Aftertaste [COMPLETED]

Chapter 6 :: IT

BERLIN'S P.O.V.

**

I PEELED MY EYES OPEN and rolled out of bed and the springs in my mattress screamed out in protest. My right leg got caught in the sheets and blanket, and instead of stepping out of bed, I landed on the rough carpet with a loud THUD! Oh well, I thought as I separated my face from the abrasive floor. Another day another dollar. Or Another ten thousand pounds for the University of London, rather. Seriously. My tuition was costing my parents more than I was worth.

I made an attempt at standing only to find myself back on the floor after slipping on the satin red sheets. Satin, more like Satan. When I finally got to my feet I was in a crumby mood. You could say I woke up on the wrong side of the bed...

When I checked my phone, the first thing I saw was a good morning text from James. It simply read: good morning love, see you at 10.

I check my phone again for a message from Logan who usually sends me a text reminding me to at least try to be on time.

Nothing.

I sluggishly dressed, and grabbing my things, per usual, headed out.

I couldn't have been walking for more than a minute when I heard the honking of a clown horn close behind me. I stopped dead in my tracks, not moving not blinking, not even daring to breathe, not that I could anyways since I was so horrified at what might possibly be behind me.

Gingerly, I turned on my heels, and there it was.

Literally IT.

Just like the movie, a six foot tall clown looming over me. Ever since my mother made me watch the movie IT at the age of seven in an attempt to "straighten me out", I have been deathly afraid of clowns.

I felt as if I might have an asthma attack at that very moment, but I was so stricken with fear that I couldn't even move a muscle to reach in my back jeans pocket for my inhaler. I felt the tears pricking along my bottom eyelids due. I was terrified and I felt helpless. Then the clown took a step closer an I got a sudden rush of adrenaline as my fight or flight kicked in.

I chose fight.

I swung my elbow back and heard the sound of my fist in all its fury - or should I say fear? - as it sliced through the air, and the honk of it's shiny red nose as it impacted his face.

The guy was substantially larger than me: me at 5'5" and him at at least six feet, though I had I had always been technically petite, I also had head turning curves, but this guy appeared to be a wall of solid muscle, so you can see imagine my surprise when, after just one hit, the green giant took a painful fall - both painful to watch and to experience I'm sure - down his beanstalk and and landsed on the floor, holding his plastic nose.

I felt like Mike Tyson or Mohammed Ali in my moment of victory. T K O. It started to whine. "Damn it Berlin! That bloody hurt! Seriously, what'd you have to go and do that for? Can't a guy have a laugh?"

I took a step back in astonishment. "How do you know my name?
What else do you know about me? Do you know what I did last summer? Do you know how I met your mother? Did they tell you where I finally found Waldo?"

"I-" IT tried to speak but I pressed on.

"Oh God, don't tell me," I said as I covered my face with my hand and threw my head back dramatically. I let my voice fall to a whisper, "they finally told you how many licks it takes to get to the centre of a Tootsie Pop, didn't they? Didn't they!"