How I Became a Loser

Chapter 6

We all meet at Bills house in the garage. He shows us the map of Derry showing us where the incidents happened. He points out how it's all connected by the sewers and meet up at the well house.

I am now positive that "It" took her.

"That house on Neibolt Street."

"You mean that creepy-ass house where all the junkies and hobos like to sleep?" Richie points out.

"I hate that house. I always feel like it's watching me." Bev confesses.

"That's where I saw it, that's where I saw the clown." Eddie gasps from his inhaler.

"That's where It lives."

"I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to live there."

"Can we stop talking about this?" Eddie stands up in front of the screen, "I can barely breathe. This is summer. We're kids. I can barley breathe. I'm up here having a fucking asthma attack. I'm not doing this." Eddie rips down the map.

Bill tells him to put it back up but Eddie refuses. Then the projector starts to click, showing pictures of Georgie. By itself.

The projector clicks rapidly through Georgie pictures to show a clown, It.

"Turn it off!" We all frantically yell and Mike kicks it down. But it doesn't shut off. Stanley is standing so close to the screen and then... It pops out.

"Stanley!" I scream for him. He runs towards us and I stick out my hand for him to grab it but Mike is pushing me backyards towards the garage door. Ben pulls it open, making the clown disappear. Stan shakes towards me and I open my arms in a hug. We hold each other tightly and he shakes even harder in my arms.

We hold each other until Bill mentions Neibolt, Stanley let's go of me. "After that?" He questions Bill. We're all staring at Bill in disbelief.

"Yeah it's summer. We should be outside." Says Richie.

"If you say it's summer one more fucking time.." Bill breathes heavily and hops on his bike leaving us behind.

"We have to follow him." Beverly says.

"Why?" I question her angrily. "So he can get us killed?"

She exhales sharply "We have to see at least what he says." She looks at us desperately and Richie is the first one to hop on his bike, then Eddie, Mike, and the rest follow. Eventually me too.

As we arrive to house, Beverly pleads with him "Bill you can't go in there. This is crazy."

"Look, you don't have to come in with me." Bill states. "But what happens when another Georgie goes missing? Or another Betty?" He looks at me in the eyes. I look down. "Or another Ed Corcoran? Or one of us? Are you just gonna pretend it isn't happening like everything else in this town?" He asks us angrily.

"Because I can't. I go home and all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals. But he isn't. So walking into this house, is easier than walking into my own."

"Wow." Richie says, "He didn't stutter once."

We all start to follow Bill into the house until Stanley "Wait!" We all turn to look at him.

"Shouldn't one of us keep watch. You know, in case something bad happens." Stan points out.

"Who's wants to stay out?" Bills asks.

Everyone hand shoots up except mine, Bill, and Beverly. Bill gives me a thin lipped smile.

I'm doing this for Betty, not for you.