CYNOSURE | RICHIE TOZIER

XV

"I'll be surprised if Stan's dad ever lets us speak to him again."
Richie smirked, "It'll be fine."
"A t-shirt with 'Pervy Jew' written across the front in marker is not an appropriate present for a Bar Mitzvah, Richard!" Eliza scolded, holding back a laugh.
After a few hours of practicing in the mirror, Richie had plucked up the courage to ask the girl on a date. He had taken her to the arcade and she leaned against the machine as he played.
"Stan liked it! He only asked me to leave because of his dad." he argued and she rolled her eyes, "Let's just focus on our date."
She scoffed, "Me watching you play arcade games is not much of a date."
"If you want something more exciting, we could always head over to the bath-" Richie smirked but she placed a finger over his lips to silence him.
"I'm not even going to let you finish that sentence."
She removed her finger and he grinned again, "Aw, come on. You know you want me, baby. I'm-"
This time she didn't use her finger to quiet his flirting, but her lips, "Will that shut you up?"
"I think I might need one more." he beamed, completely forgetting about his game.
She rolled her eyes again, but was still smiling. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close once more. It wasn't the first time she had kissed him but it still felt just as magical. She completely forgot about everything and everyone around them, and felt herself lost in the feel of his lips. Well, at least until the sound of someone clearing their throat caused them both to pull away, embarrassed. Much to their surprise, it was none other than Bill Denbrough.
"Oh! Uh... hey, Bill. What's up?" Eliza coughed, blushing madly, "I didn't see you there.
"What do you want?" Richie spat, returning to his game.
"I-I-It go Beverly." he forced out.
Eliza stayed silent, unmoving, in a state of shock.
Richie questioned him, not understand what he meant, "What are you talking about?"
"It, Richie!" Bill pushed, "It got Beverly!"
El shook her head, finally finding her voice, "No. She's fine. I only saw her..."
She trailed off, unable to reason away the overhanging feeling of dread, "Are you sure?"
Bill nodded and she began to cry. Richie pulled her in for a tight hug and she sobbed into his shoulder, "Come on, El. She's gonna be fine. We got you out so we can get her out too."
She took a deep breath, nodded, wiped her eyes, then turned back to Bill, "You're completely sure?"
He nodded meekly, knowing he wouldn't be able to get any more words out.
Eliza groaned, "Fuck."

The group was finally reunited. The gang was back together. However, it definitely wasn't how Eliza had imagined it. They were back on the lawn of the creepy house on Neibolt Street and she couldn't get the memory of her last encounter with that building out of her mind. Heads hung lowly and there wasn't a single excited grin. El did run over to Eddie to give him a bone-crushing hug, which he reluctantly accepted, but it quickly turned into an attempt to soothe their troubled minds.
"I've missed you, shortie." she mumbled into the top of his head.
"I am not short," he grumbled, "but I've missed you too."
They pulled away and El took a deep breath, "Let's get this shit-show started then."
She had only taken a few steps forward before Richie pulled her back.
"El, wait." he sighed, bringing her in close, "I'm scared.
She lightly smiled and placed her palm on his cheek, "We'll be okay. We can do this."
He nodded and she kissed his forehead. However, their moment was disrupted by a series of gasps and a groan of annoyance from Stan.
"How much have I missed!" Eddie cried.
"You're the lucky one." Stanley grimaced, "I've been stuck third wheeling them."
Ben pouted, "How come Stan's the only one that knows?!"
"Bill knows!" Richie defended, putting his arms up.
The tall boy scoffed, "Only b-because I caught you m-m-making out."
Eddie squealed in disgust, "Ew!"
"We're not even properly going out." Richie argued, but then smirked, "You're just jealous."
"Why would I be jealous? Just imagine all the diseases that probably live inside your mouth."
"Ouch. We all know you love me really, Eddiebear."
Eliza cleared her throat, "Uh, don't you think we're getting a little distracted?"
Bill nodded and his amused grin faded, "El's right. We're here for It. And Beverly."
The group silenced and their gazes quickly fell solemnly to their feet.
"Come on." El muttered, and they made their way through the front door and towards the basement.
However, one boy lingered in the doorway.
El walked back and put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, "Stan? What's wrong?"
"Stan, w-we all have to go." Bill instructed firmly but kindly, "B-B-Beverly was right: if we split up like last time the clown will kill us one by one. B-But if we stick together, all of us, we'll win. I promise."
Stan still didn't move. Not even when El gave a tug on his arm. Bill may have been their leader, but all the Losers knew that Stanley Uris was the most sensible and responsible. Unlike Bill, he always used his head, no matter what his heart was telling him. It was what made him Stan, and it was something his friends did admire about him, even if sometimes it could be an inconvenience. He acted as the adult of the group, looking after them, and it hurt them seeing him so frightened.
"We can't do this without you, Stanley." Eliza whispered in his ear as she brought him in for a hug, "I just need you to trust me. You know I'd never let anything happen to you. You can't tell anyone because I don't want to upset them, but you're my best guy friend and I love you, Stan. We can do anything as long as we stay together. Can you do this? If only just for me?"
Stan took a deep breath and stepped tentatively onto the rotting wooden floor, "For you."

Now back as one, they crept down to the basement and tiptoed to the edge of the well.
Richie peeked over the edge and winced, "Hey, Eddie, you got a quarter?"
"I wouldn't want to make a wish in that fucking thing." the short boy scorned.
They peered into the black abyss, unable to shake the feeling of dread that loomed overhead.
"Beverly!" Ben called, and they listened to his voice echo off the bricks for what felt like forever.
They fell back into silence for a few moments until Eliza spoke up, "She'll be okay. I can feel it. We'll find her."
She looked over to Ben and tried her best encouraging smile. He nodded back dreadfully and El realised just how much he loved her.
"How deep to you think it g-g-goes?" inquired Bill and she shook her head.
"I hope we don't find out."
"How are we going to get down there?" Stan quizzed and Bill presented a rope in response.
Several nervous glances were shared, not one youth keen on abseiling into the void, but they rigged the rope to the well despite any fears. They took turns, one by one, to traverse to a small tunnel in the brick. Richie demanded Eliza went down immediately after him so he could help her at the bottom and the pair made it there safely, holding each other close. Eventually it was only Mike who remained at the top, his face barely visible in the limited light as he stared down at them.
But then he disappeared.
"Mike?" El called timidly, and for a little while there was no response.
A sudden shout bounced towards them and they craned their necks to see above them. Much to their horror, it wasn't Mike grinning at them, but Henry Bowers. A Henry Bowers that was coated with crimson blood. He laughed as he hauled up the rope and the teens panicked.
"Henry?!" Eliza shrieked, "What are you going?!"
"No, no, no!" Richie screamed as he stretched to grasp hold of the quickly disappearing rope unsuccessfully.
They didn't even notice Stan slip away.
Henry's eyes glistened with insanity, and even Eliza was terrified of him, "Hi, Liza."
"Henry, throw us the rope!"
"I'm sorry, Sis. I'm not allowed to. I found my switchblade. It was in the mailbox."
"What have you done?!" she wailed hysterically, "Please don't hurt Mike!"
"Don't worry about him."
"Henry, whose blood is that?"
"Dad's not gonna hurt us anymore. I fixed everything. We can be happy. Just us."
"Oh my god." Eliza gasped, beginning to feel lightheaded.
Richie clutched her tighter as her vision became clouded with tears. As they all started to fear the worst, heavy grunting was heard, followed by a large crash and a whipping sound. They rushed so to investigate, and saw Mike leaning over the edge of the brick and the rope hanging in front of their eyes.
They called to him and he panted a reply, "I'm okay."
"What about Hen?" El questioned.
"I don't know. I hit him over the head."
"Is he dead"
"No offence, but I don't really want to wait and find out."
"Fair enough. Now get down here." she sighed, praying that her brother could be a problem she could fix later.
Right now, finding Beverly was what mattered. After failing to load the gun and dropping the ammo into the black, Mike found his way to his friends.
"I'm sorry, Eliza. Are we still cool?" he tried, aware that even if Henry was psychotic and trying to kill them, he was still the only family she had left and she loved him.
Before she could reply, Eddie quivered, "Guys? Where's Stan?"