Arrival (Pennywise x OC)

Chapter 11

The trek through the dark sewers was a cold and painful one. Ana had to stop several times to catch her breath, and to try to gauge how much blood she was losing by feeling the slick wetness with her hands. The boy, whose named she learned was Jax, was quiet as they moved, his cries replaced by shivering and the occasional soft whimper. She tried to carry him for as long as she possibly could, but as she was slowly succumbing to the hypothermia that was threatening to take over her body, she finally had to make the child walk beside her.

The Barrens were a welcome sight as they finally walked out into the moonlight, and Ana scooped up Jax once again, driven to get him out the water as soon as she could, the shore and the woods beyond that another difficult walk, but at least a haven compared to what they had just journeyed through. As soon as they were on dry land, Ana placed him gently back onto the ground, going to sit with her back supported by a thick tree trunk. She was finally able to open her shirt to visualize her several puncture wounds, and she was disheartened to see that they looked rather deep and already starting to redden from infection. The blood was still oozing out of her, her injuries aggravated from the difficult hike and carrying the child. She sighed and buttoned her shirt again, taking a closer look at the mangled flesh on her forearm from Lamia's bite, the wounds appearing to have clotted off now.

"Does it hurt?" the little boy asked, his tear and blood stained face looking upon her with worry.

"Only a little," she said, doing her best to flash him a smile. "But it will get better."

"The bad lady cut me," he said, sniffling, and he pulled up a sleeve to show Ana one of the sliced arms she had seen earlier. She was grateful to see that it was completely scabbed over now, and it was likely that any fresh blood on him was from her instead.

"I know, Jax. I'm sorry she did that to you."

"Is the bad lady coming back?"

"No," Ana said, hoping with all her might that she wasn't lying to him. "She won't come back. We're going to get you home, as soon as we walk through these woods." She took a deep breath and heaved herself to her feet, clutching her abdomen in one hand and reaching for the boy's hand with the other. "I wish I could carry you, but I'm getting tired." As they started their slow pace through the trees, she hoped that Pennywise would return to her soon, wondering what was taking so long. She couldn't sense him nearby, and she was growing increasingly worried that trying to do this journey while injured was a foolish move.

It could have been hours by the time they made it out of the woods and onto the road, but Ana couldn't be sure. She could tell that her mind was growing fuzzy from fatigue and her gait was definitely slowing, and she willed herself to push on. Finally, she felt him. Pennywise, wherever he was, was getting closer to her, and she stopped moving then, ungracefully sitting cross legged on the sidewalk to wait for him. She pulled Jax into her arms to try to warm him up some, and make sure Pennywise had control of his appetite before approaching.

There was the silhouette of a tall, slender man approaching from the road, and when Ana could make out that it was Robert's handsome face looking at her and the boy, she almost started crying in relief.

"Are you okay?" she asked as he grew closer, looking at him apprehensively.

"I'm fine. I fed." He bent down to her, pulling her to her feet by her upper arms, and flashing a charming smile at the boy that was now standing next to them. "Hey there, sport. I think it's time we get you home." He lifted the child into his arms, giving him a quick once over before reaching for Ana's hand. She stumbled as he attempted to resume his brisk pace.

"Can you keep up, sweet girl?" he asked, concern in his eyes as he looked her up and down.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I'm not feeling the greatest."