Bloody Noses & Crack'd Crowns

Chapter 11

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

That night after supper had been had and families had said their goodnights, Richie Tozier snuck out. Despite Stan's beliefs that there were no secrets in the Tozier household, there were a couple things Richie hid from his parents. One of which being that he had learned how to sneak out of his bedroom window when he was twelve. It was an awkward affair, made more awkward the ganglier he grew, that involved quite a bit of contortion and a painful moment or so where he wondered if his balls were going to get caught, but he was decently good at it now. And tonight he was a man on a mission.

He had only ever hung out with Eddie while in a group, and after today's kiss Richie was more than a little bit curious about him. All their talk about Judas was beginning to make more sense, but Richie wanted to hear it from Eddie, rather than just speculate and talk to himself in circles. So that's where Richie was headed. Neibolt Street.

He didn't dare take his mom's car, although he would have liked the comforting distraction of driving, and instead walked to Neibolt. He tried to formulate a plan, seeing as he couldn't just knock on the front door and ask to see Eddie, but for once his voices had nothing to offer.

Neibolt Street was creepy during the daytime, Richie pitied the kids who went to the Baptist school at the corner of it, but at nighttime it was downright terrifying. The one streetlight was broken and flickered on and off creating moving shadows amid the darkness. The road dead ended like the city planners had started it and upon seeing what they had created thought better than completing it. The house at the end, 29 Neibolt was always thought to be haunted. Richie had heard his parents talking and it was generally agreed upon that no one should live there. Everyone was surprised when they heard that a new family would be moving in.

Richie could see why Robert must like the place. The facade looked like a maw, ready to swallow all who entered. The crooked porch and sinking roof formed the jaw and mandible. The second story windows were like eyes blindly peering out onto the street. Everything was dark and quiet, but instead of soothing Richie the silence only set him off.

Against his better judgment, Richie stepped off the path and began walking around the house. The gloom was deeper here, fully consuming. The dry grass, dead from a scorching summer, rustled and tickled his legs.

In the back two rooms were lit. From here, Richie could tell that one was a little closet of a room, bare and cold. It's occupant was moving around, and even from the awkward perspective Richie knew the man was too tall to be Eddie. Richie startled as he realized he was seeing Robert Gray pacing his room, no doubt planning something insidious. From here he didn't look so terrible, just a man. Richie thought they could beat him.

The light went out in the room. Apparently, Mr. Gray had gone to bed. At least Richie knew which window not to disturb. Hopefully if he got any of the other boys he could sneak into their room and tiptoe across the hall to Eddie's. That left him with one option. The room where the lights still glowed.

"'What light through yonder window breaks,'" Richie said to himself. The line made him smile, probably the first smile 29 Neibolt Street had seen in years.

Searching around in the darkness, Richie found a handful of gravel. Selecting the largest pebble he pelted it at the window. He missed by quite a bit and hit the siding. He glanced over to Mr. Gray's room, but there was no movement. He threw another rock. This one hit. Then another and finally the window opened.

"Fuck off!" Eddie hissed into the dark.

"I think you're supposed to say 'Romeo oh Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?'"