CYNOSURE | RICHIE TOZIER

XVII

It had happened again.

"Fucking typical." Eliza groaned, grabbing her friends' attention.
"What?" Beverly asked, suddenly looking worried.
El ran a hand through her hair, worry consuming her, "Bill's gone. Again."
The Losers looked around them, noticing that they were now a team of seven instead of a perfect eight. They began to call his name, venturing further into the open space of the sewer. Fortunately, it didn't take long before they spotted the stuttering boy. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only person they spotted.

Well, 'person' might not be the right term to use here.

Standing just in front of Bill was a little boy clutching a boat. The same little boy who's d̶e̶a̶t̶h̶ disappearance had been the spark to ignite their not-so-typical summer break. None of the Losers had ever really believed that Georgie was alive. They went along with the fantasy out of love for Bill, but they all knew that in Derry, vanishing kids are very rarely found at all, let alone found still breathing. So, when the sight of the little boy with a missing arm caused them to stop dead in their tracks, they very much struggled to believe it to be true.

Richie turned to Eliza expectantly, hoping she'd have instructions. All she could do was shake her head hopelessly, trying her hardest to trust that Bill knew what he was doing.

"I want to go home." 'Georgie' whined, and El's heart longed to comfort her grieving friend, "I miss you. I want to be with Mum and Dad."
Bill's breathing quickened, "I want more than anything for you to be home. Mum, and Dad, I miss you so much."
He began to walk towards what looked to be his brother, each step increasing his friends' urges to reach out and stop him.
"I love you, Billy."
El's heart began beating out of her chest.
"I love you too," he choked, and placed Mike's gun to the forehead that once belonged to George Denbrough, "but you're not Georgie."

He pulled the trigger, and Georgie fell to the floor. Eliza gasped, and gripped Richie's arm. There was silence as nobody dared to speak, all waiting anxiously, wanting to give Bill a chance to process what he'd done.

All of a sudden, the body began to convulse, and a new arm sprouted. El instinctively took a step back, and saw that the others had done the same. It's limbs flailed as It screamed and gargled. Very quickly, the Losers' terrifying suspicions were confirmed, as that all too familiar clown suit developed before their eyes.
It rose like a puppet on a string, and as It's arms swang, Eddie started to scream.

"Kill It, Bill! Kill It!"

"Shit." Richie mumbled, as the others began to shout with Eddie.

In the chaos, a revelation came to Mike, "It's not loaded."
His friends didn't seem to hear him as Bill pointed the empty gun at the clown's forehead, his face pure anger.

"Hey! It's not loaded!" Mike tried again, but his only response was silence as Bill fired the weapon for a second time.

It stiffened, throwing It's head back with an alien growl. It started to shake, and the Losers could only stand and watch, frozen with terrified anticipation. As they stared, It sprang forward, directly headed towards Bill. 7 of the children stumbled out of It's way, but Bill wasn't so quick.
"Bill, watch out!" Richie called, panicking as he watched his friend fall to the ground.
Bill held the gun out in front of his face, just in time as the clown locked his jaw around it. He struggled, trying to push the creature off until Beverly came to his rescue.
"Leave him alone!" She growled, but was easily stopped as she moved in to attack with a poker.
The clown tossed it to the ground, the clang of metal hitting the ground echoing through Eliza's eardrums.
"Beverly!" She called, but it was Mike to rush in.
It flung him into the sewer wall, and El rushed to his side.
"Mike?" She hushed, crouching beside him, "Are you okay?"
He nodded, getting to his feet, the adrenaline distracting from the pain. He pulled Eliza up next to him, holding her wrist tightly as they watched Bill jump into action. Now on the creature's back, he clutched the metal rod wedged in the creatures mouth like handlebars.  Her attention was quickly changed, however, when Richie's shout rang out through the sewers. She called his name, but not quick enough, and before she knew it he had leapt onto Bill's back to keep him holding on. Even Stanley then knew what to do, grabbing one of the creature's arms whilst Ben bit the other. The creature span, trying to shake them off, and El and Mike etched closer, picking metal rods up off the floor to use as weapons.
All at once, the boys were thrown across the room, Richie flying straight over the clown's head. She ran to his side and cradled him in her arms.

"I'm okay." Richie grumbled, trying to stand.
El frowned but helped him up, pulling them backwards to safety, "You're a nightmare."
Most of their friends had moved back with them, but once again they realised that Bill was still firmly in It's grasp.
"Let him go!" El pleaded, as the clown looked up to face them.
"No..." It mumbled, "I'll take him. I'll take all of you! And I'll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear."
It paused, holding a trembling finger in the air.
"Or..." It sang with a devilish smile, rubbing a gloved hand all over Bill's face, "just leave us be. I'll take him - only him - and I'll have a long rest, and you will all live, to grow and thrive and lead happy lives! Until old age takes you back to the weeds."
The cheerful threat chilled Eliza to her core, her jaw tightening and her palms starting to sweat.
"Leave." Bill squeaked, barely audible, "I'm the one who dragged you all into this. S-s... I'm s-sorry."
"S-s-sorry!" The clown imitated with a deep laugh.
There was silence, no one knowing what to say.
"Go!" Bill commanded, followed by another chuckle from It.
Beverly shook her head, "Guys, we... we can't!"
Richie grunted, pulling himself from Eliza's grasp and taking a step forward.
"Richard." She whispered, reaching to grab his hand, "What are you doing?"
He gently pushed her away, ignoring her question, "I told you Bill. I fucking told you. I don't want to die. It's your fault."
"Richie, stop!" El whimpered, but as much as it hurt him to hear her upset, he had to ignore her.
"You punched me in the face, you made me walk through shitty water," he listed, pacing back and forth, "you brought me to a fucking crackhead house! And now... I'm gonna have to kill this fucking clown."
He reached into the pile at the centre of the opening and pulled out a baseball bat, firmly planting his feet in the strongest position he could think of.

El immediately knew what was about to happen. Her mind fogged with a cocktail of emotions: obviously she wasn't going to let Bill go that easy, but she was not fond of Richie's reckless, previously undiscussed, plan to fight the monster. However, whether she liked it or not, she had to play along, to keep him safe.

Taking a deep breath, she was ready to fight.