IMPULSE {Richie Tozier}

11

"Oh shit!" Eddie mutters, "that's Belch Huggins' car. We– we should get out of here,"

Quickly, he and the others begin to climb onto their bikes.

"Wait, isn't that the home-schooled kid's bike?" Bill recognizes.

A few moments of silence pass before Bev speaks up.

"We have to help him."

"We should?" Richie questions.

"Yes!" Ivy insists, hopping off her bike and throwing it aside.

Her and Bev quickly follow the sounds of Mike Hanlon's shouts for help.

The others follow, dropping their bikes.

Except Stan, who puts it on it's kickstand before rushing after everyone else. Once everyone is down the rocks, they come face to face with pure ugly.

Henry Bowers and his goons are gathered around poor Mike Hanlon, holding him down and nearly beating him to death.

Bev is quick to grab a rock and throws it at Henry, hitting him on the side of his head. Henry reels back, stunned. The bullies all look across the stream to see us standing there. Mike takes this opportunity to run to our side.

Bev is standing closest, shoulders back, breathing hard. Braced for a fight.

"Nice throw," Stan tells her.

"What's this?" Belch questions in a sarcastic tone. "A couple of losers and their whores?"

Henry grins, standing up right.

"You guys are trying too hard." He gestures towards Bev, "all you have to do is ask nicely, like I did."

His hand grabs at his crotch area, causing a gag to come from Ivy.

Bev snickers.

Victor raises his eyebrow at the girl.

"So those rumors were true?" He grins at Richie, "you really were fucking the girl! Did you let her dog watch?"

Richie clenches his fists, desperately trying to hold in the anger he feels.

Ben isn't about to let them talk about his friends this way. He's had enough of Henry's shit. So, he picks up another rock and hurls it across the stream.

"ROCK WAR!!!" Richie bellows as the bullies retaliate with a stone to the center of his forehead, knocking him on his ass.

Ivy takes this opportunity to have her own little revenge, taking multiple throws. Most of them hitting. Rocks are flying everywhere, but there's a sense of unity and pure bliss set upon the group as they stand up to their bullies.

After a barrage of rocks between the two groups, the bullies are too wounded to continue. Belch and Victor limp off into the woods in retreat, leaving behind Henry.

The losers also begin to retreat from the scene, feeling accomplished. Richie wasn't about to leave without throwing some kind of insult, of course.

"Go blow your dad, you mullet wearing asshole!"

Giggling, Ivy stays behind with the trash mouth. He throws a wink to the girl, linking their arms in a sort of "gentlemanly" manner. Novocane sends one last warning growl to the Bowers boy, before following loyally by her owner.

They quickly catch up with the rest of the group, who are stood by the train tracks.

Stan smirks at the closeness of Richie and Ivy. Richie quickly unlinks their arms, pretending to not notice Stan's knowing looks.

Ivy frowns. Only for a second though.

"Thanks, guys, but you shouldn't have done that. He'll be after you too now," Mike says.

"Bowers? Oh no! He's always been after us," Eddie assure with a laugh and kind smile.

Mike smiles back.

"I guess that's one th-th-th-thing we all have in common," says Bill, knowing all too well of the Bowers gang.

"Welcome to the Loser's Club." Ivy smiles, throwing out all negative thoughts.

Novocane gives a loud bark.