𝘜𝘴 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 • 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘯²

𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒆

Carla surged forward, determination written in every line of her face, and hurled the object straight into IT's gaping maw. The creature shrieked, its grotesque form convulsing, and Richie collapsed to the ground, released from its trance.

"Yes, you fucking cunt!" Carla shouted triumphantly, laughter bursting from her lips as IT stumbled backward, impaled on the jagged spikes that jutted from the cavern floor.

She sprinted down to Richie's side, breath ragged. "Hey, Richie! Come on, get up! Eddie, help him!" she called, kneeling beside Richie. Eddie quickly joined her, his hands scrambling to check on his friend. A moment later, Bev and Bill appeared, emerging from the shadows.

Carla's eyes locked with Mike's across the chaos. Relief bloomed on his face as she ran toward him, Bill smiling beside him.

"Mike! Bill!—" she began, but the words died in her throat. Their expressions shifted from joy to confusion and then to horror as Bev let out a sharp scream. Carla's breath caught, a searing pain blooming in her abdomen. She glanced down.

IT's claw.

Blood spilled out of her, splashing the ground and on Mike's shirt. She swayed in place, the realization sinking in. So this was it. This was how she would die.

"M-Mike..." she whispered, blood bubbling up and choking the words. She sobbed, voice drowned by pain. IT lifted her effortlessly, dragging her up into the air, away from the others.

"No! Carla..fuck!" Mike's voice cracked, raw with fear. Her limbs dangled helplessly as she struggled to breathe. The agony was unbearable, but the fear? The fear was worse. She wasn't going to see the future she dreamed of. Not with Mike. Not with Tabitha.

She could barely lift her head, but she heard them
her friends shouting her name, voices breaking. IT cackled.

"Uh-ohhhhh!" Then, with terrifying force, IT flung her against the wall. Everything blurred. Carla lay there, sobbing, her body trembling, her vision fading. She wasn't ready. She wanted more time.

She looked up just in time to see them rushing toward her "Carla? Carla!" they shouted, and she weakly lifted her hand, summoning the last of her strength.

"Come out and play, Losers!" IT mocked.

"She's hurt real bad, guys, come on!" Eddie said, ripping his shirt to press against her wound.

"Thanks, Eds," Carla whispered, smiling faintly as he hugged her "We need to get her out of here now," Mike said urgently, but he refused to meet her eyes.

"How?" Bill asked, panicking as IT loomed closer.

"B-Bill's right, y-you can't just—" Carla broke into a fit of coughing. More blood. She forced a sad smile. "Go, M-Mike."

"No. No, I'm not leaving you." Mike's voice cracked as tears filled his eyes. The others were crying too, some silently, others openly sobbing.

Bev kissed Carla's cheek and held her tightly. "The shokopiwah... All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit..." Mike said, realization dawning.

"Guys! There's a passage through here!" Ben shouted. "The tunnel," Bill said. "Pennywise has to shrink to get in. If we go back there, we can force him down to size."

"We make him small. Small enough so we can kill him," Bev said, nodding "I can smell the stink of your fear!" IT roared.

"Let's go!" Bill commanded. Mike and Richie helped lift Carla, and they hurried through the narrow passage.

Every movement sent a fresh wave of pain through Carla's abdomen. Blood soaked her clothes, but she bit down on her cries. Eddie sat beside her when they reached a safe spot.