an evening i will not forget [richie tozier]

chapter seven

"Can't believe I pulled a short straw" Richie says. Eddie, Richie and Emily pulled the shorts straws meaning they had to go into the house with Bill. "You guys are lucky we aren't measuring dicks" Richie says causing Eddie to scold him.

"Beep beep Richie" Emily says rolling her eyes at the two boys as they all followed Bill. Emily cautiously looked around the abandoned house, making sure nothing was lurking around.

"I can smell it" Eddie says interrupting the eerie silence.

"Don't breathe through your mouth" Richie says in response. Emily turns to look at Richie with a confused look. "Cause then you're eating it" Richie says causing Eddie to gag at the thought. Emily quietly giggled which caused Richie to smile.

Emily stands next to Bill as he looks around the creepy house before a wave of guilt overcomes the girl. "I'm sorry" she blurts out to Bill earning a confused look from him. "I saw him with his yellow coat and his boat as it flowed down the street. I could've helped him or just shouted out to him or-" she rambles until Bill places his hands on hers.

"I-I-It's not your fault Em. It was my fault for not being there, not yours" Bill says guiltily. "He always wanted you as a sister" He says remembering all the times that the three of them spent together. They were interrupted by rustling behind them, Richie holding a piece of paper and he looked terrified.

"It-it says I'm missing" he says as his voice cracks in fear. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, it hurt her. Richie was never one to be afraid, only when his parents hurt him and he stayed with Emily to get away.

"But you're not missing Richie" Eddie whimpers as Bill stands next to Richie.

"Police Department, City of Derry" Richie speaks panicked like he was trying to prove that he was missing. "That's my shirt. That's my hair. That's my face. That's my name. That's my age. That's-" he says as he and Bill fight for the paper. Emily walks up to them and tears it out of his hands. Richie's eye look up to meet her glassy ones as she threw the paper to the side.

"You are not fucking missing Rich. I won't let that happen, you understand?" Emily says sternly. She wasn't going to give up on him, not after everything they've been through together. He nods still breathing heavily.

"That's not real. IT's playing tricks on you" Bill says trying to calm his friend down. Emily slowly walked over to Richie and hugged him until the four of them heard a voice causing the two to separate.

"Hello?" the voice echoed as they climbed the stairs. "Someone help me" they cried out causing Emily to wince. Richie grabs her hand sensing her nervousness.

They reach the second floor and follow the light shining down towards them. The door is slightly open and a girl is lying on the floor coughing.

"Betty" Bill mutters. Emily freezes beside Richie staring at the girl. "Ripsom" Richie says watching her. Suddenly Betty's dragged further into the room screaming causing Emily to tighten her grip on Richie's hand as they all flinch back.

They all walk towards the room slowly to investigate. Emily closes her eyes as a voice whispers to her. "Emily. Em" it says as she lets go of Richie's hand and turns to see where the voice is coming from. A door opens as it whispers her name over and over again.

"Come on beautiful, look what I found" the voice said sounding more and more like Richie. "Rich?" She says entering the room. Just then the door slams shut behind her and she catches a glimpse of something in the corner of the room. It was Richie, but he was covered in bruises and blood.

"Look what you did princess. You couldn't keep me safe. Not from my parents. Not from the clown" He says looking at her. She shakes her head back and forth, trying to hold back her tears.

"No. No I love you Richie. I didn't do this" Emily says managing to speak through her tears. It was the first time she had admitted to have any form of feeling towards Richie, and it wasn't even the real him.

"You let them beat me. You let me kill me. And i will never ever love you" Richie says laughing maniacally slowly walking closer to the girl as she backs in the wall and falls to her knees.

"Stop it. Please, stop" she begs closing her eyes. Suddenly the door flies open revealing Bill and Richie. Richie runs to hug the girl but when he does, she seems distant. She sobs as he holds her, wishing to get out of this house.

The three of them turn to leave out the door only to be shown three different doors reading "NOT SCARY AT ALL", "SCARY" and "VERY SCARY". They look at each other and all run to the "NOT SCARY AT ALL" door.

"Where's my shoe?" A quiet voice says when they open the door. Bill sees the light switch and turns it on revealing Betty Ripsom hanging in the closet with no bottom half of her body. The trio scream, slamming the door shut.

"Where the fuck were her legs!" Richie shouts with his back against the door.

"I don't fucking know Richie. Wandering aimlessly around the lunatic house" Emily shouts sarcastically at the raven-haired boy.

"This isn't real. Remember this missing poster, that wasn't real so this isn't real" Bill says grabbing Richie's t-shirt. "Come on" Bill says holding Richie's hand and Richie holding Emily's hand. Bill opens the door which reveals the corridor where the four of them were once standing.

"Where's Eddie?" Emily asks. Suddenly they hear Eddie screaming downstairs as they all break into a sprint downstairs to find him.

"Eddie" Richie shouts as they run into a room. Bill pulls the two of them back as they all see the clown standing over Eddie. Emily sees the fear on Eddie's face as the clown wraps his hand around his face.

"This isn't real enough for you Billy" the clown says manically. "I'm not real enough for you" it speaks again making the girl feel uncomfortable.

"Holy shit" Richie mutters watching the clown holding their best friend.

"It was real enough for Georgie" the clown laughs before launching itself towards the three of them. Suddenly Bev runs in with a spike and pierces it through the clowns head. Stan, Mike and Ben follow close behind Bev, looking at their friends in horror.

"Eds" Emily says running to the boy lying on the other side of the room. Bill, Richie and Bev run over to them as the clown starts to move again. It spins round to face them as it's claws grow longer, ripping its white gloves.

The group of them scream as it jumps towards them laughing before turning quickly, cutting Ben with the spear stuck in its face.

"Ben!" Everyone screams as he fall back into Mike. The clown laughs as it disappears down the stairs leading to the basement. Bill looks between his friends and the clown before standing up.

"Don't let him get away" he speaks bravely walking towards where the clown descended.

"Bill! Are you fucking insane!" Emily shouts as the rest of them shout after him. Eddie grabs her arm before she could follow Bill and shakes his head looking at Richie. He was trying to tell her not to go because Richie would freak out.

"Ok I'm gonna snap your arm back into place" Richie says as Bill returns. Emily looks at Eddie's arm with his bone showing underneath the skin.

"Do not fucking touch me!" Eddie warns the boy as he looks between Emily, Bill and Bev before looking back at Richie who has his hands around Eddie's thin arms. Emily shuts her eyes as she hears the crunch of the bone snapping back into place. The eight children run out of the house as quickly as possible before riding towards Bill's.