**Say What You Mean Out Loud**

~ T W E L V E ~

The House on Neibolt

Greyson Elliot was holding onto a very shaky Stanley, who was pedaling after the rest of the losers to Neibolt.

"Bill you can't go in there." Bev yelled.
The group dropped their bikes, except for Stan who put his up on the kickstand.
"This is crazy."

"Look, you don't have to come with me." They stood in a small group at the foot of the stairs, watching him intently.
Grey wiped her nose, though they had cleaned away all the blood, and all that was left was the stains on her jacket sleeves and shirt.

"But what happens when another Georgie goes missing? Or another Betty, or another Eddie Corcoran, or one of us? Are you just going to pretend it didn't happen, like everyone else in this town?"

Bill's eyes started to water, spilling over with tears.
"Because I can't. I go home and, all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals but..."

His expression hardened and he squared his shoulders.
"So walking into this house, for me... it's easier than walking into my own."

He wiped his eye and turned around.
Richie muttered, "Wow... he didn't stutter once."

The group walked up the stairs behind him, but Grey saw the hesitant look on Stanley's face. He looked like he was at war with himself, before he blurted, "Wait! Shouldn't someone keep watch, in case something happens?"

Bill sighed. "O-Okay, who wants to stay out here?"
Most everybody raised their hands, except for Bill and Greyson.

Stan nudged her arm and she shook her head.
"I'm going in. He almost fucking killed me, I don't want that to happen again. Besides..."

She turned around and smiled at BIll.
"Bill's speech was really moving."

She went and stood beside him on the porch.
The two glanced at the rest of the boys, expectantly.

Eventually Bill, Grey, Richie, and Eddie were walking through the creaky door and into the musty house. It was covered in dust and dead vines, climbing the walls like spider webs.

"Can't believe I pulled the short straw." Richie scoffed. "You guys are lucky we're not measuring dicks."
"Beep beep Richie." Eddie sputtered, shuffling beside the three cautiously.

They glanced at the horribly dusty stairs, and made their way up.
Every corner felt mysterious and every step felt like a trap, they were just playing straight into.

Richie spotted a poster, hanging from the vines and webbing in the corner.
He approached it and pulled it out of the thick mess, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Richie, what is it?" She asked.
"It says I'm missing." He showed them the missing poster, with his name and picture on it. "That's my hair, that's my face, that's my name that's my age-"

Bill wrestled for the paper with him, telling him to calm down.
"What the fuck?! Am I going to go missing? Am I going to go missing?!"

Eddie and Grey watched Richie freak out, with scared expressions.
"Listen to me Richie..." Bill pointed at the paper on the floor. "That isn't real. It's playing tricks on you."

They heard a wail from another section of the house, and Bill quickly pursued it.
The other three followed, not quite as eager though.

They were looking around the room, when they saw a familiar girl lying in a door frame.
"Betty Ripsom?" Grey whispered.
She had blood running from her mouth and she was panting, before getting dragged off right in front of them.