The Broken Child// IT (2017)

Chapter 18

Adeline's POV:

We all pull up to the house on Neibolt Street and climb off our bikes. Everyone is filled with parts of fear, parts of determination, but no one is without both. Whether someone's fear is greater than their determination, or the other way around, both are present.

"Guys, spikes." Bill says to us. Everyone looks around for a weapon they could use against the clown. Bill grabs some parts of the railing fence and connects them to his backpack. Mike keeps his gun, with the bullets, attached to his side. I watch in pride as Eddie throws his Fannie pack away, making it land far away, I walk over and give him a smile. He returns it. Richie attempts to make a weapon with a glass bottle. He smashed it into the porch steps, but it smashes too close to the handle. He looks in defeat and then just throws it over his shoulder. Bill puts his bag pack onto his back, then we all take this as a sign that we are ready to enter the house. We enter the house, but just before we go any further towards the well, I notice Stan is standing a little ways back.

"Stan?" I ask. The other losers turn to see Stan standing in the doorway.

"Stan, we all have to go." Bill tells him. "B-Bev-Beverly was right. If we spilt up like last time, that clown'll kill us one by one, but if we stick together, all of us, we'll win. I promise." Stan still looks hesitant.

"You know, you may all be called 'The Losers Club', but you guys don't have to let that dictate who you are. You have a choice in who you want to be, and you won't get that chance if you don't try to be anything else." I say, he still doesn't look convinced. "Listen to this quote: 'You look in the mirror, what do you see? All the things you could never be, all the clothes you will never wear, but when we're together we don't care. We rise, they fall. Been through it all, we know we ain't super, who would choose us, we're the losers. Maybe we can win, maybe we can fight, even if we're losers, we'll be by your side.'-Chosen Jacobs" He looks to me and nods. All the other look inspired by my speech. Together we make our way down the stairs and towards the well.

"Eddie, you got a quarter?" Richie asks.

"I wouldn't want to make a wish in that fucking thing." Eddie replies.

"Beverly?" Ben calls down the well, but it just echoes off the side.

"How are we supposed to get down there?" Mike asks.

"Guys." I say, and point to a rope that's knotted up behind us. We grab it and Bill connects to the hook at the top of the well. We then make our way down, one by one. Bill goes first, followed by the others. After making sure everyone gets down before me, there is then only Mike and myself at the top.

"You want to go next?" I ask Mike. He shakes his head.

"I'll help you get on, I doubt that cast will be helpful in this situation." He replies, pointing to my arm. I nod and look towards the rope. I reach out for it with my good arm and Mike helps me get closer. But then I feel someone grab my arm away from the rope. I hear Mike cry out in pain, and then I scream as I'm thrown to the ground. My head hits the ground, making me dizzy.

"Mike? Adeline?" The losers call up from the well. I look up to see Henry look over the well.

"Shit, Bowers." Richie comments. Henry then pulls up the rope, stopping their ability to get up, and ours to get down- safely. He turns back around to us and this is when I notice he's covered in blood.

"You didn't listen to what I told you, did you?" Henry asks Mike. While I attempt to stand quietly without falling. The whole time the losers are calling our names from inside the well, their voices filled with worry. "You should've stayed out of Derry. Your parents didn't and look what happened to them. I get sad every time I walk past that pile of ashes, sad that I couldn't have done it myself." Mike then grabs his gun, but Henry's quicker and he grabs Mike's arms. He then sits on top of Mike and pins him down, holding the gun to his head. Mike manages to push Henry's arm out of the way and the gun goes off narrowly missing his head. Henry throws the gun down in anger and then grabs a rock from the floor and hits Mike's head, making Mike fall unconscious. I then grab the gun from the floor and whack Henry on the back of the head with it, he cries out in pain and turns to face me angrily.

"Farley, Farley, Farley." Henry taunts, standing up from his position on Mike. I hold the gun out, but I know there are no bullets in it. So, I discretely grab a pole from the floor. "You don't understand how much I want to hurt you."

"Believe me, I do. Because I want to hurt you the same amount." I reply. He then cries a battle cry and runs towards me. I throw the gun towards Mike and go to hit Henry with the pole, but he grabs it and pushes me into a wall. I kneel him in the dick and punch him in the face. He grabs my legs from his position on the floor and makes me cry out in pain as he pulls me to the floor. I hear the losers calling my name in worry. I grab a rock and hit him, while I stand from my position. He then runs at me, and I notice that we're going straight for the well, but it's too late. I feel myself fall over the edge of the well, but I grab hold of Henry's wrist and the edge of the well.

"Let go of me!" Henry demands.

"Adeline!" The losers call in worry, I assume they're looking up and seeing me casually hanging over the edge of well. I ignore them and focus on a way of getting up, I look to see Mike regaining consciousness. Henry's attempting to get my grip to loosen, but I'm holding on tight. My injured arm is holding the well which is killing.

"Let go, you bitch!" Henry shouts, trying to pry my fingers open. But then I see Mike nod to me, I know he's about to run at Henry and make him fall down the well.

"Okay." I say to him casually.

"What? Adeline, no!" The losers call. But I just let go of his wrist then grab the well with my hand instead. He laughs.

"You're stupid." He says, then he goes to move my hands, but I see Mike run behind him. He pushes Henry down the well, and I pull myself as close to the wall as I can. He falls past me and we hear him shouting in pain the further down he falls.

"Mike?" The losers call.

"I'm okay." He calls, from the top. The losers breathe a sigh of relief. He takes my hand and pulls me out of the well. Once we get to the top, I pull him in for a hug. He returns the force with just as much tightness as I am, which is a lot. He then grabs his gun and goes to load another bullet, as he does, however, the other bullets fall down the well.

"Shit." He comments. I then turn to grab the rope, but as I turn I am faced with something more than just the rope. I let out a gasp, and I hear Mike turn around. "Shit." He comments, but I stay looking at the issue.

"Hiya, Adeline." Pennywise greets, standing in front of me.

"Hi." I reply, not taking my eyes off IT. Mike slowly walks over, but Pennywise makes the ground grow around his feet- stopping him from moving. He struggles against the floor.

"How about we talk about another one of your fears?" Pennywise taunts.

"Or you could just let us go and find Beverly." I reply. Pennywise just laughs. IT's laugh is what the losers hear, which makes them call out our names again- in more worry then before. Mike calls down, saying he's fine. Which tells the others that it's me that's having the problem. 

"You say that like I would listen to you." IT replies.

"Just hope that you would, really." I reply. Pennywise steps forwards, so I take one back, but IT puts his hand around my throat- holding me still. IT brings my face closer. I look into ITs orange eyes.

"You fear being away from your friends, you fear that they'll abandon you." Pennywise says, IT then looks over to Mike. "And away from them you shall be." With that IT then grabs my arm.

"Mike!" I shout in worry. But he can't move then suddenly Pennywise and myself disappear from the place we were.