The Dark Of You: Sequel to What Lies Beneath

Chapter 13

The logical part of you understood why Mike did what he did. He had been the only one out of all of the Losers to stay in Derry. Twenty-seven years of living in constant fear, haunted by the memories he endured during his childhood. It would negatively impact anyone. He hated Pennywise so much, it only made sense that his feelings of hatred would bleed into his opinion of you as the same kind of creature.

However, the new and savage side of you was quick to anger. You found yourself fighting with your subconscious to differentiate Mike as something more than just an insignificant gnat that needed to be swatted. How dare he. You were trying your best to bring peace, and they just kept testing your patience.

The angrier you became, the more your body started to tremble and take shape into something far unlike your human form.

As your bones cracked and split, your skin turned black and scaly. You honestly didn't even know what you were, but it was terrifying, even to you.

Gazing around the cavern, you saw Pennywise chomping at an opening that he couldn't fit into while one of his limbs stretched far down into a different part of the cave. He was obviously hunting more than one of the humans at a time after they scattered.

Reading his mind, you saw that he had actually trapped three of the Losers in alternate worlds. It was absolutely stunning, and you had no idea that he was even capable of such a thing. Somehow, he had transported Bill into a universe where he was swimming in a basement, confronted by his little brother and his younger self. Beverly was locked in a bathroom stall, which was quickly filling up with blood while she was being terrorized by people from her past. Ben had been thrown into their childhood clubhouse and was being suffocated by dirt as the walls started to collapse and condense around him.

It was literally the stuff of nightmares. Surprisingly, instead of being concerned, you were... impressed? That couldn't be right. He was hurting your friends, and yet, something about it called to you. The fear that was emitting from them was intoxicating, and you inhaled it greedily.

A recognizable scream caught your attention and pulled you from your intense focus of the others onto Richie and Eddie, who were trapped in one of the caverns by Pennywise's stray limb.

Pennywise was subconsciously encouraging you to join him in tormenting the Losers for a bit of fun. Unable to stop yourself, you happily obliged, slithering towards the two terrified men huddled together in the cave.

Your mate had projected three doors in front of Richie and Eddie that were marked with ' Very Scary', ' Scary', and ' Not Scary At All'. You were sure that they wouldn't have opened any one of them, knowing what kind of trickster Pennywise was, but one of his tentacles was blocking their only other way out, stretching and snapping at their heels.

Crawling behind the ' Not Scary At All ' door, you transformed into an adorably non-threatening Pomeranian dog, patiently waiting for them to open the door. Sure enough, they did, and when they saw you, they were clearly alarmed and not at all convinced of your innocence.

"Shit," Richie snapped, his face flushed with fear.

Eddie huffed, nervousness radiating from him. "No way am I falling for this shit again."

"Oh yeah, that thing's a fucking monster," Richie confirmed, leaning down to address you. "I know your moves, you little bitch." It was clear that they were under the impression that you were Pennywise.

Gauging their surroundings, they turned around to see that Pennywise had retracted his tentacle and that the way was clear for them to leave. Richie turned back to you, unsure as to whether or not their safe passage was a ruse or not. He then demanded in an authoritative voice, "Sit!"