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

14. The History of Derry.

 The group rushed upstairs and into Ben's room as he led the way. 

"Yeah, I heard he has a rollercoaster and a pet chimp and an old guy's fucking bones," conspired Eddie and Richie, earning an eye roll from Andie and Stan.

 They entered the room and it certainly did not look like a boy's room, other than the mess. The walls were covered, not by posters but by old newspaper clippings and pictures in black and white, all containing history. Everyone was stunned at the sight, causing them all to look around. Bill and Beverly were focused on the walls further from the door, whereas Stanley and Andie had their attention on the stuff Ben had on his table. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Eddie muttered. 

"Wow," Richie exclaimed. 

"Cool, huh?" Ben bragged.

"No, no, nothing cool," Richie lied. It was cool, even to him. "This is cool, right here," he pointed to something before mocking, "Wait, no. It's not cool." 

"Oh, Richie, I think you need new glasses," Andie voiced, earning a small smile from Ben. 

"What's that?" Stanley pointed to a sort of map on Ben's wall, as he and Andie moved closer to it. 

"Oh, that? That's the charter for Derry township," answered Ben.

"Nerd alert," Richie scoffed, fixing his too big of a spectacle.

"No, actually, it's really interesting," defended Ben. "Derry started as a beaver trapping camp," he continued his explanation.

"Still is, am I right, boys?" Richie exclaimed, proud of his joke, his arms raised waiting for Stanley to return his high-five only for the curly haired boy to shake his head in disappointment and disapproval.

"Ninety-one people signed the charter that made Derry. But, later that winter, they all disappeared without a trace."

Andie felt chills rushing down her spine, scared of what's to escape from Ben's lips. "The entire camp?" Eddie asked, clearly scared like Andie. 

"There were rumors of Indians, but no sign of an attack. Everyone thought it was just a plague or something," Ben continued as Andie traced her fingers on a picture- more like drawing- and she noticed something odd about one of the faces, she just couldn't quite put a finger on it. "But it's like, one day everybody just woke up and left. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes leading to the well house."

"Jesus, we can get Derry on Unsolved Mysteries," Richie said.

 The history of Derry had sent shivers to both Andie and Stanley. Their hands found each other in the moment of fear and horror. When they realized it, neither of them pulled away. Instead, Andie had squeezed his hand lightly to ensure him of her existence, who like him, was in fright. 

"Wh-where was the well house?" Bill voiced, gaining everyone's attention. 

"I don't know. Somewhere in town, I guess," Ben shrugged. "Why?"

"Nothing," Bill answered, turning his gaze to the missing posters on the wall.

Andie turned her gaze to see what the boy was looking at and immediately, she knew what was brewing in his mind. The air was filled with silence as the group stared at one another in shock. "Uh, guys, you wanna hang at my place?" Andie broke the silence, hoping to ease the tension.  

"Yes, please," Beverly chimed in.