perfect | it 2017

v. THE BARRENS

Elena sat on Eddie's kitchen counter top, swinging her legs off the edge. She told her mother she was going to the library which Ella stupidly believed. But here she was in Eddie's kitchen, getting supplies for their trip.

"First you say the barrens, now the sewers?!" Eddie spoke fast to Bill, worried. "What if we get caught?".

"We'll be fine, Eddie. Who would find us? What other people in town would go down to the sewers?" Elena snorted. Eddie nodded.

"B-Besides, the sewers are p-p-public works, we're t-t-the p-public, a-a-aren't we?" Bill reassures him as best he can.

"Hey Eddie, are these birth control pills?" Richie asked. His hand was on the handle of another cabinet in Eddie's kitchen, looking right into it. Elena rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm saving them for your sister," Eddie retorted. Elena made eye contact with Bill and they smiled at this strange conversation. "This is private stuff, Richie,".

Richie made some smart comeback which heated an argument, making Elena roll her eyes again.

"Guys!" She said loudly over their fight. "We have to go now," She hopped off the counter.

All four of them left the kitchen and made their way to the front door. Eddie made sure his fanny pack was properly zipped up so no pills dropped out and opened the door only to be stopped by his mother who was in the living room watching TV.

"Eddie bear!" She yells, starting them. "Where are you kids off to in such a rush?".

"J-J-Just my b-b-backyard, Mrs. K," Bill lies, coming up with an excuse a bit slow but it looked like she bought it. "I got a new..." This time Bill failed to come up with something.

"A new croquet set," Richie helps. "Jeez, spit it out B-B-Bill!" He mocks.

Mrs. K simply nods. "Oh! Sweetie, don't go rolling around in the grass, okay? Especially if it's been cut, you know how bad your allergies can get,".

"Okay, mom," Eddie goes to leave, but once again his mother calls him back.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Mrs. K says. Eddie winced as she spoke. He slowly turned and walked towards the woman. He planted a kiss on her forehead and walked back towards us, embarrassment written all over his small face.

Richie nudged Elena and snorted. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Want one from me too, Mrs. K?" he joked, making the blonde beside him laugh quietly. Richie beamed in his success of making her laugh before being pushed out the door by Eddie.

They mounted their bikes and cycled off to Stan's house. Once they reached it, he was sitting outside on his porch, looking at his knees.

"You okay?" Elena asked him, clearly noticing something was wrong. He nodded reluctantly. "You're not okay. What happened?" She mumbled to him as he climbed on his own bike.

"I-I don't know," He whispered. Elena furrowed her eyebrows. She opened her mouth to speak again but Stan cut her off. "Please, I don't wanna talk about it," He grumbled. Elena nodded.

They rode off towards the sewers, chatting and joking. Stan's smiles seemed fake but Elena tried her best not to bug him about it.

The group dropped their bikes beside the opening to the sewers.

"That's poison ivy, that's poison ivy...and that's poison ivy," Stan pointed to several different plants. Eddie's face grew worried.

"Where?" Eddie questioned, looking around frantically. "Where's the poison ivy?!".

"Nowhere, Eds," Elena answered. "Don't worry,".

"Not every fucking plant is poison ivy, Stanley," Richie cursed at him. Stan just shrugged.