Bloody Noses & Crack'd Crowns

Chapter 14

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

As soon as Bill and Mike arrived at Bowers' farm they were led away by Dunning once more. To Bill's dismay it wasn't Eddie that followed them, but Georgie. He looked to Mike for some sort of answer, but the other boy remained stoic. Anger roared around his ears, and for a moment he was sure that he hated Eddie and Mike. It was replaced almost instantly. God, it was so fucked. He wished – he didn't even know what he wished any more.

"Shirts," Dunning said, once they had reached the post.

Bill stripped, angry that his brother had to witness him in such a vulnerable state. He threw his shirt at Dunning.

"Well aren't you pissy tonight. Should make for a good fight." Dunning sneered grabbing a hold of Bill's jaw.

He shoved the boy back before handcuffing him to the post.

"Do you know who we're fighting?" Mike asked trying to deflect Dunning.

The older man's smile twisted, his teeth looking particularly sharp. "Sure do, coon boy."

Mike grimaced at the slur.

"But don't think I'll tell you. More fun that way. Now get to it," Dunning said grabbing Georgie's arm.

"D-don't touch him," Bill lunged forward, the handcuff tugging painfully at his wrist, the sound of metal sharp in the quiet evening.

Dunning laughed. "Nothing you can do to stop me."

Georgie was pushed towards Mike. He began to wrap Mike's hands just as he practiced. He counted in his head, too worried to think about anything else much less prayers.

Dunning hadn't stopped talking as Georgie worked. "How do you boys like the bars? They're nice right? Robert said that he had some trouble with the poor neighborhood, he was worried about you boys. Came to my company first thing on Monday morning, course I gave him a discount on the work. How do you feel? Safer I bet."

Dunning laughed. "Ya know I got kids your age. Troy, Arthur, Harry and Ellen. Course that bitch of an ex-wife doesn't let me see 'em. So seeing you kids is like seeing my own. You boys go to the high school with Artie don't you?"

"T-tugga."

"Right, that ridiculous nickname. And what about you Georgie? You know Harry and Ellen? They're in the middle school too."

Georgie didn't reply as he finished with Mike's hands.

"Troy and Arthur should be here. If it weren't for their goddamn bitch mother."

Bill tried to ignore Dunning. The man seemed more drunk than usual, there was a fevered pitch to his speech, a bright color in his cheeks. He watched as his brother began to wrap his hands. Bill mused that Georgie shouldn't be this good at it. Eddie should have never taught him. God, he had to get Georgie out before Robert decided to put him in the ring. He hoped that the Losers had a plan.

–

Stanley looked around his living room vaguely pleased with himself, and absolutely intimidated. His parents were playing host and hostess, hiding their curiosity until they had made sure everyone had drinks, but Stan knew they were wondering why his friends' parents were all here so late at night.

His friends and their parents hid their curiosity more poorly. Only Richie looked truly at home, Maggie Tozier was the next most relaxed as she offered to help Andrea bring out glasses for everyone. Arlene Hanscom was the most puzzled, still in her scrubs from her shift at the hospital. She sat at the edge of her seat, hand resting on Ben's knee as if she needed something to anchor herself to in this strange reality.