underdog. - stanley uris

12 ║you're not missing, Richie

i pulled up to neibolt on my bike and quickened to a stop. bill was walking towards the house with slow steps. ''bill, this is crazy.'' i said. he looked back to me. by this time everyone else had arrived and began standing around me. ''it's not c-c-c-crazy to m-m-me.'' he said. ''she's got a point bill! this is crazy-!'' bev said.

''look, you don't have to come in here with me. but what happens when another Georgie goes missing, or another Betty, or another Ed CorCoran, or one of us? are you just gonna pretend like nothings happening like everyone else in this town? well i can't. everyday i go home and all I see is that Georgies not there. his clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals...but hes not. so walking into this house for me... is easier than walking into my own.'' bill said while turning around to the door.

''wow.''

''what?''

''he didn't stutter once.''

richie and ben started walking up the steps when i heard stan say from beside me say ''wait!''. we all looked at him. ''um, shouldn't we have people stay here to keep...watch? you know, just incase something bad happens.'' he said. i looked up at Bill, whos hand was now resting on the doorknob. ''who w-w-w-wants to stay o-o-o-out here?'' he asked. we all raised our hands, except for Beverly. ''fuck.'' richie said.

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me, eddie, bill, and richie walked into the house, with the door creaking. the floorboards were all over the place and there were leaves, spiderwebs, and nails everywhere. ''i can't believe i pulled the short straw. you guys are lucky we're not measuring dicks.'' richie said. ''oh my- shut up richie!'' me and eddie both said. ''i can smell it.'' eddie said, his voice quivering. ''dont breathe through your mouth.'' richie said. ''why?''

''cause then youre eating it.'' me and richie said. eddie gagged and took his inhaler out and took a puff. meanwhile i was looking at a broken mirror, which looked slightly new, but dusty. ''it says i'm missing.'' i heard from behind me. i looked in the mirror which showed richie and bill looking at a piece of paper. i turned around and ran to them. eddie appeared beside me.

''you're not missing richie.'' bill said. ''police department. city of derry, thats my shirt, thats my face, thats my hair!-'' Richie said while yelling. ''calm down. this isn't real.''

''thats my name, thats my age, that's the date!''

''it can't be real, Richie.''