THE SEVENTH WHEEL.. mike hanlon x pennywise ✔️

vii. mike hanlon

Mike Hanlon rode his bicycle down the streets of Derry. So familiar with the sound of the chains clinking as he pushed the pedals, he started whistling the same tune that they created. As he biked, he looked up at the trees. They stood tall and thin, painted against the sky like streaks of paint.

Today was different. The air smelled like burnt wood. The clouds were gray, but the sky was still bright. Mike pedaled on, faster and faster, towards the sewers. He passed Richie and Eddie. They looked at him, but he was going to fast to see their faces clearly or hear their voices.

He couldn't hear anything anymore. Unheard bells rang in Mike's ears. And then, in the back of his mind, was Penny's voice. "Mikey..."

But the sound of Penny's voice made Mike feel sick. He pushed the sounds away. Like clockwork, Bill ran up to his bike and tried to tell Mike to stop. Stan ran up after.

"Mike, stop!"

But the Losers' screams were lost in Mike's head. He rode on, desperate to find Penny. He heard footsteps behind him. Turning his head, he saw Bev chasing him down the street. But he ignored her.

Mike took a sharp turn and rode off in the grass, riding all the way down to the creek that separated him from the sewers. He jumped off his bike and rushed across the creek, stopping at the sewer entrance.

"Come out, Penny! I have to talk to you about something!" he called into the deep, deep darkness. There was no response.

Mike waited and waited for Penny's response. But nothing came. As he waited, he same old pit grew in his stomach, and he began to regret talking to Penny on that very first day that they met. His voice caught in his throat as he tried to speak again.

The pit grew and grew as time passed. But Penny did not appear. Mike took a step into the sewer.

"Mike!"

But it was not Penny who called his name. It was Bev. She appeared from the top of the hill. "Please, don't do this," said another voice. Eddie's small figure popped out from behind Bev.

"Why not?" Mike screamed, his final nerve snapping. "It's not like any of you have been here for me! Oh, no, all you can ever think about is your lover! I thought we were all Losers together! Why do you think I befriended Penny? Why do you think I started dating him? Because he filled the gap everyone else left! I was sick and tired of being the seventh wheel, but it's clear that's all you guys will ever think of me."And then, Mike entered the sewer, not caring for the answers that were being yelled back at him. He ran down the tunnels, farther and farther and farther, until he knew he was lost. And, he also realized that he didn't think his plan through.

"Penny?" he called, a little afraid. He felt his fear rising. But he shoved it down. He would not be afraid of Penny.

"Mikey..."

Mike turned around, as that was where he heard Penny's voice, but he didn't see anyone. "Penny? Where are you? I think we need to talk," he confessed nervously. "Please come out."

"Mikey, I'm right here. And I heard what you said out there, Mikey. I heard it all. So, is it true?"

Mike still didn't see Penny anywhere, and it seemed like the clown's voice was coming from everywhere at once. "Where are you? And, is what true?"

"Did you only start dating me so you wouldn't be... what was it... ALONE?" Penny's voice sounded ten pitches deeper when he said "alone," and Mike didn't like it at all.

Mike had two options: tell the truth and face whatever Penny was going to say (or do, he thought, terrified) to him, or lie, and hope Penny believed him. His time was waning. Shit. What should I do? he thought.

"Yes. I said that," he admitted. "That was true, at first. But when I got to know you better, I realized that I really do like you, Penny. But—"

"But what?" Penny's voice growled.

"I kinda was thinking maybe we could just be friends instead?" Mike tried. He put on a cheeky smile. "You know, maybe we could try being just friends? And not dating? You feel me?"

Penny's voice did not come back. Mike took this as a yes, and started to make his way out of the tunnels. As the light from outside started to come back into view, Mike saw Bev and Eddie in the entrance to the sewer.

"Beverly, I am not going into there. It's graywater!"

"What in the name of shit is graywater?"

"Graywater basically is the name of shit and there it no way in hell I'm going in there Bev not if it was the last thing I did—"

"Guys, I'm here," Mike called. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Mike!" Bev exclaimed. "I see Penny is with you."

Mike's body went still. "What?"

"Hiya, Mikey," Penny's voice appeared in Mike's ear. He turned around.

Penny placed a cold, gloved hand on Mike's shoulder. "I think we need to go talk about something."

Mike was forcefully pulled into the sewer, and the rest of the Losers never saw him again. As he flew through the air, he saw Eddie's mouth fall open, seemingly in slow motion. Bev reached out for Mike but missed and fell into the graywater.

Mike Hanlon had gotten his wish. He was no longer the seventh wheel in the Losers' Club. In fact, he was no longer a Loser at all.