"So... the whole poisoned water supply thing," Ben begins, biting his tongue in anxiety. He didn't think there was any other way to start. "The reason why we're even in Hawkins..."
"What about it?" Max asks. She is glad that they're finally getting some answers, just wishing they wouldn't beat around the bush.
"You mentioned that before," Dustin says. "What kind of conspiracy are you thinking?"
"Not really a conspiracy," Beverly says. "More of a cover-up."
"B-B-Big cover up," Bill stammers. He leans away from the group again, trying to get his stutter under control. The high stress of the situation and the thought that they were finally safe from the thing from Derry, only to be completely wrong makes him feel afraid and shaken.
"Remember how I said people blamed the tainted water for hallucinations? The giant birds, mummies, the clowns with glowing eyes and stuff?" Ben asks.
Dustin nods.
Ben swallows. "Those weren't hallucinations. They were real..."
"What?" Max says. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"T-There's something in the s-sewers," Bill says. "S-something that's lived under Derry for a long time."
"How long?" Will asks.
"Decades," Ben responds, remembering his research from before. "Centuries even."
"Holy shit," Dustin replies.
"It haunts Derry, attacks and kills people, mostly kids and makes life miserable for everyone."
"What is... it?" Eleven asks.
"It's just... IT," Bill says gravely. "That's all we can call it..."
"There is no real form," Beverly says. "IT takes the form of what you fear most."
"A shapeshifter," Dustin says.
The trio nods.
"It feeds on a person's fear, it delights in tormenting us before attacking," Ben continues.
"And it attacks kids the most because they're so easily scared," Bev adds.
"So... this thing, exists in Derry?" Will asks.
"Did it come through a portal or something," Dustin suggests.
The implication for those who live in Hawkins is now that the Upside Down is not just situated in their town. The reigning theory for 3 years while they've been living through this is that there's only been one portal to the alternate dimension... until now with the knowledge of this unknown creature that's a shapeshifter and feeds on fear. This means that there might be other gates outside of Hawkins... could it even be spreading? All the beings that they knew about from this other realm were the Demogorgon, the Demodogs, and the Mind Flayer. It never crossed any of their minds that there would be more... much more. And if this creature is centuries old, could the Upside Down have existed for that long and they only learned about its existence when El opened the gate the first time? This was difficult to wrap their heads around.
"N-No one knows w-where it c-came from, but..."
"But it's always been there," Ben finishes Bill's sentence. "I've done a ton of research into Derry and this thing pops up a lot, I've estimated every 27 years."
"Why 27?" Will asks.
The three from Derry shrug and shake their heads.
"It has a favourite form though," Beverly adds. "A clown. A clown calling himself Pennywise."
YOU ARE READING
Strange as IT Seems
FanfictionWhen Derry is evacuated after an emergency, the Losers Club travels to the quiet town of Hawkins, Indiana, where they should be safe. Joined by his cousin Mia, who carries her own personal demons, Bill and his friends begin to adapt to this new smal...
