𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓸 {A Patrick Hockstetter Fanfic}

𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓓𝓸𝔀𝓷

Missing posters of Belle's face littered the entire town of Derry, replacing the ones we've seen since this all started as if the other kids had been forgotten, one of them having been a friend. Betty, now Belle, my own little sister. Dad was eerily silent the next morning, acting like nothing even happened. He hated the thought that mom replaced us all, but mostly him. He was peeved. He didn't even want to help find Belle because he knew she was gone and wasn't coming back, the way he probably wanted it because he knew mom was hurting in the worst way imaginable. I could barley manage to get out of bed the next morning with my window still wide open, making my way over to close the window when I noticed Bev, Bill, Richie, Eddie, Ben, and Stan below my window on their bikes in the backyard to avoid my dad when he left for his morning shift, and Henry if he decided to crawl out of bed anytime soon.

"We know what happened Les. We have to talk to you." Bev's words littered my ears before I indicated I would meet them out back, throwing some clothes on and putting my hair in a messy bun because I frankly didn't care at the moment. I hardly ever took the ring off Patrick and I made, him wearing his just as much. I managed to make my way down the stairs in such a silent manner, knowing Henry was still asleep and dad was just then walking out the front door to head to work, making my way through the kitchen and out the back door to greet them all.

"I've seen something guys..... something I can't explain. Patrick almost died because of it. I saved him. And I think it's punishment for that. Whatever this is, it's taking all these kids." They all looked at one another and didn't seem surprised at all by my revelation, knowing they've seen it as well, judging by the immense fear in their eyes.

"I saw it to. At that house on Neibolt..." Eddie proclaimed with a far away look in his eyes. That house stood so eerily tall and hauntingly scary that everyone avoided it. Kids dreaded going anywhere near it, adults acted as if they couldn't see it. That was a repeating pattern in this town. Adults were oblivious to what was truly going on, or merely didn't want to engage in the real thing that was happening. It wasn't a normal human being going around killing kids. This thing wasn't human by any means.

"I feel so responsible. I wasn't watching her close enough. I should have....." But Bev cut me off with a massive hug, seeing my teary eyes and pained expression and knew that's just what I needed. No words. Just actions. They all joined in, and I felt home, the same way I felt with Patrick around. They were my friends. They were my family. I'd do anything to protect them. Even if the consequences were deadly.
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{At The Quarry}

I climbed atop the same exact tree I've climbed on multiple occasions in my life in Derry, my dangling feet distracting me from my racing thoughts. I did everything in my power not to think about last night. But my mind wouldn't let me forget it. Belle was gone, all because I wasn't watching her. That sweet, innocent kid is gone and I know she's gone forever, because I know this thing took her, just like it did Georgie, Betty, and countless others. And I couldn't protect her.

"There she is! Trying to hide?" I smiled a little down at Patrick's attempt at humor in what he knew was a bad situation. I loved him for it to be honest.

"Maybe. Although you found me. So I'm not doing a good enough job." He climbed up the tree and sat right next to me on my usual perch, his feet dangling down as well while our shoes bumped into one another in a fight for dominance.

"Maybe it's because I know you by now princess. This is where you always go to sulk since we were five." It dumbfounds me how he remembers so much about me, even when he wasn't obsessed with me. Well, that's what he claims anyhow.

"You got me there. You know me too well Hockstetter. Creepy." I softly nudged him, seeing his toothy grin he's suddenly started sporting as of recently, far from his usual smirk and lip licking ways.

"You gotta study your subjects. Your things. Ya know? Although I think I'm starting to see you as another being. Not just some..... thing. More like on my level. Just, don't let it get to your head." Patrick once told me he was the only being in his world and everything and everyone else was simply things beneath him. His psyche was beyond my comprehension, but I always tried to understand it.

"You saying I've joined the ranks of animal and baby killers who love to grope boobs and stick my hands down someone's pants?" He simply eyed me like i'd just stabbed him right in the gut, but his little smirk told me his demented mind was turned on by how I always stood up to him, the way i joked with him, the way I simply was with him in general. He saw me as someone. Not just a thing anymore.

"Don't make me tie you to this tree and do things you'll regret...." I knew this was a complete bad habit to stick with someone so violent, demented, deranged even. And even if it was all I knew, he attracted the shit out of me.

"Why would I regret it Hockstetter? I asked for this you know?" We simply stared at one another in complete wonder of each other, our agreement slowly going out the window with each passing day, yet we didn't fully know it. Sure, love wasn't in the cards or even remotely on the table. That's what we told ourselves anyway, because Patrick wasn't even capable of such emotions. And I? Well I was afraid to love in fear of what it could cost me. But somehow, we gravitated towards each other more and more and it was far beyond a simple addiction. I was playing with fire by just being with him. Because my dad would literally murder me if he full on caught us. And Henry was such a dick about me being near his friends in that way that he would lose his shit. But anytime I was with Patrick, I felt alive. Truly alive. And I didn't want to lose that feeling. Not ever.