Stenbrough Nights

|Shot 102| • The Summer Before Goodbye •

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STAN'S POV

If a stranger on the street had asked me if I wanted to spend one of my last days of freedom at an abandoned theme park, I would've told them to fuck off, that they're crazy. Even if one of my best friends had asked, I'd probably wave them off. But when Bill Denbrough asks with that adventurous, daring look in his eyes and confident voice? You can't say no. You don't want to say no. You want to explore; you want to be brave.

Bill makes me wish I could be everything he is, everything I'm not.

"Hey Stanny, look at this!"

Especially in moments like this. He snapped me back to reality, back to the ruins before us.

"You sure we won't get in trouble, Bill? The last thing I need is a trespassing charge on my record or to get kicked out of school before I even step foot in the place"

"Haven't steered you wrong yet, have I?" Bill replied confidently. "Besides, how many guards do you know are hanging around abandoned theme parks? We'll be fine, babe. Trust me"

Bill made a beeline for the front gate, not even caring about the vines and potential bugs and poison ivy that covered it. A leader through and through.

"After you" he said charmingly, almost shaking with excitement.

I always admired Bill for how fearless he is. Nothing ever seems to faze him. Nothing except the people he loves, that is. Us and the Losers made it all through high school together but now we're splitting apart. Bill wanted to make this a last-minute adventure, I guess, one last hurrah before the split. The only gatherings I ever cared about involved the Losers, the only reason I'm even remotely sad about leaving town.

"Stanny? Come on, we still have a lot to see!"

I hadn't even realized I was still frozen at the entrance until Bill grasped my hand and gently pulled me along.

"Sorry" I uttered softly. "Just...thinking"

"Oh yeah? Me too, actually"

"What are you thinking, Bill?"

"I mean, look at this place; imagine it back when it was full of people clamoring to each ride, the sound of coasters racing down their tracks, hot dogs and popcorn sizzling at food stands..."

I glanced around at the rusty rides surrounding us, the faded booths for games and food, the ticket booths littered with tattered rickets and receipts with no one lined up to purchase them. I closed my eyes, trying to envision things the way that Bill saw them so easily.

"I'll bet this would have been a great place to go with the losers on a sunny day" I remarked.

Bill smiled warmly and tugged me further along.

"Slow down, Bill!" I chuckled. "You're gonna me us trip and eat shit on one of these rust buckets or something"

He finally stopped us once we were in front of a large broken-down building, boards and bricks laying bare, splintered, cracked and moist from exposure to rain and other elements.