The Siren - IT fic (Pennywise x Bill)

Ch 1: Fresh Blood

Summary: A siren finds himself trapped in Derry's river after a heavy rainfall.

Ch 1: Fresh Blood

There was fresh blood in the water. The siren's green eyes narrowed into slits as it swam down the canal toward the delicious scent. Even in his ravenous state, the creature was careful to stay underwater until the last possible moment.

A young man was splashing about in the shallower water as his crimson lifeblood continued to pour from his injuries. If Billy got any closer, he'd be exposed to whatever was above, but... food. He'd been trapped in this strange river since the heavy rains washed him over a high wall during the last moon cycle. There weren't enough fish, even in the deeper pool he'd discovered and claimed for his temporary home, to properly feed a siren, and the only humans he'd glimpsed were children.

Ever since the accident, Billy couldn't bring himself to hunt children. They were too great a reminder of his brother's unfortunate fate. But this human was not a child. Perhaps not an adult, but far too old to be considered a child. He could make a fine meal.

The siren felt his predator side rising to the surface, and his conscious mind fled in the face of such overwhelming hunger.

FOOD, EAT, HUNT,

D E V O U R !

The siren surged out of the water, razor-sharp teeth bared as he shimmied his body over the rocks. Without a thought for any danger that might be waiting for him, he wrapped his arms around the young man's twitching body and sunk his teeth into his neck to end his struggles.

In his hunger, Billy failed to notice the golden eyes peering at him from the mouth of a nearby sewer opening. He'd never glimpsed the zombie children that had, only moments before, chased the young man from the cavernous place, and into the water.

MEAT!

Billy ripped out the dark-haired boy's heart and bit into it, closing his eyes as he savored the salty taste of blood dripping down his throat. Still warm, still delicious. He hadn't feasted on a human in many, many cycles. This human would feed him for some time. And Billy knew the perfect place to stuff the body. Down in the darkness of the lake, beneath the falling water. The children never dove down that far.

"Hi-yah, friend! Enjoying your food?"

The siren's eyes popped open, his clawed hands digging into the lean body of his meal in shock. Narrowing his green eyes, the young creature hissed at the strange being that was standing far too close for comfort. It was oddly human-like, but also different. Pale skin, strange clothes, blood red hair, and a predator's grin.

"Haven't seen one of your kind in loooong time. However did you get stuck in my canal?" the towering man purred.

Billy dragged the dead body in his arms closer, his eyes darting around for a quick escape route, only to realize that he'd come too far into the shallows to feast. He should have dragged the human into the deeper water first. The siren cursed at himself, his fear rising as the odd being tilted its head at him in amusement.

"Don't worry, you can keep this boy. I know how to share," the man chuckled. Drawing itself up, the tall being announced, "I'm Pennywise, the Dancing Clown! And this is the entrance to my home."

The clown pointed to the round human-made opening behind him, before turning his attention back on the partial-fish boy that had managed to drag his catch a few inches back toward the water.

"Oh, I wouldn't try to run away, Billy," the clown insisted, stalking forward to tower over the siren.

"H-how do you k-know my n-name?" Billy asked, meeting the man's golden gaze. There was something oddly alluring about the not-human's eyes. Something that kept him rooted in the spot, unable to dredge even a single song from his throat – even if that song might guarantee his freedom from the strange hold the man had over him.

"I know a lot of things, Billy-boy. I'll make you a deal. I'll let you keep young Patrick here, and I'll even bring you more humans to feast on, in exchange for your... company," the man commented.

"My company?"

"It gets lonely being the only monster in Derry," the clown sighed, frowning dramatically. "You can stay in my town, and come to visit me here. I'll bring you flesh to keep you from starvation, and you can sing for me."

"Sing? Yes, I could do that," Billy murmured aloud.

"Good. Oooh, I should bring you a child next time. Their flesh is so much more flavorful," the older creature insisted.

"NO!"

"No?" the clown pouted at him, clearly taken aback.

"No. I don't eat children - not since Georgie..." Billy looked away, wishing desperately to be back underwater where it was safe and dark.

"Hmmm... that's too bad. I'll bring you older humans then, my vicious little siren. And you and I will be the best of friends."

***

Note: I planned for this to be a short ficlet, but it turned into a longer story. Most of the story is written, so I'll be posting the rest of it soon. Also, keep an eye out for more IT ficlets in the future.