𝘜𝘴 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 • 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘯²

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

They stood where Mike told them to go. Carla glanced around, eyes darting between her friends and the ancient structure rising before them. Her stomach twisted in confusion and unease.

What the hell was this supposed to do?

"In the depths is where it crept, in the beneath to find relief... in the depths is where it crept, in the beneath to find relief..." Mike repeated under his breath, like a mantra.

"Is he okay?" Ben asked, puzzled, watching Mike intently "I think at this point that's a relative question," Richie muttered, arms folded.

"What's on the other side?" Bev asked, her voice directed at Carla, who was thinking the same.

"I don't know. No one does," Carla answered honestly "You're joking?" Bev's eyes locked with hers.

Carla turned to Mike, hoping for reassurance but he only shook his head grimly. Without warning, Mike pulled open the ancient lid "Mike!" Bill called out.

Mike flashed the light into the dark hole below, revealing nothing but pitch-black void. He sat down on the edge. "Alright. See you down there." And just like that, he dropped in.

"Wait, what the fuck?!" Carla shouted.

"The fuck!" echoed Richie.

"Stay together," Bill instructed, voice steady, and everyone nodded "You guys, I can't do it," Eddie said, shaking his head violently.

They turned to look at him "I can't. You saw what happened up there I was gonna let you die. I just... froze up. If you let me go down there with you, I'm gonna get us all killed."

He pulled out his inhaler with shaky hands "Hey, hey! Give me that," Richie said, snatching it. Eddie refused to let go "Let go, you little turd."

Carla didn't hear most of what Richie said to Eddie neither did Bev or Ben. It was just noise in the background, muffled by tension. Then Richie gave Eddie a light slap.

"Ow."

"Sorry," Richie muttered and turned away.

"Here. Take it," Bev said softly, offering Eddie the metal bar "Thanks, Bev," Eddie replied, gripping it tightly as she descended into the hole.

"Oh fuck," Carla muttered, sighing as she sat at the edge, steeling herself.

"You've got it too," Ben said gently, offering her a small smile. She returned it weakly and began her descent, moving carefully so she wouldn't fall.

"You guys good?!"

"Yeah!" a few of them shouted back.

Carla looked up Ben, Richie, and Eddie were following her down. Below, she could see Bev nearing the bottom. Bill and Mike were already there, barely visible in the glow of a flashlight.

"It's in there!" someone called again Bev, she realized.

Almost at the bottom herself, Carla muttered under her breath, "Thank fuck... but not really." Every instinct screamed that being at the bottom of anything in this place was a bad idea.

She turned as her feet hit the ground, facing Bev.

"You okay?" Carla asked.

"Yeah, you?" Bev gave her a tight smile.

Carla shrugged. She didn't really know the answer.

"Through here," Bill called, gesturing to a narrow opening in the wall. "It's tight, but we can get through." Bev went first, slipping under the rock. Carla followed, feeling the pressure of the stone on her shoulders.