𝘜𝘴 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 • 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘯²

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒊𝒙

Carla walked quickly back to the hotel, her nerves still frayed from everything going on. As she stepped into the lobby, her eyes landed on Bill and Beverly kissing.

"Oh shit, I did not expect that... uhm," she blurted out, stumbling to a halt. Bill and Bev immediately pulled apart, startled by her presence.

"No, it's fine," Bev laughed, trying to ease the awkwardness. Before Carla could respond, a skateboard came rolling down the staircase with a loud clatter. All three of them turned to watch it tumble.

"Should we be running?" Bev asked, eyeing the stairs nervously "Oh god," Carla muttered.

"This is Derry. I'm kinda getting used to it," Bill said, but the edge in his voice betrayed his unease.

The skateboard stopped at the base of the stairs. Something strange unnatural began to rise from it. Blood. Floating upward in slow, weightless drips.

Bill stepped forward, grabbing something off the board "What are you doing?" Carla asked sharply.

"I don't know, to be honest. Precaution?" he replied with a nod toward her "Right..." she muttered, not convinced.

He crouched, lifted the stand. Carla leaned forward and read the message scrawled on it: "Won't be there for him either." Her eyes widened. "Shit."

"What does that mean?" Bev asked, voice low and uncertain. Bill straightened, his face pale. "It's the kid," he breathed.

"Wait..the kid from the place? Or a different one?" Carla asked, not sure what he meant.

"Y-yeah. The kid from the restaurant," Bill said, pacing now, voice rising with panic. "I saw him on the way here. He lives in my old house. He said he was going to the fair and—" He stopped short. "He's going to the fair. I gotta help him."

He moved past Carla and Bev, heading for the exit.

Bev grabbed his shoulder. "Okay, okay! we'll go together. We'll get Richie and Eddie and—"

"There's no time. I can't let it happen a-again," Bill stammered, shaking her off "Bill, what happened before wasn't your fault, okay?" Carla said, stepping closer, trying to reach him.

"I wish that was true, Carla," he said, barely meeting her gaze before pushing through the hotel doors and disappearing outside.

"Bill! Bev!" Ben called from behind them. They turned to see him descending the stairs, looking concerned.

"What is this? What happened?" he asked, scanning their faces "Did Bill just leave?" he added, glancing toward the doors.

"We couldn't stop him. Everybody's leaving," Carla said flatly.

"It's alright. It's Bill..he'll come back," Ben said. But Carla looked away, not convinced. If Bill didn't save the kid... he wouldn't come back the same.

"Ben..." she began.

"Yeah?"

"He's gone after the kid from the restaurant."

"What? Why?"

"IT." The moment the word left her lips, Ben understood "Oh shit. Right. But at least I got Richie to stay?" he said, trying to force a nervous smile.

Carla gave him a skeptical look. "You sure?"

"Definitely."

"Guys!" Eddie's voice suddenly rang out, filled with panic "Eddie?!" Carla sprinted toward the stairs, Bev and Ben on her heels. When they reached the hallway, Bev screamed.

Carla froze at the sight of Eddie staggering down the hall, blood streaming from his cheek and mouth.

"Holy shit..what happened to you?!" she cried, rushing to help him as he leaned against the wall.

"Bowers is in my room," Eddie said, breathless and in pain "Henry? What the fuck—" Carla didn't wait. She pushed past him into the room, then into the bathroom.

Blood smeared the floor, trailing to a shattered window. She stepped toward it and looked out.

There he was. Henry Bowers. Standing below, holding a bloody knife. He slowly turned, met her gaze, and laughed. Then he waved.

"Nice to see you, Carlie," he called faintly.

Carla didn't say a word. She couldn't. There was no mistaking it now..Henry had been completely taken over by IT. That had to be how he escaped wherever he'd been locked up.

-

Later, Carla pushed open the doors of the library and heard the unmistakable sounds of a struggle. She crept forward, heart pounding.

As she rounded a corner, she froze. Henry was on top of Mike, trying to kill him. Without hesitation, she grabbed the nearest object and slammed it into Henry. She shoved him off, then knelt down and helped Mike to his feet.

Behind her, someone retched violently.

"Oh shit—Richie!" she said, startled to see him there. She moved Mike aside to check on Richie, who had backed into a corner, wiping vomit from his chin.

"Mike?! Hey!" The others came rushing in. Bev screamed when she saw Henry's body. Carla touched Mike's bleeding arm, checking the gash as gently as she could.

Ben stepped closer. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright! I just saw Carla fucking kill a guy," Richie snapped, still pale.

"I was talking to Mike..." Ben said slowly.

"Hey, I'm okay..thanks for asking too," Richie muttered. Carla rolled her eyes and pressed a cloth over Mike's wound. His hand brushed hers briefly, warm despite the blood.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"No problem," she replied, offering him a faint smile. Their eyes met for a beat too long..something unspoken hanging in the air before he looked away.

"Where's Bill?" Mike asked, suddenly remembering.

-

Ben helped patch up Mike's arm more thoroughly better than Carla could, though she stayed nearby. Mike pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Bill? We're at the library where are you?" They all went quiet, listening to Mike's half of the call.

"No, no—we can talk about a plan. No... no, Bill. Bill!" He hung up and turned to the group, visibly panicked "He's going to fight IT. Alone."

"Is he serious?" Carla groaned, dragging her hands through her hair "It's about the group," Mike said. "The ritual doesn't work unless we all do it together. That's why it will work."

He picked something up one of the ritual tokens and Richie looked at it grimly "Did he tell you where he was going?" Ben asked.

"If he really wants to kill Pennywise, there's only one place he'd go," Mike replied. "The same place the ritual has to happen."

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

Carla let out a long, weary sigh. "Fuck."