I woke in a daze and frowned at Eddie who was still sleeping next to me. For a moment I couldn't remember where I was and thought I was still dreaming, but then Eddie opened his eyes and raised a sleepy eyebrow at me.
"Alright there frowney? You look like you're about to kill me."
"Maybe I was, but now you're awake you'll never know," I teased with a straight face and he chuckled.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Looking after you in your piss-head state. You're welcome."
He looked sheepish, "you know... I don't want to leave everyone just yet. I want to leave Derry, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to leave our friends just yet."
"Yeah I know what you mean."
"Do you think we'll still meet up?"
"I mean... I'd like to..."
"Yeah me too. But what if we all forget each other again?"
That thought scared me, "I don't know..."
We stayed quiet for a moment before I scrambled out of the bed, "Okay let's get moving. We have a car to fix."
"We?"
"Come on, you're supposed to be my friend."
He rolled his eyes and got up too. I couldn't help let my eyes wander to his exposed chest and I quickly looked away.
"What? Is my manly form too much for you?"
I laughed it off, "Shut up, you dick."
I was glad that he was still comfortable enough to joke around with me even after what I'd told him.
He got dressed and I went out to do the same when I ran into Bill.
"Hey, Richie... walk of shame?" He smirked and I shrugged.
"I feel no shame."
Bill laughed, "dude, your car is a mess... how are you getting home?"
"I guess I'll call a recovery guy. I can't wait to get the fuck out of here."
"Yeah, tell me about it... this place gives me the creeps. Do you know if Bev is seeing anyone?"
"Aren't you married?"
He blinked and looked at the floor, "yeah, yeah I know... I was just wondering that's all."
"If its any consolation, Bev looks really into you... just don't tell Ben."
"Ben likes Bev?"
I laughed, "wasn't that painfully obvious while we were growing up?"
He shrugged, "I guess I wasn't paying attention to Ben."
"Well you'd better start paying attention to him, he's the new and improved Haystack now. He'll be ready to sweep Beverly right off her feet."
"Like you said, Rich; I'm married. I can't be thinking of things like that... but... don't you feel like now you're back here... we're in a whole different universe? That probably sounds weird..."
"No, it doesn't sound weird... I know what you mean. I'm pretty sure I saw an alien in the next room... although that might have just been Eddie."
He laughed but looked deflated, "I knew it sounded weird... I think I'm over tired."
I let him wander off and Eddie came out of the room.
"Not dressed yet?"
"I haven't had a chance, Bill caught me."
I pushed open the door and Eddie followed, "I'll come with you, wait up," he tried to get in as I stopped in the doorway and we faced each other for a moment. His chest was inches away from mine and there was an awkward moment while we decided who was going to move first.
"I think you're right," I muttered and he looked questioningly at me. "I think your manly form is too much for me."
Eddie smirked and slipped inside the room, giving me space to walk inside too.
"You know Mike is gonna make us stay, right?" Eddie sat on the bed.
"Yeah I know... you were pretty convinced that you were going to stay last night too."
"I was? Jeez I must have been wasted..."
"You don't remember?"
"Not much, no."
"So you don't remember admitting that your wife is actually your mum with botox?"
He faked a laugh, "you're fucking hilarious, you know that?"
"I do as a matter of fact."
I pulled on some trousers and grabbed a shirt from my suitcase, "Thanks for coming in here with me. After I saw Pennywise... I was kinda scared to be in here on my own."
"No problem. Richie?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm always okay."
"I'm serious."
"So am I," I flashed him a broad smile but I didn't feel okay. He looked at me through suspicious eyes but I just kept getting dressed. He wasn't making me feel any better by looking at me like there was something wrong with me.
"Come on fuck nuts, let's go find the others."
He sighed and followed me out of the room.
The car wasn't as bad as I first thought so I told Eddie that I was going to take a drive to find a garage rather than call someone. He wanted to come with me but I insisted that I went alone.
I needed some space and in all honesty I was ready to get the hell away from Derry, when I spotted Henry's car parked outside the old library. I frowned at it, debating whether or not to tell the others, when I saw Mike's car parked round the side and my eyes widened.
I stopped the car and sprinted inside, praying that Mike wasn't going to end up the same way as Eddie... or worse!
As I entered the room I saw Henry on all fours, clutching a knife that was inching closer and closer to Mike who was flat on his back underneath the larger man. Without giving it a second thought I picked up an axe that was sitting in a display cabenit and brought it down as hard as I could at Henry's head. His body went rigid and he fell forward, leaving Mike to stare up at me in shock.
My body trembled and I felt on the edge of hysteria as I struggled to take in what had just happened.
"I guess you could say that was long overdue... get it? Because we're in a... library...?" My effort to make the situation light hearted was ruined as I felt my stomach heave, "nope..." I gagged and threw up to my side before stumbling away to try and calm my lurching stomach.
Mike got up and smiled nervously at me, "thank you, Richie... you saved me!"
"All in a day's work," I gritted my teeth.
"Come on, let's get out of here."
I nodded and we went to his car to get back to the inn to tell the others what had happened.
