REDITUS | BILL DENBROUGH [2]

seven | the memory

Layla had found herself wondering the streets after her encounter with IT. She probably looked homeless with her torn and dirty clothes but she didn't care at this point. IT had pointed out the one thing she had kept buried inside herself for years. The love she had for Stanley Uris. After walking for a while, she had stopped in front of a church, more specifically, the church that Stanley had his ceremony at when they were kids.

She remembered how nervous Stanley was that day, 'the day I become a man' is what he called it. Layla had gone with her father to watch his ceremony and Richie had went as well. It was during the summer the Loser's Club had their huge fight with Bill decking Richie in the face.

She heard a car pull up next to her but her eyes didn't shift away from the church.

''Why are you standing there like a fucking creep?" A voice spoke behind her.

Layla turned her head to see that it was Richie sitting inside his red Mustang car.

''Do you remember Stanley's service here?"

''Yeah, so what?"

''Come inside with me.''

Richie ultimately ended up parking his car and both adults had entered the chapel and took a seat.

''Reflecting on the meaning of what I just read, the word Leshanot comes up a lot, which means to change, to transform.'' Stanley said. ''Which makes sense, I guess, because today I'm supposed to become a man. It's funny though. Everyone, I think, has some memories that they're prouder of than others. Maybe that's why change is so scary. 'Cause the things we wish we could leave behind, the whispers we wish we could silence, the nightmares we most want to wake up from, the memories we wish we could change, the secrets we feel like we have to keep are the hardest to walk away from. The good stuff? The pictures in our mind that fade away the fastest? Those pieces of you it feels the easiest to lose. Maybe I don't want to forget. Maybe if that's what today is all about, forget it, right?''

Stanley's father moved towards him, attempting to take the microphone away. ''Thank you, Stanley''

Stanley kept moving away from his father while continuing to speak into the microphone, ''Today, I'm supposed to become a man, but I don't feel any different. I know I'm a loser, and no matter what, I always fucking will be.''

Stanley's father stood there with a look of complete shock on his face, while Stanley walked right out of the chapel's door.

Richie stood up clapping before his mother pulled him back down.

''Thanks for showing up, Stanley.'' Richie whispered next to Layla.

She didn't even realize it but she was holding Richie's hand when she was thinking about that memory.

''I'm assuming you've gotten your token?" Layla asked.

''Yeah, what was yours?"

She pulled out a picture of them from the movie theater. ''That damn clown almost got me. IT's still annoying as always, but if I'm being honest, it was like he wasn't even trying to catch me. He brought up Stanley.''

''You mean the fact you loved him?"

Layla was silent for a moment before nodding her head.

''He brought up my secret as well.'' Richie said.

Layla knew exactly which secret he was referring to. She squeezed his hand tighter. ''I never told Bill, you know.''

''For what it's worth, this might make you feel shitty, but I think Stanley loved you too, like more than a friend.''

''I don't think so,''

Richie sighed, ''He never talked to me about it because I'd probably give him shit for it, but he probably talked to Ben or Eddie.''

Layla's grip tightened, ''I don't know how I'm supposed to tell Bill.''

''Tell him when you're ready.''

Layla smiled at Richie, ''Who knew you could ever give actual good advice?''

Richie smiled back, ''I don't think anyone does.''

They sat in the chapel for a while before Richie suggested they go to the library to meet Mike.

However, when they got there, all they could hear was grunts and the sound of glass smashing and breaking into pieces. Henry Bowers was on top of Mike, trying to kill him.

The duo ran in and Layla saw an axe on the ground rushing to pick it up, then she swung it down into Bowers head.

Once Bower's fell off of Mike, all Mike saw was the terrified look on Layla's face.

''I guess you can say that was long overdue. Get it? 'Cause in a library? No?" Richie leaned over and emptied the contents of his stomach.

The doors busted open and three figures walked in. Ben, Eddie and Beverly started walking faster towards the trio.

''Mike? Mike? Are you okay?" Once the redhead saw Bowers dead on the floor, she let out a scream.

''Are you all right?" Ben asked.

''Layla's definitely not, she just put a fucking axe in Bower's head.'' Richie said.

Layla stood there silently, looking at the person she just killed. She didn't even notice Beverly coming up to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

Layla looked around the group, ''Where the fuck is my husband?"

When Mike was talking on the phone to who she assumed was her husband, Layla was sitting down in one of the chairs.

''Hey,'' Beverley said softly. ''He was going to kill Mike. You did the right thing.''

Layla nodded her head. ''I know, I just feel sick.''

Mike turned around with a desperate look on his face. ''He's going to fight IT alone.

''What?"

''Alone.'' Mike repeated.

''It's about the group. The ritual doesn't work without the group. Doing it together is why it would work.''

Ben spoke up, ''Mike, did he tell you where he was going?"

''If he really wanted to kill Pennywise,'' Layla started, ''There's only one place he'll go.''

''The same place the ritual needs to be performed.'' Mike added.

Eddie sighed, ''Oh, we're not gonna like this, are we?"

Layla ran her hands over her face, ''That goddamn fucking house.''

A/N:
did y'all miss me :-)