𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎 😈𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝙷𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 😈

😈ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3😈

She is silently running along Neibolt Street 29, when she realizes she is far from the school, she slows down, but fear does not leave her body. She looks at some missing kids'posters on the wall, Eddie Corcoran, Betty Ripsom, lately, unfortunately, they had just become random names and faces. She cannot stop thinking about what happened with Henry, it was a mistake, a stupid, impulsive gesture, she will not forget his angry eyes. She is still shivering, and she keeps turning around more times to check the street, it was maybe an impulsive decision, but she had to protect her brother. She is probably in troubles, and she knows it. In different circumstances, she would have enjoyed the sunny day, she would have probably started her novel. But, right now, she just feels nervous and scared. She starts walking faster. According to people, there was a maniac who was threatening Derry.

"Well" she thinks "In this moment, I would rather meet Derry's slaughter than Henry Bowers and his gang"

"Hey!" Angie freezes. But then, she recognizes her brother's voice.

"W-w-we were waiting for you" Bill explains "Y-y-you know, in case..."

He does not end the sentence. The other kids stay quiet.

Silent.

"Well guys, you're very nice, but you didn't have to do that, everything is fine" Angie tries to smile, trying to act natural.

"That was crazy!" Richie starts to jump up and down, excited. "My sister fought against Bowers, that Henry Bowers. I can't believe it." He stops, to check her reaction "He was totally checking you out, by the way. Hey Eddie, you have a new competition!".

Eddie blushes, and he keeps staring at the sidewalk.

It's been some months since Eddie has stopped talking when Angie was around, and he blushes frequently.

Angie quickly focuses on another topic to save him from that uncomfortable situation.

"Come on Richie, it's not a big deal, I just told him to stop ,and he stopped. That's it".

"Pretty sure he will leave us alone so he could focus on you. Hey, thank you Angie, we owe you!".

Bill looks at Richie's sister pale face.

"Don't w-w-worry Angie, I'm sure he has already forgotten it."

She arrives at home, while Richie and his friends keep walking, to spend the rest of the afternoon at the Arcade.

"Ok, 7 ò clock at home, you hear me?"

"Sure! See you at 8, get it!" while he is running away.

She smiles, opening the door of her house. Her parents are working, she enjoys the quiet of the place, she is not accustomed to that silent with Richie at home.

Angie does not know that it would have been one of the last moments of normality in her life.

The telephone rings, she has a heart attack.

"Hello?"

"Mary Sue?"

"Oh God, Angie, I just wanted to check if you were ok"

"Yes, why shouldn't I be ok?"

"Yes...you now...with Bowers and all that stuff..."

Angie does not understand all these reactions. Yes, Bowers was dangerous, sure, but he would never hurt a girl, by day, and in the middle of the school yard during school time.

"Yes, I'm fine" she says, for the fifth time in a row. "You're very nice, but really, nothing happened" 

"Angie, I don't want to scare you, but you have to be careful ... I don't know if you heard what happened to Ben Hanscom"

"Oh, God" Angie rolls her eyes. Sure, Richie told her how Henry Bowers tried to carve his name on Ben's belly with a knife, and how the kid managed to escape.

"I have to admit ..." Mary Sue says "I won't deny it was completely messed up Angie, but it was so satisfying, you know, when you fought Henry back."

Angie smiles, but then, she reminds Henry's words "It's not over", she wonders what he has in mind right now. "Don't think about it now, please, don't think about it, it's hard enough with that creepy maniac who terrifies Derry, and the missing kids, you can't do anything now, so try to calm down"

Later, she is in her room, getting ready for the night. She glances at "Tales of Terror" on her night table, she wanted to start reading it, but she just feels tired and confused. She comes closer to the window, she feels observed, and while she watches outside the window, she spots green eyes in the darkness, she is sure that it is just the light, or probably a cat. There used to be many cats in Green Road, but, for some strange reasons, they all slowly disappeared in the summer of 1892, another disturbing mistery Derry could not explain. Angie remembers them, adorable and soft, with different fur colors and long, sinuous tails.

With a sharp movement, she closes the curtain.

While she is in her bed, she has still the impression that someone is staring at her, even if her eyes are closed, she still manages to see two green eyes, intense and mysterious, shining in the darness.