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chapter eight; jesus, they could do derry on unsolved mysteries
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG to ride to Ben's house and the whole way, Richie just kept on making jokes about Eddie's mom, making us all want to hit him over the head with a nice, hard chair but, none of us actually had the guts to say anything. Nor did we care enough to.
Once we got to Ben's house, we all plopped our bikes down on his lawn and ran up the steps to his porch just to get into his house.
His house is two stories high and not too bad to look at either. Though his room could use a little work, I'm not one to judge. Ben had got into the room before us- I'm assuming to clean up some of the mess- and then Beverly was the second one in and after her was me. The walls lined with pictures and information on Derry. Who knew Maine was so interesting?
He had placed index cards next to some of the pictures holding notes and things about the places in the pictures. It is absolutely amazing how much information he has gathered up. Some of us have lived here our whole lives and never knew any of it.
"Wow." Richie is the first to say anything.
"Cool, huh?" Ben asks and Richie scoffs.
"No, no, nothing cool," Richie says and I elbow him.
"What? I'm just stating the facts." He tells me.
"Be nice," I tell him and roll my eyes, beginning to look around. I see Bill holding a picture up to the window and I look at it, curiously.
"What's that?" I hear Stan ask and I turn around to see what they're looking at.
"Oh, that?" Ben asks. "That's the charter for Derry township."
"Nerd Alert," Richie says, adjusting his glasses and I elbow him again.
"No, actually it's...it's really interesting." Ben points out and explains further, "Derry started as a beaver trapping camp-"
"Still is, am I right, boys?" Richie holds his hand up but everyone is quick to shut him down.
"Ninety-one people signed the charter that made Derry but, that winter, they all disappeared without a trace," Ben says, sending chills down my spine.
"The entire camp?" Eddie asks and Ben nods.
"There were rumors of Indians, but, no sign of an attack. Everybody just thought it was the plague or something. But, it's like one day, everybody just woke up and left. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes leading to the well house." Ben finishes.
"Jesus, they could do Derry on Unsolved Mysteries." Richie points out.
"W-where was the well house?" Bill asks.
"I don't know. Somewhere in town, I guess." Ben tells him.
"Why?" I ask Bill and he just ignores me, looking at the posters of missing children.
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"You're finally fucking home, huh? Where have you been?" My mom asks me as I walk in the door.
"J-just to Greta's, mom," I tell her. She's drunk.
"I called Mr. Keene and he already told me you weren't there. Liar!" She yells the last part in my face and grabs my hair, throwing me against the wall.
"Pl-please make it stop." I sob into my knees with my hands covering my head.
"Never," Kick. "Lie," Kick. "To," Kick. "Me," Kick. "Again." She picks me up from the ground, holds me against the wall, and slaps me. "Do you hear me?" She asks harshly and I nod my head. She slaps me again. "Do. You. Hear me?" She asks again.
"Yes." I cry.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes ma'am." And with that, she lets me go, walking into her room. I have to leave.
I walk out the front door, not bothering to clean myself up first and I begin walking in no particular direction. I continue to walk for what seems like hours.
"C-cassie? W-what are you doing out h-here?" I hear a voice ask from behind me and I turn around to see Bill Denbrough.
"Ho-Holy shit. What happened t-to you?" He asks, walking up to me and I give a small smile.
"Is it really that bad?" I ask and he nods.
"Can- can I stay at your house tonight?" I ask and he nods and we walk into his house.
"So what were you doing outside late at night?" I ask him as he grabs a wash cloth and runs it under his bathroom sink.
"Th-thinking." Is all he says.
"About Georgie?" I ask and turns to me.
"Yeah.." He trails off and pauses before handing me the wet washcloth.
"Thanks...I know I said I can save myself and...I am, in a way, I guess but, we all need a little help along the way." I smile up at him as I place the wet cloth on my left cheek.
"Yeah, w-we all do." He says. "Do you n-need a shirt to ch-change into?"
"Sure, if you don't mind."
"N-not at all." He says and walks over to his closet to start digging through it.
"I know you guys miss Mel," I say. "A-and I'm sorry I'm not her but, you won't be stuck with me for long because we're gonna find Mel and you won't have to see or talk to me again."
"Cassie, y-you're not a burden to us," Bill begins walking back to me, "Y-yeah you aren't Mel b-but that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"I see the way you guys look at me...Like you wish I was the one who went missing." I tell him. "And if Mel were here instead of me, she would've already solved the mystery and her and Richie would go to live happily ever fucking after."
"C'mon. You k-know that's not true. Pl-plus you've got your own s-set of traits. St-stop comparing yourself to Mel." Bill tells me and hands me a shirt and I think about his words for a moment.
"I guess you're right, Billy boy. Thanks." I say and kiss his cheek before heading into the bathroom to change.
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this one was a tiny bit shorter but it was pretty good, i think
