Before It Takes Us

Sewers

     Eddie woke up in a thick darkness. He only felt cold. Richie's body heat was nowhere to be found. He heard a soft echo and the plink of water dripping. That's when he felt it. A searing pain was ripping through his body. His head felt like it was closing in on him and his stomach was burning. His body was soaked. With blood or sweat, he didn't know. He forced his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but still saw nothing. There was no light to be seen. He forced himself to stand up, wincing at the pain. His feet were bare. They were wet too. He tried to walk, but heard the steady swoosh of water and felt the resistance. He was in water. It was dark.
     He was in the sewers.

     Richie opened his eyes. He was in a small chamber, a faint glow shone through a small hole in the ceiling. The air felt damp and his body was wet. He recognized this chamber. This is where he had fought It. His heart began racing as he realized that Eddie was not beside him. He wanted to scream out for him, but didn't want It to come. He walked through the low water and picked up the old bat he had used. Memories came flooding back. He heard footsteps and turned, hoping it was Eddie. The footsteps squeaked in the water and a soft giggle echoed through the chamber. That wasn't Eddie.
     "Hello!" It screamed

     Eddie heard an echo. He couldn't understand what it was... but it didn't sound human like. Oh god please don't let It have Richie! "HEY!" Eddie screamed before thinking it over. He had a sinking feeling It was with Richie, and he couldn't let him die. Not if he could have something to do about it. "COME HERE YOU SMILING POMPOM BASTARD!"
     He heard the thump and squeak of clown shoes and started running in the opposite direction. Giggles echoed and bounced off the walls, slamming into Eddie's ears as he ran. He tripped and caught himself. The footsteps grew closer. Eddie had no idea where he was going. A pinprick of light shone ahead. He smiled and licked his lips, speeding up to get closer to it. He didn't care that his asthma was acting up.
     He reached the light and entered a chamber with a hole in the ceiling. It was the same place the club had fought It. He looked around and saw Richie standing there with a bat in his hand.

     Eddie ran into the chamber, looking frightened. Richie stood still, surprised that he was alive. He ran to him and picked him up in his arms, giving him a deep kiss. "Eds please remember that I love you and I always will." He said quickly.
     "I love you too, Richie." He replied in his small voice.
      Richie gripped the bat and stepped toward the sound of It approaching. "IM NOT FUCKING SCARED ANYMORE!" He yelled. "YOU CAN FUCK WITH ANYONE IN DERRY," he swiveled his bat around his wrist. "YOU CAN FUCK WITH ALL OF AMERICA,"
he ran his fingers through his hair and planted his feet. "AND YOU CAN FUCK WITH ME," he raised the bat. "BUT YOU CAN NEVER FUCK WITH MY EDDIE!" He screamed as he smashed the bat into It's head.
     It screamed and clawed at Richie. He dodged, but felt the sharp nick of It's nails drawing blood on his skin. He raised the bat again and slammed it. Eddie was climbing up the stack of trash to get to the top. It took the bat from Richie and threw it. Richie ran, scouring the ground for another weapon. He found a crowbar and lifted it, wishing that he had worked out a bit more over the summer. He stuck it into It's eye, slicing through his fake skin and through his skull. It shook then screamed. Richie pulled the crowbar out and swung it into the side of his face. It screamed and sulked back into the dark. Richie looked up at Eddie. "Are you okay?!"
     "I'm almost there! There's an easy path if you go past the spiky things!" Eddie called down, reaching for the hole.
     The giggles started, and out from the shadows stepped something he had never seen before. A tall dark figure with long claws that reached the floor stood above him. It's head carried a mouth of fangs and nothing else. It looked down at Richie and opened It's wide mouth, the top part of It's face pulling back to reveal the teeth and throat. "Shit."