Look What I Found!

Ch. 19

Richie and Beverly were having one of their daily video chats, and Richie was not enjoying himself.

"Mike told you he was worried about me?"

"Yes!" Beverly exclaimed, "for the last time, Richie. You fucking passed out in front of him, drunker than a dog. He's only 14."

"Hey! We were 14 doing that shit. We've seen it all the time growing up!"

"And do you really want him to see it?" Richie fell silent, causing Beverly to sigh. "You need help-"

"Can we please talk about something else? Anything else? Please?" Richie begged, "I know what I'm doing is wrong, but... Please, Beverly. I'm trying here."

"Are you?" Richie looked at her, hurt at the accusation, lowering his head on the table he was sitting at in some local diner. "Where's Mike at anyway?"

"Skating with his friends. He's actually gotten pretty good. He practices at the house all the time." Richie quickly looked up at the screen before looking away. He crossed his arms over the tabletop.

"It's good that he's making friends. How're his injuries?"

Richie shrugged, "Good. Everything is practically healed other than his wrist. He doesn't wear his brace all that much, but when it starts to hurt, he'll put it on."

"That's good." They fell into a comfortable silence afterward. Neither one was willing to break it. Richie was too deep in thought about Mike and what Beverly had said. His two months were almost up, and Richie would be damned if they took that kid back to his parent's house.

"Have you ever-" he started haltingly. He sighed through his nose, rubbing a hand down his face. "Have you ever wondered if we really defeated It?" Beverly tensed up, and he surged on quickly. "Or ever thought that there might be others out there like it?"

"Richie?" Beverly asked cautiously, "where is this coming from?"

"I-Fuck. Nothing. Nothing. Just forget I said anything."

"Should I call Bill?"

"God, no!" Richie placed his head against the table again, words muffled but still clear to Beverly. "I told the kid I wouldn't tell you."

"Tell me? Mike asked you not to?"

He looked up, "well, yea. I thought the kid was having nightmares about his parents or some shit, but how he talks. The way he looks, Beverly. It just. I just... He says things that make it seem like he's seen things. When I told him about you being taken." She tensed, and he was quick to amend her. "His friend went missing, but they found him. I told him about you and how we found you, that's all. But the question he asked me."

"What did he ask you, Richie?"

"What took you? Not who. But what." Beverly gets a concerned look on her face as Richie continues. "And when he has these nightmares. Night terrors. He'll say stuff like, 'Take me,' 'It'll come back,' 'It's coming back.' He never says a name. Just It. It. It."

"Richie, it could just be a coincidence."

"Is it, though? When has anything been a coincidence for us?"

Deep in thought, she was silent for a few minutes before sighing. "I don't know, Richie. Maybe we should call the others and-"

"But I promised, Mike!"

"But if there really is something out there, Richie."

"Please don't tell. Please. Maybe I'm just overthinking shit. I always do that."

"Richie," Beverly whispered in pity. He looked away solemnly. "I don't know what to say. I don't know what you want. Do you know what you want?"

"I-" he cuts himself off harshly, shaking his head. "I don't know anymore. I haven't known what I truly want since..."