Trepidation ⸙ IT 2017

Chapter ⸙ Nine

~ Chapter Nine ~

WARNINGS: Language, Blood

Word count: 3135

Italics - memory
Underlined - You don't know it's happened (if that makes sense). It won't all be underlined, but all space in between two underlined sentances signify ALL of it being stuff you didn't witness.

***

The inflatable air mattress you ended up sleeping on as part of the agreement for Eddie being able to sleep over was not comfortable. It deflated slightly in the night leaving you stuck in the middle, Your blanket trapping you in a heat pod and making it a struggle to move around.

Eddie didn't think it was necessary, He felt horrible sleeping in your bed while you slept on an air mattress on the floor. You agreed to his mother's wishes after begging her to let Eddie stay over the night. Her wish being let him sleep on a mattress as to not "harm his spinal growth" (and a few other small requests of course, something about oat milk for his tea and having the windows closed to eliminate bad air circulation). He thought it was ridiculous and as a matter of fact you did too, But if it meant he could stay? You were going to agree to anything.

The curtains in your house weren't enough to block out the sun starting to peek through. As you watched the shadows cast upon them move slowly with the breeze you gave yourself some time to rest. Hardly having slept even more than 2 hours, Too busy watching over Eddie and calming him from his own nightmares every time his breathing became too rapid or he began talking in his sleep. You didn't want to pry, trying to block out the words falling from his mouth as he talked about the terrors he was facing in his own imaginary world.

Then again you were both facing terrors in this world, It didn't matter whether it was in your dreams or not. The events of the last few days were weighing on you. You didn't blame Eddie for your restless night, in fact you were grateful about not having to sleep here alone another night. Your sleep was continuously disturbed by your own dreams anyway, unable to escape your fear even when you were far away from this world.

***

It was a tradition throughout all of summer, group get togethers at the ice creamery. It was easier than organising the hangouts with all the phone calls, Just knowing where to go and when. The ice creamery, 11 sharp.   You never knew who was going to be there. With the occasional day that you were left alone. It was never on purpose, no-one would do that to harm one another, it's sacred. Everyone would always try to make it and they'd always have a very good reason if they couldn't.

Today so far (with the hour only ticking 6 minutes and 45 seconds past 11), It was you, Eddie and Richie. Seeing as you and Eddie had come together, it wasn't saying a lot. Richie hardly ever bailed, with no other commitments and a hardcore sweet tooth, how could he?

"That can't be normal?"

But Richie's mind had other commitments today, He wasn't focused on ice cream and was preoccupied with Ben's spiel yesterday about Derry's history.

"What?

Not even 2 seconds after he said hello his opinions started spilling out (which was a common occurrence), sharing all his thoughts that have been piling up over the night.

"There's no way anything Ben said yesterday has that much truth to it. I mean he must be nuts or completely loo-"

"Richie."