WHEEZY // an IT story

f i f t e e n

JUNE 10th, 1989

"we've got to get him in a tent, or something," bill whispered.
after letting out a final sob, richie had collapsed to the ground, only letting small whimpers escape his lips. beverly knelt down next to the heartbroken teen, leaning down to his ear.
"c'mon richie.. we've got to go back to camp. it's getting dark," she whispered, trying to coax richie off of the ground. he rolled over and looked up at her.
"can i stay in eddie's tent?" he asked. stan nodded.
"sure, but you have to walk," stan instructed, grabbing richie's hands and helping him off the ground.

the teens walked in silence back to camp, letting the weight of their lost friend sink in. as soon as they walked into the clearing with their tents, bill took richie to eddie's tent and helped him settle in.

richie was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. just the sight of eddie's things made the last tiny pieces of richie's heart break even more. the teen rolled into his dead boyfriend's sleeping bag, letting the smell overtake him. slowly, sleep came to him.

"i don't know what to do!" mike cried, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
"yeah, it was hard enough getting him out of the schoolhouse and back to camp, how the fuck are we gonna load him in a van and take him back to derry?" beverly asked.
"why don't we do it now?" stan suggested.
"he's asleep, and he can't struggle if he's asleep," bill concluded. ben nodded.
"i think it's the easiest way. i guess we better get packing," he stated.
so, the teens trudged to their tents to begin packing for their trip home. the tents were rolled up, and bags were packed.
"how are we gonna get him to the van without waking him up?" ben asked.
"he's the heaviest sleeper ever. that won't be a problem," stan answered. normally, the losers would have chuckled. now, nothing seemed funny.

bill and stan entered eddie's tent. stan picked up richie, with the sleeping bag still wrapped around him. bill took eddie and richie's bags, being careful not to leave anything behind. then, ben and mike rolled the tent up.
then, the losers began to make their way towards mitch's van.

"everyone here?" mitch asked, as the losers were packing up the van. bill sadly shook his head.
"no."