The Broken Child// IT (2017)

Chapter 4

Adeline's POV:

The phone ringing downstairs is what wakes me from my unrestful sleep. I hear my father make his way towards the phone, I grimace as I turn over to check the time. It's 10am. I hear footsteps approach my door, and then the door opens. There stands my father.

"I've got to go into work." He tells me. I nod. "What are you going to do today?"

"I'm going to go to the library." I tell him, wincing as I push myself up.

"You know you deserved to be punished." He tells me, once I'm sitting, I look to him and nod.

"Yes, daddy. I do." I tell him, he looks to me with a smile. He comes over and kisses my forehead.

"I'll see you when I get back." He says, "Make sure you stay quiet, your mother's asleep." I nod. He then makes his way out thedoor, I sigh. I manage to climb out of the bed and walk to the mirror. As I get there, I take off my top, wincing as I lift my arms above my head. As the material falls to the floor, I look in sadness at my reflection. My skinny frame is littered with bruises, old and new. He's avoided my arms and the bottom of my legs, he knows that I would have wanted to wear shorts and short-sleeves, so he avoids the places you could see. Like the face, he's never marked my face other wise people would notice and start asking questions.

I walk towards my bathroom and shower, wincing as the water falls against my bruises. I climb out the shower and get ready for the day. As I finish, I look at the necklace on my neck. It's a padlock, my father makes me wear it. He feels that it symbolises that I'm his and no one else's.

I make my way, quietly, from my room and down to thefront door. I walk out the door, without telling my mother than I'm leaving or leaving a note saying where I'm going, she wouldn't care anyway. I decided to walk, rather than ride my bike. The library's not far away anyway, and it's nice weather for the first day of summer.

"Welcome back, Miss Farley." The librarian greets as I walk in the room. I smile to her.

"Hi." I say to her. "Is it alright if I go in my corner today?"

"Of course." She replies, I smile and walk over to a secluded corner of the library. As I get there, I read some random fiction book from the shelf. This was my routine if I wanted to get out the house, if Bev was busy, come to the library, choose a random book and sit in the corner and read. The thing about the library is that it's rarely busy, the only other constant visitor, like me, was Ben. I doubt he notices me, or if he does, I doubt he thinks I notice him. But I do. As the day goes on, I look up from my book to see Ben walk to the back of the library- where we aren't allowed. He seems spooked. I put my book down and I make my way, following him. As I reach him he runs into the librarian, seeming out of breath and his eyes wide with fear.

"What on Earth are you doing?" She asks him, outraged. He doesn't answer, he just runs back to the room. He grabs his bag, packing away his things. I go behind him.

"You alright?" I ask him. He jumps and spins around. His eyes filled with fear, they soften when he sees who I am.

"U-ummm, y-yeah. I'm f-fine." He stutters out.

"Want me to walk out with you?" I ask. He nods. I put the book back and walk beside him as we walk out of the library. He walks quite quick paced. Together we walk past a monument, when a voice shatters the quiet.

"Where you off to, Tits, Farley?" Henry Bower's voice sounds, we turn to see him leaning against the side of the monument. I look to Ben, and we seem to have the same idea as we start running. But Vic and Belch come from the bushes and grab Ben, while Patrick comes behind me and grabs me. We try and fight them away, but the beating from last night made me weaker. I attempt to fight Patrick's grip, but his grip just tightens. Henry joins the group, and they drag Ben and I to a bridge. Ben shouts for help along the way, but Patrick holds his hand over my mouth just in case I scream. They then lift Ben's top over his head, exposing his stomach and slap it. Belch and Vic then hold him back against the edge of the bridge. Patrick throws me to Henry, and he holds me- making the memories of the rape come to my mind. Tears come to my eyes as he strokes my cheek.

"I'm gonna light his hair, like Michael Jackson." Patrick says, he then uses a lighter and hairspray to make some fire. Vic and Belch duck out the way. Henry then makes Vic hold me next to Ben, while Belch gets a better grip on Ben. Henry moves forwards and grabs Ben.

"GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME!" Ben shouts at Henry, a car the passes. The people in the car look over, but they don't do anything. Henry then punches Ben twice.

"Henry! Stop!" I shout, Vic then puts his hand over my mouth as I fight him. Patrick slaps me across the face, making me shut up.

"Alright, new kids. This is what us locals call the 'Kissing Bridge'. Known for two things. Sucking face." Henry says, the others do a kissing impression. "And carving names." Henry says, flipping out his pocket knife. Henry then moves towards Ben and lifts his stomach. Henry then carves the letter 'H' into Ben's stomach, my eyes widen as Ben screams out in pain.

"HENRY! STOP THIS! HE DOESN'T DESERVE IT!" I shout, fighting against Vic's grip. Henry slams me against the edge of the bridge. He looks into my eyes as he wipes the knife against his leg. He then moves towards my shirt, he lifts it. I look down to see the bruises visible, but no one cares about those right now.

"Woah, Henry! She's a girl!" Belch says. But Henry takes no notice. He then brings the knife to my stomach and carves a similar 'H'. I scream out in pain, I would have screamed more but Henry covered my mouth. "Henry?!" Belch says again.

"SHUT UP! I'M GOING TO CARVE MY WHOLE NAME ONTO THIS COTTAGE CHEESE AND MISS.PERFECT!" He shouts at his friends. Ben then kicks Henry and this makes him fall over the railing and roll down the hill.

"BEN!" I shout. Henry looks to me and glares. He comes closer with the knife, and gets ready to cut 'E'. He manages to do the whole 'E', and then I do the same as Ben. Making me roll down the hill.

"I'M GONNA CUT YOUR FUCKING TITS OFF, I SWEAR TO GOD!" Henry shouts at Ben and I. As I get to the bottom, it takes me a second to get my bearings, but hearing Henry come down behind me gives me motivation to get up and run. I lose sight of Ben and just start running.

"You can't run!" One shouts.

"We're gonna get you!" Another shouts, I just run. I hear their shouts and I feel my wounds as I rush through the trees. I get to the edge of the river, I run through it. I look ahead and see someone running in the distance, must be Ben. I finally fall, and it turns out I've fallen next to Ben. I try to get up, but I fall back into the river holding my stomach in pain.

"Holy shit, what happened to you two?!" A voice calls out. I look over to see the Losers Club standing at the entrance of one of the sewage tunnels. Eddie and Stanley rush over to us, but I barely notice. I look to Ben and grab his hand.

"A-are you okay?" I ask him. He looks to me.

"Not really. Thank you for defending me, back there." He replies. Eddie and Stanley get over to us.

"You're welcome." I reply. Eddie then goes to me and Stanley to Ben.

"C-can you walk?" He asks me. I nod. I then push myself up and stand, but then fall over. Eddie and Bill catch me, I look over to see Stanley and Richie holding up Ben.

"T-thanks." I say to them, they smile. We all then make our way to their bikes.

"A-a-a-are you o-okay to ride w-w-with S-Stan?" Bill asks me. I nod.

"If that's alright with you, Stanley." I say to the boy, he nods. Bill helps me onto Stanley's bike, and then they get Ben on Bill's then together we go into town.