Mutants|| Reddie [DISCONTINUED]

VIII

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia."

Richie and Beverly stared at Eddie in shock while Eddie fidgeted slightly in the oversized sweatshirt Richie had lended him. Finally, Richie broke the silence. "So . . . you came from . . . a laboratory? And now the people from there are looking for you?"

"The bad men," Eddie said, nodding.

"Right. The bad men. And this place . . . did it have other mutants there too?"

Eddie nodded again, fidgeting slightly. "Think so."

Richie glanced at Bev, raising his eyebrows. Then, something clicked. "Oh, is this lab . . . is it that building on Neibolt?"

"Neibolt?" Eddie echoed.

"Neibolt Street. That building next to the really old house?"

Eddie hesitated. "The one with the sunflowers?"

"Yeah! So-"

"Guys," Beverly interrupted. "We . . . might have a problem." She was standing at the tiny window, peeking outside.

"What's wrong, Bev?" Richie asked, standing up to join her.

Immediately, his face fell. "Shit."

Ten government officials were storming closer and closer to their small shed.

"Shit, shit, shit. C'mon, we gotta go." Richie grabbed Eddie's hands and hoisted him up, motioning for Bev to follow him.

"Where are we going?" she asked anxiously as Richie yanked open the door and pulled them outside.

"Away from here!" Richie panted, dragging them away from the shed. Shouts arose from behind them, and footsteps thundered towards them.

Eddie turned around slightly. "I can help."

"No, Eddie, c'mon-"

"I can help!" he insisted.

"Eddie," Richie said, exasperated. "It's too dangerous, we need to go."

They sprinted towards the Barrens, leaping over logs and dodging branches.

Suddenly, Richie hit something solid and fell backwards. "What the-" He looked up. Nothing was there.

He adjusted his glasses, then stood up, brushing himself off.

As he continued to stare at the spot where he had run into seemingly nothing, the air shimmered and he yelped, jumping back in shock.

A slightly large boy appeared out of thin air, looking past him and staring straight at Bev. "Beverly?" he gasped.

A flicker of recognition shone in Bev's eyes. "Ben? Ben from Social Studies?"

"Sorry," Richie interrupted. "But . . . who is this?"

"Ben Hascom," Bev said, smiling slightly. "He was in some of my classes in school before . . ."

"You went missing two years ago," Ben said quietly. "Everyone thought you were- well-"

Richie felt a tug on his shirt. "Richie," Eddie said.

"What's wrong, Eds?"

Eddie pointed a trembling finger behind them. "Bad men."

"Shit- I forgot about them. Bev! We need to go."

They began running again, Ben close behind them. "What's- going- on?" he wheezed.