Remember. | A Sequel to Wonder. | A Stanley Uris FanFiction. | IT 2019.

1. Come Home.

2016. 

 Memory, it's a funny thing. People want to believe they are what they choose to remember. The good stuff. The moments. The places. The people we all hold on to. But sometimes, sometimes, we are what we wish we could forget. 

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 Derry, Maine. A town of horrors known worldwide, though every once in a while, happiness would pass through town. In this case, it was in the form of a carnival. Who doesn't love carnivals? Locals and neighbouring towns would visit just for the joy that the carnival would hold. All the history the town held were forgotten in the name of fun. After all, what could possibly happen at a carnival?

 That was most likely the thought that Adrian Mellon and his boyfriend had. His boyfriend was a local there, but he wasn't. Therefore, unaware of the town's famous bullies. Nevertheless, they went to the carnival anyway, and just as intentioned, they had fun. They played games, they went on rides, they took pictures and it was a beautiful night for the two to enjoy their date. Until a few locals who were raised terribly ruined their night. The group of bullies targeted the openly gay couple, by calling them the F slur. 

 Despite being against that type of actions, Adrian's boyfriend knew better than to mess with the bullies of Derry, but before they walked away, Adrian had insulted the Gang leader. The two then walked away, probably to head back to their car, or home. But they had to walk past the bridge that overseed the stream. 

"Stuff like that, it's why I have to leave this shithole town. Small minds."

"Small dicks," Adrian let out, as the two walked by the bridge. 

"I'm being serious. We belong elsewhere. Hey, look, if you end up hating New York, we can always move back here."

"I just wanna be with you, I don't care. New York, Derry, whatever. It's-"

"You have to say that," his boyfriend teased. 

 The couple hadn't realized they were being followed by the group of bullies from before. They were threatened but Adrian's boyfriend knew better. As he tried to pull Adrian away, Adrian refused and decided to stand up for the two. Though it was more of mocking than it is standing up for themselves. The Gang leader swung his fists across Adrian's face, causing him to fall. The other bullies had tackled Adrian's boyfriend, while the leader was focused on asthmatic Adrian, who began to shake his inhaler but it was kicked aside by his attacker. 

 Adrian and his boyfriend were hit, repeatedly, Adrian more than his boyfriend. They were bloodied up, with his nose broken, and his breathing short. After beating the hell out of Adrian, the Gang leader and one of his followers, brought Adrian to the edge of the bridge, leaning him against the side railing. 

"Welcome to Derry, motherfucker," the Gang whispered and threw Adrian into the water. 

 Adrian began screaming for help as he tried his best to stay afloat. Relief coursed through his veins as he saw a tall white figure standing nearby. The figure had reached out their hands to help pull Adrian out of the water. 

 When Adrian's boyfriend had gotten under the bridge, he began looking for Adrian, with panic flooding him. He noticed the hat Adrian was wearing floating on the surface of the water, and across the stream, he saw a white figure, a figure of a tall clown, with Adrian in his arms. The clown curled It's lips to a grin, opening It's mouth, revealing sharp teeth, and took a huge bite out of Adrian's body. Adrian screamed in agony, as his boyfriend did upon seeing the scene. Suddenly, red balloons began floating in the air, lots of them, blocking Adrian's boyfriend of his eyesight, with whispers and voices of kids.

"We all float down here!"

 When the balloons cleared, the clown and Adrian were no longer in sight. 

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 Thing is, sometimes, what we wish was forgotten, what we tried to leave in the past, won't stay there. 

"Units, please respond," were the words that came out of the radio. "I'm getting reports of a body found dismembered."

"Come back, was that dismembered?"

"That's affirmative. Scene is near the south entrance of the festival grounds."

"Copy that, en route. Any directive for TC?"

"That's affirmative. Chief said to tape off the Derry Street Bridge."

 Sometimes, it comes back for you. 

 Those were the words and thoughts in the mind of local Derry Resident, Mike Hanlon, who lived in the attic of the local library, working as a librarian, doing research of his own. His radio was tapped into the local police's radio frequency, allowing him to listen to their words. He rushed out of his living place, which was also his workplace, to get to the bridge where a body was found. Upon reaching, there were police cars, surrounding the area but he had managed to get through the tape, and walked under the bridge. In one of the small bushes on the ground, he found a popped red balloon. He picked it up as his teenhood memories came flashing back. Though, he was the only one who hadn't truly forget. One of the posts that supported the bridge caught Mike's eye so he took a step further to see it clearly. In blood red, there were six words written.

COME
HOME

COME
HOME

COME
HOME