Athazagoraphobia [Richie Tozier]

1

Richie Tozier lay awake in his bed sometime during mid October. It was not because of a common nightmare, or a busy brain, it was because of the yelling and cussing outside of his bedroom door. Now, this is a common event in the Tozier household, which made Richie almost numb of reaction to it.

•••

Richie awoke to the startling sound of his alarm clock, bouncing off the walls of his small bedroom. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. His hair was askew, and his body did not want to get out of bed. He reached over to his bedside table and felt around in attempt to find his glasses. He got dressed in a white ringer tee, with grey cargo shorts, and a blue plaid button up to top it all off. He lightly ran his fingers through his tousled hair and figured it was good enough, besides that's all he wanted to be. Good enough. Good enough for someone.

"Just one more day."
Richie said in the bathroom mirror, a daily "routine" you could call it. Just that little bit of reassurance he needed. He nodded at himself, and turned his heels out the door, grabbing his book bag in the process.

•••

"I'm so sick of school. I miss summer!"
Eddie whined.

The gang was walking down the familiar path, leading to the forest. A place where they could escape.

"Yea Eds, but do you really miss summer?"
Stan pointed out.

Eddie thought back to the damn clown. The damn clown that scared him shitless, but also made the losers club a heck closer.

"Guess so."
Eddie replied thoughtfully.

"I miss summer."
Richie added in.

"I mean, ya we didn't exactly have the same summer everyone else was having, but..."
Richie started

"But..."
Eddie continued.

"At least I had fun screwing your mom!"
Richie laughed.

"Oh my G-God Richie."
Bill said shaking his head.

"Y'know why do you always do that?"
Eddie asked in his usual well spoken manner.

"Do what?"
Richie asked, almost hesitating.

•••

After a couple of hours rough housing with his friends, the sun was setting and he decided to go home. Was it really home? I mean, sure he lived there and all, but it sure didn't feel like one.

Richie walked through the door, and kicked off his shoes. The house was dimly lit, only the little light left in the sky was illuminating the bungalow house. He looked around wondering if his parents were to be found. He walked upstairs to go to his room when he saw his mom sitting on the sofa, with a bottle of whiskey in one hand, and a television remote in the other.

"Oh hey mom."
Richie greeted her, hopeful to get the response he wished for.

"Where were you?"
His mom simply managed to mumble out.

"Uh, just hanging out with the boys."
Richie replied.

"Mhm."
His mom groaned.

Richie couldn't be bothered. This was basically an everyday event, if of course she was actually home. His dad however was another story.

He shuffled to his uninviting room, that yet seemed so peaceful to him. He plopped down onto his box spring mattress and leaned backwards. He was greeted with his window which showcased a medium sized brick house that housed Eddie and Mrs.Kaspbrak. In the warm lit window there lay little Eddie, being comforted by his mother. Richie wanted that deep down, he really did. But he could never let anyone know.