VIDEO GAMES - tozier

8| A Tale of Mass Hysteria

He was snapped out of his daze by muffled shouts emanating from the Kenduskeag Stream nearby, hidden away by lush green trees. A slick blue car sat haphazardly parked near the trail leading to the stream. Any loser, loner, or bullied student of Derry could recognize that car in heartbeat.

"Oh, shit. That's Belch Huggins' car," Eddie spoke with a waver in his voice. "We should━ We should probably get outta here."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Chris agreed, pushing his bike forward to try and turn it back around.

"Wait, isn't that the home-schooled kid's bike?" Bill brought attention to the older-looking bike slumped in the grass next to the car. Chris only half knew who Bill was referring to. Rumors spiral and all Chris knew of the homeschool kid was rumors. 

"Yeah, that's Mike's," Eddie confirmed.

Despite everyone in town knowing of Mike, Chris would've placed his bets that no one actually knew Mike. The boy was quiet and avoided going anywhere he didn't need to. Chris didn't blame him. Mike was public enemy number one to Henry Bowers and his boys. Admittedly, every teenager avoided Mike like the plague. It was too much of a risk to be seen with a walking target.

"W━ We have to help him," Beverly hurriedly said. Chris winced, scratching the back of his head unsurely. Beverly always was the go-getter. 

She could never just sit back silently.

That was Chris' entire personality in his opinion.

"We should?" Richie questioned, seeming to share in Chris' thoughts.

"Yes," Beverly said with a judgemental look on her face. Chris didn't blame her━ it was horrible to just let this poor boy fend for himself with the biggest bullies in Derry. Still, Chris liked to keep his head down. Aside from snide remarks and the occasional hallway shove, Chris' history of bullying was on the lower end. Especially compared to his twin.

Speaking of which, Beverly dropped her bike, racing toward the parting in the trees where Mike's bike was. Chris turned unsurely to the rest of the group, seeing Bill was already in the process of following. With a somewhat frustrated groan, Chris dropped his bike to the ground, running ahead of the others in an attempt to catch up with Beverly's longer legs. Behind him, he heard the sound of several other pairs of footsteps chasing after them.

By the time the twins had reached a clearing in the grassy area, they were far ahead of the others. Across the shallow part of the Kenduskeag Stream they could clearly see Henry Bowers stradling Mike with an enraged look on his face as Victor Criss and Belch Huggins stood watching in amusement. Chris began to understand Beverly's panicked rush to find the homeschooled boy as he observed Mike cower in immense terror.

Bowers' fist raised into the air, a sharp rock from beside the stream clutched inside his palm━ he was going to bring it down on Mike's head!

"We have to do something!" Beverly hissed out in a worried whisper. Chris pressed his lips firmly together, hating the idea that sprung to mind as he watch the scene in front. 

He knew there was probably a way, way better idea. But as he saw Henry's fist about to descend on Mike's head, the whole scene seeming to play out in slow motion, Chris had no time to think.

Before Beverly could grab his arm to stop him, Chris began to sprint through the shallow water. When he was a small enough distance away, the frail boy sprung from his feet, letting out an angered shout as he tackled into Henry's side.

The two teenagers tumbled to the rocky ground beside Mike. The boy looked stunned and confused, no doubt wondering why this unfamiliar boy would do such a frankly stupid thing.