That Night (Richie x Eddie)

Chapter 9

(Richie's POV)

It's hard to remember what we did after we went to the quarry. Well that figures, since it's been more than 27 years. Even if I don't remember, I know it was fun. Everything was fun before that clown showed up again. Now all that's left is the huge ravine he left in our lives. And that ravine took all the fun stuff we had in our memories. That sounds so stupid, but it's true. Even Eddie fell into the ravine. He just wanted to save me. If I hadn't been such a dumbass, maybe he'd still be alive. The Losers wouldn't even give me a chance to help him after. We could've still helped him, I know that much.

If they would've just looked at him, they would've seen that we could've helped him. Or maybe I was delusional and just wanted to save the man that I had loved for years. I'm gonna tell myself that wasn't what happened. I'm gonna tell myself that he was still alive. I'm gonna tell myself that we could've helped him.

I always tell myself these things, and none of them seem to convince me. They should be convincing me. I should be convinced with how much I tell myself all that. There's one thing I tell myself that does convince me though.

It should have been me.

That's the only thing I ever tell myself that I actually believe is true. That's because it is true. I know that. And you know that too. Everyone knows that. Eddie was the best. Me, I'm just annoying. I was annoying as a kid and that stayed when I was growing up.

(Richie's POV in 1989)

When we got back from the quarry, we didn't know what else we could do. That's definitely surprising, cause we always knew what to do. Bill, Eddie, and I were trying to think of other stuff to do, and Ben and Stan were playing Connect 4.

"We could go to the arcade." I suggested.

"Ew, no. Those machines are covered in germs." Eddie replied, making a fake gagging noise.

"Don't do that, Eddie. It grosses me out." Stan hates the sound of someone gagging. He's scared of puking and getting sick like that.

"Sorry, Stan." Eddie apologized. I definitely believed that he wasn't serious with his apology, but I never said anything about it.

"Anyway, what are we gonna do? We can't just stay here and do nothing." Eddie continued on after his apology.

     We all heard a knock on the door, which was weird. All the neighbors knew Bill's parents weren't home. Bill got up from the floor and went to the front door.

     We heard the door slam closed a little bit after it opened. Bill came running back into the living room looking like he just saw a ghost.

     "Yeah... We might wanna s-stay here...." Bill told us.

     "Why? Who was at the door?" Ben asked.

     "B-Bowers."