Splendor//Bill Denbrough

S i x

"Are you and my mom having an affair?"

Of course this is the first thing out of Atticus' mouth; he has absolutely no common sense.

"What?"

"You look like her type," he shrugs. "Also you know her and you know she has kids."

"We were friends in high school," Ben explains. "We all came back for.... a reunion."

"That's not true," Jeremy replies. "Dad didn't even want mom to go, so she left after him. They were scared."

Ben rocks from his toes to his heels. "Okay then. Aren't you supposed to be home with Claire?"

"How do you know about Claire?" Atticus jumps on him again.

"Your parents were my friends in high school," Ben repeats. "That's when they had her."

Atticus relaxes. That makes sense.

"So what are you two doing here?"

"We've come to help. I know we can."

"And do your parents know?"

"Well... no. It's a surprise."

"I see," he smirks. "I think I know how you can help."

The twins' faces light up. "How?!"

"Grab your things. I'll take you."

Ordinarily, the twins won't just trust a random man who claims he knows their parents. But this isn't an ordinary day. Though they would never admit it, they're scared. So terrified and sleep deprived and cold and alone.

So the boys grab they're bags and follow Ben, who leads them to a sweet little farmhouse. Knocking on the door, he calls, "Mike?"

Mike, another unfamiliar man, comes to the door. "Ben? You're back a little early."

He gestures to the twins. "Meet Jeremy and Atticus. Good kids."

A look of confusion crosses his face.

I'll explain later, Ben mouths.

"Of course," Mike grins, shaking their hands. "Nice to meet you both."

"They wanted to help, so I figured they could give you a hand at dinner. After all, you'll be cooking for nine, including them."

Both disappointment and shock sunk into them. That was the exciting task? Making dinner? But how come there was going to be nine people?

"I always love some help in the kitchen," Mike replies. "Come on in."

Ben, who still has tasks to do in the park, bids them goodbye. Mike takes the boys to the guest room.

"You can stay here, if that's okay with your parents. Your mother stayed in this room for a couple months," he smiles fondly at the memory.

"She lived with you?" Atticus exclaims.

"When her mother threw her out, yes. For a few months. Then she had Claire and moved in with your father."

"Oh. Mom never talks about her past. Neither of them do."

Of course Mike knows exactly why this is, but he simply responds with a "Hm".

"Well, you're welcome to any food you find. We'll start the dinner around four. Feel free to look around, but please do not leave the house."

Jeremy shrugs and plops on the bed. However, Atticus opens his mouth to argue. "But-"

"I know," Mike interrupts. "You think want to help your parents. Trust me- if you knew what helping them means, you would absolutely not want to."

"Then tell us," Atticus begs.

"Please," Jeremy adds, blue eyes wide.

Hesitating, Mike almost gives in. And the twins are half convinced he will. But then, "Its not my place to tell you that. I'm sorry."

"Ugh," Atticus groans, flopping on the bed.

"I do have a question for you, though. Have either of you experienced anything strange when you arrived here?"

"Not that I-"

"Yes," Jeremy cuts his brother off.

"What?"

"I don't know... it was so many things at once. It was so scary," he shudders. "And there was this laugh... this inhuman laugh."

"Oh god," Mike pinches the top of his nose and sighs.

"What???" they ask in unison.

"I personally think you should go back home right now, but that's not my decision. Just please stay at the house today, please."

The boys look at each other, curious and confused.

"Will we see our mom?" Jeremy frowns.

"Of course you will. She'll be here for dinner."

He picks at a fray in the comforter. "Alright."

"Great. I'm going to do some work now. Do you need anything?"

Atticus ponders on this offer. "Now that you mention it... do you have a laptop we could watch Netflix on?"

Mike sighs; he was planning on using that. However, he feels bad enough that he can't do anything for the boys and obliges. Instead, he opts for studying and highlighting his handwritten notes on the ritual of Chüd.

Atticus and Jeremy really don't want to watch Netflix, they want to do research on Derry. There's something distinctive about this town, and there is no doubt about that at all. Fortunately for them, there's already a Google doc open in one of Mike's tabs.

Derry: An Unauthorized Town History, by Michael Hanlon

"What a very unique coincidence," Atticus murmurs. Jeremy snatches the laptop from him, itching to open the document.

"Can an entire city be haunted?" he reads out loud.

"Sure seems like it," his brother mutters.

And they're hooked. They spend hours reading and soaking up every single word.The account is fascinating, gruesome, bloodcurling, tragic, horrific, and entirely true. Tears leak from their eyes as they read the last sentences: "I loved you guys, you know. I loved you so much."

Jeremy shuts the laptop gently, and Atticus whispers a single word.

"Fuck."