THEY'RE GAZEBOS | it one-shots

fifteen | sofia

"The Dead One"

Third Point of View

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Derry's only Jewish church was destroyed. But the day after the flood Stan's funeral was held in an empty lot with some tents and remains of the Jewish church. Bill stood there one street away from the destination still not wanting to arrive. He was waiting for the rest of his friends not wanting to face all of it alone.

"Bill!" beamed Beverly making him turn around, she walked in slow heavy paces towards him.

As the redhead approached him he lifted his hand in a weak hello just for the sake of it. There was no talking, just a sublime and pure silence that lasted about four seconds before Trashmouth Tozier arrived.

"'Owaya ter everybody! Richie an' Eddie in de gaff!" beamed Richie as him and Eddie arrived from behind the pair.

"So Richie I heard Eddie checked out of his room last night but he is here today!" responded Beverly a tad annoyed with her best friend's boisterous salutation. "Could you explain why?" she asked evidently signaling their interlocked hands. Richie blushed and opened his mouth to say something but no words came out.

Eddie reached out with a finger and closed his mouth giggling ferociously while heat crept up his neck.

"Wow, 'Chee, she didn't even beep you!" laughed Eddie and pretty soon the Bill and Bev joined in with an annoyed Richie rolling his eyes.

"Why the long face Richie?" asked Ben coming into view with Mike besides him.

The Losers all looked at each other and their positions. There was a gap between Mike and Ben a gap where the seventh was meant to be, where Stan had stood the day of the oath. Beverly subconsciously ran a finger through her pale hand her face falling. Richie offered a hand to Bill who took it gladly, he grabbed Bev's hand and she grabbed Ben's. Eddie took Mike's hand and together they crossed the street, to see their seventh member and finally say goodbye.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance their hands fell at their sides, except for Richie and Eddie who linked arms instead ignoring the judging glances around them. The Losers made a line as one by one grabbed a kippah except for Beverly and without saying a word sat down. The service went by smoothly, it would've been a lie to state that nobody cried, all of them did. As they were nearing the end of the service the losers all tore a piece of their garments, along with Stan's family and wife who was crying heavy tears. Eddie rested his head on Richie's shoulder as the service ended and they were dismissed. Each of them was remembering Stan in their own special way, each of them sad for their loss and wishing they could have done something about it. But at the time of the suicide, they didn't even remember him!

People they never met offered their respects and Stan's wife hugged them one by one thanking them over and over again. They all started to wander off as the day went by, losing each other and going to their favorite places in Derry, just like the day they came back.

Bill wandered through Stan's street, his feet moving across the pavement in long and heavy strides that made rasping sounds. He remembered this street and swore he could travel it with his eyes closed... and he did. Bill

was mounted on Silver, biking rapidly towards the last house on the street. His heart was beating rapidly because of his heavy physical activity but he did not mind, as usual. He roughly disembarked his bike and after stumbling three or four steps he ran up the front door and knocked wildly with his palm, one, two, three seconds until somebody opened the door and he stumbled in.