remedies. | bill denbrough

chapter nine

you couldn't comprehend the words coming out of your mother's mouth. she was speaking gibberish, holding on to you tightly as she shook in her sobs.

by now, bill had ran up the stairs to join you after you had been absent for a suspiciously long time.

"mom, mom." you kept repeating, trying to get her out of whatever dark place she was in.

you had never seen your mother like this. you didn't know what to do.

bill only watched from afar, staring the scene in horror.

she was gasping for air - the energy she had needed for her cries had taken all her breath.

"sh-she-" she would form sentences, and immediately stop at the first word.

"sh. i need you to breathe." you took her face in your hands, forcing her to look at you.

"breathe with me." you told her, taking a large breath and exhaling. "on three."

you counted, soothing her as you both began to breath in unison.

a relief.

it took a painfully long ten minutes for her to fully calm down. bill had joined the both of you, rubbing circles on the palm of your mother's hand as he held it.

he tried to be as gentle and helpful as possible. his eyes were glazed over with worry. the gratefulness of having him there did not go unnoticed by you.

you had given your mother a glass of water, caressing the back of her head as you waited for her to speak.

bill couldn't help but look back and forth between the both of you. he was extremely lost.

"she-" she took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

you widened your eyes, sending your full attention to her.

you nodded encouragingly, staring at her.

she pursed her lips, looking down at her other hand.

"y/n..." she whispered.

her eyes began to water.

"we don't know where your sister is."

and that's when it began to make sense.

where had your sister been?

you looked at her, puzzled.

"what?"

you knew that she and your father had taken julie to the park earlier today.

yet, your father hadn't contacted you either throughout yesterday and today.

"god - i had my eyes on her!"

and her sobs started once again.

she lunged forward in bill's arms, startling him as he caught her.

he held her shaking body in his grip, rubbing her back.

his eyes weren't off of you, though.

he noticed when your eyes started to water.

he noticed when your lip began to quiver.

he noticed when your breathing got irregular.

"y/n..." he whispered, trying to catch your attention.

god, he didn't know what to do.

you gulped, pushing the cries down your throat. you wanted to stay strong. you needed to stay strong.

maybe it was a misunderstanding? maybe julie had been hiding out somewhere waiting to be seen?

"where-" you licked your lips, stopping for a second as your words wavered. "where's dad?"

your mother looked up, her cheeks flushed.

her eyes were bright red.

she had cried so much to the point where she had punctured a blood vessel in her right eye.

"he's at the police station, honey." she sniffled, breathing harshly. "h-he went to go report her absence."

you couldn't believe this. you wouldn't believe this.

"and- and where did you last see her?" you asked, your eyebrows furrowed together as you tried to make sense of the situation.

"the sewer drains at the side of the road."

your hands shook.

for the past couple of weeks, you noticed julie had an increasing obsession with sewer drains.

she would always run up to them, crouching down and looking through the gap.

she would mumble words to the gap.

she claimed her best friend was on the other side.

this went unnoticed by you, as you had brushed it off as her having imaginary friends.

though, since your mother had brought it up, it now seemed rather odd.

"what do you mean? like- you left her by herself on the side of the street?" you asked in shock.

"no!" she exclaimed quickly. "no, i would not let a six year old out of my sight. i had my eyes on her."

she paused to take a breath.

"she was crouched down on the street. almost like she was poking her head through the sewer."

silent tears were now appearing.

"when i got closer-"

she closed her eyes.

"she wasn't there anymore."