Wonder. | A Stanley Uris Fanfiction. | IT 2017.

8. Her First Meeting.

 The night slipped, flurrying away just as a dandelion would on a windy summer day. After dinner, Andie spent her hours on her bed, writing poetry and the words flowed from her mind like a stream or a waterfall. She began feeling tired and sleepy from the adventures of the day, finally giving in and slipped to slumber. 

 A dream came in production, Paul's face appeared as a loving memory. It was back in New Jersey, in their old home, just a few days before the tragedy. They were having dinner, all three of them, laughing and enjoying each other's company. Paul had made a joke that resulted in Andie bursting out laughing, not being able to stop. The scene moved to the night of sorrows, still having dinner, together, as a family, happiness scattered on the faces the Tyler family wore. Andie could see herself, her father, her mother, filled with joy, not knowing what awaited them not more than three hours later. 

"Andieee," a voice that Andie recognized as Paul's called her, in a sing-song tone. 

 Paul's voice came from behind her, not in front where the scene of their last feast still played. Curious to know the source of the voice, Andie turned, hoping to see her father's comforting face but was met with a pale, bloodied up face that once belonged to Paul. The face had holes with maggots and worms slithering around, the eyes, soulless- lifeless. Andie stood in horror at the sight of her father's corpse, unable to move as shock took over her body. She was left to snap out of it when the walking corpse lunged towards her and managed to grab her by the hair. 

 Andie screamed in pain and fright as her father, no- the thing, grabbed her hair. She back kicked the thing, causing it to be distracted, which left room for Andie to run out. Just as she began making her way out, running as fast she could, with her blood pumping and adrenaline rushing, she was pulled back and was thrown against the wall of her bedroom. 

"Andie, you were the reason," the corpse began, it's voice echoed, the way a coin would when dropped in a well. "You were the reason I did it, Andie."

Andie understood what it was talking about and began crying, shouting, "NO! NO! NO!"

"Yes, yes, yes. If it wasn't for you, I would have lived. It was your fault. It was all your fault!" It's voice became a deep growl, not at all sounding like Paul's voice. Andie opened her eyes and standing over her was a tall clown, with a white costume and red buttons, big ruffles surrounding it's neck, it's hair was of orange and was a spiking mess. 

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Andie tried to kick the clown but her leg was grabbed and it opened it's mouth, revealing thousands of teeth. "NO!" Andie grunted in pain as her leg was still in the tight grip of the clown's. 

It brought Andie's leg closer to it's mouth, ready to feast upon it. It made a mistake when it closed his mouth and curled it into a wide, creepy grin, muttering, "Time to float", then laughing hysterically as it was interrupted by Linda's worried voice, trying to bust through Andie's door. 

In terror and relief, Andie turned to look at the door, crying for Linda, "MOM! MOM! HELP ME! PLEASE!" then back to the clown except it was no longer there. Just as it had appeared, without making so much so of a sound, it had vanished. No trace left, at all. Not even the blood that was flowing out of her leg before. 

 Andie breathed heavily, in pain and horror, crying, traumatized at the clown that was in her pervious sight. Linda finally managed to open the door and turned on the light. Upon seeing the horror struck face of her child, she rushed to the bed and held Andie in a hug. Scared, Andie hugged her mother tighter, still crying at the living nightmare. Her mom stroked her hair softly, in hopes to comfort her. 

Linda called out her name, causing the girl to stop crying and look up to her mother which revealed Linda's face. Well, it would be if Linda was dead and rotting away. Screaming, Andie pushed the thing away as it had taken the face of her mother if her mother was dead. "Andie," the voice said in a sing-song. "You didn't even realize I was dead," the thing spoke in Linda's voice, it's head slightly tilted, as though to look hurt. "That is how bad of a daughter you are," it continued. 

Andie screamed and tried to open the door of her bedroom but she found it's weight to be heavier than it ever was before. "You are the worst daughter a mother, a father," it said, morphing back to inhabit the shape of Paul's corpse, "could ever ask for!" 

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! THAT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE!" Andie yelled, trying to stop the voice from getting to her head. She saw the bathroom door open and ran there, thinking the thing would not realize her actions. She was wrong as the figure of the clown came back and closed off the door. 

"Time to float," just like before, it muttered those words, with a creepy grin spread across it's face and it's laugh, hysterical. 

Screaming, and crying, Andie didn't know what else she could do and her body took control and flailed around, hoping to hurt the clown in any way she could. She kept going, her eyes shut, until she heard her mother calming her down, repeating, "Andie, Andie, Andie, it's me. It's your mom, you're okay now, honey, you're okay."

The woman pulled Andie into a hug but before she could, Andie screamed, "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" with her arms still flailing. It went on until Linda felt tears streaming down her face at the sight of her horrified daughter fighting off her love. 

Despite being hit continously by Andie's flailing body, Linda steadied herself and tried to hug and calm her daughter. Out of breath and energy, Andie finally gave up and let herself melt under Linda's motherly touch, crying into the woman's chest. "Mom, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the girl apologized profusely, tears never ending. 

"Sshh, it's okay, honey, it's okay. I'm here now, you're okay."