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By the time they found him, he was already past the gate and walking up the decrepit steps to Neibolt's porch.
"Bill!" Beverly shouted, skidding to a stop. "Bill, you can't go in there. This is crazy."
"Look, you don't have to come in with me." he said, brows furrowing in equal parts frustration and grief. "But what happens when another Georgie goes missing? Or another Betty? Or another Ed Corcoran? Or..Or one of us? Are you just gonna pretend it isn't happening like everyone else in this town? Because I can't."
Chris shifted on her feet. Everyone was silent, even Richie.
"I go home and all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals but..he isn't. So walking into this house...for me, it's easier than walking into my own."
He turned away from them, wiping away the budding tears from his eyes with his sleeve. Chris took in a soft, shuddering breath.
"Wow.." Richie muttered under his breath.
"What?" Ben nudged him.
"He didn't stutter once."
Richie walked up the steps, followed by Ben and Chris. Beverly stayed frozen, looking down at her hands as she clutched the key around her neck.
"Wait!" Stan spoke up from the back.
Everyone turned to look at him, even Bill, who was already halfway through the door.
"Um.." he mumbled, suddenly becoming quieter. "Shouldn't we have some people keep watch?"
Bill's hand hovered over the doorknob, looking around.
"You know, just in case something bad happens."
"Wh-Who wants to stay out here?" Bill asked with such a serious face it even made Chris a little scared.
She kept her hand down.
But turning to look for other volunteers, they had all raised their arms in the air. Except for Beverly. Looking around at each other with sheepish expressions, Chris let out a tired groan.
"Really, guys?"
Their hands all retreated from the air, rubbing the back of their heads. Richie's arm swung back to his side. "Fuck."
_____
The door opened with a drawn out creak.
After much debate, they decided to evenly split the group. Beverly, Stan, Mike and Ben stayed outside to keep watch. While Chris, Bill, Richie and Eddie ventured inside. It was a lot worse than she expected.
Although it was the middle of the day, walking inside the house was like walking into a cave. Every window had long since been boarded up. Creeping vines and detritus hung from the walls and littered the floor. Every inch of the place was filthy, and what wasn't breaking down from rot or water damage was broken beyond repair. Pieces of yellowed glass from one of the windows lay in pieces on the floor.
