CYNOSURE | RICHIE TOZIER

XII

he killed him lizzie

"Bill?"

your brother

"Yeah?"

henry he killed him lizzie he killed him he's dead henry killed him dead your silly little boyfriend dead you killed him dead dead dead dead 

"The voice."

dead dead dead you're next he killed him he'll kill them all dead

"W-what voice?"

dead

"You don't hear it?"
"There's n-n-nothing -"

come to mummy lizzie

"-there, El."
"I don't want you!"
"What?"
"Tell her to go away."
"Who?"
"My mum!"
"It's n-n-"
"-She's here, Bill! That's her voice."
"No, she's not."

oh yes she is oh no she's not can you remember the pantomime we went to see on your birthday lizzie oh yes you do you liked that didn't you oh she's behind you 

"She's behind me!"
"Eliza, there's no one there."
"Yes there is! Tell her to go away!"

but i've only just arrived didn't you miss me lizzie i missed you come to me lizzie i'll protect you

"Calm down. It's playing tricks on you."
"Please, Bill! I don't want to see her! Tell her to leave me alone!"
"Okay. I will."
"What?" the girl was too busy caught in her hysterics to process what he had said.
"If that's what you want me to do, I'll tell her to go."
"Promise?"
"I promise, but I need you to close your eyes while I do it."
"Why?!"
"Do you trust me?" Bill took the other trembling hand and held it tightly.
She breathed in deeply as her glossy eyes met his own, his gaze comforting, "I trust you."
Her eyes flickered shut.

bye bye lizzie i'll see you soon you'll float down here oh yes you will lizzie we all float down here

"Good girl. Now count to three."
His voice was firm as he squeezed her hands and for a moment he reminded her of Superman in all the movies Henry and Vic had taken her to see. Bill was wiser than his years and there was no doubt in her mind why she and the others looked to him as their leader.
"One, two, three." she whispered, and when she opened her eyes again she found that he was smiling.
"Gone?"
They stood in silence for a while before a grin graced her own face, "She's gone."
Bill pulled her in for a hug, "We can do this, okay? We're going find Richie and Eddie and get you out of here."
"What about the clown?"
"It's not gonna hurt you. I wont let it. If you see or hear anything else, remember it's not real. That voice wasn't real. Just close your eyes and count to three. I'll be here the whole time."
"And you really think Richie and Eddie are okay?"
"I know they are."

Eliza and Bill's peaceful and consoling embrace sadly didn't last long. The sound of Richie's screams from behind a different closed door was quick to grab their attention. They charged towards it, yanking it open to reveal a very real looking Richie and a very real looking clown. Eliza grabbed him by the arm and once the boy was out of the way, they slammed the door shut, breathing heavily.
"Lets get out of here." Bill panted and his friends were quick to agree. 
As soon as the words had left his mouth, a mattress that lay abandoned on the floor began to squirm. A floppy-haired head poked its way out, and Eliza let out a whimper when she realised it was Eddie's.
"It's not real." she prayed, "Eddie just decided to wait for us outside. He's fine. Totally fine."
She took a step backwards as the decaying face began to speak, "Wanna play loogie?"
Black fluid seeped out its mouth and the stitches of the mattress as it started to laugh manically. El was quick to notice how the goo burned the leaves that littered the floor and stumbled back again, this time pulling the boys with her and out of shock. They spun around to face three doors, each with a label that looked to be written in blood: 'not scary at all', 'scary', 'very scary'. Unconsciously, her right hand found Bill's and her left hand grasped the hem of Richie's shirt. They didn't need to speak to agree on choosing the door marked 'not scary at all', and Bill's free hand pulled it open fairly easily.
As they peered into the darkness, a familiar voice became apparent, "Where's my shoe?"
Bill flicked the light switch to reveal the strung up torso of Betty Ripsom. All three screamed as they scurried out and Richie crashed the door shut.
"Where the fuck were her legs?!" Richie yelled, and Eliza moved her hand from his shirt to his shoulder.
"It's not real, right, Bill?"
"Exactly. Remember the missing kid poster? That wasn't real, so this isn't real." Bill confirmed, "Come on. Are you ready?"
"No!" Richie cried as he interlaced his fingers with El's.
"As I'll ever be." she muttered.
This time, when Bill pulled the passage open, it was empty. They scurried through in a chain into the corridor.
Eliza sighed in relief, "Thank fuck."
"Where's Eddie?" Bill questioned and she groaned.
As if on cue, Eddie began to scream from downstairs, "Help! Help!"
They sprinted to the entryway, Bill in the lead. He stopped suddenly and Eliza nearly knocked him over as she struggled to apply her breaks in time.
"Fuck." she moaned, spotting what had spooked Bill.
Eddie sat on the floor with an arm that was clearly broken as the clown spread its gloved hand across the trembling boy's face.
"Eddie!" Richie yelled and the clown turned to face them.
El held his hand tighter and he couldn't help but think Eddie wasn't the only one who was going to end up with a broken bone.
The clown turned its focus to Bill and grinned, "This isn't real enough for you, Billy? I'm not real enough for you?"
Richie felt all of his hairs stand on their ends as It began to creep towards them, "Holy shit."
It cackled as It picked up speed, "It was real enough for Georgie!"
Eliza screamed and pulled the boys close, knowing if she was going to die it would be with her friends warm to her. As she wailed, Beverly exploded through the door, forcing a poker into the monster's head. El, Richie, and Bill snapped their heads upright, letting their jaws drop as they watched the creature bleed. It's dark blood floated. Eliza instantly recalled the voice that had haunted her just after they lost Richie.