[ CHAPTER XXII:
THE CLUBHOUSE ]
THE NEXT day the group of adults tried to keep the two girls out of light. That meant, not sharing their secrets that they couldn't even remember themselves.
Alice kept looking over her shoulder just to make sure Judy and Ashley were alright as they laughed at something Ashley had said, they didn't even know the dangers within the town or the dangers they were about to face.
Alice couldn't help but let a smile grow, they reminded her of a boy who seemed to know everything about birds and a girl who could win any fight. The two friends laughing between them and only them, not caring about the world and only caring about each other.
Alice then turned foreword as they walked into the woods. The group then looked around and Ben's eyes seem to light up with realization. "Wait, wasn't there like a clubhouse around here or something?" Ben asked.
Alice gasped as she clapped her hands. "Oh yeah!" Alice said. "I wonder if everything is still down there and shit" Alice muttered as the group looked around for the clubhouse.
Ben stomped his feet around. "I don't think it's around h—" Ben was cut off as he fell into a hole. Alice snorted before covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed quietly earning looks from Judy and Ashley.
Beverly walked towards the hole and peered down at Ben. "I'm good!" Ben called from down in the whole. Alice walked towards the entrance of the clubhouse and grabbed onto the ladder before jumping down.
Twelve year old Alice landed on her feet letting out a soft 'Ow' before looking around the small area with bright eyes. "This is so cool" Alice said before Richie soon joined her.
Eddie then landed on the ground below and Alice could tell the boy was still so energetic since they had just fought Henry Bowers and his gang with rocks. "What is this shit hole?" Eddie asked.
"It's a work in progress" Ben said. "Okay, Eddie?" Ben asked.
"Just so you know if I get hurt you're reliable on it, also what is this? Some kind of iron maiden?" Eddie asked pushing on the item that hanged from the roof of the clubhouse.
Alice walked over to Stan and elbowed him lightly in the ribs. "How much you wanna bet he's gonna whine about how much this place contains germs?" Alice asked looking up at Stan with a smirk.
Stan only smiled and shook his head. "Five bucks" Stan said.
"That-thats a flashlight" Ben said, answering Eddie's question.
"What is that a horse hitch?" Eddie asked. Stan then went to take a look around at the place. "Why would there be—oh this is cool" Eddie said his energetic voice seemingly turned normal.
Eddie picked up a paddle-ball. "That was like three dollars so can you be careful with that please" Ben said as Alice snorted with a smile on her face.
"I have one of these" Eddie said before he started playing with the paddle-ball in front of Stan's face. "Hey Stan you see this?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, okay could you maybe not" Stan said as he kept flinching and looking away each time the ball came towards him.
Alice covered her mouth with her hand to contain her laughter. "Maybe not what? Maybe not what?" Eddie repeated as Bill, Beverly, and Richie seemed to look unamused at Eddie and Stans bickering.
"Maybe not be awesome and have fun with the amazing power of the paddle-ball!" Eddie said before the item slipped out of Eddie's hands and Stan slapped it away and the ball broke.
Ben's shoulders slumped down and Alice patted his shoulder. "Nice going fucknut you broke his thing" Eddie said.
Stan looked at Eddie with an insulated look. "I bike it?" Stan asked.
"Yeah, you broke it with your face" Eddie shot back.
"Ugh, you sound like Richie, Eddie. We don't need another Richie, one is just enough" Alice said with a hand on her hip.
"Well there's no why I'm putting my hand down that fucking thing, do you know how much germs that probably contains?" Eddie asked.
Alice then looked over at Stan. "Pay up, sucker!" Alice laughed as Stan rolled his eyes with a soft smile.
Eddie squatted down as he dug his hand through the two wooden pieces and dusted off the red rubber ball. "Stan never gave me those five bucks" Alice muttered to herself.
The group took a look around the clubhouse and Ashley grabbed at something to inspect it before blowing off the dust. "A locket?" Ashley asked, it was a heart shaped locket covered in rust and just before Ashley opened the locket someone or something spoke.
"Time to float, losers"
Soon the adults seemed to tense up and Alice stepped in front of Ashley and Judy with an extended arm. Alice held a piece of wood that was sharp at the end threatening in front of her.
Richie then stepped out of the shadows, laughing and the group sighed in relief and groaned simultaneously. "Remember when he would say that?" Richie asked. "Oh, and do that little dance too" Richie said before moving his arms around. "Am I the only one who remembers this shit?" Richie asked.
"Are you gonna like this the entire time we're home?" Eddie asked.
"Alright just trying to add some levity to this shit, I'll go fuck myself" Richie said before turning and whistling.
Ashley had a confused look on her face and had zoned out as she looked down at the locket before Mike said something causing her to stop zoning out. "The ritual, to perform it, needs a sacrifice" Mike said.
"What?" Ashley asked.
"Sacrifice? I nominate Eddie" Richie said with a raised hand.
"Wait what?" Eddie asked.
Richie shrugged. "Because your little, you'll fit right in a barbecue" Richie said.
"Okay I'm 5'9, it's like average height for most of the world" Eddie exclaimed.
Bill shook his head. "It's not the kind of a-sacrifice guys" Bill said.
Ashley held up her hands. "Will somebody please tell me what the fuck is happening?!" Ashley exclaimed waving around the locket in her hand.
"Ashley what do you have there?" Mike asked.
"I don't know, some old locket" Ashley said with a shrug.
"Betty" Alice whispered as Ashley handed her mother the locket. "It's Betty's locket" Alice said.
Mike snapped his fingers as he pointed at the item. "The ritual needs a sacrifice, eight sacrifices to be exact, artifacts that hold specific memories either good or bad" Mike explained.
Richie then grabbed a bucket and then peered into it. "I think we just found Stans" Richie said with a soft frown as he held up a can that had FOR THE USAGE OF LOSERS ONLY.
A memory all seemed to come to each loser.
Richie looked down at a shower cap that Stan had handed to him. "What the fuck is this?" Richie asked.
Stan gave Richie a small smile. "It's so you don't get spiders stuck in your hair when your down here" Stan said as he shrugged.
Richie then placed the shower cap next to him. "Stanley we aren't afraid of fucking spiders" Richie said. Stan then frowned at Richie and walked off to put the can back as Richie looked up to see Beverly, Ben, Bill, Mike, Alice, and Eddie putting on shower caps.
"I stan corrected" Richie said as Eddie tore off his shower cap.
"That's a first" Beverly said as she held a cigarette in her hands.
Richie stuck out his bottom lips slightly. "Touché" Richie said.
Eddie then walked over to Richie who was laying in the hammock . "Okay Richie you're ten minutes are up" Eddie said. Richie and Eddie then started bickering, Eddie then crawled into the hammock with Richie still in it.
Stan who was looking at the two boys bickering had rolled his eyes. Alice looked up at her boyfriend with a small smile. "How much you wanna bet they're gonna drive each other insane?" Alice asked.
"You really like making a bet out of Richie and Eddie, huh?" Stan asked.
Alice shrugged. "It's a hobby" Alice said with a soft smile.
"What about you Alice?" Richie asked causing Alice to turn to look at her brother. "Where would you want to go if you could leave Derry?" Richie asked.
Alice hummed before smiling softly to herself. "I'd go to Atlanta for Emory University, I'd be a police officer" Alice said. "I'll have a good reason to beat people up" Alice shrugged.
"You'd make a great officer, Alice" Beverly said causing Alice to smile wider.
"What about you, Mike?" Alice asked turning to the boy who shrugged.
"Probably Florida" Mike said.
"What's in Florida?" Ben asked.
Mike shrugged. "Just sounds nice" Mike said.
"You should go with Mike, Stan, you'd fit right in with all those old people. You're already act like an old person, besides I wouldn't have to worry about you getting intimate with my sister" Richie said.
"Richard" Alice said as she glared at her brother taking notice that his glasses weren't on his face and now resided on the ground.
Alice then looked over at Stan who looked like something was bothering him. "Something wrong, Stan?" Alice asked.
"You think we'd still be friends then?" Stan asked. "Or dating still?" Stan asked looking up at Alice. "Do your parents still talk to their friends from middle school?"
"Hey, babe" Alice said. "We still have like a whole shit loads of years before we start worrying about that crap" Alice said as she sat next to Stan, placing her hand on top of his. "Let's just worry about right now and not worry about the future, cause the future sucks" Alice said with a smile.
"Yeah Stan" Beverly agreed. "No need to be so—"
"Scared" Beverly said softly.
Alice stared at the locket in her hand before shoving it in her pocket. "Tell us more about this ritual, Mike" Alice said.
AUTHORS NOTE
SORRY THIS IS SO LONG BUT HEY
I FINALLY UPDATED :D