Before It Takes Us

Stan (no promises)

     "W-w-hat?" Bill stuttered and looked at them with concern.
     Bev darted her eyes around the room and rubbed the growing goosebumps on her arms. "This seems surreal."
     "How?" Richie asked. "It's not like this hasn't happened before."
     Eddie sighed and looked at Ben. "Have you seen anything."
     "No, but I've been feeling like someone's watching me for awhile."
     "Haystack you're full of crap." Richie growled. "You've seen plenty of stuff since the sewers. You just got attacked."
     Ben looked at his feet. "I heard them in the drain of my shower."
     Bev shivered and looked away. The memories of her drain moment clouded her mind. Mike jotted down a few notes on a piece of paper and looked up at them. "Anything else?"
     "Georgie keeps coming back." Bill said clearly and looked at Ben. "H-h-how's the stomach?"
Ben gingerly touched his stomach and shrugged. "They fixed it up pretty well."
Bev looked at Richie. "How did you both see It at night?"
Eddie's face became a deep shade of red. Richie cleared his throat and looked at Eddie. "Eds?"
He shrugged. "Coincidence I guess."
Ben snickered and Mike scratched his head. Bill smiled and sighed. "I wonder where Stan is."
Bev looked around. "Has anyone heard from Stan? Seen him?"
Richie's eyes widened beneath his glasses. Eddie cursed under his breath and Mike jumped up. "C'mon we have to find him."

     The group was at Stan's house. The house was dark and empty and there were no cars in the driveway. Eddie looked into the windows and sighed. "No one's home."
     "Could he be at the church?" Bev suggested.
     Bill shrugged. "M-m-maybe."
     The group went to the church. They looked into the window. Stan was swaying, his father behind him. His hand was on Stan's shoulder. Richie adjusted his glasses and saw that Stan had a bloody face and ripped shirt. He gasped and gripped Eddie. "Guys!"
     Bill covered his mouth with his hand. Stan saw them through the window and locked eyes with Bill. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Bill jumped. "I kn-now w-what h-h-h-"
     "What?!" Bev blurred out, too anxious to let him finish his sentence.
     "H-he found out."
     "Found out what?" She asked.
     Richie sighed and looked at Eddie. They held hands, knowing what was coming. Bill wiped away a small tear that was carefully sliding down his face. "Us."
     "Wait but his dad knew about us." Mike said, confused. "We've been his friends."
     "Not you guys." He pointed at his chest. "Us."
     Bev's eyes grew wide and she gasped. "Oh my god, he's a homophobic!"
     "It certainly I-I-isn't accepted for Jews or Derry."
     Eddie burried his face into Richie's chest. "What if my momma does that to me?"
     "Then she'll be killed by me." Richie growled while petting Eddie's hair.
     Stan opened his eyes and saw they were still standing there. He said something to his father and walked out of the church. Bill ran to him and hugged him. He stroked his bloody lips and kissed them gently. Bev whispered to Richie, "So you and Bill like guys and girls?"
     "I'm assuming." He mumbled. "He was head over heels over you until Stan and him got closer."
      "Bill you have to go." Stan whispered. "You don't want to see this."
      "I'm staying here."
      "I'm serious, Bill. If you stay... I can't imagine what would happen to you."
      Mike pulled on Bill's sleeve. He turned around and pushed Mike away. "No! I'm staying."
     Stan sighed. "Fine." He turned around and walked back into the church.
     "Hey, Bill?" Eddie said quietly. "I think Stan is right. He seemed pretty serious."
     "I'm not g-g-going."
     They gathered by the window again and watched Stan walk to his father. Something shiny caught their eye and they saw the knife in his father's hand. Stan grabbed the knife. Bill ran to the door. Richie caught him in time and pulled him back. Bill struggled, but Richie was stronger and weighed more. He gripped him and held him back. "Bill you should leave!"
     "No!" He screamed.
     Eddie looked away from the window as blood gathered on Stan's wrists. Bev began to cry, gripping Ben's hand. Mike stared at his feet, willing himself not to cry. Bill screamed and cried. Richie pulled him away from the church window so he wouldn't see. But Richie turned to see what had happened. He wished he hadn't.
      Stan was standing next to his father, his arms bloody. The knife was still in his hand. He was staring straight ahead at Richie holding back Bill. Slowly, as if in slow motion, he fell to the ground. Richie looked away and gripped Bill tighter. They ran away from the church, Bill still kicking and screaming. Eddie was holding Richie's free hand and was blinking away constant tears. Bev lead them to Eddie's house and they rushed up the stairs and back into his room. Bill collapsed onto the bed and screamed into the pillow. Bev curled up next to him and held him. Richie wiped sweat off of his forehead and sighed. Eddie pulled him down to his height and kissed him gently. "Don't leave me."
     "Only if you don't."
     No promises.