"I've realized that..." he started, then took a shaky breath. "Earlier today, when Stanley pulled you aside... seeing you two so close and secretive, I hated it." The words tumbled out in a rush. "I don't like how others make you smile..." He traile...
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°•°Vanessa's POV°•°
We stumbled back into the main cavern just in time to see Pennywise holding Mike aloft, a grotesque puppet in its clawed grip, poised for the killing blow. Without hesitation, Richie snatched up a rock and hurled it with all his might.
"Hey, fuck face!" he bellowed.
The rock struck true. Pennywise's head snapped around, and he discarded Mike like a broken toy. Richie grabbed another rock, his bravado a blazing shield against the terror. "You wanna play truth or dare? Here's a truth. You're a sloppy bitch! Yeah, that's right! Let's dance! Yippee-ki-yay..."
As Richie drew his arm back, Pennywise's jaw unhinged, and the deadlights erupted, ensnaring Richie. He went rigid, his feet lifting off the ground, suspended in the awful, mesmerizing glow.
Eddie gasped beside me, his face a mask of horror. His eyes dropped to the sharpened fence spike in his hand-Beverly's gift. "This kills monsters. If you believe it does," he whispered, a frantic mantra. "If you believe it does. If you believe it does."
Then, he did something that stole the air from my lungs. He pulled me to him and kissed me, hard and desperate, a kiss that tasted of fear and an unbearable, unspoken goodbye. Before I could process it, before I could speak, he was gone.
He ripped the flashlight from his head, his face set in a grimace of pure, unadulterated resolve. "Beep-beep, motherfucker!" he screamed, and launched the spike like a javelin.
It flew straight and true, down the monster's gaping throat.
Pennywise howled-a sound of pure, shocked agony-and burst into gouts of fire. It choked and sputtered, reeling backward until it crashed into the giant spikes of its own nest.
"Holy shit!" Eddie breathed, staggering back, stunned by his own success.
I was already moving, dropping to my knees beside Richie as he crumpled to the ground. "Richie, you okay, buddy?" Eddie joined me, his hands fluttering nervously.
"Hey, Rich, wake up! Hey. Yeah, yeah! There he is, buddy!" Relief washed over me as Richie's eyes fluttered open.
"Hey, Richie, listen! I think I got him, man. I think I killed it. I did. Vanessa, I think I killed it for real!" Eddie's voice was giddy with disbelieving triumph.
It happened in slow motion. The celebration died in my throat. Over Eddie's shoulder, I saw it-one of Pennywise's spider-leg limbs, regenerated and razor-sharp, scything through the air toward us.
I didn't think. I shoved Eddie sideways with all my strength.
The world exploded in white-hot pain. The claw caught us both, opening deep, vicious gashes across our sides. The coppery scent of blood flooded the air.
