Bloody Noses & Crack'd Crowns

Chapter 6

I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY. All credit goes to TheWeaverofWorlds on ao3.

After Mike's fight Eddie felt like he could breath again. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath for so long. He was a little surprised he hadn't passed out. Maybe it was because he couldn't let himself lose consciousness. After all he would be up half the night worrying about Bill and Mike, making sure they survived the night. Sure these fights hadn't been the worst they had seen, but by nature Eddie was a worrier. Robert said he got it from his mother.

Henry Bowers entered the ring, and quite honestly, Eddie had had enough violence for one evening. He held Georgie's hand throughout the fight, counting the minutes until they could go find the others. He didn't even look up, just studied his scuffed shoes and counted.

Henry's fight didn't last long. The other man in the ring was high on some mix of drugs and alcohol and had never stood a chance. It was over by the third round. Men began to scurry home, rats abandoning the ship, their entertainment was done. Nothing was left for them.

Robert found Eddie and Georgie. He placed his dry hands on the scruffs of their necks, guiding them to the exit. They were led to a smaller building that had hay stacked up against its walls. Bill and Mike were there chained to a post. Their arms were bent at an unnatural angle which must have been pretty painful. A man was standing over them. Anger rose in Eddie's stomach. There was no need for a guard, they were fucking chained up like animals. Immediately he felt guilty for having such thoughts, and he looked at Robert to see if he suspected anything. The other man was directing Bill and Mike's release and didn't spare Eddie a glance. There was some relief in that. When Eddie had been young he was sure his "papa" had been able to read his mind. It was only when he was older, and when Mike joined them, that Robert had become Robert instead of "papa," and that Eddie knew that no matter how ingrained Robert was in his mind he did not actually possess the power to read it.

Mike awoke, rubbing sensation back into the arm which had been chained to the post. Bill was in much worse shape. He seemed to be drifting on the edge, and Eddie suddenly worried that he might not have the supplies to bandage Bill up. That would mean a trip to Keene's pharmacy tomorrow. Dread pooled in the pit of his stomach.

"Get him up," Robert said.

Georgie ran to his brother and hugged him with little regard for Bill's injuries. He sobbed, relief and worry clouding his speech. Bill soothed him best as he could.

"Shut him up. Let's get a move on. I'm fucking exhausted."

Gently, Mike pulled Georgie away before pulling Bill to his feet. The two boys hobbled towards where Robert had parked. Eddie and Georgie trailed behind them. While the younger boy wiped the tears from his cheeks with his shirt sleeve, Eddie watched Bill and Mike. It was painful to see how slowly they were going. No sixteen year old should move so delicately. They looked like soldiers in war movies coming home from the battlefield. All that they were missing were the bandages around their heads and the bloodied fatigues.

Eventually they made it to the car. Mike helped Bill into the back, before carefully lowering himself in. This time Georgie rode shotgun so that Eddie could sit in the back and start to unwrap their hands. He began with Bill as he wasn't sure how long the other boy would maintain consciousness. Bill hissed in pain as Eddie began to undo the wrappings, Georgie's large peat colored eyes never leaving them.

"What hurts the most?" Eddie asked softly so as not to disturb Robert who was humming cheerfully as he drove.

Bill took an internal inventory. "Ribs hurt like a motherfucker. Sorry, Georgie."