paper cranes | stanley uris

THREE

“Wow.” Ben’s room actually managed to cut Richie off in the middle of an argument, something Sam was pretty sure was quite a feat. The walls of it were covered in black and white clippings, some supporting the faces of kids that looked to be about their age with the word MISSING printed beneath, others looked like more historical documents. The dresser and desktops were littered with more papers and projector slides. Atop of one shelf was a globe that Sam pressed two fingers too and spun towards her.

Ben seemed proud of the whole display, watching as his friends looked around in wonder. “It’s pretty cool, huh?” he asked, only to be disappointed when Richie shook his head. “No, no, nothing cool at all.” Eddie had begun to agree with Ben, saying that yeah, it was cool, until Rich had spoken up, and then he quickly changed his mind.

Sam had wandered over towards the back wall then, looked up at the pieces of paper that were taped over the wallpaper. “What’s that?” Stanley asked, suddenly beside her and pointing at a paper that seemed to be the central configuration of the wall display. Ben didn’t hesitate to answer.

“That? That’s the charter of the town of Derry,” he began to explain, before Richie did what he did best and cut him off with a muttered, “Nerd alert.” They ignored him. “No, actually it’s really interesting. Derry started as a beaver trapping camp,” Ben attempted to continue, but the Tozier boy made sure that didn’t happen.

“Still is, am I right, guys?” Rich held up a hand in the direction of Eddie, Sam, and Stan, who only shook his head until the hand dropped.

“Ninety one people signed the charter of Derry,” Ben explained, and Sam squinted at the signatures at the bottom of the document, “but that same winter, they all went missing without a trace.”

"All of them?" Beverly now repeated from where she stood on the other side of the room.

The kids watched as Ben nodded. "There were rumors of indians but… no sign of an attack. Everyone thought it was a plague or something, but it was as if one day they all just disappeared. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes that lead to the well house."

Sam stared closely at the printout on the wall, at the phrases circled in red, her two front teeth biting into her lower lip. "Derry could go on Unsolved Mysteries," Richie was saying beside her. "Let's do it," Stanley agreed in that innocent as ever voice of his, and Sam couldn't help but smile in amusement.

"Wow, you are smart," came Rich's sarcastic remark, and Sam watched Stan rub the crease of his forehead between his fingers. "Maybe! I don't know…" "Maybe he's just trying to make friends, Stanley." She felt Eddie's eyes on her when he said that, and she turned to kindly give him the finger.

"Where was the well house?" All eyes shifted to where Bill stood by the window. "Somewhere in town I guess. Why?" Ben answered him, just as Eddie's watch began to beep. "Nothing…"

“Wait, what time is it?” Before anyone could answer, Sam looked at the watch on her own wrist and her eyes widened. No, her gran would be waking up any minute, maybe she was already awake. She’d be worried when her granddaughter wasn’t home. “Shit. I’ve got to go, I’m sorry! See you guys later!” She was already turning and pretty much running out of Ben’s house to her bike she’d left in his front yard.

She was just picking it up and throwing one leg over the bar when she heard the front door close again behind her, and looking over her shoulder she saw Stanley jogging down the steps and over to her and his bike that was standing nearby, propped on its kickstand. “Can I ride home with you?” he asked when she raised a confused eyebrow at him. The question made a smile curve her lips upward. “Sure.”