It was the day where all of the children in the society of Derry would line up to face their fear. Literally.
There was a tree in which every child of Derry would go into and their deepest fear would come to life before their eyes. Once they could defeat it, they became a full citizen.
Stan Uris had stood in the same line for three years in a row, always able to get to the very front before looking into the looming darkness of the tree, and turning around. He was bound and determined; however, to make it through this time.
Stan took a few deep breaths, then moved forward in the line. He saw someone come out of the other side of the tree, a triumphant look on her face. Her wild red hair was practically glowing like fire as she ran toward her friend. Beverly Marsh, his friend. Of course she would make it through.
Stan shook his head, facing the back of the person's head that was in front of him. His hands were getting clammy and were shaking slightly with nerves that he couldn't control.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, then turned to see a familiar face. Mike Hanlon.
"You feeling okay, Stanny?"
Stan swallowed the lump in his throat, "Not especially." He then inquired, "How long have you been there?"
Mike said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Not long. One of my other friends was holding my place while my parents had me run an errand."
Stan nodded, "Well, anyway, I'm just nervous about this whole thing, Mikey. And that's supposed to be the exact point of this. To build confidence and what not." He said with a wavor in his voice, "What if I can't do it?"
Mike waved the question away, "Don't worry about it, Stanny. It's an illusion. It's all in your head, really. They build up all this tension for you so they can make sure you'll be able to have, like you said, the confidence and capability to contribute to the community as a citizen, but they'd never actually hurt you."
Stan looked into Mike's eyes, his even expression, and sucked in some breath, "Alright. I-I believe you, but I'm still not sure about it...I can't imagine what'll be there waiting for me."
Mike gestured for him to move up a bit-three people out of the six in front of them had already made their way out of the tree-"From what I've heard from Rich, it's nothing to worry about. He said he just saw a few clown dolls, though between you and me, I don't feel like that's the complete truth, but he didn't have a scratch on him. You'll be fine."
Stan sighed, "You say that but I can't shake this-this feeling that I won't be able to get through it. That I'll freeze up like I've always done."
Someone that'd been at the front of the line stepped up to the tree, then shook their head, "No way, man. Not my year." They looked worried, then ran off in the opposite direction of the tree.
Mike's lips grew a bit thin, "Bad example of what you should do."
Stan sighed, the impending fate of him and the tree was approaching. The next two people must've ran through it, because suddenly, like the sound of thunder, the tree was in front of him. Awaiting him.
Stan's breathing grew a bit faster. He reached behind him for Mike's hand, shaking his head, "Mike. I can't. I can't go in there, Mike."
Mike turned him around to face him, "Hey, hey, stop." He gave his nose a soft kiss, then said, smiling, "I believe in you."
Stan groaned, not wanting to let go of Mike's comforting hand, but alas, he knew he had to. He took a few shaky steps forward, then entered the darkness, eyes squeezed shut.
He lifted his eyelids slowly, seeing nothing at first. Nothing but complete darkness.
He hated the dark. Ever since he was a child he'd have to get his parents to leave a lamp on for him to be able to fall asleep. Stan's chest began to heave, "H-Hello?" Still nothing.
Stan's bottom lip began to quiver as his brain began to race, "Is this thing broken?" He said it as a light joke, but it was starting to become too real for him. He wondered how big this thing could be as he put his hands in front of him to try and feel the edges until he could get to the exit.
He couldn't feel anything. His hands tried to grasp for something, but couldn't. He felt tears well up in his eyes, "Please? I-I can't see."
He moved his hands up to his hair, grabbing at it to know that he's still there. He still exists among this complete and total nothingness. He started calling out for people he knew cared about him, "Richie? Mike? Bill? Anyone? Mike!" He started having trouble breathing, "I don't understand. This isn't right! I'm supposed to see something, or someone! My fear!"
The disorder was causing his head to ache. He wanted order, he wanted answers. And he wasn't getting either of them.
Then it clicked. His fear. Disorder. Not knowing what could happen. Having no control.
He said-more like shouted-"I've got it! This is my fear! And I faced it! And I can get over it!" He added, "Now let me go!"
He saw the exit, and had to stop for a moment, questioning how he hadn't seen the light before. He ran toward it, inhaling the fresh air of the outside.
He saw Mike about to go in, and ran up to him, feeling more accomplished in that moment than in any other time of his life. He hugged Mike around his torso, "I did it!"
Mike laughed, "I knew you could."
Stan had a fire in his eyes, a nice light that had never before been there, "So can you; go get 'em, Mikey."
Mike gave him a side smile, "You got it, Stanny," then he walked in.
Stan stood to the side, waiting for Mike to come back out. But he never did. Stan was tempted to ask one of the administrators of the event if Mike was okay in there. It'd been a while. Stan walked up to one, "Excuse me, sir?"
The administrator didn't respond, and he said again, "Sir?"
Stan looked around, noticing now that noone was moving. Their eyes seemed to be glazed over. He furrowed his brow in confusion, "Hello?"
Their eyes filled with black, making a scream erupt out of Stan. He shook his head, "No. No." The black spilled from their eyes to the rest of their bodies and to the ground, racing toward where Stan stood. He screamed, "No! I already did this! No! Mike!"
He saw the tree, then Mike came out of it. Stan gave a sigh of relief, going toward him, but the blackness separated them. Stan reached out as far as he could without having to fall into the darkness surrounding him, "Mike!"
Mike seemed as worried as he was, "Stanley!" They were separated from each other. The blackness from the other people was causing the ground to shake, a rift between them large enough that neither could get to the other side.
Stan went to his knees, desperate, "Mikey..." He couldn't breathe again, just like when he was in the...The tree. He was still in the tree. His face screwed up in indignation, "This isn't real!"
Everything stopped. Lights came up around him and the blackness was drowned out. He found the clear path out of the tree, anger possessing him. He saw Mike standing in line, then went up to him.
Mike's eyes were delighted, "So, how'd it go? Did you figure out your fear?"
Stan crossed his arms, "It was ridiculous. Something about all these other people bleeding out some black darkness shit that would separate us. I'm not scared of that; that's completely irrational. How could people cause us to be-"
It clicked. All this time with Mike, he'd been afraid of what society would say about him. About them. He met Mike's eyes, then tackled him in a hug.
Mike laughed, caught off guard, "Is this a hug of good luck?"
Stan shook his head, giving him a determined smile, "It's a hug for the future. And that I got over my fear."
Mike raised a brow, then ruffled Stan's hair, "Alright. I love you, Stan, but I gotta go in there."
Stan stopped Mike right before he went into the tree, cupping his hands around his mouth, making his proclamation loud enough for others to hear, "I love you, too!"
