If Only

Five

Richie.
Aug. 1988.

He didn't know what had scared him more: the fact that Pennywise might actually have survived or the fact that he seemed to only be after Eddie, as none of the other boys had come forward and said anything.

Frowning, Richie paced around his room, muttering to himself.

He heard the constant static and white noise coming from the unused television downstairs where his mother was inevitably passed out on the sofa, most likely with a bottle of beer or some other kind of alcoholic beverage in her hand.

The house stank.

The paint on the walls were chipped and peeling.

He hated having friends over, and hadn't had any over in years.

Richie's house was not home. Not to him, at least. He hated it.

The 13 year old curled his lip with disgust as he took off his shirt and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it to the side, not bothering to even put it neatly in a laundry basket.

He then crawled into his unmade bed and yanked the covers up to his chin, taking off his glasses and placing them to the side.

A part of him didn't want to go to sleep.

He was worried that he would have more nightmares.

Another part of him was exhausted and needed the rest.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and rolled over, soon falling asleep.

🎈

When he woke up, Richie was pleased to discover that he hadn't had any nightmares.

None that he could remember anyway.

Richie turned on his side to look for his glasses.

Squinting, he patted his nightstand wearily, searching for his glasses.

Everything was a blur.

Annoyed, he swung his legs out of his bed and slipped down, getting on his hands and knees to look under his bed.

"Where the hell are they..." He muttered to himself.

Richie groaned in frustration, not being able to find his glasses.

When he lifted his head he was face to face with a terrifying sight.

A single red balloon sat on his bed, weighed down for whatever reason.

Upon closer examination he discovered that there was something in it.

"What the..." Richie muttered.

Carefully, the boy reached for the balloon and grabbed it, inspecting it.

When he saw what was in the balloon, he felt sick.

His glasses.

Someone- or something- had been in his room.

He popped the balloon quickly and snatched his glasses, shrieking when he realized that they were covered in a familiar red, sticky substance.