Pennywise's Neverland

Chapter five: The Former.

The dimness of the cell felt heavier that night, pressing down like a weight as Georgie sat huddled against the cold, rough wall. The stale, damp air clung to his skin, filling his lungs with a chill that refused to ease, no matter how hard he tried to steady his breathing. Across from him, Finn sat in silence, his gaze distant, brow furrowed with a heaviness that Georgie had begun to recognize as worry.

After what felt like an eternity, Finn shifted, his face tense as he leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. “You okay, kid?”

Georgie looked up, eyes wide, a reluctant sigh leaving him as he nodded. “Guess so.. why are you asking?” he asked, his voice cracking, though he tried to keep it steady.

Finn took a deep breath, his gaze dropping to the floor as he gathered his thoughts, his hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. “You know how the Dealer looked at you earlier?” he began, his tone cautious, careful. “I think… you're going to be one of his favorites.”

Georgie blinked, the sick feeling he got from earlier growing. Sure he’d seen the way the Dealer prowled the room, how his eyes lingered on certain children longer than others, the twisted pleasure he took in singling them out, making them feel exposed, vulnerable. But, what did “Favorites” mean? Obviously it wasn't a good thing but Georgie wondered if Finn had ever been a favourite, and if he was, then it was something he could survive.

Finn continued, his gaze hardening as he met Georgie’s eyes. “I've seen that look before, he always looks for certain qualities in his stock.. And you’re.. well, small, young. You have that innocent look about you that the Dealer likes, that twisted charm he craves in his muses. Y-you’re exactly the kind he latches onto.”

Georgie’s stomach twisted painfully, his hands curling into fists as the words sank in. “What… what does that mean?” he whispered, though he already felt the dread tightening around him, squeezing his chest and throat.

Finn’s face was drawn, shadows deepening around his eyes as he spoke. “It means he’s going to treat you a little differently than most of us.” he murmured, his voice laced with a quiet anger. “You’re the new face, the new star piece. You’ll be his… his toy.”

Georgie felt a cold shiver run down his spine, his heart pounding in his chest as the reality of it struck him. He’d felt the Dealer’s gaze that afternoon, the way he looked at him, the satisfaction in his eyes as he sized Georgie up like a prized possession. He hadn’t fully understood it then, but now… now it all made a horrible, twisted kind of sense.

Finn watched him carefully, his expression softening as he reached a hand out and rested it on Georgie’s shoulder. “I know it sounds awful, and it is,” he said, his voice steady but gentle. “But there’s a kind of trick to it. The Dealer, you'll see, likes to feel in control. He wants his favourites to be obedient, easy. If you give him that, at least on the surface, he’ll go easier on you.”

Georgie swallowed hard, his throat tight, fighting back the nausea rising within him. “So… I just… I have to pretend?” he asked, his voice small, trembling.

Finn nodded slowly. “Play along, keep him happy. It’s all a game to him. If you play it right, you can keep him from going too far.” His eyes flickered with a dark, haunted understanding. “I know it’s… a lot. But you’re not alone, Georgie. You stick close to me, and we’ll get out of this. Together.”

“Together?” Georgie squeaked. His chest heaving as the weight of Finn’s words settled over him like a suffocating blanket. And yet, the thought of someone who barely knew him speaking so protectively felt grounding. Familiar.

Finn just nodded, and offered him a small smile, the first genuine one that Georgie had ever seen from him. And his chest lightened.

“Thank you, Finn,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper, but filled with quiet gratitude. 

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts, the shadows deepening around them as the night pressed in, heavy and suffocating. For the first time, Georgie allowed himself to lean into Finn’s presence, to find solace in the quiet, shared understanding that they were both trapped in this nightmare together.