Mesmerizing Mute ~ Richie Tozier

VIII ~ The Clown

"Go? Go where?" Ben questioned Bill's enthusiasm, I mean, why would he be happy after all that just happened?

"Neibolt, that's where G- G- Georgie is," he explained.

"After that?" Stan questioned.

"Yeah it's summer, we should be outside," Richie agreed.

"If you say it's summer one more fucking time," Bill threatened. There was a pause, like Bill was waiting for someone to respond, but soon enough he just got on his bike and rode off.

"Bill. Wait!" Beverly shouted, but he only kept riding further away.

"We have to go after him," Mike said. Nobody responded, they all just got on their bikes and followed Bill. He was already to the door of the creepy house when they caught up.

"Bill! Bill you can't go in there. This is crazy," Beverly told him after everyone had arrived.

"Look you don't have to come in with me, but what happens when another Georgie goes missing or another Betty or Ed Corcoran or one of us? Are you just gonna pretend like 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, is easier than walking into my own," Bill explained before turning towards the door once again.

"Wow," Richie said in surprise.

"What?" Ben questioned at his response.

"He didn't stutter once," Richie explained. They all decided to follow Bill into the house after his telling them why he was willing to go in, well, all except one.

"Wait," Stan stopped them, "um, shouldn't we have some people keep watch? You know, just incase something bad happens?" he asked, not wanting to go into Neibolt.

"Who wants to stay out here?" Bill asked before everyone but Beverly raised there hands.

"Fuck," Richie responded. They were going to have to draw straws, which ended up being pencils from Ben's bag.

"Dammit," Richie swore again as he grabbed what looked like less than two inches of a pencil left. He looked around to see who else had to go into the house; Bill, Eddie and Tate. "No, Tate's not going in. She just almost fucking died she's not going in," Richie told Bill in a stern voice.

"Rich she drew a short straw," Bill tried to compromise.

"I know, but-" Richie tried but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Tate merely shook her head at the boy. "Fine," Richie finally agreed. Tate was tough, although she was rarely able to show it. Bill finally went into the front doorway with the other three.

"Can't believe I pulled the short straw. You guys are lucky we're not measuring dicks," Richie started again.

"Shut up Richie," Eddie replied.

"Don't let go, okay?" Richie whispered to Tate whose hand was in his, gripping as tightly as possible. He knew he didn't have to worry about either of them letting go, but Richie needed the reassurance.

"Oh god it smells bad," Eddie complained.

"Don't breathe through your mouth," Richie told him.

"How come?" Eddie questioned.

"Because then you're eating it," Richie explained before Eddie made a gagging sound and took a puff of his aspirator.

Tate noticed a huge spider web in the corner of the room and nodded Richie towards it. He nodded his head as to agree they should check it out. Richie grabbed a piece of paper from inside the cobwebs to see a missing poster of himself. This threw him off the wall. Richie was freaking out.