WHEEZY // an IT story

o n e

if richie could go back to last summer, he would do it in a heartbeat. the year had treated him so horribly, it just seemed pointless to remember. he still remembers the stupid banter he had with eddie, the silly adventures he went on with the losers club, and most of all, how much he laughed. what happened to change all of that? well, richie doesn't quite know. but, he knows, somewhere he made a grave mistake.

JUNE 2nd, 1989

"SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER, BITCHES!!" richie shouted, as he kicked open his friend, bill's bedroom door.
"mr. toizer!" bill's mother, ms. denbrough shouted from the kitchen. although she often scolded richie, ms. denbrough knew he was a nice boy with too much energy.
"sorry!" richie called from bill's room. he shut the door and let out a somewhat childish giggle.
"what?" stan uris, richie and bill's friend asked them. stan was usually cranky, but richie knew he was very stressed. stan was turning fourteen in a few weeks, and had been training for his bar mitzvah very intensely. he was the rabbi's son, after all.
"we have three months to do whatever the fuck we want!" richie exclaimed, throwing his hands up in childish excitement.
"just as long as we're home before dark," bill added. richie sighed. his parents were alcoholics, if it could get any simpler. they didn't mind where richie went or how long he stayed out. he wished that maybe someone was there to pat him on the shoulder when he hit a home run in baseball or get an A on a test. but, then not minding his whereabouts sure had it's perks.
"and i have to cut time to practice," stan said, groaning.
"yeah, but besides that stuff, we're totally free!" richie cheered, not letting his friends take away his excitement.
"don't forget about summer reading," bill muttered, and all the boys groaned.
"you know i'm gonna half ass it!" richie laughed, but being completely serious. stan yawned.
"i'm gonna do it as early as possible so i don't have to worry about it," he told the other boys, smirking.
"i don't know, i'll get it done.. whenever," bill concluded. richie got up to his feet.
"well, i'm bored, and bill's comics suck ass, so i'm gonna go home," richie stated, brushing off his pants and walking out of the door.
"richie, wait!" bill called after him, and richie stopped to turn around.
"quarry. tomorrow at noon." richie nodded his head in reply, and left.

biking down the streets of derry just as the sun was setting was eerie for richie. he was sure he'd done it before, but something was off. it was almost as if the wind called his name, luring him closer to what seemed like danger. but, richie continued to pedal, ignoring the dread rising in his stomach.

richie's bike tires screeched to a halt in front of the house. it seemed to tower over him, waiting to devour him. he walked up to the door, which made him, long and lanky, standing at 5"9, feel tiny. richie's trembling hand knocked on the door, his pale knuckles hitting the rough wood. a few seconds passed, and a huge, towering, sonia kaspbrak loomed over him.
"richie.." she sneered, letting disgust weigh her voice down. richie put on his best shit-eating grin.
"what's up ms. k?" he asked, hoping the enthusiasm in his voice sounded real.
"eddie's sleeping. what do you want?" she muttered, obviously wanting to shut the door in richie's face.
"just tell him that we're playing in bill's new sprinkler tomorrow," richie told her, hoping the lie passes, again. sonia nodded her head.
"is that it?" she asked. richie nodded his head quickly.
"alright, well, bye." sonia grunted, before shutting the door. richie shuddered. he hated sonia kaspbrak with a passion.

as richie walked down eddie's driveway that night, he felt as if he was being watched. he turned around, and from eddie's small, upstairs window, he could see eddie looking out. richie gave a small wave, and eddie waved back.

richie smiled to himself that evening. eddie was awake, and he knew that they were going to the quarry tomorrow. "playing in bill's sprinkler," had been their code word for the quarry since last summer. it was the only way sonia would allow eddie to go. sad, but true, eddie has little freedom at home.

but something told richie that this summer was gonna be different.