REDITUS | BILL DENBROUGH [2]

eight | together

Layla and the rest of the Losers managed to barely make it to Neibolt house before Bill stepped completely inside, alone.

"Bill!" Layla called out to her husband, making him turn around.

"No, no, you guys, no!" Bill said, looking at all of them. "I started all this. It's my fault that you're all here. This curse, this fucking thing that's inside you all. It started growing the day that I made you go down to the barrens because all I cared about was finding Georgie."

As much as Layla loved Bill, he was right. They were all doomed to this curse the minute they started looking for Georgie. However, they all had that understanding. It wasn't a surprise. They all knew what looking for Georgie meant and what it would cost them, but Layla did not care. She loved Bill. She knew Georgie meant everything to Bill.

Bill let out a breath. "Now, I'm gonna go in there, and I don't know what's going to happen, but I can't ask you to do this."

Beverly reached into the dead grass, grabbing a metal rod, most likely from the rusted gate that separated the house from everything else. "Well, we're not asking you either."

"Bev,'' Bill started.

"Bill, we didn't do it alone then, so we're not gonna do this alone now.'' Layla said, walking up to his side and grabbing his hand. "We started this, and we're going to finish it, for good."

"Losers stick together.'' Ben said, proudly.

There was a moment of silence before Eddie spoke, "So does somebody want to say something?"

"Richie said it best when we were here last." Bill said.

"I did?" Richie asked. "I don't want to die?"

"Not that."

"You're lucky we're not measuring dicks?" Layla responded.

The entire group just stared at her while she stared at Richie. "I can't be the only one who remembers him saying that."

Richie paused, "Let's kill this fucking clown?"

Bill let out a small laugh, indicating that was the phrase he was looking for.

"Let's kill this fucking clown.'' Richie said with more confidence behind his words.

As they walked into the house with flashlights, the state of the house appeared to be in worser shape than when they were kids, which is to be expected. As they inched further in, black liquid began to fall down the walls and stairs, leaving behind a sizzling sound.

Richie scoffed, "Well, I love what he's done to the place."

Layla kept her eyes forward, "Beep-beep, Richie."

Bill, Richie and Eddie went into the kitchen while Beverly, Ben, Mike and Layla stayed in the living room. All of a sudden, Ben began to groan loudly, and the door separating the living room and kitchen was shut loudly. Layla rushed to the door, pulling and jiggling the handle with the hope to open it with no success.

"C'mon, you stupid door!" Layla said, pulling on the handle harder.

"Ben, what's wrong?" Beverly asked, rushing to his aid along with Mike.

Layla looked back to see blood staining his shirt. They lifted up his shirt to see words beginning to surface on his abdomen, almost as if someone was carving them into his skin.

Layla rushed over to ben, looking at the words. Home was the word that was etched into his skin, and then it turned into Home at Last.

"It can't be real,'' Beverly whimpered as she held Ben.