FEAR | BILL DENBROUGH [ 1 ]

six | projector

''I almost drowned, Stanley. I was going to take a bath and I heard voices coming from the tub. I got closer and when I did, hands grabbed my head and pulled me under. I couldn't breathe, and when IT let me go, it was laughing. That experience was real. This, is real.'' Layla explained, and she could still hear the high-pitched laughter.

Bill grabbed Layla's hand gently, and she smiled softly at him. He brought her comfort, and she felt safe with him.

''It can't be. It can't be real. Not Eddie's leper, or Bill seeing Georgie, Layla almost drowning, or the woman I keep seeing.''

''Is she hot?" Richie asked.

''No, Richie. She's not hot. Her face is all messed up. None of this makes any sense. They're all like bad dreams.'' Stan said, trying to convince himself that IT wasn't real.

''I don't think so,'' Layla interrupted, fiercely. ''I know the difference between a bad dream, and real life, okay?''

Mike nodded his head towards the female and she looked at him. ''What? Did you see something too?"

''Yes.'' He said. ''You guys know that burnt down house on Harris Avenue? I was inside when it burned down. Before I was rescued.. my mom and dad were trapped in the next room over from me. They were pushing and pounding on the door, trying to get to me. But it was too hot. When firefighters found them, the skin on their hands had melted down to the bone. We're all afraid of something.'' Mike finished.

Layla's heart hurt for Mike, to lose both of his parents the way he did. Layla lost her mother as a child, and Mike lost both in a horrendous way.

''You got that right.'' Richie said, turning around to see the a clown giving balloons away.

''Why, Rich? What are you afraid of?'' Eddie asked.

Richie pushed his glasses back on his face. ''Clowns.''

They travelled back to Bill's house, where Ben had brought slides for the projector. Stan and Layla were helping covering the windows up with blankets, while Bill put the map of Derry on the wall.

Ben handed Bill a set to put in, and it was a map of Old Derry. Bill focused the projector, and began speaking. ''Look.''

A red line ran through the map, a place called ''Storm Drain.'' Layla recognized it to be Bill's handwriting.

''That's where Georgie disappeared. There's the Ironworks, and the Black Spot. Everywhere IT happens, it-it's all connected by the sewers. And they all meet up at the-''

''The well-house.'' Ben said, staring at the map.

''It's the house on Neibolt street." Layla said, her skin crawling.

''You mean the creepy-ass house where all the junkies and hobo's like to sleep?" Richie asked.

Eddie took a gulp of his inhaler.

''I hate that place.'' Beverly said. ''I always feel like it's watching me.''

''That's where I saw It. Where I saw the clown.'' Eddie confessed.