"richie rich" / richie tozier (fwolfhard)

chapter twenty nine (are you real?)

"i- i went to get p-pants.. you w-were in," i inhaled deeply and my lip started quivering.

"kimmie i'm right here, it's okay now."

my head rested on his chest as he rubbed circles into my back.

"i was downstairs the whole time babe." i notified me, "whenever you're ready, you can tell me."

i nodded, my breaths got quiet. "you were telling me to come with you, i-i don't know where, but he was covered in blood." my breath quickened again.

"i knew it wasn't you, but i didn't want to chance it because you looked hurt." my voice cracked, "he said to come float with him."

my cries became louder, i held a fistful of his shirt.

"maybe you should, it sounds like fun. we should go float together babe." he had the same creepy grin plastered on his face.

i backed away in terror, "richie!" i screamed, but nothing came from downstairs.

the light above me flickered and an inhuman noise came from out the wall.

vines appeared on the wall, decay flew through the air.

i could see a boy running down the street, his hair was longer and his jeans were torn.

"hey!" i yelled, in hopes of getting his attention. he stopped in his tracks, his eyes widened as we made eye contact.

he sprinted up to me, "are you real?" he asked, his hand reached for my face.

"will?"

realization of who was standing in front of me clicked through my head.

"you know me?" he gave me a small smile, pulling me back inside the cold house.

"mike and jane, they are looking for you. and, your mom, she misses you so much." i put a hand on his arm.

a giddy smile appeared on his face, tears gathered in his eyes.

"take me home." he pleaded, "okay, i'm not sure how i got here." i answered truthfully, keeping him close.

"you were sent by someone, you are my rescuer. i just know it." he slyly smiled and nodded his head.

"how do i get back? i can get the others." he looked at the ground before looking back at me.

the inhuman noise was heard again, this time much closer. he began to get frantic, making me nervous. my eyes teared up, i began to shake uncontrollably.

"close your eyes, think of home, and count to five." he whispered.

"okay." i nodded, closing my eyes tightly, i thought of richie. we were in the back yard, riding our bikes. i counted quietly, everything around me disappeared.

1, richie and i were heading back to the diner, our smiles were bright.

2, we met mike and jane, our closest friends at the time, we all laughed so hard that night at richie's crude jokes.

3, as we biked home i felt richie's stare, almost burning a hole in my head. it was a loving feeling.

4, we reached home, we both kicked the stands out from the bottom of our bikes and he walked me up to my front door, holding my hand the entire time.

5, he gave me a hug, it lasted for seconds but felt like an eternity, he pulled back and started to lean in.

tears threatened to fall.

i opened my eyes, richie was standing over me. "baby!" he cried out, "please, wake up."

it trailed off as he laid over me. his voice was hoarse and his tears were heavy.

i lifted my hand and put it on his cheek, he shot his head up. his glasses flew to the side. "kimmie?" his hands held my face, he leaned over me again.

he put his arms underneath my head and pulled me close. "i thought i lost you baby."

he cried into my shoulder. i immediately hugged him back, "you could never lose me richie, never."

an overwhelming feeling came over me as i remembered what will said about me being his rescuer.

"richie, i'm here, i'm okay. but i need you to listen." i sat up, he crawled into my lap and curled up into a ball and held onto me like a child.

"will byers talked to me, i know where he is." he sat up straight. "the will byers?" he asked, hoping i was just kidding.

"he said i was his rescuer rich." i looked deep into his eyes, "tell me what happened, every single thing k."

he became concerned, his eyebrows slowly creased.

i told him everything, every single detail i could remember. the weird noises, the vines, seeing him twice, seeing will, talking to will, and that shadowy figure that crept in the walls.

by the end i could tell he though i was crazy and genuinely concerned for my health. "i need to talk to mike." i nodded, he looked taken aback.

"i told will i would, i need to get jane too. she can help me bring will back." i grasped onto his arm.

"can we do this monday?" he questioned, "i think we, both, have had enough of excitement to last us a couple days."

"will is in there, suffering, richie. i can't let him stay, he looked deathly sick. the air was contaminated, you could barely breathe without getting the thick decay in your lungs. imagine how messed up he is, being there for almost two full fucking years."

he placed a hand on my shoulder, "and you expect me to wait 'a couple days'?" i shook his hand off me.

"i need to find them." i stood up and ran to the car, richie sped up and quickly got in front of me.

"i'm not kidding k, you need to rest, you went through a lot today, i don't want you to have another episode." i could tell he genuinely cared, but i genuinely didn't give two fucks.

i tried pushing past him, but he didn't budge. "please, babe?" he pleaded, i sadly nodded my head.

he picked me up and carried me back inside and up to my room.

we both laid down and got under the covers considering it was freezing, but yet i was the only one who couldn't sleep.

his voice, his eyes, his shaky breath.

will was scared, and i'm determined to help him.