Fear WILL Find You // IT // Bill Skarsgard

Chapter 17

Lyles POV.

Today Odette and I decided to have a clear out in the Parlour, cleaning all the back cupboards and deeply scrubbing everything. We do this deep clean around once a month even though we clean the store every night. In a way this monthly clean was just to get rid of all of the old stuff and clutter. This is also normally when we scrub the walls and re-paint them, not that I was scrubbing my wall. I love the design too much. Odette and I were pulling out all of the desks and chairs into the front of the parlour, getting ready to scrub the floor when we noticed Ivy and Denis walking past the glass store front.

"Poor souls" Odette said softly before there was a loud screech of her moving the last desk out of the doorway to the main room of the parlour. "It has been a week and both of them are still out searching all day and night" I placed my chin atop my hands which were wrapped around the top of the mop handle as I watched the two cross the road and walk over to the park. I couldn't imagine what the two were going through. I was destroyed inside and I was lucky if I saw James 4 times a month, Ivy and Denis had him most days.

The parlour had seemed eerily quiet the past week. Hardly any clients had been in due to it being a quiet time of the year but also there was no noise from up stairs, no constant customers walking in to use the elevator, no Ivy and Denis. It was horrible. You could tell something severe had happened, it wasn't just like the two were away on a holiday. Well, they were on a "holiday" from work but that holiday was a nightmare that they had to endure in life. Both of them were completely haunted about what had happened, blaming themselves, blaming each other, blaming the world.

Odette and I walked back and forth in the main section of the parlour as we mopped the floor, the smell of bleach strong as music played softly in the background. "Odette, aren't you meant to be going on a date with Isabelle today?" I asked as I watched Odette shake her head "I cancelled it. Didn't feel like I should be out there enjoying my life when Ivy and Denis are living in a nightmare" she explained as I tutted. "I know what you mean, I totally do, but Ivy and Denis wouldn't want you to stop living your life after what has happened. Also, we can't do anything, the police have told us that. We need to try and continue with our lives and stay strong"

Now, I know I sound cruel and maybe even heartless but please remember one thing. James was like my little brother. That little boy had an impact on my life that no one could ever understand. His disappearance has hurt me deeply. Each night I have been out searching for him with the police but it has all stopped now. James is gone as far as the police are concerned. We have basically been told to give up. Denis and Ivy naturally will refuse to give up. Odette and I need to be the strong ones and continue with life. We can't put our life on hold for something that we may never achieve. I want to look for James for the rest of my life but at this point it is likely we will never see him again. Heart breaking but true.

Odette called Isabelle and they decided to go out in the next hour. Both of us had moved into another room each. Odette was in the storage room and I was in the changing room. I stood at the lockers as I sprayed them with a cleaning spray before rubbing over the shining black material with a cotton cloth before they began to sparkle. I opened up my own locker as I decided to move around the photos on the inside of the door and clean the shelves.

I ran my hand over the silver shelf before I felt hands on my waist causing me to jump as I turned around to look at the body that was now in front of me. "Leon!" I exclaimed before practically throwing myself at him, my arms wrapping tightly around his neck as his wrapped around my waist. "I've missed you. Why didn't you answer any of my texts or calls?!" I questioned before pulling way from him slightly, my hands on his shoulders as his hands remained on my waist.

"I have been very occupied" he answered as I screwed up my face in curiosity. "What have you been doing?" I raised my brow, wanting an answer as he leaned into my ear and whispered "It doesn't matter. I'm here now, aren't I?". Shivers tingled down my spine, my legs grew weak, my heart melted, my breathing sped up as my heart began to gradually race. "No funny business going on in my FUCKING PARLOUR!" I was suddenly brought out of the trance as Leon moved to reveal Odette standing in the doorway as she picked up her hoodie. "He just gave me a fright, nothing is going on" I stupidly spat out as Odette rolled her eyes and hummed in a response before leaving. Oh, I was so going to get questioned about that later.