**Say What You Mean Out Loud**

~ F I F T E E N ~

A moments appreciation for Tim Curry^

Mr. T?

Greyson Elliot trudged home from yet another encounter with Henry Bowers.
Today he decided to throw her in the river from the top of the kissing bridge.

The gross water soaked right through her clothes, leaving her shivering and drenched.

Her shameful walk home was only made worse when she saw Eddie storming out of the pharmacy.
He looked worried and mad, which made her worry for him.

But that didn't last long, for Greta walked out after him.
"You really are a wet blanket, ugly prude." She cackled, like a fucking witch.

So Greyson trudged home with her wet clothes, her wet hair, and her wet backpack.
When she got inside, she beelined for the bathroom before Jared could say anything.

"Greyson? You okay?"
She threw her bag in the tub with frustration, running a hand through her dripping hair.

"Yah! I'm great, just going to take a shower."
She sighed, plopping down on the tub rim and rubbing her eyes.

Jared knocked softly.
"Grey, let me in." He asked.
It was more of a command, but a polite one.

She reluctantly stood up and unlocked the door.
When Jared opened it, he was met with the short girl who looked like she had been dropped in the river.

Little did he know, she had.
"What happened?" He asked.
She shrugged and sat back down on the tub, the end of her hair dripping into it.

"I fell in the river." She sighed, opening her book bag and taking out her valuables.
She pulled out her Gameboy, cursing under her breath and water poured out of it.

"Shit, this was expensive!"
"Language." Jared warned sitting beside her.
"Language my ass, I've had a bad day."

He raised an eyebrow.
"Because you... fell." He said, knowingly.
She sighed and threw her hands up in defense.

"Fine, I was thrown in."
She tried to turn on her game console, but it was thoroughly ruined.
At least her brother works at an arcade.

"By who?"
She scoffed. "Who do you think?"
"Bowers?"

Her uneasy, fearful look was confirmation enough.
"The good news is, I was upside down when they were dangling me from the bridge, so my nose didn't bleed."

Jared frowned and patted her shoulder.
"You know you're stronger than you think." He told her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean you always tell everyone else how great they are, but you never realize how strong you are."
Grey looked at her brother with intrigue.

"You're too quick to tell everyone how brave or confident they can be, without taking a second to appreciate yourself."
She smiled and shoved her brother.

"You sound like Mr.T." She giggled.
He laughed too. "I pity the fool who don't love themselves!" He said, in his best Mr.T voice.

He sighed.
"I'm real sorry kid but I have Heather covering my shift right now, so I gotta run back."
She sighed.

"Damn, you'd think for being an arcade employee you wouldn't be so busy."
He frowned and stood up.
"Yah but, I have to be there a lot to get the money."

She nodded.
She wish she could've helped out more but you can't get a job anywhere in Derry at 12.

He gave her a brief goodbye before grabbing his keys and heading out the door.
She sighed sadly and put her Gameboy on a towel.

After all that had happened today, she still thought about Stanley.
He had filled her mind constantly and made her happy in her saddest moments.

Like sitting on a cold tub, shivering and wet.
Then the front door opened again.

She smiled and jumped up, walking out into the TV room.
"Jared you're back?" She asked.

He came in and grabbed his name tag from the fruit bowl.
"No I just left my name tag."

"Oh." She frowned.
He laughed. "What, you actually thought I was going to ditch work and come back?"

She shrugged. "I mean, kinda..."
"Why would I leave work just to come and see you?" He scoffed. Grey felt the words cut deep, and she subconsciously traced her scar at the metaphor.

"I-Well I-"
"You're not the most important thing in the world you know."

She blinked at him, frightened by his sudden tone shift. What that hell was he talking about?
"Jared-"
"Don't Jared me okay? I sick of picking you up all the time, I'm not your security blanket!"

He threw his pin at the floor in anger and she flinched, stepping back.
Her shoes squeaked on the tile floor as Jared stalked towards her.

"Why would I stick around for someone like you? You're the reason dad hated us, and you're the reason mom's living by herself in that crummy house!!"

He knocked over a chair as he got closer, screaming at the girl.
With all of his anger pouring out, the small girl felt as if her brother when getting bigger, taller.

She shrunk back, and his eyes stuck out to her the most.
His voice sounded lowly and deep. "There's nobody here for you..."

It was then Grey noticed, he actually was getting bigger. His height grew and his eyes were shining.
"When you're in trouble."

His eyes were shining amber yellow.
His skin paled and his hair grew, poofing up into a light red.

Grey stumbled back, her wet shoes slipping.
She fell to the floor and looked up at the huge clown, laughing in its sadistic, jester-like way.

It's head was to the ceiling and it's hands were sharp claws.
"Y-you..." she whispered, backing away to the wall.

She struggled to her feet, while it swung its arm up to slash her.
"Don't be so icky Grey Water," It called her. "You'll float too."

She screamed as it swung it's humongous claws at her, and she ran for the back door.
"We all float, up and out of the Grey Waterrrrr..."

His words lost their meaning towards the end, as they slurred into a demonic growl.
She ran out the door, stumbling and falling into her back yard.

She looked back at her house, and there was no sign of him.
She sighed and let her head fall back with relief.
It was over... for now.

But she had to stop it.
Or it'd get her too. And all of her friends.

Speaking of friends, she began her trek to Stan's house.
There was no way in hell she was going back in her house. So it was a sleepover kind of night.