𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙗𝙞𝙖 ➹ 𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙯𝙞𝙚𝙧

16.

SIXTEEN.

❝BUT YOUR'E NOT GEORGIE.❞

MY ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED WHEN EDDIE turned around from beside me. "Guys, where's Stan?" I looked behind me to where Stanley was meant to be but he had disappeared from the tunnel. "Stanley! Stanley! Eddie called.

He trailed down the tunnel and we all mirrored as well as called out for the boy. "Stan!"
"Stanley! Where are you?" I was yelling for him but there was no trace of him. "Oh shit, it's greywater." Eddie stated as we reached the ending of the tunnel. It led into the sewers and we all jumped down into the gloomy sewage water.

We all ran through the sewers, flashlights in hands. Faint yelling was heard to our right and we all dashed to see what it was. In the sewer, there was a metal door blocking our way to the other side. "Stanley! We're coming, man!"

Everyone leaned up against it and shoved. I nearly fell into the disgusting water when it pushed open from each of our weight. The section on the other side of the door had a small area with water falling down into the middle. Multiple passageways led into other corridors of the sewers.

"Stanley! Where are you, Stan?" I called out when the boy wasn't seen in the room. Eddie ran around the fountain like centre and flickered his flashlight onto something. We all followed him and shrieked at the sight; Lying in the dull water was Stanley alright, but there was a monster-like looking woman with a distorted face—just like he had claimed she had—biting onto the sides of his head.

When the creature saw us, it slowly looked up before sliding its rows of teeth off his face and backing into the shadows. The light shown at the tunnel she had entered and just as she left, It, the clown, peered out from the tunnel. It's face (mainly it's mouth), was covered in blood like it was the woman biting Stanley.

Once the clown had creeped back into the darkness, we rushed to the bloodied boy's aid. "Stanley!" Everyone was screaming his name and crouched by his side as he opened his eyes. The boy shrieked wildly and was holding the top part of himself up by his hands. We all backed away slightly from his scream. "No! No!" His screams indicated the pure terror he had gone through. "You left me! You took me into Neibolt!" The boy was hysterical and sobbing at us all.

I think everyone, including myself, slipped a few tears from the guilt we felt for our friend. "You're not my friends. You made me go into Neibolt," he continued to cry out.

A small noise was made which made me turn around and I spotted Bill picking up something and walking out of the area. I decided to follow after him, "Bill! Where are you going?" I swear, this boy is brave but he's going to get us or himself killed.

I caught up with the boy and saw Mike's gun in his hand. "Are you insane? What are you doing?" I asked him. "J-Just come on." We ran down a few tunnels, Bill leading the way.

He stopped when we reached a large area. The centre of the sewers, the home for It. Something was piled in the middle of the sewer. The closer we stepped in, the easier it was to tell what the tower was. "The missing children . .Why are they—Why are they floating?" My words came out as a whisper, more like as if I was thinking to myself.

Bodies were floating up towards the sewer ceiling. The tower was built from the missing people, along with their clothes and toys mixed in. One body wasn't as high up from the ground. It had short, red hair and wore a light dress. "Beverly."

Bill and I both rushed over to our friend, but she was floating too high out of reach. The boy I was with tried to bounce up and grab onto her foot but his attempt failed. He left my vision as I also strived to reach the girl but yet again, I failed.

When I turned around, Bill was no where to be seen. I huffed to myself, feeling slightly nervous now that I was alone, and climbed up the mountain of toys. The toys were uneven on top of each other and I slipped a bit, before steadying myself. A long breath was let out from my chest as I counted down to myself, "One, two, three."

Sprinting to the edge of the tower, I leaped from the toys and tried to grab onto Beverly. My hand hooked onto her arm but slid from it which resulted me in landing in the water. I groaned from the impact of the sewer floor, feeling my knees being scraped against it—which left cuts—as I fell.

"Y/n!" The other boys found where Bill and I ran off to. Richie darted over to me, seeing me on my hands and knees in the murky water. "Are you okay?" He asked, his tone was soft with me. "Yes, Richie. I'm okay. Can you help me get Beverly? I just need a lift."

The boy with glasses held out his hand for me to stand up and once I did, he lifted my waist up and I held onto his shoulders, hoisting myself to the girl. I managed to grapple onto her foot and pull her down. "Help me get her down," I ordered the others.

She was now on the ground while Ben held her. Her pupils were no longer there, instead her eyes were fully white; even grey at the edges. Beverly seemed to be in some trace. I doubt she could hear us, never mind even see her surroundings.

"Bev, Beverly. Why isn't she waking up? What's wrong with her?" Ben cried as he shook her limp head about. He pleaded for her to wake from the daze she was in but nothing budged.

Out of nowhere, he impulsively decided to kiss her in an attempt to awaken her. "Woah." Everyone stood awkwardly as we looked between Beverly and Ben while he passionately pressed his lips to hers, still no clue where Bill went. "God, I wish it was you instead of her so I could do that," Richie retorted.
"Not the time, Rich."

The girl stood in the trance still, before gasping loudly for air as her eyes rolled back to normal. She stared at Ben before speaking, "January embers."
"My heart burns there too,"

It seemed to be something only both of them knew about. Ben smiled widely at Beverly. "Jesus, fuck." Richie grabbed my shoulder and pulled my into a hug along with Beverly and Ben. I wrapped my arms around Beverly and Richie who were to both sides of me. "I'm so happy you're back," I mumbled into the girl's ear, smiling at her.

Everyone aside from Eddie and of course, Bill embraced each other tightly. When we all let go and backed away, the group turned to me. "Where's Bill? I gulped before looking at my surroundings. "I . . don't know. H-He was there one minute but then wondered off and left me with Bev." Eddie started to walk around the hill of kids, we all followed along. The group was silent as we trudged through the water looking for Bill.

There he stood, Georgie in front of him as he talked to his younger brother. "I wanna go home," Georgie pleaded, his eyes big and round. Bill's mouth was frowning while he sobbed to the missing child. "I miss you. I wanna be with Mom and Dad."

Bill inhaled deep breaths as he tried to form words. "I want more than anything for you to be home. With Mom, and Dad." The older one stepped forward to his brother. "I miss you so much," he sniffled.

"I love you, Billy."
"I love you too." His lip quivered before he pulled up Mike's gun to Georgie's forehead. The small boy whimpered and shook. "But you're not Georgie," Bill sternly said, pulling the trigger on Georgie.