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xii.unbreakableoath
VERITY MADE HER WAY THROUGH THE TREES, breathing in the fresh air, mixed with the heady scent of wildflowers. The Losers had agreed to meet in the meadows near the train tracks, but she didn't know why exactly.
She thought of when they had made it out of the sewer, bloodied and dirty, blinking in the sunlight. They hadn't spoken of It since, trying to at least partially return to the norm. She knew that she would never be able to fully forget what had happened, but she was determined to try.
She stepped out of the trees, running her hands through the long grass. The figure sitting a few feet away from her stood up, raising a hand in greeting.
"Hey, Verity," Bill said, offering her a small smile, which she returned.
"Hey," she eyed the bag he was holding. "Have you brought the things?"
He nodded, holding it out to her. "C'mon, let's go,"
Together, they walked to the edge of the meadow, stopping by the river. The water ran merrily at their feet, glittering in the sun.
Wordlessly, they got to work. Within a few minutes, they had finished, each holding a small paper boat. Verity stood up, brushing grass from her knees. "You ready?"
He looked at his boat, then to the water. "Yeah,"
They took a few steps into the water, turning to look at each other. Silent for a moment, then,
"He– He wanted me to go with him that morning," Bill said, his voice wavering. "But I was sick. Maybe... maybe if I had gone with him–?"
She shook her head. "What happened wasn't your fault, Bill. No one could have predicted what happened, okay? It is not your fault,"
More silence.
"Do you miss him?" He said suddenly.
"I do. I miss him every single day. Sometimes I forget, even after all this time. I think that I'll come home and he'll be there, playing in the yard or with his toys, but," she took a breath. "It's always the same, he's still gone."
He nodded, knowing exactly how she felt.
She put a hand on his arm, nodding at the river. "Come on, it's time,"
They put the boats in the water, where they bobbed and spun in the current. Even from where they stood, Verity could still make out the writing on each one; SS. Georgie and SS. Isaac making their maiden voyage.
