Pennywise's Neverland

Chapter seventeen: Bargaining.

The next morning, Georgie sat up in bed, he hadn't slept properly all night, not since he left Pennywise's room. Finn stirred awake beside him, blinking groggily as the dim light of the playroom seeped into the room and cascaded up the walls. At first, he didn't really say or notice much, wiping his eyes as he sat up. But Finn being Finn, it didn't take him long to realise that his friend was already awake and looking rough.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, careful not to disturb Sofia on the next bed over.

Georgie glanced over his shoulder, leaning back against the headboard with a sigh. "I had a nightmare last night," he began, "and I... I couldn't stay here. So, I went out to the pink room to clear my head." He swallowed, remembering the dread that had clawed at him in the dim light of the playroom. "I thought I was alone, but Pennywise... he was waiting for me."

Finn's eyes widened and immediately his guard was up. He quickly swivelled his legs over the edge of the bed in case Georgie needed him. "What did he do? Did he hurt you?"

"No." Georgie shook his head, though the memory of Pennywise's closeness, his sickly-sweet voice, still sent a shiver down his spine. "He didn't hurt me... but he showed me something." He paused, his gaze flickering with a strange mix of relief and fear. "There's another room. His room."

Finn's eyes lit up, a spark of excitement in the midst of their grim reality. "A third room?" He sat back, processing this, the gears in his head already turning. "So we were right-there is more to this place than what he's shown us."

"Yeah," Georgie replied, feeling his heartbeat quicken. "But, that's not all. Pennywise told me I could come back. Said the room would be waiting for me?" His voice dropped, tinged with disbelief. "I don't understand it but it felt like an invitation into his space."

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze distant. "That's weird... and risky for him. Why would he let you in there? He must know you'd be looking for anything that could help us." He looked back at Georgie, a mixture of concern and curiosity in his eyes. "What was it like? The room?"

Georgie hesitated, casting his mind back to the strange, unsettling room, filled with that bluish glow. "It was... cluttered. Kind of weird like the pink room, but smaller and darker shades." He gestured, his hands moving as he recalled the details. "There were these piles and piles of old shoes. Kids ones, I think. Broken toys, and weird.. portraits with scratched-out photos. Like they were trophies." He paused, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "It's like he's been collecting pieces of kids who'd been there before."

Finn's brows knitted in a mixture of amazement and worry. "Pieces of other kids..." He repeated, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked to the floor. "This place-it's like a giant trap then." He looked back at Georgie. "Did he say anything else? Anything about what's really going on here or... why he's letting you wander around?"

Georgie shrugged, frustrated with how little he could answer. "Not really. He kept saying that I was 'special' and that he wanted to watch me 'break.' Like he gets some thrill out of seeing us lose hope." He clenched his fists, the anger building within him. "He's just like the Dealer, playing his sick game."

Finn's jaw tightened, a hint of fire in his eyes. "Well, maybe we can play it too, Georgie," he muttered, his voice steely. "He let you in that room once, so maybe we can use that. Next time, if you go back in there, look for anything we can use-a crack, a door... anything. We might be able to find a way out."

Georgie flinched. "Next time? Y-you want me to go back?"

Finn nodded, an ember of hope sparking in his chestnut eyes. "I think its worth a shot. Maybe not today but soon," he whispered, glancing over at the door, almost expecting the clown to burst in at any moment. "If he's trying to lure you into this, then the most unexpected thing we can do is play right into his hand. Make him believe you're clueless."