WHEEZY // an IT story

t w o

JUNE 3rd, 1989

as richie biked down the back roads of derry, the warm summer sun hit his back. his white hawaiian t-shirt wasn't giving him much coverage. he parked his bike at the edge of the street, making sure to leave it in the grass where no cars could hit it. then, he jogged down the dirt path to the familiar cliff side.

richie was obviously the last one there, because everyone else was just lounging and talking. eddie looked up and grinned.
"richie!" he called.
"what's up, kids?" richie said, stripping off his clothes. stan rolled his eyes.
"you are late."
"i know, captain undercarriage, it's called being fashionably late," richie answered, giving stan a smirk.
"whatever, losers, i'm jumping in!" bill shouted, and he ran towards the edge of the cliff. suddenly, he stopped.
"woah. that's really high," he said, and richie pushed him.
"fuck you!" bill shouted as he fell. richie laughed and jumped in after him. then, stan shook his head and jumped also. that left eddie standing on the cliff alone.
"aren't you coming, eds?" richie shouted from the water. eddie nodded.
"just a second!" he shouted. the small boy pulled out an inhaler and took a large puff. then, he tossed it with his clothes and other belongings. eddie took a deep breath. then, he jumped.

the cold water hit eddie's skin. for a split second, the boy had forgotten how to move, his weight suspended in a vortex of nothingness. he could've stayed that way forever, but he remembered that oxygen was important.
"chicken fight!" richie shouted, moments after eddie had emerged from the water. richie laughed, and then suddenly felt two very small hands on his shoulders.
"go under so i can get on your shoulders," eddie instructed, so richie did it.
"you two are toast!" richie shouted, as bill climbed on stan's shoulders. stan laughed, and then lunges at richie. bill and eddie locked hands and started to push back and forth. suddenly, richie stepped backwards very quickly, letting bill collapse forwards into the water. eddie let out a cheer.
"aw yeah! i told you we'd win!" richie cheered, as bill glared at him.

"and that is why you don't walk outside without shoes on!" eddie finished. the boys had finished swimming and were perched above the quarry, eating. richie took a bite of his apple.
"so, what are we gonna do this summer?" he asked.
"let's buy a ton of candy and watch movies! at your house, of course," eddie said, laughing. richie smiled back.
"i would think nothing other," he said.
"maybe we could try to find a new hangout spot?" stan offered. eddie nodded.
"the arcade is great and all, but it smells like fish," he told the boys, pinching his nose and sticking his tongue out,
"why don't we build a treehouse?!" bill shouted, throwing his hands up. all of the boys shared excited and shocked remarks.
"let's start tomorrow!" eddie exclaimed.
"so, tomorrow, we all meet at the arcade?" stan asked. richie nodded.
"it's settled." bill frowned.
"wait, guys. we said we were gonna go to the barrens tomorrow, to look for georgie," he said, darkening the mood. georgie was bill's six-year-old baby brother. he went missing in the fall, but bill had never stopped looking. stan sighed.
"of course, bill. we'll be there tomorrow."
"the sun is setting, and i have curfew. i'll see you all tomorrow?" bill said, standing up.
"yeah, i should probably get going too," stan replied.

eddie sat across from richie for a few minutes.
"aren't you gonna go home?" eddie asked. richie shook his head.
"nah, i don't have to be home for a while,"
"well, i don't want to leave you here alone!" eddie exclaimed, putting his hands over his face. richie smirked.
"aww! look at little eddie spaghetti over here, trying to protect me!" richie teased. eddie rolled his eyes.
"nope, i'm leaving you alone," he said, quickly standing up. richie laughed, and chased to catch up to him.
"uh oh! you don't want to be alone anymore?" eddie teased, smirking. richie smiled.
"no, but are you gonna protect me, eddie spaghetti? or am i gonna have to jump in your mom's arms?"
"you're so gross!"
"you love me!"
"mhm. okay."
they continued to tease each other until the boys reached their bikes. they said their goodbyes, and then parted ways.

it was dark when richie biked home that evening. richie remembered a book his mother used to read to him-
"never lose the moon while counting the stars," it had said.
when richie asked his mother what that meant, she had smiled at him.
"when someone's in love with you, you can get these weird feelings. then, you get distracted. richie, just remember to not get distracted," she had told him. at the time, richie just shook his head and thought nothing of it. but tonight, it crossed his mind, and the thought of stars and moons occupied his thoughts for the rest of the night.