Afraid Of The Dark- Richie Tozier (IT)

Another Presence

"He t-t-thrusts his fist against the p-post, and still insists-s he sees the g-g-ghost." Bill says quietly as we walk towards the steps together.

"Bill, Zoey! You can't go in there! This is crazy"Beverley says as Bill is at the top of the stairs but I still stand at the bottom.

"Look, you don't have to come in with me. Or Zoey. But what happens when another Georgie goes missing. Or another Betty or another Ed Corcoran or even one of us? Are you just gonna pretend it isn't happening like everyone else in this town?! Because I can't. I go home, and all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals, but he isn't. So walking into this house, for me, it's easier than walking into my own." Bill tells us as he turns and goes to the door, showing us all his true leadership of the group.

"Wow" Richie mutters.

"What?" Bev asks him.

"He didn't stutter once" Richie says in amazement.

"Again guys, I'm done being scared. I can't take it anymore. I just feel like this is something we need to do because no one else in this fucking town will do anything." I tell them all and turn walking up a few steps.

Richie then walks up the steps behind me as Ben starts to follow.

"Wait!" Stan yells from behind us.

"Shouldn't someone like, keep watch? Just in case something bad happens.." He asks while looking down the street.

"Okay. Wh-wh-who wants to stay out here?" Bill asks as everyone raised their hand except for me and Beverley. I let out a huff of breath as I pull different length straws from the ground.

"Fuck" Richie says quietly, he has never won before when we pick straws.

The door creeks as Eddie, bill, Richie and I walk into the house. The house is covered in cobwebs and dust everywhere and is quite dark.

"Nothing to be afraid of, nothing's there." I say to myself, calming my nerves as I let out a long breath.

"I can't believe I pulled the short straw, you guys are lucky we weren't measuring dicks" Richie says.

"Rich, you'd still be going into this house if we did" I say as I smile sweetly at him.

"Ugh, I can smell that" Eddie says, nearly gagging.

"Yeah, don't breathe through your mouth" Richie tells him.

"Why?" Eddie asked, confused.

"Cause then you're eating it" Richie tells him, causing Eddie to actually gag this time and use his inhaler.

We explore the house and I see Richie grab a paper that was hanging in large cobwebs from the ceiling.

I look at the paper and see that it's a missing person report for Richie.

"What?" Bill asks as he walks over to us.

"It, it says I'm missing" He tells them.

"You're not missing Richie" I tell as I place my hand on his arm.

"Then why's it say that? That's my hair! That's my face! That's my shirt! That's my age, that's my hair, that's the date!" He says starting to freak out. Bill tries to rip the paper from him but he continues to panic.

"What the fuck? I'm not missing?! Does this mean I'm next!?" He yells, starting to panic as Eddie and bill stand in shock and bill tries saying that it's not real but Richie won't listen.

I grab Richies face lightly and force him to look at me, even though he has to look down a little.

"That's not real Rich, you're here, with us, right now. You're not missing. It is trying to play tricks on you but it's not real! I promise!" I tell him in a
comforting voice as he stares back at me.

"Hello?" We hear a voice say from up the stairs.

"Holy shit, who the fuck was that" I say as I turn towards the stairs.

"Help..." we hear the voice cry and I take off to the steps.

"Zoey! Stop!" They say but I continue up the stairs with them behind. I get to the top of the stairs and stand at the hallway, only to see Betty Ripsom in the room down the hall. I felt the others stop behind me.

"Betty?" Bill asks.

"Ripsom?" Richie asks as well.

"Help me!" She tells us as she istretches a hand out. I begin to walk towards her until something drug her away from the door, causing me to gasp and jump back. Richie and Bill walk in front of me as they head to the room that previously contained Betty Ripsom.

As we walked down the hall, a door beside me was slightly cracked open and grabbed my attention. I open the door, but Richie and Bill continued to walk on. Without second thought, I walked into the room. It wasn't dark, it had a yellow tinted window that let light shine into the room.

I walk into the middle of room and look at the door in the corner, wondering where it leads to. As I hear Richie call mine and eddies name, I jump slightly and turn toward the door leading to the hallway.

"Zoey? Eds?! Where the hell are you guys?" Richie yelled.

"In here!" I yelled back to him.

"Guys? Guys!!" I can hear Eddie yell and then a door slam shut.

"Eddie?" I yell as I hear footsteps come towards the door I was in. Once the steps and I both got close to the door, the door slammed shut.

I immediately ran to the door and started trying to get out but the door was locked.

"Help! I'm locked in!" I say as I bang on the door. I could hear Eddie on the other side, but all of a sudden it was like he was gone. I put my ear up to the door and listened.

I heard a lot of wood clattering and then Eddie yelling "What the fuck!"

"Time to take your pill Eddie" could then be heard in a very demonic voice as another clash of wood appeared.

"Eddie! Eddie what happened? Are you okay?!" I yell to him, beating on the door, trying to get out to help Eddie.

That's when the room started to get darker and all worry for Eddie left my body. I could feel another presence in the room but I didn't dare to turn around.