TIME | RICHIE TOZIER

|009|

I look straight into its eyes. I was done with its lies, it was about to hurt Beverly and I knew it.

"Try me." I say, intimidation lacing throughout each and every one of my words.

A look of fear flashed onto its face, and it's smirk dropped.

Then, someone opens the garage door, light filling the room and causing for it to disappear again.

I already knew my eyes were red and puffy and it was obvious that I was crying for a long time.

I looked towards Beverly, ignoring everybody else. I run over to her and kneel down next to her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She lifts her head out of her knees and pulls me into a tight hug.

"I missed you, why did you leave?" Beverly questions as we pull away.

"Are you okay, did it hurt you?" I asked worriedly, ignoring her question.

"I'm fine, he didn't touch me." She assures, making me sigh in relief.

"Good." I say, standing up and start to take in my surroundings.

Everyone was by the garage door, staring at me. I soon decide that I have to explain why I was here.

"I'm back.." I say even though it was very clear that I was back.

"I see that," Stan says.

I heavily sigh. "I had to come back. I forgot how lonely it was back home.."

"That can't be the only reason." Richie says, not believing me.

"Fine. I knew something like this was gonna happen, so I came."

"You sure it wasn't just because you missed us?" Beverly smiles, looking up at me.

"Partially." I answer, sending a smile back to her.

My eyes scan over everybody, making sure they're okay. They stop on Eddie who looks like he's freaking out.

"Eddie, what's wrong?" I ask, walking over to him.

"It knows where we are!" He says frantically, causing me to roll my eyes.

I'm pretty sure it's known where they were for a long time now.

"I-it always has, s-s-so let's go." Bill said.

"Go where?" He asked.

"To the house o-on n-neibolt street." Bill answers.

"Even after what just happened?" Stan says, worried.

"Yeah, it's summer." Richie adds quilt Bill was getting on his bike.

"If you say it's s-summer one m-more fucking t-t-time.." He said while riding away, making us all reluctantly follow.

I shake my head. "Bill, no. You need to stop chasing after that clown, it's no use."

"You dont even have to come in with ne but if you cared so much then where were you when a bunch of people went missing? You weren't there since it was apparently too much for you." Bill snapped, yelling at me.

I was speechless. I wasn't expecting Bill to yell at me like that, and I'm pretty sure neither did anyone else.

"Are you just gonna pretend like nothing is happening in this town just like everyone else in this town?! Because I can't. What are you gonna do if one of us go missing? Right, nothing like you've been doing!"

I was angry at him. Hell, if it wasn't for me his little brother would be long gone!

"Nothing? I've been doing nothing? If anything you should be thanking me because I'm the only reason Georgie didn't go missing! If it wasn't for me, he would be dead!" I yell.

This makes him go silent. I was beyond angry at this point, and I couldn't stand the silence either.

"Wow." Richie says in amazement.

"What?" Beverly asks, turning to him.

"He didn't stutter once," he pointed out, and he was right. Bill didn't stutter at all.

Then, before Bill walks in, Stan speaks up.

"Wait, shouldn't one of us keep watch just in case something bad happens?" Stan spoke, visibly scared to go inside.

"W-who wants to stay out here?" Bill questions, and everyone except for me and Beverly raise out hands.

After lots of debating, we just decided to pick straws. I drew the short straw along with Richie and Eddie, so we had to go in with Bill.

I wasn't scared of the house or getting hurt, I already knew that it couldn't do anything to me.

Of course, it was the complete opposite of how Eddie and Richie felt about going into the abandoned house.

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end of chapter