Two Birds [S.Uris]

XII. We Won

The losers all arrive at the quarry to wash off. No one spoke on the way there. They reach the place where they once jumped, looking down into the still beautiful waters.

Fleur gulps, yet stands confidently. The quarry is now owned by the government and has a sign restricting from jumping. "Man, they really changed this place. We used to love it here." Fleur says quietly, looking to the others.

They all nod, then begin clinging over the railing, taking off their shoes and jackets. They proceed to jump off, cleaning themselves in the green water.  "You know what?" Ben speaks up.

"Eddie would've hated this, guys." He states. "What? Cleaning ourselves in dirty water?" Bill asks in confusion. "Yeah." Ben chuckles. "He'd be telling us we'd get streptococcal something." Beverly says, rubbing her arm.

"Yeah. But he would've made us laugh, though." Mike cuts in, smiling. "Oh, yeah." Fleur replies. "He'd be looking out for us. I mean, he always was." Ben says, causing the others to nod.

"Isn't that right, Richie?" Bill asks, looking to the silent man, who is now in tears. He sobs, placing a hand on his forehead. "Rich.." Fleur whispers rubbing an arm around him. The others follow, surrounding him in a group hug as he cries.

"Thank you. I don't have my glasses on so I don't know who you people are, but thank you." Richie says, confusedly looking around at the others. They all chuckle. "I legit can't find my glasses." He repeats.

"You're serious? Glasses." Beverly asks, then looks around, submerging into the water to search. Even Fleur goes in the water, searching through the muck.

Ben ends up finding them, swimming over to Richie and handing him the glasses. "We should get out of here. I'm starting to get cold." Fleur says, shivering. "Alright, come on." Mike says, swimming towards the surface.

•••••

They walk through the empty streets of Derry, heading back towards the Inn. Beverly comes to a short stop, looking down at her hand. "Hey, guys. Look." She says, holding up her left hand. Her scar is gone.

Fleur looks down at her hand, along with the others, shocked to see that hers is gone too. "Woah.." She smiles. "Nothing lasts forever." Mike states. They all turn, looking at their reflections in the window of the nearby bank.

The dirty, hurt, losers that just came back from the Neibolt house, stare at their reflection in the window. "I can't go home looking like this, guys. My mom will kill me." Eddie says.

"Dude, you've  been gone for twenty four straight hours. Your face is definitely on a milk carton by now." Richie responds. "Also, that puke smells worse than your mom's slippers." He adds.

"Oh, shut up, Richie." Fleur says, rolling her eyes. "Okay, first of all, my mom's slippers smell like poperie, asshole." Eddie argues as they begin walking away with their bikes. "No they don't." Stanley replies, causing the blonde beside him to chuckle.

"Yes they do and also, how would you know what they smell like in the first place?" Eddie asks. "Can we just keep it quiet, please?" Mike butts in frustratedly. Fleur awkwardly looks over to Stanley, who is holding onto his bike handle with one hand as he pulls it.

She musters up her courage, reaching out for his hand and taking it in her own, holding it tight. Stanley turns to look at her, then looks down at their hands, smiling.