsteps from behind him. He turned, but didn't see anyone, and narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Stan? Bev?" he called out, thinking his friends might have started following him just to keep him safe.

No one called back, but he heard the footsteps again. They sounded like they were behind him, but Richie couldn't see anyone when he turned.

"Hello?" he yelled, beginning to panic, backing toward the tunnel.

Richie was worried IT had lived and was coming after him, but he believed if that was really the case he would've seen someone. A clown, maybe Eddie, something to terrify him.

"Shouldn't be out this late," a voice said, catching Richie's attention.

He turned and saw Henry Bowers walking out from inside the tunnel, then saw all of his gang members stalking closer to Richie from other directions.

Henry walked up to Richie, towering over him and smirking. "Especially alone. Got a death wish, Tozier?" he asked, chuckling darkly.

Richie didn't say anything. Of course it'd be his luck to get murdered on his way out of town. The one place he wanted to escape, yet he was going to be killed just inches from the finish line.

Henry walked closer so his chest was nearly bumping into Richie's. "Are you scared?"

Richie couldn't help the laugh that he barked out, earning himself a glare from Henry and his gang members.

"You think I'm fucking scared of you? Fuck off, Bowers. I don't have time for this shit," Richie said, brushing past Henry who was shocked and stayed in place, not knowing how to respond.

Richie walked under the tunnel, but stopped when he heard Henry's voice echoing through it.

"Maybe if you had more time Wheezy Kaspbrack would still be alive!" Henry called with a maniacal laugh.

Richie turned around, feeling a fresh wave of tears gather in his eyes. He saw Henry smiling and felt all of his emotions catch up with him.

"He went missing, huh? Killed in the sewers, right? Maybe if you cared you'd have gone looking and he'd still be alive. Huh, Tozier?"

"Shut up," Richie said, feeling new streams of tears cutting through where the old ones were.

"Is that what scares you? Losing your faggot boyfriend? Bet someone took him there and raped the little bitch before killing him."

"I said shut the fuck up!"

Henry smirked, his face illuminated under the glow of the lamps lining the street. "What're you gonna do, Tozier? You know I'm right."

"You're not! Don't fucking talk about him," Richie screamed, stomping toward Henry and standing in front of him. He was fuming and could tell Henry didn't expect him to be that pissed.

Henry seemed to be trying to keep from looking surprised by Richie's lash out. "He's better off dead, and you know it."

That's what it took for Richie to snap.

He slammed his fist into Henry's nose, catching him off guard. Then, he tackled him and continued to punch the other boy, blood spraying on his clothes and all over Henry's face.

"Leave him alone!" One of the gang members yelled, but Richie was too far gone.

He was livid, trying to fight back when the other gang members dragged Richie away from Henry and threw him on the ground, trying to tend to their hurt friend.

Richie wanted to keep fighting, but he knew if he stayed that he'd he taken out next.

So he ran.

Through the tunnel, outside of the town. He jogged for an hour before he came to a busier town and was able to find a bus stop. The furthest place that the bus could take him was a town in Indiana, so Richie payed the fee and climbed on the bus.

He wouldn't miss Derry, but he'd miss his friends and the memory of Eddie.

Yet, as he flipped through the memory album, Richie felt a bit better. All he could see was images of a happy Eddie.

The only one he wanted to see.