Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 10: Ahoy Annoyed

"I can't believe they don't have Street Fighter!" Richie continues, much to the annoyance to his friends. Eddie and Beverly's heads go back as if in pure agony. The group is navigating the streets of Hawkins on their bikes, following behind the bus that takes most people to Starcourt Mall. Of course, they could have just taken the bus as well, but they were concerned that Richie's bitching or annoying imitations would get them kicked off the vehicle for sure.

"I mean, there should be a law in place to ensure that every type of video game is in an arcade."

"SHUT UP RICHIE!" Stan snaps as loudly as he can. It's so loud that some of the patrons on the bus they're following turn around to see what is happening.

"W-Who cares," Bill says.

"I care, what the hell am I supposed to do in the shit-hole town anyways."

"Hang out at the mall like normal kids," Beverly says, as the club bikes up a slight hill towards the large parking lot of the shopping mall.

A large tan and burgundy building stands before the group, with the large neon pink and blue sign of Starcourt Mall above the arched entrance. The Losers Club had never seen anything taller than a 2-storey building in Derry; this place gigantic to them and the anticipation of what was beyond those brass doors got Richie to shut up and the rest of them racing towards the entrance. Beverly is the first one to park her bike at the bike racks and head inside.

"B-Bev!" Bill calls. "Wait up!"

"Well come on then!" she shouts in excitement. She can't wait for the slowpokes to catch up, she pushes through the doors and enters into the air-conditioned building.

While the cool air was a nice relief, it paled in comparison to what she was seeing. By the time the boys caught up, they were completely enthralled by everything around them.

The kids look on in absolute amazement. Their heads turn in every direction, trying to take everything in. Nothing like this ever actually existed in Derry. It was all so exciting. The lights, the sounds, the smells, the displays, and all the people walking about, giving in to 1980s consumerism. From The Gap to JC Penny, from RadioShack to a photo place called Flash Studio; half of these stores none of the Club had ever heard of before. It was all completely spectacular and the desire to see everything had them ready to go.

"Oh man, this is the place to go," Stan says, completely floored by the number of stores on the multi-levelled building. "I didn't think you could fit so many stores in one place."

"And then some," Eddie agrees. The asthmatic of the group was the only one with the sense and the foresight to grab a map on the way in. He opens it and the friends gather around to see all the different places.

"H-Holy shit, they have a movie theatre in t-this place," Bill says, unable to control his stutter due to his excitement.

"There's another arcade here too," Eddie adds, pointing to a location on the map. "Maybe they have Street Fighter and that will shut you up."

"What the hell is Zales?" Stan asks.

"Is Sam Goody's a person or a store?" Beverly asks.

"There's a Waldenbooks here!" Ben says in excitement. "Let's go in there first."

Some older girls who are wearing large, brightly patterned spandex outfits and carrying gym bags over their shoulders walk past the group, causing Richie's bespectacled eyes to follow and he could feel himself drooling over them.

"I'm going wherever they're going," he says. All his friends roll their eyes in annoyance. He tries to flatten his wildly long hair and adjust his glasses to make himself appear sexy or whatever he thought could pass as attractive.