Reap What You Sow

When Nothing's More than Nature (Prologue)

Eddie would've punched him right in the ribs for that if Stan hadn't done it first, so Eddie just settled for yelling at him. A lot.

Richie and Eddie made it to the clubhouse first. Admittedly only because they began racing each other when they started to get close—the hammock was on the line, after all.

Eddie actually made it there first for once because Richie slipped on some leaves, and Eddie wasted no time in dropping down the ladder and hopping in the hammock. He had comfortably laid back by the time Richie came clambering down the ladder.

"Awe, no fair! I slipped—I could've died!" Richie didn't lose the race often, but he always whined about it for twenty minutes anytime he did.

"Sucks to suck." Eddie said with a smug grin, watching as Richie just stood next to him, pouting.

Eddie's chest stirred a bit. Yet another thing he did anytime he lost—rather than sitting somewhere else, he just stood at Eddie's side. It was so endearing; Eddie might've shared the hammock with him if he thought they would both fit. They weren't kids anymore, sadly.

Eddie reached over, lightly tugging at Trash Jacket. "I guess it's not that bad, it's still a work in progress. So long as you add some personality to it."

Richie practically beamed at him, like he'd never been pouting in the first place at all. "Yeah, it needs some good personality. You'll have to help me with that."

Eddie smiled and rolled his eyes, his chest warmer than he'd care to admit. "Yeah, we'll see."

Beverly was the next to arrive, laughing when she saw Richie standing there. "Awe, poor Trash Mouth, pouting in his little Trash Jacket."

"I'm not pouting anymore, thank you very much."

"Mmhmm." Ben hummed sarcastically as he made his way down next. Even Stan looked outwardly amused by Richie's loss when he saw it.

A comfortable silence fell over them as everyone made it inside and found somewhere to settle down. Maybe it was cliche, but the clubhouse really did feel like home. Eddie felt that way about a handful of places, but the clubhouse was definitely near the top. Coming here always felt the same as going back to his actual home. Maybe even more so.

Eddie was quite enjoying the warm calm, but of course, Richie didn't let it last long.

"So, what're we gonna do now that we've graduated?" Richie asked, a smirk finding his face. "How about monster hunting?"

Eddie threw his head back with a groan—God, if he hadn't heard this a million times now. "Christ Richie, are you still going on about this?"

"About what?" Beverly asked, her interest piqued. She eagerly scooted closer to them; she loved Richie's bullshit stories.

"You haven't heard?" Richie asked, his eyes lighting up. So it seemed Eddie would be hearing this a million and one times. "Oh Marsh, buckle up, you're in for a ride."

"You say it like it's anything other than some poor druggie out of her mind," Eddie said with a roll of his eyes.

"Hush!" Richie demanded. "Don't spoil it!" he turned back to his now-captivated audience, ready to blow their minds.

As usual, Richie's storytelling was nothing short of dramatic. Always the entertainer.

"Last week, during graduation, I heard someone say that their aunt saw a freaking monster. Like, she's dead serious. Says she was walking home alone at night and was suddenly totally freaking lost, then saw this weird 'creature' following her. Practically chasing her."

"And she lived?" Bill asked, his eyes glued to Richie similar to how a child's would be to their favorite TV show.

"No Bill she died—yes she lived, you idiot! She said a car almost hit the monster and it fled, and that she snapped out of it and suddenly knew where she was—standing in the road, only a few minutes from where she started, like she'd been wandering around in circles. Creepy, huh?"

"Very creepy," Mike said, but it was obviously nothing more than a nicety. The only one who looked actually blown away was Bill.

"Awe come on," Richie groaned in defeat, shoulders slumping. "You believe Eds and his druggie story?"

"I think it's r-real." Bill said, totally seriously. "I dunno, I just totally believe it."

"That's my Billiard!" Richie said, aggressively ruffling at Bill's hair before turning his attention back to Eddie. "What do you think of that, Eduardo?"

"I think Bill also believed in Santa until he was twelve." Eddie deadpanned.

Mike grinned at Bill. "Did you really?"

"No..." Bill muttered, his face red.

"I think you're just blind to the possibilities, Eddie-boy. It's not like it'd be the first time Derry has had monsters." Richie said, seeming to regret it right after he said it.

"Beep-beep." Beverly said sharply.

Richie put his hands up in surrender, but it was lacking comedic energy. Another silence fell over them—and it definitely wasn't as comfortable as before.

That silence was the only reason they heard the leaves crunching overhead.

"What is that?" Ben asked lowly.

No one answered, everyone just listened. It was steady, and definitely heavily. There were several footsteps. An animal? Maybe a few people who were seriously pissed off. Or determined.

"Do you think someone followed us?" Mike whispered.

"I don't feel so good." Bill muttered, seemingly to himself, suddenly looking pale.

Everyone held their breath as the footsteps stopped just before the opening to the clubhouse. Eddie wasn't sure when, but at some point he had stood and was standing right at Richie's side, gripping his stupid jacket as hard as he could. It could've been covered in sewage for all Eddie cared—in that moment, it felt like a lifeline.

Time seemed to absolutely drag on. Eddie couldn't tell if it had been seconds or minutes, but every passing moment was painful—the anxiety was unbearable.

"Is it gone?" Beverly whispered after what seemed like years.

"No." Bill answered, almost calmly—so much so Eddie wouldn't have even been alarmed if it hadn't been for the blood rolling out of his nose. The contrast was jarring against the white of his skin—when had he gone that pale?

Almost on cue, a roar sounded overhead so loud the dust from the ceiling of the clubhouse fell like a sheet of rain down on their heads. Eddie could feel it in his hair; resting on his eyelashes, but he didn't move to wipe it away. He might as well have not noticed at all.

Everyone was on their feet, rushing to the back wall, all pressed together, as far away from the opening as they could possibly be. Bill looked lightheaded, but he was strong enough to be on his own feet, so Eddie assumed he was okay for now.

"What the Hell is that!?" Richie shouted, gripping at Eddie's hand—Eddie gripped back.

"A bear?!" Stan shouted frantically.

"No way," Mike said confidently, despite the tremor in his voice. "That's definitely not a bear."

Once again, there was a silence. A complete stillness—no one even breathed. Eddie would've given anything for it not to last. Though he quickly changed his mind about that.

When it came into the clubhouse, the wood around the opening splintered as it strained to contain its size—the ladder snapped like a twig under its weight.

Even as it came crashing down, no one moved or spoke. Eddie couldn't have breathed even if he had wanted to.

And when it looked at them, Eddie's heart stopped.

What the fuck is that?