Behind the Clouds ✔️

025

"No! D-don't take her!" Bill shouted, silencing everyone, "I'm the one w-who dragged you all into this." Sally still struggled in It's grasp. Bill knew why It wanted her. Her fear was fresh. She hadn't been tormented by It all summer. No, this was her first glimpse at It and it scared her horribly.

"You didn't drag me, Bill," Sally tore It's hands off her face, "I wouldn't be here if I hadn't gone after Henry. I'd still be with Victor and Margaret." It's hands reached around her throat and she coughed, violently. Richie reached for a baseball bat and swung it behind his head, ready to fight It.

"Go!" Sally coughed out, as Bill stepped forward for her. "I might, not be your friend, but I would do this, for Violet." Her face turned paler, as It's grip tightened. It smirked at them all, at the mention of the Hockstetter girl. No one said a word, as Beverly stepped forward.

"What have you done with Violet?" It squealed in happiness, before squeezing Sally's throat for the last time. The Losers watched in horror as It dropped her lifeless body to the ground.

"NO!" Screams went all around the room, as Bill and Beverly threw themselves at It. They did everything they could to kill it, but still were unsuccessful. Suddenly, It disappeared from in front of them all.

"Holy fuck! We just watched someone die!" Richie exclaimed, racing after the clown, bat in hand. The rest of the gang followed Richie's lead to find Violet facing her own fears. Each person she ever loved, was surrounding her, torturing her. Richie saw himself spatting words he'd never say to Violet, and it burned.

"Honestly, if Patrick and Henry hadn't gotten to you first, you know I would've. You aren't our friend and you don't even count as a loser. You're better off without any of us," Fake Richie spat, making Violet back up into Fake Sally.

"I don't know what kind of spell you put on Margie, but it won't work on me. Guaranteed," Fake Sally pushed Violet back away from her, "You are an embarrassment. To yourself, to your family, to those you call your friends. Greta obviously was pulling a prank on you that day in the arcade. You will never be accepted." Violet tried to stop the tears, but everywhere she looked, it became blurry.

"I had no hope after your father died!" Violet hiccuped, knowing who this was without looking, "He was all I ever truly wanted! Not Patrick, not Ashton, and certainly not you! I lost both my parents at a young age, and I never knew why I felt so pained by it until now," she paused, "Sometimes there is NO ho-"

"Ahh!" Richie swung his bat at Angela Hockstetter, knocking her off her feet. The Losers followed suit and began attacking their counterparts, leaving Violet with the Queens of Mean, Patrick, and Henry.

"You are such a little bi-" Violet smacked Fake Greta across the face. She'd had enough. Her self-esteem might have been terrible, but she was not a bitch. Greta disappeared, Margaret now in her place.

"Thanks for the set up. Reg humiliated me! You didn't tell me all of Bowers' gang were man whores!" Violet pushed Margaret away from her. Fake Margaret tripped and fell, Henry in her place. Neither him nor Patrick said anything, as Violet screamed her loudest, causing all of the fake beings to dissipate.

All the Losers watched, as Fake Patrick turned into It before slamming into a wall. It lifted it's head enough to show the Losers that it was scared. Richie ran right up to It and threw the bat at it's face.

"Welcome to the Losers' Club, asshole!" With that, the battle resumed. It roared, as the bat hit it. It turned to Mike, who was prepared with his own weapon. It's mouth opened to reveal burnt hands reaching for Mike. Stanley grabbed his telescope and banged on the arms, Ben hitting It's back at the same time. It transformed into Judith from the horrid painting in Rabbi Uris' office. Stanley swung the telescope once more, directing It away from him.

Violet stole Mike's weapon of choice and swung hard at It, who in turn pushed her to the ground. The gang watched as It's arms changed into, giant crab claws? It followed Violet, who kept rolling away, and tried to puncture her. Ben ran for It and punctured It instead, getting itself away from Violet. It roared and twisted it's head around, turning into a mummy reaching for Ben's head. It wrapped mummy bandages around Ben's head, bring him closer to It.

Eddie grabbed a chain and ripped the bandages away from Ben, leaving It to turn towards him. He felt more nervous than scared, at what was to happen to him. It started coughing, before looking straight at Eddie, in the form of his leper. He spewed black slime all over him, leaving Eddie feeling rather disgusted.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Eddie yelled out, racing toward It again. He kicked It over. When It lifted it's head again, Violet and Beverly immediately recognized the face.

"Hey, Bevvie," Beverly stepped forward, a rod in hand, "Are you still my little-" She screamed and pushed the rod deep into It's throat, cutting off her father. It turned back into itself and spewed out the rod, feeling even weaker than before.

It fell backward and began to crawl away from the Losers, in fear. The Losers, in turn, kept It cornered and drew closer in the case of It attacking them. It was gasping for air, as it leaned against a well deep within the cistern. It tried to chuckle like a maniac, to cover up his fear, but It's fear was already cast upon the Losers. Bill stepped forward, with his weapon, ready to be at ease for once since Georgie disappeared.

"That's why you didn't kill Beverly. 'Cause s-she wasn't afraid." The rest of the gang wondered why he didn't include Violet. She somehow survived It. "And we aren't either. Not anymore."

Violet joined Bill's side, glaring at the being who caused her physical and emotional pain, "Now you're the one who's afraid." Bill and Violet shared a look, before turning back to the dying clown.

"Because you're gonna starve," Bill finished, as It flipped itself over to hang onto the well. Each Loser prepped themselves, just in case It wasn't finished with them. It was deeply afraid of what each of these children could do, but it had to cover the knowledge It knew of the future for these eight special children.

"He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts," It whispered underneath it's breath. Stanley handed his telescope over to Violet, sharing a look that spoke one thousand words, "He thrusts his fists against the p-po..."

It began to truly stutter, feeling itself break under the pressure. Bill and Violet lifted their instruments above their heads, ready to swing at It. It cowered and lowered itself further into the well, not continuing the chant. It's forehead began to swell open, pieces of itself leaving. It shared one last look at the Losers, before smirking.

"Fear..." With that, It dropped down the well, leaving the Losers once and for all. Silent screams of relief filled the cistern, as Richie began to spew again.

"I know what I'm doing for my summer experience essay," he stated, giving Eddie a one armed hug. All the Losers laughed at Richie, for once again being the highlight of their day.

"You mean to say, you still haven't done that essay?" Violet pegged the question, everyone laughing even harder at Richie. He stood there, agape.

"Well, when did you finish it?" Richie retorted, hoping there was at least one fault in Derry's Princess. She giggled, pulling some of her hair behind her ear.

"The day Eddie saved my life in the alley," Ben and Beverly laughed, as the gang looked at her in shock. Even Stanley and Eddie, who mind you, had gotten theirs done in an earlier fashion than Richie.

"Wha-? But that was the first day of summer vacation!" Richie exclaimed, as Bill walked away from them, spotting Georgie's raincoat from that day. Everyone stopped laughing and went after him. Violet sat down next to Bill, feeling the pain of losing a brother.

Bill picked up the raincoat, only for a piece of paper to fall out. Violet picked it up and opened it from it's folded condition. She gasped, seeing Ashton's signature at the very top. On the page, were four familiar faces all holding hands and smiling. From left to right, Violet saw herself, Ashton, Georgie, and Bill. Tears burned her eyes, as her heart was sore from feeling all the pain.

The rest of the group crouched down beside the two, giving them the biggest group hug ever needed. Violet leaned into Stanley's chest, never wanting to let go of her friends. Never, ever.