perfect | it 2017

ix. HISTORY OF DERRY

"Well, When I first lived here, I didn't really have anyway to hang out with," Ben began as Richie passed the folder he was just reading to Bill. "So, I just spent time at the library," He shrugged.

"You went to the library?" Richie scoffed. He looked around at the others, confused. "On purpose?".

"Let me see," Elena stood up from her bathing position and sat herself between Richie and Stan, Eddie below them. Richie gawked at her. The blonde just ignored him and looked over his shoulder at Ben.

"I wanna see!" Bev followed and sat beside Bill. Bill turned his head and looked at her, his lip quivering. He looked almost nervous. Elena took the folder from Bill's hands, unnoticed.

She started reading it, Stan looking over her shoulder into it. "What's the black spot?" They both asked in unison. Elena and Stanley smiled at their synced question.

"The black spot was the nightclub that was burned down years ago by that racist cult," Eddie explained. 

"Y-Y-Y-You're hair," Bill stared at the now short cut of Beverly's. Elena had complimented this new look of hers just after Bev had dried herself off. Beverly just smiled wearily back at her, like she was unsure of it.

"Your hair is beautiful, Beverly," Ben cut in, making Bill gulp. 

"Why is it all murders and missing kids?" Richie asked, taking the folder off Elena. 

"Derry is not like any town I've ever been in before," Ben started.

Elena snorted. "Tell me about it," She said sarcastically. Everyone knew she was referring to all the missing kids going on lately. From Betty Ripsom to Georgie Denbrough.

"There was a study once," He continued. "And it turns out..people die or disappear each year, 6 times the national average,".

They all exchanged worried glances.

"You..read that?" Beverly spoke.

"That's just grown ups," Ben looked around. "Kids are worse. Way, way worse,".

Elena's eyes widened and she chewed the inside of her mouth, intrigued.

"I've got more stuff..if you wanna see?" Ben questioned. Eddie quickly shook his head, terrified. Elena did the opposite and nodded. She interested in this type of stuff.

★ ★ ★

The group of kids all cycled down the lane, heading towards Ben's house. They were now dry and fully clothed. 

They reached Ben's house and flung their bikes on the ground, Stan being the only one to carefully put his on a stand. As they ran into his house, Elena stopped right at the doorstep and looked to her right. 

There was a middle aged woman pinning up another missing kids poster on a lamp post. She was about to say something but was quickly cut off before she could even open her mouth.

"Come on, blondie," Richie gestured her inside, Eddie behind him looking very worried. Elena took one last look at the poster, wondering who it was, and stepped inside the house, following Richie and Eddie upstairs to Ben's room.

Beverly entered the room first, Bill and Stan behind her. Richie and Eddie came in next, talking about some video game. Elena came in last, still worrying about that poster and who it was. She'd have to get a better look at it later.

But as she looked around the room, the thought left her mind in an instant.

"Woah," Elena gasped quietly to herself. She spun around, making sure she took in everything.

"Wow!" Richie pushed his glasses up his nose. They all started scanning items around the room. Ben was leaning against his closet, smiling.

"Cool, huh?" He said, proudly.

"No, no," Richie disagreed. "Nothing cool," He walked over to a wall full of posters of clips from newspapers and articles. 

"This is cool! Oh..no, it's not. It's nothing," Eddie pointed to something. But Elena was sure Ben couldn't hear this. Instead, Ben was making sure Beverly was impressed.

"What's that?" Stan raised his hand and pointed at sheet of paper hung on the wall. 

"Oh that?" Ben turned to face Stanley. "That's the Charter for Derry's Township," He explained. Richie snorted.

"Nerd alert," He teased. Elena pinched him to shut him up, making him wince.

"No. Actually, it's really interesting," Ben stood up for himself, reading over the chart.

"I'm sure it is," Elena nodded and started reading it herself. "Richie is just being a dick, like usual," She glared at him. Richie shrugged. 

"Derry started as a beaver trapping camp-" Ben was cut off.

"Still is, am I right boys?" Richie interrupted and swiftly turned to Eddie and Stan who just rolled their eyes. He then turned to Elena who slapped his hand downwards. 

"Ninety-one people signed that charter that made Derry. Later that winter, they all disappeared without a trace," Ben explained. Elena stepped in closer to get a better look at the charter, now fully interested.

"The whole camp?!" Eddie said, evidently shocked. Ben nodded as Beverly looked over.

"There were rumours of Indians," Ben stated. "But, there was no sign of an attack. Everybody just..thought it was a plague or something. But it's like, one day everyone just woke up and left..".

Elena's eyes lifted to an old sketch looking picture. It had men all lining up to sign the charter, it looked like. But her breath was caught when she noticed something in the corner..hiding behind the men. The clown. The exact same clown she saw. She stepped back, breathing heavily.

Ben, Eddie, Richie and Stan turned around to look at her, confused. She raised a finger and placed it on the clown.

"What is that?" Her voice shook as she talked. Ben turned, frowning. They all looked at the clown looking figure.

"I..never noticed that before," Ben answered, surprised. "Strange,".

"Why? You look like you've seen a ghost, blondie," Richie furrowed his eyebrows. She calmed down. Maybe it was just a jester or something.. a coincidence.

"It doesn't matter," She shrugged it off. 

"Anyways," Ben continued. "The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes, leading to the well house,".

"Jesus," Richie stated. "We could get Derry on unsolved mysteries!".

The sound of a door creaking closed was heard from behind them. The others didn't seem the notice this. Elena swiftly spun around, scared that the clown might be there. But no, it was just Beverly closing the door. Ben was looking at the door too, horrified.

Beverly smirked and opened the door again. Elena didn't notice but on the back of the door was a 'New Kid's On The Block' poster. She turned back around, confused to why Ben was so relieved that the door was opened again and faced the backs of Eddie, Stan and Richie who were arguing..again.

Elena watched Bill who was looking around Ben's desk at miniature pictures. He was awfully silent for some reason.

"Wh-Wh-Where was the wellhouse?" He asked. Ben faced him.

"I don't know. Somewhere in town, I guess," Ben shrugged, innocently. "Why?".

"Nothing," Bill mumbled, looking at the wall. But Elena knew the real reason he wanted to know.