Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 62: Hunt for Amends

The two teens wait in the semi-darkness, watching and listening to what's happening outside as best they can. The blur of the blue Camero goes back and forth around the outside of the steelworks a couple of times... the guy is probably trying to get an idea of the area and see if the kids he was chasing were around here.

Stan flinches when another rat squeaks and scurries behind them. He bites his lip in utter disgust. Richie rolls his eyes and keeps his eyes outside. When did Stan become the new Eddie? He was always a bit of a neat freak and tried to act older than most of them and that included not getting as dirty when they played in the sandbox or quarry, but he wasn't the extreme hypochondriac that Eds always was. Sure, rats are gross, but there was a much bigger piece of vermin they were dealing with.

The two are hoping that Billy has given up and left. Unfortunately, the slamming of his car door told them something different. It could have also been a bang from deep within the factory from the rusting machines. However, the rattling of the chain link fence made Richie's heart sink when the denim felon impressively scales and jumps over the fence landing in the overgrown gravel.

Stan and Richie back away into the shadows to avoid being seen.

"Hey, you little sh*t where the hell are you?" Billy calls out as every step he takes is heard with a crunch of gravel. "I don't want to hurt you; I just want to talk to you about the money you owe me... you know for my back window that you f*cking smashed?"

"Damned liar..." Richie hisses.

"Shut up!" Stan whispers and then pulls his friend deeper into the shadows despite his hatred to do so. He prays that their footsteps can't be heard. Every tiny echo against the metal makes his heart jump. He drags Richie around a corner near what looks like what could be an old control panel with buttons and switches of some kind. The two huddle in the corner and do their best to not breathe so loudly due to anxiety.

"Come on you little losers. I saw your bikes. I know you're around here somewhere...!" Billy's voice calls, likely still outside but getting closer.

Stan glances around, looking for an alternative form of escape, but sadly there isn't one to be seen. The only windows are further down the hall of the factory and the only door that they are crouched in front of says Basement Access Employees Only. They didn't want to go deeper into the hell hole, but further away. He does notice an old hook hanging from a chain above them and his mind is racing.

A loud bang is heard and part of the factory where the two had been standing is illuminated in sunlight. Stan covers his mouth with his hand and Richie curls up further into the corner that they're hiding in. If he catches them...

"If I catch you, you little punk, your dead meat..."

Both boys believe him.

They can now hear his footsteps punishing the old creaky metal floor of the Steel Works plant. It felt as though he was going slower to taunt them and make them so scared that they'd give themselves away. Little did Billy know, both boys were well adapted at hiding and knew what could give you away, especially when you were tormented by Henry Bowers and his group of felons.

It sounds like he's walking in their direction.

"Come out, come out wherever you are..." he taunts.

Once more, Stan glances up at the hanging chain and hook and notices that it was connected to the control panel. He gets an idea.

...

Meanwhile, deep within the Steel Works, an indescribable thing has heard all the chaos above it. It's immediately intrigued by what it hears... if it had ears. It's humans.