Two trashouths | Richie Tozier (1)

~5~ A Delusion

After Ben's house, I was feeling a bit spooked from everything he told us, so I decided to leave early and go home by myself. As I was walking, I saw a red balloon up ahead. It was floating, but it wasn't connected to anything.

Weird.

I walked my bike to it and touched it. I smiled. I haven't touched a balloon since I was a little girl. I heard a small giggle and I looked around.

"Hello?" I called out when I didn't see anyone.

I shrugged and turned, starting to walk back home.

"OCTOBER HELP!"

I looked around again. "Who's there?"

"OCTOBERRRRRR." The scream was getting louder. "PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU STOP."

I started running blindly towards the scream, getting nearer to the woods.

"Where are you?" I yelled. Something flew at me, smacking me in the face. "Fuck!"

The thing fell to the ground and I rubbed my nose. Looking down, I screamed.

Staring up at me was the decapitated head of Bill Denbrough.

"WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK BILL!" I screamed and sobbed, frozen in my place.

I backed away, tripping over my feet. I had to get away from here. I turned and started running, but I tripped on something and fell with a grunt. "Nooooooo." I moaned.

I had tripped over Eddie's mangled body.

This can't be real.

I looked around to see Stan with a knife through his chest.

"Stop please!" I yelled.

I was hallucinating. I had to be.

Heaving great big sobs, I looked up when I saw a shadow pass over me. It was Richie, hanging from a tree with a rope around his neck.

"You miss your friends don't you?" a raspy voice whispered.

I spun around to see a clown, looking at me and grinning, holding a red balloon.

"Wanna come play?" he asked creepily. "We all float down here."

I bolted.

"WE ALL FLOAT DOWN HERE!" The clown screamed and cackled.

I burst out of the woods and grabbed my bike. Jumping on it, I peddled as fast as I could back home. I was crying, and heaving, and gasping. I was hyperventilating and scared. Nearing my house, I saw Richie walking with his bike. He must have dropped Bill off home.

"RICHIE!" I yelled, so relived to see him.

"The fuck do you want Larson?" he asked, making a disgusted face at me.

I dropped my bike and ran at him, throwing my arms around his neck and crying onto his shoulder. I couldn't bring myself to say what had happened and what I'd seen.

Richie stumbled back. "Woah."

"Oh Richie I'm so glad your ok." I cried, pulling him tighter.

Richie hesitantly put his bike down and put his arms around my waist and held me there. For once, he didn't try to say anything stupid. "Everything's ok October," he said my first name for the first time in forever.

I pulled away from him and wiped my face.

He peered at me. "Want to tell me why you're freaking out like a baby?"

"It was so scary Tozier!"

He started walking away and waved at me to follow him. "Come on let's go find a spot to sit."

I followed him to my own backyard. We sat on the swings set I had.

"So, what happened?" he asked.

I told him the whole story about my delusion of seeing all my friends dead.

"You saw Bill, Eddie and Stan dead?" he asked.

"And you." I sniffed.

Richie went quiet.

"It was the strangest thing." I said. "It's my biggest fear."

"What is?" he asked. "Clowns?"

"No, you dumb fuck. Loosing you guys."

"Including me?" he asked.

I looked at him for a few moments. "Yeah." I said finally.

Richie hesitantly put his hand on my shoulder.

"Without you guys, I'd be all alone." Tears sprang in my eyes. "I've known you all for so long, and you've all always been there for me."

"I'm sorry-"

"I'm gonna go home." I stood up suddenly. I was too tired from todays events.

"Okay."

I walked to the back door of my house. Just as I was about to go in, I stopped. "Tozier?"

He looked around at me. "Yeah?"

"Can you stay?" I asked, wringing my hands together nervously.

He hesitated slightly. "Yeah. Yeah sure. Okay."

He dumped his bike in my backyard and followed me into my house. Going upstairs to my room, I collapsed on my bed.

"You're not going to change?" Richie sat at the edge of my bed timidly.

"No, I'm way too tired." I rubbed my eyes.

Richie started looking around. "It's nice in here."

Richie was the only one of the Loser's who hasn't been in my room yet.

"Thanks." I kicked off my shoes and got under the covers. "You can lay down beside me you know."

Richie took of his own shoes and laid down next to me. He took off his glasses and set them on my bedside table.

"Thanks for staying." I looked at him.

"Chicken." he muttered, with a small smile.

"Fuck off Tozier."