𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻 (𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓮)

𝓞𝓷𝓮: 𝓦𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓼𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮

The loud music that blared from Beverly Marsh's room seemed like a calling to come home to Richie Tozier. A wave of relief washed over him. He ran up the stairs to her apartment. "Bev! Holy fuck Beverly!" He screamed laughing as he almost tripped over his own feet as he was scrambling to get up the stairs. He ran to her room, throwing the door open, expecting to see her laying down in her bed. But when he opened the door, he didn't walk into her room, but through the door to the public swimming pool. He couldn't stop himself from running over to the side of the pool, where he saw the most horrific sight he'd ever seen, Beverly Marsh was face down in the water, beaten, blood dripping from her fore head as though someone had taken a plate or something and had hit her many times, there were many bruises up and down her arms and legs, and she was wearing that white dress she wore on Easter. Her face was so pale and it had a tint of blue to it. The worst part was her eyes weren't closed, he could see her blue-green eyes stare at him in the face with a look of defeat. He screamed but no noise came out, and then he couldn't breathe. He was drowning. He couldn't move his arms or legs. And then everything went black.

When Richie woke up he screamed. After he screamed he sobbed, folding his legs into himself, and slowly rocked himself back and forth. He turned on all the lights, he couldn't be in the dark, he couldn't be alone in the dark, because if he's alone in the dark, maybe he's not alone.

He looked over at him alarm clock, the time said 4:37. He sighed heavily. He looked over at the Polaroid picture of him and Beverly. Her lips softly on his cheek.

He couldn't stand to wake up and look at that photo every morning. But he could never take it down.

He opened his window and looked into the night. He closed his eyes and breathed it in, something about the way the night made it feel easier to breath. And Richie needed that, after that dream.

He grabbed his dark gray backpack, and slid himself out of window, jumping off the two story into a tree, then making his way all the way down.

He went down to his car and threw open the door, falling inside. 

He turned the music up so loud he couldn't hear his own thoughts, which was good, because his thoughts were dangerous.

He stopped at the local drugstore. He got out and stared up at the flickering neon light that read Open 24 hours. Richie looked over at two men snorting cocaine at a table. He guessed he looked for two long because both looked at him, with murder in their eyes. Richie almost ran into the drugstore.

Richie used to be afraid of nothing. Now he was scared of everything. He thought he was untouchable, and that made everyone he knew untouchable.

But now he was convinced he was just a bad luck charm. The burden to everyone. After Beverly died, he realized that he was just oblivious to all the shit he had caused.

He immediately went to the counter to buy a pack of cigarettes. He slid an extra 5 to get passed the fact that he was only 17.

The guy slid him the pack without saying a word. Richie then walked back to the coffee machines.

As he walked to the machines he looked at a smaller boy then him. Who probably was usually quiet cute. He had the floppy hair for it, with a little curl in it, sweet doe brown eyes, and light freckles sprinkled all over his face. But his hair was a mess, and there was deep dark circles under his eyes.

"Can I use the coffee machine." Richie said, not making it sound like a question, but a statement.

"W-What?" The boy said startled.

"I asked if I could use the coffee machine." Richie said, he had a slight smile at the boys kinda cute awkwardness. But as quickly as it came, he put the smile away, he never smile after Bev died.

"Sorry." The small boy mumbled.

He scooted over a bit to put his lid on, but could not figure it out.

"Why are you awake at this hour?" Richie found himself saying, not really knowing why.

The boy looked over at him, "Why are you awake at this hour?"

"I asked you first."

The boy closed his eyes for a moment before saying, "I don't sleep anymore," Richie gave him a questioning look, "the nightmares can't catch you when you're awake."

"Why don't you sleep anymore." He asked as Richie put his lid on his cup.

"Because my girlfriend died."

The boy's mouth dropped. He made an O with his mouth because he knew exactly who he was talking about.

He was about to say something, at least that's what Richie guessed, but he didn't care. He grabbed his cup and walked out of the store.

He wanted to be friends with the boy. But he wasn't about to do that.

But he felt like he should go back in there because it seemed like he understood him.

Nightmares can't catch you well you're awake.

—
So I have a really good idea for this book.
I hope you all liked it, please stick around for more it's gonna get good.
-Author ✨