Fear

22: September

"I can only remember parts, but I thought I was dead. That's what it felt like. I saw us, all of us together back in the cistern, but we were older, like our parents' ages," Beverly admits.

"What were we all doing there," Bill asks.

"I just remember how we felt. How scared we were. I don't think I can ever forget that," She admits. Bill suddenly stands up, grabbing a piece of broken glass.

"Swear it. Swear if It isn't dead, if It ever comes back, we'll come back, too," Bill says. No one says anything, but Beverly does stand up making me stand up too. Everyone else follows. Bill exhales, before he cuts his hand. Next, he cuts Richie's hand, and Richie winces. After Richie, Eddie's next. Bill turns to me, and I hold out my hand. He cuts it, and I don't wince. After me is Mike. Then, Stan and Ben. Finally, he reaches Beverly, and he cuts her hand.

We all take each other's hands, and I smile over at Eddie.

After a few minutes, we let go.

"I gotta go," Stan says, before looking at Bill. "I hate you." Bill looks down, but Stan slowly smiles making us smile too. We crack up laughing. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Stan," Bill says. He walks off, before Eddie speaks.

"I gotta go too." He hugs Richie, before turning to me. He slowly leans in, kissing me softly, and I kiss back.

"Don't be a stranger," I say, ruffling his hair. He walks off, and then Mike, Richie, and Ben. "I have to go too. I'll see you around, Bill, Bev."

"See ya, Danielle."

-           -          -

Fear. It's a dangerous thing. It takes even the best of people and causes them to do unimaginable things, things they wouldn't have done before they were fearful.

Fear is something we create in our minds. It's something that the brain is telling us we need to overcome.

I'm not afraid... of anything. The only thing we have to fear... is fear itself.