𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋 | 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐋𝐎𝐍

[10] losing friends

The first steps inside the house wracked every nerve in Arizona's body, and it showed as she tightly gripped Mike's hand. Once the group had fully stepped inside the house, Arizona felt a presence in the doorway behind them, and her eyes met Stan's widened ones when she turned around.

"Stan?" Eddie asked, wondering why the boy stood motionless at the entrance.

"Stan we all have to go. B-B-Beverly was right, if we split up like last time, that clown will kill us one by one. But if we s-stick together, all of us, we'll win, I promise." Bill urged. Stan inhaled nervously before stepping inside the house. Arizona placed a hand on his shoulder, a silent signal that everything would be alright, and he threw a thankful glance her way.

The Losers took glances around the house, out of curiosity and Arizona was not surprised to see that cobwebs decorated the house like lights during Christmas. They followed Bill down the stairs, anxiety increasing by the minute. Finally, the group stood in front of a well that looked like it could crumble at any moment.

"Is that safe?" Arizona wondered aloud, not only mentioning the well, but asking if it was safe to face whatever was down there. She never received a response.

As the friends approached the well, Richie tried to lighten the mood by asking Eddie if he had a quarter.

"I wouldn't want to make a wish in that fucking thing," Eddie shuddered, looking into the well with the rest of the Losers. Ben called Bev's name, and Arizona echoed him, hoping to hear a reply, but they didn't get one.

"How are we supposed to get down there?" Mike asked. The Losers looked around until Arizona found a thing of rope and suggested they use that, and the group agreed.

They hooked the rope onto a hook above the well, and Mike made sure it was sturdy enough before Bill latched onto it and descended into the well. Arizona watched as the boys followed, until Mike made her go before him.

"You're gonna be fine Ari, I promise you won't fall," Mike comforted, noticing her breathing quicken at the thought of going into a dark well. She nodded and grabbed the rope, and Mike kissed her cheek before she began the climb down. When she made it to safety, Arizona glanced up at the top to see Mike start to grab the rope before she heard the sound of metal and Mike's agonizing scream.

"Mike?" she called up, only to see her boyfriend was not there. Instead, the boy who she used to call her best friend stare back at her.

"Henry?" she whispered to herself. She heard him baa like a sheep, and her heart broke when she took in his appearance. Henry looked like he had completely lost his mind, with no one to help him piece it back together. The boys kept calling Mike's name and asking Henry what he was doing, but Henry never responded, he simply grabbed the rope and began pulling it up. the Losers protested and tried to grab it but it was too late, the rope, and their connection to Mike was gone. Arizona began to panic because Mike was left all alone with a psychotic Henry, with little to no defenses. She pushed her way past the Losers and attempted to scale the walls of the well, but it was a struggle. As she tried to make her way up the wall, she could hear the fighting between the two boys and it only pushed her to try even harder. Eventually, she made it, and saw Henry standing over Mike, as the latter of the two tried fighting back. She ran to Henry and tried to pull him away, but he threw her aside like a rag doll, and put his attention on her.

"Thought I'd never see you again Ari," Henry said, placing a foot on Mike's chest so he couldn't get up.

"What happened to you Hen?" Arizona questioned, slowly standing up.

"You did. You acted as if the last years meant nothing to you. I lost my best friend, which means I've lost everything and it's all his fault," Henry spat, pushing his foot further into Mike's chest, causing the boy to emit a groan of pain.

"Henry this was all on you, you were the one hurting people," Arizona argued, but Henry wasn't listening.

"I'm gonna enjoy killing him, and then your friends, and then you. It's what I've been told to do, and at first I didn't think I could do it, until It helped me get rid of my dad," Henry laughed, and Arizona wished she didn't hear those words. Sure Butch was an awful father, but he didn't deserve to be murdered, especially at the hands of his own son.

"I wish I could save you Henry."

"Sorry Ari, you can't," he said, almost sounding like his old self, before turning back to Mike and grabbing the gun off of the floor and placing it against Mike's forehead. Arizona screamed and tried to pry Henry off of Mike, but her upper body strength wasn't the best.

"Ari move," Mike muttered, and she did as she was told. Her confusion as to why he asked her to move only lasted a moment before Mike grabbed a rock and hit Henry over the head. Henry only had a second to stand up before Mike charged at him and pushed him over the side of the well, Henry's screams fading the further he fell. Arizona ran to look down the well, and she was almost saddened by Henry's demise, but then she remembered that really wasn't Henry anymore.

Arizona instantly engulfed Mike into a hug, tears streaming down her face.

"I-I thought he was going to kill you, and-" Arizona cried, gripping Mike's shirt tightly.

"I told you Arizona, you are never going to lose me," Mike assured her and she nodded and stayed in his embrace.

"Hurry it up lovebirds," Richie called from down in the well, followed by a much quieter "Shut up Richie," which was, no doubt, said by Eddie Kaspbrak. The two let go of each other, Mike wiping the tear off of her face and climbed the rope down into the well.

The Losers all greeted the couple with cheers of success, until Eddie asked "Where's Stan?" and the mood immediately dropped as they went into the sewers, calling Stan's name.

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word count: 1084

unedited

also there is like 2-4 chapters left, lets all cry together