《The Art of Fear》


 Chapter 1

    The rain rattled against the windows of the library; the steady sound was soothing in Alicia''s ears as she started shading in the character she was drawing. She loved to draw; it calmed her.


    Alicia was only twelve but she had an amazing gift. Some people called her an artist and praised her work up and down. In art class, even the teacher couldn''t draw as well as her, causing her to be the target of some rather unkind comments from jealous students. At first, the comments had all been encouraging, but it hadn''t taken them long to turn nasty. Eventually it had gotten so bad that she had quit art class and stopped showing people her drawings. She had gone from an already shy but relatively happy child, to an extremely withdrawn and insecure girl. She wore her long, dirty-blonde hair down so it would hide her face; she never talked unless she had to.


    Her deep brown eyes traced the lines of her drawing, making sure everything was just so.


    The librarian''s harsh voice suddenly jarred her out of her calm; she looked up quickly to see a disapproving face gazing down on her.


    "Young lady, how many times do I have to tell you my library is not the place for you to do your scribbling?" the librarian growled, snatching the sketchbook out of her hands.


    "Wait, please!" Alicia protested, leaping to her feet.


    The librarian looked over the drawing. It depicted a young girl standing out in the open looking off into the distance. Her face held a certain serenity in it, yet at the same time the picture had a feeling of loneliness.


    The librarian''s lips pressed themselves into a firm line. Then she shoved the book back into Alicia''s hands.


    "I suggest you go home now," she said firmly, "Your parents will be missing you by now, I''d think."


    Alicia bit her lip, hugging her sketchbook close to her. She''d only just moved into Derry nearly a year ago; not too many people knew much about her family.


    "You mean my mother," Alicia corrected, "I don''t have a father. He died before my first birthday."


    The librarian gave her an odd look, "I don''t see how that''s any of my business, young lady."


    "Alicia," Alicia murmured, "My name''s Alicia."


    With that, she turned and walked out. She only got as far as the entrance, however, when she heard the shouts.


    "Hey, creep!"


    She looked up to see Henry Bowers and his gang standing nearby. She felt a sudden knot in her stomach. She clutched her book tighter and set out with determined steps toward home, hoping they would leave her alone. She had no such luck.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Oh, what''s she drawing now?" Patrick Hockstetter came up from behind her and ripped the sketchbook out of her grasp.


    "Give it back!" she cried, but they ignored her.


    They crowded around Patrick as he flipped through her drawings, exposing them to the relentless rain. Alicia wondered why they had even bothered coming out on such a dismal day. Didn''t they have anything better to do?


    "Please¡ª" Alicia began, reaching out her hands to take the book back.


    Patrick snapped it shut and raised it high above his head. For fourteen, he was surprisingly tall. His eyes met hers, daring her to do something about it.


    "Please what?" he taunted.


    Alicia felt the rain soaking through her clothes and drizzling down her back, adding to her discomfort.


    "My book..." she whimpered.


    "You want it back? Go fetch!"


    Alicia watched as her precious sketchbook soared through the air and landed in middle of a swirling puddle of rain water. The boys all snickered.


    "Great shot!" Belch said.


    Alicia went to get the book but she stopped short and let out a shriek as a searing pain ripped through her scalp. Henry Bowers had his hand closed firmly around her long, wet hair.


    "Have a great day, creep," he whispered in her ear before letting go.


    She raced across the street and snatched up her book, tears stinging her eyes as she listened to the boys'' cruel laughter. She couldn''t understand how anyone could be so malicious toward someone they hardly knew and had done them no harm. She ran as hard as she could toward home, where she would be safe. Well, safe from Henry Bowers and his gang at least. She generally preferred the library over her own home because she couldn''t stand the stench of cigarettes. Her mom incessantly smoked, and there wasn''t a corner of the house that was free from the smell. No matter how many air-fresheners she placed in her room, she could still smell those horrid cigarettes. It kept her up at night and nearly drove her crazy.


    Alicia froze suddenly as she heard the sound of voices. She looked up to see a small figure wearing a yellow raincoat peering into a storm drain. He hadn''t noticed her, and Alicia wanted to keep it that way. She crossed to the opposite side of the street and pressed herself against one of the houses, watching the child curiously. She could definitely hear him talking, and from what she could make out, it didn''t sound like he was talking to himself. He started giggling suddenly. Alicia couldn''t help herself; she stepped away from the house, edging closer to the boy.


    Then he started screaming.


    Alicia stopped dead, a feeling of dread abruptly clutching her heart. She was about to jump forward to help the child when he broke away from the drain, turning and crawling toward her while crying hysterically. Alicia stared; it was all she could do. She stood there paralyzed, her eyes stretched wide in horror.


    The boy''s arm was completely gone except for a bleeding stump. The rainwater around Alicia''s feet was turning a bright red. The boy looked up at her, his eyes filled with terror.


    "Help!" he sobbed, "Help!"


    Alicia exhaled shakily, still unable to move. Her eyes fell on the storm drain and she saw a flash of dark yellow. She blinked and looked again. Eyes. There were eyes staring back at her, but in a split second, they disappeared. Alicia took an involuntary step back, her eyes fixed on the storm drain. She was shaking uncontrollably, staring wildly as a gloved hand extended itself from the drain and locked itself around the boy''s ankle. He screamed, pleading for help but Alicia never moved.


    "Billy!" the child screamed suddenly as he was pulled into the drain out of sight.


    Alicia''s grip on her sketchbook tightened until her knuckles went white. She still stared fixedly at the drain. There was something there, lurking in the darkness. A white face framing the two yellow eyes she''d seen a moment ago was staring back at her, a distorted smile etched on its blood red lips.


    "Alicia..."


    Alicia''s sketchbook hit the pavement at her feet, sending up a spray of blood-stained rain water. Her fingernails dug into her face.


    And she screamed.

 Chapter 2

    One year later...


    "School''s out," Alicia repeated to herself, blocking out the noise of chatter around her as she walked down the crowded school hall, her schoolbooks tucked under one arm.


    Her appearance had drastically changed from a year ago. She had gone for the Goth look which, of course, meant black hair, black makeup, black clothes, and black everything. This makeover had done at least one thing in her favour: the other students mostly left her alone now, all except Bowers and his friends. She had kept up her drawing, but she had devoted herself to drawing only one thing, something that had filled nearly every corner of her head until she was afraid it would drive her insane. She would draw it over and over again, each time in a different way. Those pictures now adorned her bedroom walls. At first, Alicia had been afraid that her mother would find this strange obsession alarming, but she hadn''t seemed to notice the drawings coating her walls and ceiling. Alicia stared at them every night before she went to sleep, although she still didn''t get very much sleep. The teachers had often scolded her for nodding off in class, resulting in many detentions. She had been thankful for those detentions, though, since they had saved her from a number of encounters with Bowers and his gang.


    "School''s out. School''s out," she muttered incessantly.


    The outdoors beckoned to her. Once she reached them, she''d be free.


    "Talking to yourself, creep?" Henry''s voice broke her train of thought.


    Alicia hesitated mid-step, but she knew she couldn''t stop or it would only be worse for her.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "What''s your hurry?" Patrick sneered, blocking her path.


    Alicia didn''t look at him. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, swallowing the lump in her throat.


    "Leave. Me. Alone," she hissed.


    "What was that, creep?"


    Alicia could feel her anger building. She silently took up the chant again, "School''s out. School''s out. School''s out."


    "Speak up!" Patrick said, giving her a shove.


    Alicia finally looked up, her eyes meeting Patrick''s. As always, he had the same stupid smirk glued on his face. She clenched her jaw, struggling to maintain her composure.


    "School''s out." She clung tenaciously to the thought. "School''s out."


    Her feet felt like lead as she forced herself around the grinning obstacle before her.


    Patrick chuckled, "Don''t worry, we''ll be seeing each other again very soon."


    "I. Will. Not. Hit. Him."


    It would be so easy to just turn around and slap him, but it would land Alicia in trouble, which was something she didn''t need at a time when freedom was only a few feet away. Her feet got lighter as she got closer to the doors. Next thing she knew, she was walking through them, and as the sunlight hit her face, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She made a beeline for a trashcans and hurriedly dumped her books in them. She took a deep breath, managing a gentle smile. Then she noticed the police car, and her smile vanished. Betty Ripsom''s mother was standing next to two police officers, her eyes searching the crowd of oncoming students, as though expecting to find her missing daughter there among them. Alicia felt a sudden chill creep up her spine. She knew very well that Betty Ripsom would never be seen again. Her thoughts flashed back to a child in a yellow raincoat staring up at her with sheer terror in his face. She gave herself a shake.


    Georgie Denbrough. That had been the boy''s name. He was the younger brother of Billy Denbrough, one of the students who attended her school. Georgie, just like Betty, had been declared "missing" as well. But they weren''t missing at all.


    They were dead.

 Chapter 3

    Alicia sat on the bank of the creek and pulled out her sketchbook and pencil kit. She promised herself she would celebrate the beginning of summer by trying to draw something new. She''d always loved water and the way it moved so she wanted to try to capture it on paper. But as she pressed the pencil to the paper, she was filled with a sudden dread. She closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths to steady herself.


    "You''re going to have fun this summer," she promised herself before opening her eyes and starting to sketch.


    She started out with the little pebbles that made up the creek bed, then moved on to the ripples and crests that made up the creek itself. She felt that familiar calm settle over her. The muscles in her hand instantly recognized what it was they had to do until it was almost as if they were moving of their own accord. She finished drawing the creek and began drawing the bank opposite her and the grass and trees beyond it. Her hand moved in an endless string of motion, etching a dark circle on the page and retracing the lines ferociously until Alicia found herself staring at a dark orb that grew blacker and blacker with each stroke of the pencil. Her fingers closed increasingly tighter around the pencil and sweat broke out on her forehead. She leaned further over her work until her nose was almost touching the paper. Suddenly her pencil snapped under the pressure of her hand and she jerked upright, sending her sketchbook flying onto the bank. She stared at it for a moment, breathing heavily. Then, casting aside her now useless pencil, she went to pick it up. She looked at the drawing for a second. She had drawn a sewer tunnel; it was one that she had passed earlier. She figured her subconscious must have regurgitated it onto the page. She closed the sketchbook and started trudging back up the creek. She didn''t feel like drawing anymore.


    It was when she was passing the very same sewer tunnel that she had drawn that something happened. None other than Patrick Hockstetter emerged from the trees.


    "Well, well," he said, locking eyes with Alicia, "Look who it is. Creep."


    Alicia turned to run but Patrick jumped forward and caught her by the hair, yanking her back. Her sketchbook fell from her hands into the creek.


    "Aw, what a shame about your drawings," Patrick said, craning Alicia''s neck back until she was looking straight up at him. "Tell me, you wouldn''t have happened to see anyone come by here, would you? Any fat, roly-poly kids?"


    "What are you talking about?" Alicia demanded, trying to ignore the biting pain in her neck.


    "Don''t give me that," Patrick hissed, "You know you''re still just as pathetic as he is! Now tell me which way he went!"


    Patrick yanked a little harder on her hair. Alicia bit her lip to keep from screaming. Her eyes flitted toward the dark sewer tunnel on her right. Patrick followed her gaze, his eyes gleaming suddenly.


    "Is that where he went?"


    He loosened his grip and Alicia''s knees buckled, landing her up to her hips in the cool, clear creek water. Her gaze immediately snapped back toward the dark tunnel. She genuinely didn''t have a clue as to who Patrick was after, but if he went in the sewer...


    A horrible feeling came over her as she focused on the blackness. It seemed to be drawing her forward, like a mouth preparing to swallow her whole.


    If Patrick went in the sewer...if he went in the sewer...


    He''d never come out.


    "Well, creep, you going to answer me or do I have to persuade you a little more?"


    "Yes," Alicia said, "Yes, he went in the sewer."


    "Good girl."


    Alicia reached to pick up her sketchbook resting on the creek bed but she was suddenly yanked back to her feet by a fierce grip on her arm.


    "Hey, I told you¡ª"


    "I know," Patrick said, "But I figured you should come along for the ride just in case you weren''t being entirely honest."


    He chuckled, and panic seized Alicia. She tried to pull her arm free but Patrick wouldn''t let go.


    "Wait, wait!" she protested as he dragged her steadily closer to the dark opening.


    "What? Not afraid, are you, creep?" He let go of her arm and shoved her into the sewer tunnel. She tripped, putting out her hands to brace her fall. The stench hit her immediately and she nearly choked on it. She struggled to her feet while Patrick pulled out a lighter and a can of aerosol.


    "You can go first, creep. And don''t even think about trying to run away, or I''ll light your hair on fire."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Are you crazy?" Alicia snapped, "I can''t see!"


    Patrick shook up the aerosol can and held up the lighter in front of it, creating a burst of flame.


    "Good enough for ya, creep? Get moving."


    Alicia turned to stare into the passage before her, her heart thudding in her chest. It took nearly all her willpower to take the first step. She knew she had no choice but to move forward. So that''s what she did. She sloshed down the tunnel, thinking she could almost hear her own heartbeat echoing against its walls. Eventually, Patrick seemed to reach a point where he felt certain that she wouldn''t attempt to run away on her own and decided to take the lead. Alicia followed him; she figured it would be better than trying to find her way out on her own. The thought of being alone in those tunnels seemed like a worse option than her current situation.


    "I hear ya," Patrick said suddenly.


    "What?" Alicia asked, confused.


    Patrick merely shushed her.


    That''s when Alicia saw the shapes. They looked like children, but Alicia felt there was something ominous about them. She instinctively backed away as Patrick moved closer to them.


    "You found us, Patrick."


    Alicia felt the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end. The voice was just a whisper, but in that moment Alicia firmly believed that what was standing before them was not children.


    Patrick raised the lighter and lit up the tunnel.


    Both his voice and Alicia''s rose in a simultaneous scream. The children''s clothes were tattered and grimy, their skin grey and decomposed. Their eyes were red and their pointed teeth were bared in horrifying smiles. They instantly leapt at Patrick, shrieking. Alicia stumbled back, tripping over her own feet and landing in the disgusting water. Patrick''s screams reverberated down the tunnel; his arms thrashed wildly in an attempt to defend himself. Alicia somehow found the strength to get to her feet and start running. She had no idea which way they''d come and she wasn''t about to stop and try to recover her memory. She picked one path and ran as though all hell were behind her. She didn''t get too far before she was abruptly barrelled over by Patrick. He shoved her from behind and raced past her, moaning in terror.


    "Patrick, no, wait, please!" Alicia cried, but he was already gone.


    She looked behind her, expecting that at any moment a group of undead children would descend upon her and devour her. But all was silent. Alicia shakily got to her feet again and staggered down the tunnel. When she came to another spot where the tunnel diverged into two, she stopped a few seconds to consider which one to take. She was on the verge of breaking down into tears, but she pushed forward.


    Suddenly there was a scream. It was coming from ahead. Alicia broke into a run again.


    "Hello? Patrick!" she yelled.


    She cursed herself for lying to him. How could she have ever wished such a horrible death on anyone, even someone like Patrick Hockstetter? If she had just told the truth, she never would have been in that terrifying situation.


    "Alicia, help!"


    Patrick was pressed against a thick metal grate, his face covered in blood. Alicia thought it funny that the only time he would use her name was when his life was on the line.


    "I can''t," Alicia said, her own calm surprising her, "You have to go back the way you came."


    "No, I can''t! Please!"


    "There''s nothing I can do!" Alicia shouted.


    She froze suddenly, her eyes fixed on something just behind Patrick.


    "What''s that?" she hissed.


    Patrick turned his head slowly, his eyes filled with utter terror. A red balloon was floating leisurely toward him. It came closer...closer. Patrick was holding his breath, and the resulting silence was sickening.


    Then the balloon burst, rending the silence like a gunshot.


    In a split second, Alicia was plunged back through time to a year ago. She stood in a rain-flooded street stained with blood, staring into a dark storm drain with two yellow eyes staring back at her.


    It was a clown. And yet it wasn''t. It was something demonic. It...


    It.


    It came at Patrick like a bat out of hell, its mouth opened wide to reveal rows upon rows of needle-sharp fangs. It sank its teeth into Patrick''s throat, silencing his screams in an instant. Patrick dropped like a lifeless doll, all while Alicia stared in wide-eyed shock.


    Then Its eyes fell on her. It grinned suddenly, blood dripping down its chin.


    "Alicia," It said.


    It knew her.


    Alicia tried to back away but her legs folded underneath her.


    She opened her mouth but it took a while for anything to come out.


    "Wha-what are you?" she stammered.


    "What am I?" It laughed, "I''m a dancing clown. Pennywise is my name."


    Alicia crawled a little further away. The clown laughed again, its voice oddly high-pitched.


    "Don''t worry," It said, "We''re friends, aren''t we?"


    "F-friends?" Alicia choked.


    "I''ve seen your room. You''re just obsessed with me, aren''t you?"


    "You killed Patrick." Tears started pouring from Alicia''s eyes. "You killed Betty Ripsom. You...you killed Georgie Denbrough."


    "And sooooo many others. They''re all floating now. Everyone floats in the end. Would you like to float too, Alicia?"


    It burst out into a horrific cackle. Alicia jumped to her feet and took off running, her hands clamped over her ears in an attempt to shut out the horrid noise. She ran on blindly, her vision blurred by tears. She kept on tripping but each time she fell she would get back up again. She surged onward until she realized she could feel the sun on her face again. She looked down at the creek bed and saw her sketchbook lying next to her feet. Sobbing, she knelt beside it and picked it up, flipping through the soggy pages. Every single drawing depicted the exact same thing.


    Pennywise.


    He was the thing that adorned the walls of her room. He was the thing she saw each night before she closed her eyes. He was the thing that invaded every corner of her mind when she was both awake and asleep.


    "We''re friends, aren''t we?"


    One thing was clear to Alicia. He wanted something from her. No, It wanted something from her.


    She tucked her knees under her chin, rocking back and forth while sobs racked her frame. She wished it would end. She wished she had never come to Derry. She wished that she didn''t have to spend each night afraid.


    Her mind''s eye showed her an image of Georgie Denbrough staring up at her with pleading eyes. She wondered if things would have been different if she had just reached out her hand and helped him.


    She wondered if it was her fault he was dead.

 Chapter 4

    Alicia pushed another branch aside to prevent it from slashing her across the face. She was almost at the quarry. She had figured if she couldn''t find solace in her drawing anymore, she would try something else. For the most part, she had managed to convince herself that yesterday''s events had all been a bad dream. That was really the only way she could hang on to the remaining shreds of her sanity. It was easier to believe she had hallucinated the whole thing rather than entertain the idea that there was a killer clown on the loose in Derry.


    There was a crack somewhere behind her and Alicia whipped around to face the noise. What she saw was a smiling red-headed girl who looked oddly familiar.


    "Oh...looks like I''m not the only girl interested in going for a swim today," the girl said in a friendly tone, "Did they invite you too?"


    "Who?" Alicia asked, feeling immediately uncomfortable.


    She''d wanted some time to herself, but it seemed like her plans were about to be turned upside down. She wondered just how many other kids would be at the quarry.


    "I guess not then. Bill Denbrough and his friends invited me to go swimming with them today. Will you be joining us, then?"


    "I''m sorry, you look so familiar, but..." Alicia''s voice trailed away, but the redhead had no trouble catching on.


    She nodded understandingly before introducing herself, "I''m Beverly Marsh. We go to the same school. You''re Alicia, right? I know we only have one Goth kid at our school so you''re pretty easy to recognize."


    Beverly Marsh. Now that Alicia thought about it, the face did match the name. Beverly Marsh had a bit of a reputation at her school. Everyone called her a slut, but Alicia had never believed the rumors.


    "You, uh, cut your hair," Alicia noted.


    Beverly''s smile faded, her hand lightly touching her red curls.


    "Yeah," she said a little absent-mindedly.


    "It looks nice," Alicia assured her, "And it''ll work great for summer."


    "Oh...thanks," Beverly said, but she didn''t sound too enthusiastic. "So are we going to stand around here all day, or are we going swimming?"


    "Well, if you and your friends want to go swimming, that''s fine. I can head back home¡ª"


    "Don''t be like that," Bev said warmly, her smile returning, "You can''t go home now. Come on, the more the merrier."


    Alicia hesitated. Bev had said Bill Denbrough would be there, and she had no wish to go anywhere near him.


    Alicia had never really had too many friends in her life, but she had always wondered what it was like for other kids to run around and just have fun together. It was a tempting offer, but she was afraid to accept.


    "Would you be alright with spending time with a creep like me?" she asked bluntly.


    Beverly frowned, "You can''t really believe what Bowers and his gang say about you. I don''t believe for a second that how you look is any reason to treat you the way they do." She extended her hand, a look of sincerity on her face. "Now are you coming or not?"


    Alicia stared at the outstretched hand before her. Maybe a little company was exactly what she needed. She''d been so used to being alone all the time; it was time for a breath of fresh air.


    She put her hand in Beverly''s. Bev smiled in response and started leading her through the woods toward the quarry.


    "We have to hurry or else the boys will beat us to the water!" she urged.


    They plunged forward, dodging trees until they reached a clearing revealing the cliff edge that overlooked the quarry. Five boys stood with their backs to the girls, examining the extent of the drop and bickering over who should jump first.


    "I''ll go!" Bev volunteered, ripping off her shoes and socks in an instant and unbuttoning her dress to reveal her undergarments.


    All five boys turned just as Bev ran forward and leapt off the edge.


    The boy on the far right swore, "We just got shown up by a girl! We have to jump now!"


    Alicia came forward more slowly, peering down at the quarry.


    "Hi."


    She looked up to see Bill Denbrough and the other boys staring at her. When no one returned her greeting, she tried again.


    "Hi, uh...Beverly invited me to come swimming with you guys. I hope you don''t mind."


    "Nnno, it''s fine," Bill said with a gentle smile, "You''re A-Alicia, right?"


    Alicia nodded.


    "You''re the crazy Goth chick from school?" the boy on the far right spoke up.


    He wore large glasses that seemed to magnify his eyes and made him look funny.


    "Yeah, I''m the one Bowers calls a creep," Alicia admitted, fiddling with the end of her ponytail, "But...I''m afraid I don''t really know any of your names."


    "Oh, sssssorry," Bill interjected, "I''m¡ªBill Denbrough. That''s Richie." The boy wearing glasses raised his hand in a wave. Bill then pointed to the one who stood next to him; this boy had sandy curls. "That''s Stan." Stan nodded politely. Bill jerked his thumb at the kid on the far left, "That''s Eddie." Eddie gave a halfhearted "hello" and finally Bill gestured to a short, round figure beside him. "And this is Ben," he finished.


    Ben leaned out to let Alicia get a better look at him and she noticed a patch of white on his stomach. It was a band aid.


    Suddenly realization struck Alicia. Patrick had been talking about a "fat, roly-poly" kid. What if he had been referring to Ben? She hated to think what that bandage could be concealing. But unfortunately, Ben had already figured out what she was looking at.


    "Oh," he glanced down at the band aid, "That''s nothing. I just had a little run-in¡ª"


    "With Bowers," Alicia interrupted, wracking her brain, "Aren''t you the¡ª"


    "New kid, yeah," Ben finished for her.


    Alicia gave him a grim smile, "Don''t worry. I was the new kid too once."


    "Hey, guys!" Bev yelled from below, "What are you waiting for?"Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Alicia took a deep breath before peeling away her shoes and socks and discarding the majority of her clothing.


    "Oh no, I am not about to be shown up by another girl!" Richie protested but Bill had already jumped by the time he finished his sentence.


    Alicia followed immediately after Bill, feeling a rush of adrenaline as she plunged downward and struck the water. The force of the impact stunned her for a second, but she gave herself a shake and resurfaced with nothing more than a little water in her ears. Ben jumped soon after, then Stan, then Richie, and lastly Eddie. Alicia hung back from the rest at first but Bev soon noticed her and dragged her into their circle.


    Richie managed to instigate a chicken fight but other than that they mainly just swam around. Eddie encountered a turtle and it managed to freak him out quite badly. Alicia got a pretty good look at the fascinating creature; she''d never seen one before so she was fairly excited. After they got tired of the water, they all dragged themselves to shore to sun themselves out. Bev had brought herself a blanket and a pair of sunglasses for this express purpose, so while she sunbathed the boys sat around in silence. Alicia managed to find herself a comfortable spot and even managed to doze off for a little while. It was actually the most relaxed she''d been in a long time.


    The boys eventually struck up a conversation, awakening Alicia. She sat up to find Beverly and the others seated in a circle talking history, which Alicia found a rather odd subject for summer break. Ben was apparently fascinated by Derry''s past and had been studying it quite a lot before he had become friends with the Loser''s Club, which Bill and his friends called themselves. Strangely enough, Alicia thought it was a charming and fitting name for their little group.


    Upon Ben''s invitation to show them more history-related stuff at his house, they packed up and relocated. As they reached Ben''s home, however, Alicia spotted a dark-haired woman stapling a poster to a nearby hydro pole. Alicia''s heart sank; what if it was another missing child?


    "What if it''s Patrick?" Alicia thought suddenly, a knot twisting itself in her stomach, "After all, it''s been about 24 hours since..."


    She closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths. No, it had never happened. She had imagined the whole thing. Patrick was alive and well, surely.


    Abruptly her brain started rattling with the sound of Patrick''s screams. She could feel her skin crawling. She started gasping for air as though she were a stranded fish.


    "It wasn''t real. None of it was ever real. You saw all the missing kid posters and you invented this scenario where you witnessed George and Patrick both being killed by some evil clown. It''s not¡ª"


    The touch of a hand on her shoulder made her nearly jump out of her skin.


    "Whoa, hey, you okay?" Bev asked worriedly.


    Alicia gave her head a firm shake.


    "Yeah, fine," she insisted.


    "Are you sure you''re feeling alright?"


    "Yes!" Alicia snapped. "Sorry," she added quickly when she saw the look of surprise on Beverly''s face.


    "You girls c-coming?" Bill asked.


    The boys were all standing on the porch watching them expectantly. Alicia nodded quickly, stepping forward.


    They all filed into the house. Ben led them through the house until they came to a hallway, where he turned into a side door that was presumably his bedroom. Alicia entered last and was almost convinced that she was walking into her own room. The walls were covered with papers, though not all of them were illustrations.


    "Cool!" Richie exclaimed, adding in a dry tone, "No, wait, it''s not..."


    Ben began explaining how the town of Derry came into existence. It started out as a camp until it was agreed that they should become a town. And it was after everyone had given their signature of approval for the idea that the entire camp disappeared.


    "The only clue that was a found was a trail of bloody clothes leading to where the well house is now," Ben finished.


    "That creepy house on Neibolt?" Richie asked.


    "I''ve always hated that house. It always felt like it was watching me," Beverly said.


    Alicia wasn''t too interested in keeping up with the conversation so she began to look more closely at the pictures on the walls. She came to a drawing of the founders of Derry and was about to move on when something strange caught her eye. She pressed her face closer to the paper until she could almost see every single line on it. On the left side of the page there stood an unusual figure. He seemed a little out of place among the rest. He wore a frilly collar around his neck and seemed to stick out in a ridiculous manner, almost like a...


    Alicia clenched her fists, feeling her nails dig into her palms. She couldn''t deny the word clown had been on the edge of her mind. She fought to rid herself of the idea but as her gaze came to rest of the figure''s eyes, she felt the blood drain from her face. She knew those eyes. She could''ve sworn they were staring right at her in that moment.


    Without thinking, she opened her fist and slammed her hand against the wall, drawing everyone''s attention.


    "Well, what''s the matter with you?" Richie asked.


    Alicia swallowed hard, her mouth dry.


    "I need to get home now," she said hoarsely, "Thanks for the wonderful time."


    "If you want you can join us again some..." Bill began, but Alicia''s swift strides had already brought her into the hall.


    She was out the door in a second, walking purposefully down the lane.


    It wasn''t until much later that she slowed her rapid pace.


    The road she stood on was the same one where she had seen Georgie Denbrough dragged away into the storm drain...or where she had thought she saw Georgie Denbrough dragged away. Of course, it hadn''t happened at all.


    She dragged her line of sight away from her own feet toward the opposite side of the road. There was the storm drain, just as black and ominous as ever. But there was nothing there, no eyes staring back, no vicious teeth gleaming in the dark.


    No Georgie Denbrough in his little yellow raincoat with his arm chewed off...


    No matter how uneasy she felt in that moment, Alicia forced herself to laugh. All those ridiculous ideas swirling around in her head would only get her trouble. It was time to let go.


    She took a step forward, ready to leave behind that drain and all her foolish imaginings along with it.


    "Alicia."


    She froze, her gaze fixed determinedly on her shoes.


    "It''s not real," she said aloud, "It''s not real. It''s not real."


    "What are you afraid of?"


    "It''s not real. It''s not¡ª"


    A piece of paper had landed face-down on her foot, seemingly out of nowhere. She picked it up slowly and turned it over.


    It was another missing kid poster. Only this time the picture was of Patrick Hockstetter.


    It hadn''t been just a wishful thought; it hadn''t been the hope that there''d be one less person to pull her hair and call her "creep" every time she walked past.


    It was real.


    Patrick Hockstetter was dead. She had seen him die with her own eyes, just as she had witnessed Georgie Denbrough''s demise.


    "There''s no reason to be afraid anymore. You can join them. You can end it. You can end it all. Then you''ll float too."


    Alicia turned her head back to look at the storm drain again. It was still dark. There was nothing there. She took a step toward it, then another, and another. She got down on her knees and peered into the drain. It struck her that she was in the exact position Georgie had been in before his untimely death. The missing poster was clutched tightly in one hand. For a full minute, she sat there staring intently.


    Then two yellow orbs appeared, practically right in her face. She jumped back, stifling a shriek. The creature stepped forward, allowing the summer light to illuminate his pasty face. He smiled, revealing large rat-like teeth. Upon taking a second look, Alicia realized his eyes had changed to clear blue, and it shocked her how human he looked in that moment.


    "Hi, Alicia," he said, sounding almost friendly, "Been having a rough go of things?"


    Alicia stared at him, her mouth agape. She hardly knew what to think, let alone say.


    "What''s wrong? Clown got your tongue?" Pennywise giggled. "I really should be thanking you for all the help."


    Alicia found her voice at last, "I never helped you."


    "''Course you did. You gave me Patrick. After all," Pennywise said, his smile vanishing, "You wanted him dead, didn''t you?"


    "I..." Alicia''s voice died in her throat.


    She couldn''t find the words to defend herself.


    "But it wasn''t just Patrick. It was Georgie too!"


    "What? No!" Alicia gasped.


    "You could have stopped me from killing him. But you didn''t. You stood there and watched him die!"


    "I never wanted that to happen!" Alicia cried, tears brimming in her eyes and streaking down her cheeks, "I had nothing against him! I didn''t even know him! He was only half my age!"


    "But he''s still dead, and it''s your fault! You know it."


    Alicia could do nothing but shake her head and break down into sobs.


    "What would Bill say if he knew?"


    "No!" Alicia screamed, trying to leap to her feet.


    A white-gloved hand shot out of the drain and seized her wrist, yanking her back down. Pennywise''s eyes gleamed yellow. He pushed his terrifying face closer to hers.


    "You didn''t answer the question," he said, his foul breath washing over her, "What. Are you. Afraid of?"


    Alicia was staring into his eyes, every thought in her head screaming at her to get away.


    She yanked back on her arm as hard as she could and Pennywise''s grip amazingly fell away. She was on her feet in a split second, racing down the street without once looking back.


    She knew one thing for certain. She could no longer find any comfort in telling herself that it was all just in her head. It wasn''t.


    It was real.

 Chapter 5

    Alicia sat cross-legged on her bed, busily scratching away with her pencil in her beloved sketchbook. She was drawing a picture of a raincoat lying in a rainy street, the name "Georgie Denbrough" printed on the inside of the collar.


    For some reason, it had become easier to think about little Georgie now. There was no longer fear surrounding the thought of his death, only a deep sadness and...guilt.


    She could have saved him. But she didn''t. She left him to die. She ignored a six-year-old child''s plea for help and allowed him to be eaten alive.


    Her knuckles whitened as she gripped her pencil tighter. In a sudden fit of rage, she flung the book across the room. It hit the wall with a dull thud before landing on the floor, its pages flapping wildly as it fell. Alicia gripped her long hair in both hands, taking several deep breaths to calm herself.


    Was she really a murderer? Or was she just another victim?


    A soft sound caught her attention. She held her breath for a second, listening carefully for it. Knocking. Someone was at the front door. She jumped up off the bed and strode out into the hall. The living room was across from her bedroom and she could see her mother dozing on the couch, her feet propped up on the armrest, her tangled mess of dark hair concealing her face. Alicia couldn''t help feeling a touch of regret every time she looked at her mother, regret that she had never known her before her father had died. She must have been a happy, normal person, just like any other mother. But she wasn''t anything like that now. She was depressed, hardly able to take care of herself let alone her daughter. Alicia knew her mother had tried, but somehow she was just never there when she really needed her. At best, she could only manage a part-time job and during the rest of the time she would just sit at home and smoke, and when she wasn''t doing that she would sleep. Hygiene was not one of her mother''s priorities. The house was nearly always a mess. Alicia had tried to help her mother, but nothing she ever did seemed to change anything.


    With a heavy sigh, Alicia stepped into the living room, picked up a blanket lying on the floor and draped it over her mother.


    "Sleep well," she murmured, giving her sleeping mother a kiss on the cheek.


    The knocking at the front door sounded again, a little more urgent this time, and Alicia raced to answer it.


    Bill Denbrough was standing on her front porch with four other members of the Loser''s Club waiting behind him with their bikes.


    "Hi," Bill said, "B-Beverly called us. She wants us to come to her ap-p-partment. We think¡ªsomething might be wrong."


    "Oh," Alicia said, doing her best to mask her surprise, "Well, I don''t have a bike. Can I just catch up with you guys?"


    Bill nodded.


    Richie yelled impatiently from behind him, "Well, is she coming or not? We don''t have all day!"


    Bill turned to answer him and Alicia closed the door, sprinting to her room to change into something a little more suitable. She was back at the door in a flash. Bill and the others had already left but she knew the way to Beverly''s apartment just fine on her own. She set off at a brisk walk. She hoped it wasn''t anything serious.


    She arrived at the destination very out of breath. Richie was waiting outside with the bikes.


    "Well, it''s about time you got here, slowpoke. The show''s probably over," he said.


    Alicia took a minute to regain her breath before replying, "Maybe you''ll be willing to volunteer your bike next time. Any idea what''s going on?"


    "Unfortunately, I have been assigned lookout duty...again," Richie muttered resentfully, "So I couldn''t tell you."


    "Who exactly are you watching for?"


    "Bev''s dad," Richie responded, "She said he was going to kill us all if he found out we were here."


    "Oh." Alicia straightened up before heading up the stairs to the apartment.


    She swung open the door, peering cautiously inside.


    "Hello?" she called.


    Almost immediately she heard the sound of rapid footsteps approaching her. Bev appeared, an expression of immense relief coming over her face when she spotted Alicia.


    "So glad you made it," Bev said, taking her hand, "Come on."


    She led her down a hall to a bathroom, hers by the look of it, where the rest of the Loser''s Club was dispersed about the room, all armed with cleaning equipment. But much more alarming was the red liquid dispersed throughout the room. It was everywhere: on the ceiling, the walls, the floor, the tub, and the curtains. Alicia sucked in her breath in alarm.


    "What happened?" she demanded, casting Beverly a worried glance.


    "Good, we can all see it," Bev said.


    "What do you mean "we can all see it"? Why wouldn''t we? There''s blood all over your bathroom, Beverly!"


    "My dad couldn''t see it," Beverly explained, "I thought I was crazy. But then these guys came and they said they could see it too. And now so can you."


    Abruptly Bev put her arms around Alicia, giving her a tight hug before pulling away.


    "Thanks for coming," Bev said seriously, "It means a lot."


    "Can I help?" Alicia asked quickly.


    "Yes!" the boys clamoured at once.


    Alicia couldn''t help it. She smiled.


    "What can I do?"


    They had her busy in no time, scrubbing away at the walls and mirrors. Soon enough, the room was beginning to look as good as new. Many hands made light work and they were finishing up in no time. Everyone except Ben, Bill, and Bev went straight outdoors and Alicia listened as Eddie and Stan explained to Richie what had happened, then as Richie began to point out how stupid the whole thing sounded and that he was obviously the only sane one in the group. The other three members arrived shortly and started off down the street, walking alongside their bikes so that Alicia would be able to keep up. Richie managed to keep up his one-sided argument for several minutes, accusing the lot of them to have completely hallucinated the whole thing.


    "Beverly''s not the only one who''s sssseen things," Bill interjected, "I saw something t-too."


    "You saw blood too?" Richie asked quickly.


    "No, not blood," Bill replied, a look of dead seriousness on his face, "G-G-Georgie."


    Alicia felt a cold panic instantly creep over her. Bill had seen his dead brother? It wasn''t even remotely possible.


    "I saw something too," Eddie spoke up, "It was a clown."


    Alicia''s heart skipped a beat. A claw of terror suddenly tightened inside her chest. She wanted to reach up and cover her ears, but she knew that would only draw attention, which she could definitely do without at that point.


    "Wait, look. It''s Bowers'' car."


    Alicia looked up. Sure enough, there it was, parked on the side of the street.


    "Hold on, isn''t that the homeschooler kid''s bike?" Beverly pointed out.


    The bike was lying on its side on a path that led to the creek. Alicia knew well enough that that meant bad news.


    "We have to help him!" Beverly insisted.


    "Should we?" Richie asked uneasily.


    "Yes!" Bev snapped, dropping her bike and taking off at a run.


    She was closely followed by the boys, all except for Stan, who was sure to put up his bike''s kickstand before pursuing the others.


    He turned back for a second to call to her, "You coming?"


    Alicia hesitated. She didn''t see what they could possibly accomplish, but if the Loser''s Club was intent on facing off with Bowers'' gang, she wasn''t about to abandon them. She nodded quickly and broke into a sprint to catch up. She overtook Stan and arrived before him. The rest of the club was gathered at the creekside; on the opposite bank stood Henry and his goons, or what remained of them. Alicia wondered if Patrick''s disappearance even bothered them. Stumbling across the creek toward the Losers was homeschooler Mike. Alicia saw with relief that he bore no visible wounds, but she was quickly startled by a sudden angry yell from Ben. Henry had said something to set him off but Alicia had missed it. Ben hurled a stone at Henry and the bully hastily stepped back, a look of alarm on his face.


    "Rock war!" Richie abruptly screamed, right before he was struck in the face and knocked backward.


    In an instant, both sides were hurling stones. Alicia hovered uncertainly where she was. She did sort of consider herself a pacifist; she''d never liked fighting and there had been only a few moments in her life where she had almost been pushed to the point that she had considered striking someone. At the same time, she felt as though it was her fight that the Loser''s Club was fighting. They had all been traumatized by Henry and his stupid friends, and they were choosing to do something about it.


    Before she could change her mind, Alicia jumped forward and began throwing stones alongside everyone else. She managed to knock Belch''s hat right off his head and deal Henry a nasty blow to the stomach before the fight ended, leaving Bowers alone in a pitiful position of defeat. He stared at the Losers with an odd look on his face; Alicia assumed it was something along the lines of shock. The Loser''s Club began to file off one by one, Mike trailing along after them. Alicia took one last look at Henry before following; she almost felt sorry at the sight of him. She wondered what it was like for him to finally get a taste of his own medicine.


    Once they were well away from the creek, Mike spoke up, "You guys shouldn''t have done that. Bowers will be after you too now."


    "He''s always after us," Richie answered, "It''s one thing we all have in common. Speaking of which, welcome to the Loser''s Club, homeschooler!"


    The Club made their way back to the main streets of Derry where a merry parade was forging a path through town. They stopped to have some ice cream and cool off, at which point they picked up their conversation from when they had visited Ben''s house and his preoccupation with Derry''s history. Billy noticed a new missing poster for Eddie Corcoran, who had been reportedly found already with his fingers mostly chewed off. It had been carelessly pasted overtop of Betty Ripsom''s picture, almost as though the town had completely forgotten about her.


    From there, their little group moved the conversation to a park bench. Ben had picked up from his research that something bad seemed to happen in Derry every 27 years, cueing a slew of disappearances.


    "So you think something hibernating in Derry wakes up every 27 years and just feeds on people for a year?" Richie asked incredulously.


    "Wait, so it''s like cicadas? You know, those bugs that come out every seventeen years after hibernation?" Stanley suggested.


    "My grandfather says that the town is cursed; this is all happening because of one thing," Mike interjected.


    "It can''t be just one thing," Eddie protested, "We''ve all seen different things."


    "Maybe," Mike replied, "But maybe this thing knows what we''re afraid of. When the black spot...that huge fire happened, I was inside the building. My parents were in the next room over, banging and pounding on the door. But it was too hot. When the firemen found them, their hands were melted down to the bone. We''re all afraid of something."


    "You''ve got that right. Come on, Richie, what are you afraid of?" Eddie demanded.


    Richie hesitated, adjusting his glasses as a nervous action.


    "Clowns," he answered with a shudder.


    "What about you?" Billy said suddenly, turning to Alicia, "Have you ssssseen anything?"


    Alicia stared at him, feeling panic abruptly seize her. They had all seen Pennywise. He was after every single one of them. They were doomed, for certain. Just as she was. Was there any point in telling them the truth at that point? It wouldn''t make a difference in the end, except to lose her the only friends she had. After all, if she told them she had seen Pennywise, she would have to tell them just what it was she saw. If Bill found out she had let his brother''s life slip through her fingers, there was no telling what he''d do.


    Alicia shook her head, "No, sorry, I haven''t seen anything weird. But just so you know, I don''t think any of you guys are crazy."


    Bill smiled gently.


    "You know, I''ve got an idea," he said, getting up, "Would you guys mind c-c-coming to my house? My Dad has sssssome maps and¡ª"


    Beverly jumped up, "I think I know where you''re going with this. Come on, guys," she urged the others, retrieving her bike and mounting up.


    Richie looked over at Alicia with a wry smile, "Well, looks like you''ll be getting another workout trying to keep up with us."


    Alicia smiled, "I don''t mind."


    "Seriously, you need to get with the times," he continued, "Get a bike!"


    Alicia actually managed to reach Bill''s house without getting too out of breath. Once there, Bill retrieved one of his Dad''s previously mentioned maps depicting the town. He brought it to their garage and pinned it up on the wall while the others milled around anxiously. He then brought in a projector, closed the garage door so they would be in darkness, then turned it on and slid a card into it. The projector lit up the map, showing a string of numerous red lines symbolizing the town''s sewer system. The map showed the areas where Derry''s disasters had happened; the black spot, the ironworks explosion, and even the storm drain where Georgie was lost forever were shown in black marker.


    Bill pointed an unsteady finger at the map, "They''re all connected by the sewers, and the sewer tunnels all meet up at¡ª"


    "The Neibolt house!" Ben exclaimed.


    "That''s where I saw the clown!" Eddie hissed, sounding out of breath.


    "That''s where it lives," Bill concluded.


    Eddie suddenly jumped to his feet, stepping in front of the map with a look of severe agitation on his face. His right hand grasped an inhaler tightly.


    "Can we not talk about this?" he snapped, "We''re kids! This is summer! I can''t breathe; I''m having an asthma attack!"


    Without warning, he abruptly tore the map down and flung it to the floor.


    "Hey! Put the map back!" Bill said angrily.


    Eddie simply shook his head.


    It was then that an odd clicking noise caught Alicia''s attention. Her eyes fell on the projector, the source of the noise. It was operating on its own, jumping from card to card. Pictures of Bill''s past camping trips with his family sprang up on the wall. Alicia felt the blood drain from her face as she saw little Georgie smiling up at her with each of his small hands grasped by one of his parents.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    "What''s going on?" one of the boys demanded, "Is it broken?"


    Eddie stared at the picture, edging steadily away from it as it closed in on Georgie''s face. Alicia could feel her heart rate suddenly pick up, pumping the fear faster through her veins until she could almost feel her skin crawl. The picture abruptly began to shift again, centering on the face of Bill''s mother, even though it was mostly obscured by her long red hair. In that instant, the picture came alive. Alicia could see Mrs. Denbrough''s hair shifting in the wind. Then her hair started to pull itself back, revealing the face underneath.


    Only, the face was not Mrs. Denbrough''s.


    Alicia immediately recognized the sheer white face, blood-stained lips, and piercing eyes. She opened her mouth to scream like the others but the sound dried up in her throat. All she could do was stare, every nerve in her body on fire.


    "Turn it off!" Bev shouted.


    Mike responded by kicking the projector to the ground, incidentally flipping it around so the image hit the opposite wall. The kids instantly scattered, all except Stan and Alicia. They stood side by side, paralyzed. The projector made an angry whirring noise, shutting off for a split second before coming back on and illuminating a distorted close-up of Pennywise''s face. It repeated this action a second time, then a third. When it came back on for the third time, however, there was nothing to be seen except an empty background image.


    Then it went black again. Alicia could almost feel the darkness pressing in on her, choking her. And yet she still could not move.


    The projector''s light snapped back on, and in that second, Alicia saw gleaming white teeth. Pennywise thrust his body into the room, his enormous yellow eyes shining with a chilling radiance. He turned those horrific eyes on Alicia and Stan, causing Stanley to bolt to the other side of the garage. But Alicia stayed where she was, feeling hot tears spurred by terror spilling over her cheeks. Pennywise gazed down on her, his already impossible grin widening. Suddenly he turned away, forcing himself further into the small space. One of his gloved hands lifted off the floor, hovering like a claw over a whimpering Beverly.


    Light suddenly spilled into the garage and Alicia snapped out of her state of immobility, gazing around wildly. There was no trace of a clown there, nothing at all. The Loser''s Club were all huddled by the door, breathing heavily. Bev muttered a "thank you" to Ben before giving Bill a tight hug. Alicia forced her legs to carry her over to them, feeling like she just wanted to curl up and disappear.


    "It saw us! It knows us!" Eddie cried.


    "It already did." Bill spoke with surprising calm, letting go of Beverly and making his way over to his bike.


    "Wait, what are you doing?" Bev protested.


    "We have to go to Neibolt. We have to confront it," Bill said, turning back to face the group with a look of dead seriousness.


    Alicia suddenly found her tongue, her voice coming out in a hoarse shriek that she hardly recognized as her own, "Are you crazy? It''s going to kill us all! What do you think you''re going to do? Battle it to the death? You don''t stand a chance. This thing is not normal!"


    The group stood in silence, staring at her in obvious discomfort.


    "She''s right," Eddie spoke up hesitantly, "Besides, it''s summer..."


    "If you say it''s sssssummer one more time!" Bill snapped, sounding as though he were on the verge of tears.


    He spun on his heel and grabbed his bike roughly, mounting up and pedalling away at a furious pace.


    "No, you can''t!" Bev shouted in vain.


    Alicia hardly knew what possessed her, but she suddenly broke into a run, pushing past the others and racing after Bill, desperately calling his name. He couldn''t go to the Neibolt house by himself. He was clearly not in his right mind. No doubt, he was thinking about little Georgie. If he was still stubbornly clinging to the thought that Georgie was not dead, it would lead him to one conclusion: Pennywise had him. Bill had no idea what he was dealing with! Challenging Pennywise would be like spitting in the face of death; it would only succeed in ending him sooner.


    Alicia could feel her lungs starting to ache but she just pushed herself harder, her feet skimming across the pavement faster than she could have believed possible. It must have been the adrenaline still pumping through her veins that was carrying her forward.


    She reached the house, her chest heaving wildly. She spotted Bill''s bike immediately, looking up quickly at the eerie, run-down house. Bill stood there on the porch, his eyes fixed on the doorway.


    Alicia opened her mouth to call to him but was startled at the sound of Bev''s voice yelling, "Stop!"


    Bill whipped around just as she and the boys pulled up to the house on their bikes.


    "You can''t go in there!" she said authoritatively.


    Alicia caught her breath and took her first step onto the property. She had never gotten too close to the house before; in fact, she had hardly ever seen it except for a few odd times when she had passed by. The long yellow grass was dry and brittle and made a strange noise when she walked on it. She wondered when anyone had last invested time in that place.


    "Look," Bill said, his voice communicating his determination, "You don''t have to come in with me if you don''t want to. But what are you going to do when another Betty or Georgie or one of us goes missing? Are you just going to pretend it''s not happening just like everyone else in this town? Well, I can''t! I have to do something about it, because every time I walk into my house, all I can see is how Georgie isn''t there. So walking into this house, for me, is easier than walking into my own."


    There was an awed silence from the group, broken when Richie murmured, "Wow."


    "What?" Bev asked.


    "He didn''t stutter once," Richie answered.


    As Bill turned once again to enter the house, the group moved forward as if to follow.


    "Wait!" Stanley said, halting everyone in their tracks, "Shouldn''t someone stay out here and keep watch in case something bad happens?"


    Everyone looked at each other.


    "W-which of you wants to stay out here?" Bill asked.


    Hands shot up all around Alicia, all except Bev''s. Alicia felt a surge of dismay. They were going to have to settle this a different way.


    In the end, they drew straws to determine who would go in and who would keep watch. Richie, Eddie, and Bill were elected to go in while the rest stayed outside. Bev insisted that she wanted to go in but agreed to remain with the others. Alicia couldn''t help staring at the house as it loomed over them. The others were either distracting themselves, talking quietly amongst themselves, or else gazing up and down the road. A sudden gust of wind made the front door rock back and forth on its hinges. Alicia couldn''t see much of what was inside the house.


    She took a step toward it.


    Something seemed to be pulling her forward. Was it curiosity, fear for the safety of her friends, or something else? Nobody was paying any attention to her. She took another step. She blinked once, and could have sworn she saw something inside the house move. Was it the boys? Another stride brought her closer to the door. The porch was right at her feet, her eyes were staring fixedly ahead. She stepped onto the porch and put out her hand so that her fingertips grazed the wood of the door. She heard no voices calling her back; the lookout had failed to notice her. She took one long stride that brought her inside the house. She drew a deep breath, then immediately broke into a fit of coughing. The air was full of dust and the smell of decay. She looked around; it appeared to be an ordinary house enough. No doubt, someone had once lived there and cared for the place. She half wondered what it looked like back then; the thought of it made her sad.


    The sound of a door slamming somewhere in the house made her nearly jump out of her skin. She peered around.


    "Hello?" she called, "Guys, is that you?"


    She headed off into the direction that she had heard the noise, her arms wrapping around herself in an attempt to calm her.


    "It''s fine," she told herself, "I''m fine."


    She stepped into an empty room with unpainted walls and a wooden floor. It appeared relatively clean and in order except for a few holes in the drywall and some cords hanging down one wall. A white door faced Alicia, so she crossed the room and opened it, entering what looked like the kitchen. It was in a similar condition to the previous room, if a little more cluttered. A rusty refrigerator sat against the left wall and some cupboards opposite it. In the middle of the room was a splintered wooden table and on top of it...


    "Eddie?" Alicia said.


    Eddie looked up, his face contorted in pain. Then Alicia saw his right arm and the blood drained from her face. It was bent at an unnatural angle. She looked up and saw an enormous hole in the ceiling.


    "Don''t tell me you fell!" Alicia said in utter disbelief.


    Eddie simply whimpered in response and Alicia rushed to his side, helping him steady his arm.


    "It''s...it''s fine," she said, not entirely believing what she was saying, "We''ll get you out of here."


    A sudden tapping noise made them both look up. The refrigerator door stood slightly ajar, a gloved hand poking out from inside it. Suddenly the door swung open, and Alicia''s heart skipped a beat. Pennywise grinned at them, his head resting at the bottom of the fridge, his body twisted into some ungodly position like a contortionist''s. He chuckled, placing one of his hands against the floor and allowing the rest of himself to unfold from the small space. He gave himself a shake, his eyes coming to settle on Alicia.


    "Alicia," he addressed her. Suddenly his eyes snapped to Eddie, and he leaned forward. "Time to float," he said.


    He took a step forward, his massive shape towering over them. Eddie started wheezing, his feet wildly kicking in order to push him away from the oncoming threat.


    "Alicia!" he choked in alarm.


    Alicia''s hands fell away from Eddie, her heart hammering in her chest. Pennywise wasn''t focused on her; he wanted Eddie, and she knew it. She could leave, she could listen to her brain''s urgent command to run, and she would be safe for a little while longer. She got up slowly, edging back toward the exit.


    "Alic¡ª!" Eddie couldn''t even finish her name; he was struggling to breath.


    Pennywise pulled a face at him, mimicking his wheezing noises.


    "She''s not going to help you," he said suddenly, grinning again, "She''s going to stand there and watch you die." He stopped, turning his head to fix his eyes on Alicia and adding, "Just like she always does."


    Alicia could feel her breath quicken under his gaze. The door was right behind her; she was one step away from freedom.


    But she couldn''t do it. Thoughts of Georgie screaming for help were flooding through her mind. She couldn''t let it happen again. She couldn''t let another family fall apart because she was too much of a coward to do anything about it. She took a step forward, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. She took another step, almost tripping because she was shaking so badly. The smile vanished from Pennywise''s face as he watched her force herself in-between him and Eddie. Alicia met his gaze, feeling like she was going to faint right then and there.


    "You can''t have him," she said hoarsely.


    Pennywise considered her for a second, then suddenly leapt forward, bringing his face mere inches from Alicia''s. She winced visibly and he giggled.


    "Tell me, Alicia," he whispered, winding his fingers around her neck, "What are you afraid of?"


    Alicia could feel tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She kept her center of vision trained on the floor so she wouldn''t have to see those horrible eyes so close to her own.


    She took a shuddering breath before replying, "You already know."


    "But I want to hear you say it," Pennywise said, his breath wafting over her and nearly causing her to gag, "Go on. What are you afraid of?"


    Alicia''s tears were falling freely, her lips tightly closed. Admitting it would only give him further power over her. She had to stay silent.


    "Alicia..."


    Alicia tried to focus on the sound of Eddie''s raucous breathing but her concentration was slipping. Whimpering sounds were beginning to rise up her esophagus. She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting blood.


    "I want to scream," she thought, "I want to scream. I want to scream. I want to scream."


    She felt Pennywise''s face brush against her own and that scream threatened to break out.


    "You!" she blurted, half-choking on a sob, "I''m afraid of you!"


    "Yes, me," Pennywise hissed, "Only me. That''s why you''re special. I can feel that fear running through your veins. I can taste it."


    Alicia felt something warm and wet spread across her cheek. He was drooling all over her face. She gave an inward shudder of disgust. Pennywise''s fingers began to uncurl themselves from around her throat and she immediately drew in a deep breath of untainted air as he moved away. Something clicked in her brain then. Why was he moving away? He was going for Eddie again. He was ignoring her! She wasn''t a threat to him. None of the kids were; they were only annoyances at best. She''d known it all along; they didn''t stand a chance. The opportunity of running presented itself again and she considered taking it this time.


    "Alicia, help!" Eddie cried in alarm as Pennywise advanced on him, muttering "Tasty, tasty fear" under his foul breath.


    Alicia stayed where she was, struggling with herself. Eddie screamed, jolting her out of her thoughts. Suddenly Alicia heard the sound of pounding feet racing toward them. A door on her far right flung open, admitting Richie and Bill from a dark hallway. Pennywise whipped around to face them, his teeth transformed into vicious fangs.


    "Alicia, what the¡ª" Richie began, stopping dead when he saw the clown behind her.


    The two boys'' eyes widened with fear and Richie cursed loudly.


    "This isn''t real enough for you, Billy?" Pennywise demanded, almost sounding hurt, "I''m not real enough for you?" He chuckled cruelly, screwing up his face. "It was real enough for Georgie!"


    He leapt up, tearing across the room at them. As he moved past Alicia, her mind seemed to go blank, and as though acting of its own accord, her right hand shot out and grabbed the back of that stupid frilly collar and yanked back for all she was worth. It was in the same instant that she caught sight of the other Losers emerging through the same door she had come in by. Beverly jumped forward, something long and pointed in her hands. It coursed through the air, headed straight for an unsuspecting Pennywise. It missed him by a fraction of an inch, hitting the floor at the opposite end of the room with a clatter. Everyone seemed to freeze for a split second. Alicia stared at her hand, still clutching that frilly collar. The wheels in her head seemed to be turning impossibly fast as they tried to discern what had just happened. She had pulled Pennywise back just as Beverly had attacked him. She had inadvertently pulled him out of harm''s way.


    She had helped him.


    Pennywise turned his head slowly to face Beverly, a fierce glow in his yellow burning eyes. He was angry. Alicia slowly let go of his collar and stepped back to where Eddie was still cowering in terror. Richie and Bill seemed to be edging toward him as well. Beverly was looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Pennywise''s hand shot out and seized her by the throat, tossing her across the room like a rag doll. She screamed, hitting the wall and landing next to Eddie in an unconscious heap.


    "Beverly!" Bill shouted, darting across the room to her side with Richie in hot pursuit.


    Pennywise rounded on them, knocking Alicia to the floor with the sudden movement. She hurriedly crawled away, joining Bill and Richie by Bev''s unmoving form. Pennywise opened his mouth impossibly wide like a snake''s, sprouting several extra rows of ferocious teeth. Everyone in the room started to scream. Pennywise joined in the ruckus, shrieking with laughter. He took a menacing step forward, causing Richie and Bill to shrink back and causing Eddie to turn his face away. Suddenly his eyes met Alicia''s, holding her terrified gaze for a second. Then he began to back away slowly, his laughter gradually dying away. The kids continued screaming, right up until the moment that Pennywise backed into the darkened hallway and disappeared from view. Bill abruptly jumped to his feet.


    "We can''t let it escape!" he said bravely, taking off after It.


    "Bill!" Alicia wailed, but he was already gone.


    She offered a silent prayer for his safety. It was all she could do; her legs refused to budge. She''d had enough trauma that day to last her a lifetime.


    A sudden stirring from Bev caught her attention and she moved closer to her, giving her a gentle nudge to help arouse her. Bev lifted her head, a dazed expression on her face.


    "What happened?" she asked, placing one hand on her temple.


    "That clown just threw you across the room like a stack of papers!" Richie explained excitedly.


    A shriek from Eddie turned everyone''s heads. Richie moved over to him, gazing down at his twisted arm in shock. Bill re-entered the kitchen then, causing Alicia to utter a sigh of relief. Eddie was screaming at the top of his lungs now, forcing Richie to speak up in order to be heard.


    "Look, Eddie, I''m going to snap your arm back into place! Got it?"


    "Don''t touch me!" Eddie howled, "Don''t you dare touch me!"


    "Are you ready?" Richie demanded, his hands affixed on Eddie''s bad arm.


    "No!"


    A sickening crunch sounded in Alicia''s ears as the bone was forced back into its proper place. She clamped a hand over her mouth as she felt the sudden urge to hurl. Eddie was still screaming.


    "Come on, guys, help me!" Richie shouted, trying to usher Eddie to his feet.


    The other boys immediately jumped forward at the command but when Bev tried to stand, she nearly fell over. Alicia caught her and steadied her.


    "Maybe you should take it easy," she suggested.


    Bev nodded dumbly.


    "We have to get Eddie home," Bill said.


    Richie nodded in agreement and the group hoisted Eddie off the floor and out of that wretched house.


    "Alicia!" Bill said urgently, "T-t-take mine and Richie''s b-bikes."


    Alicia did as she was told. Richie and Bill placed Eddie on the seat of his bike and stood on either side to support him. Both boys placed a hand on the handlebars and started to propel Eddie forward. The others mounted up and pedalled slowly alongside them while Alicia pushed Bill''s and Richie''s bikes down the street in their wake. After a while, Bill and Richie began to tire and Mike and Stan had to take their places. They made it to Eddie''s home eventually, but they did not receive a warm welcome. When Mrs. Kaspbrak answered their knocking, her eyes widened like saucers when she saw her son.


    "Eddie!" she wailed, desperately taking her son into her arms. She turned on the others with an expression as fierce as a lion''s. "What did you do to him?" she shouted.


    "Mrs. K, we were attacked!" Richie defended.


    "Save it!" she hissed back, rushing Eddie into the house and returning shortly with her car keys in hand.


    "Mrs. K, we w-would never do this to Eddie!" Bill insisted, following her to the vehicle where she was helping Eddie into the passenger seat.


    "No!" she yelled, rounding on him, "You''re all monsters! And Eddie will have nothing to do with you from now on."


    She closed the passenger door and transferred her keys to her other hand, dropping them on the paved road in the process.


    "I''ll get it," Bev volunteered.


    "Get back!" Mrs. Kaspbrak snarled, snatching up the keys herself and getting up in Beverly''s face.


    "Oh, I''ve heard of you, Miss Marsh," she said coolly, "I don''t want a dirty girl like you touching my son."


    With that, she got into her car and sped off with a very uncomfortable-looking Eddie riding next to her. There was a short silence.


    "That''s it," Richie spat, storming off to his bike.


    "Wait, R-R-Richie!" Bill called, "This isn''t over! I saw where the clown went: down the well. We know where to find it. I pr-promise, next time w-we''ll be more prepared¡ª"


    "No!" Stan shouted, startling everyone, "No next time, Bill! You''re insane!"


    "He''s right," Richie said, turning back from his bike, "Eddie almost died! And you intend for the rest of us to be killed."


    "It''ll come back for us either way," Bev stepped in, "We have to fight it. We have to stick together. Right, Ben?"


    Ben hesitated, "I...I agree with Richie and Stan. We can''t do this anymore. I don''t want to die. I want to grow up. As soon as I get the chance, I''ll move far away from here."


    "I want to run toward something, not away!" Bev protested, "Wouldn''t you want the same?"


    "We need to start being realistic," Richie said, "Georgie is dead, Bill. I refuse to end up like him."


    Fury leapt into Bill''s eyes. He stepped forward, digging an accusing finger into Richie''s chest.


    "T-t-take it back!" he said fiercely, "You''re scared and we all are, b-but take it back!"


    He gave Richie a shove to emphasize his words, but Richie shoved right back. Bill stepped it up a notch and punched him in the nose. Richie fell back and was caught by Stan and Mike but he was soon upright again and ready to fight. He and Bill had to be pulled apart by the other boys while Bev yelled at them to stop it and Alicia watched anxiously.


    "You''re all a bunch of losers and you''re going to get yourselves killed!" Richie shouted, mounting his bike and pedalling away furiously, closely followed by Stan and Ben.


    Mike lingered a second longer before making for his bike as well.


    "You too, Mike?" Bev asked in disbelief.


    "Look, guys, I''m an outsider. It has to stay that way," was the only answer Mike offered.


    Bev and Bill turned to Alicia with questioning looks.


    "Are-are you going to leave too?" Bill asked.


    Alicia couldn''t help feeling a pang of sympathy for him at the look of dismay in his eyes. But she was inclined to agree with the others. Bill had a death wish, and Bev''s loyalty was going to land her the same fate as him.


    "I warned you, Bill," she said quietly, "We don''t stand a chance. I''m not going to go chasing after the thing that wants me dead. I wish we could still be friends, Bill. But you can''t ask this of me...or anyone else."


    She turned to Bev, but Bev remained silent. With nothing left to be said, Alicia walked away.

 Chapter 6

    Alicia sat cross-legged on her bed, busily sketching the outlines for her next drawing. The Loser''s Club had not called on her for over a week now, so she had dedicated her free time to her drawing again. Unfortunately, her material remained unchanged. After she had run out of space on her walls, she had begun pasting her drawings overtop of one another. It didn''t really make a difference to her since they were all the same.


    Alicia heard the front door slam shut, accompanied by her mother''s voice calling her name. She closed her sketchbook and placed it next to her on the bed before getting up and answering the summons. Her mother seemed strangely different. Her hair no longer hung in tangles, and her clothes were almost elegant compared to what she usually wore. She had her purse slung over her shoulder and a smile on her face. Alicia couldn''t help feeling a little excited; she hadn''t seen that smile in a long time.


    "I''ve got important news, honey," her mother said, "I didn''t tell you this before because I didn''t want to get your hopes up, but a couple days ago, I made a resume and started hunting around for any job openings in town. I managed to set up an interview today, and I got accepted on the spot! Honey, I have a full-time job! I quit my part-time job so I won''t be around as much anymore, but I promise I''m going to get my life together. Are you happy for me?"


    Alicia beamed at her, "Of course I''m happy for you!" She threw her arms around her mother''s neck and gave her a fierce hug. "You know I don''t mind being home alone," she added when they broke apart, "I can handle myself."


    "Honey, I''m so glad!" her mother said, "I''m afraid I have to go out again to run a few errands but I''ll be back soon, and then we can celebrate!"


    "Alright, I''ll be in my room when you get back," Alicia said.


    Her mother opened the door to leave but then seemed to change her mind.


    "Oh, I nearly forgot," she said, "I promised myself I would go through the house and throw out all the cigarettes I have. I''ve decided to quit smoking!" she explained excitedly, making her way to the kitchen.


    Alicia smiled as she watched her mother disappear down the hallway. Then she returned to her room. She figured she would be able to finish her drawing before the celebration.


    She stopped dead in the door of her bedroom. Her sketchbook was lying open on the bed, stopped at an already finished drawing. Alicia could have sworn she had closed it before leaving her room. She moved over to the bed and climbed back on, picking up the sketchbook and examining it as if expecting to find the answer to this anomaly hidden in its pages. After a moment, she realized the fruitlessness of her search and shrugged it off. She turned to find her pencil case but it was nowhere in sight.


    A sudden clattering noise under the bed made her freeze. She stayed where she was for a second, then forced herself to peer over the edge. Her pencils were scattered across the floor. She gave herself a shake.


    "It''s nothing," she murmured, "I knocked them off the bed."


    She knew perfectly well that she hadn''t, but it was all she could tell herself to keep her heart from beating right out of her chest. She reached down and started picking up the pencils one by one, placing them on the bed beside her. When she finished, she picked up her sketchbook, keeping her gaze on the floor. Maybe it had been nothing after all.


    Then one stray pencil rolled out from beneath the bed. Alicia stared at it. The door was wide open behind her. All she had to do was get up and run through it, and she wouldn''t have to spend another second feeling like she was being watched. She was about to get up and do it when she saw two gloved hands clamp themselves on the edge of the bed. A grinning face followed immediately after, causing Alicia to shriek in terror and fling her sketchbook at it in defense. It hit him square in the face and Pennywise ducked back under the bed for a second. Alicia could hear him chuckling even over the sound of her own ragged breathing.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Suddenly there was silence. Alicia cast a quick glance at her sketchbook lying open on the floor. She felt the sudden urge to grab it but she stayed where she was, her hands clutching the sheets tightly.


    As soon as she heard the laughing for the second time, she vaulted off the bed and made a break for the door. But she didn''t get very far. She''d barely made it off the bed when she was grabbed from behind and pulled back. Pennywise was practically shouting with laughter as he pinned her against himself, pressing his cheek against hers and clamping a hand over her forehead so she couldn''t move away. Alicia stopped struggling instantly when she realized there was no use.


    "Alicia?"


    Her heart leapt when she heard her mother''s voice. Her scream had been heard. If only her mother would hurry up...


    "Alicia, what on earth was that sound you made a moment ago?" her mother said, appearing in the door.


    "Mom, I¡ª"


    Alicia''s words died away on her tongue. Her mother was looking right at her like there was nothing wrong. She couldn''t see the thing entrapping her daughter. She may as well have been blind.


    Pennywise giggled in her ear, "She can''t see me if I don''t want her to, Alicia."


    "Mom," Alicia said shakily," Please, will you pick up my sketchbook and give it to me?"


    "Honey, I have to leave. I told you that. Why can''t you get it yourself?"


    "I-I..."


    "Alicia, is there something wrong?" her mother asked, looking suddenly worried.


    "Is there something wrong, Alicia?" Pennywise mimicked softly.


    Alicia took a deep, shuddering breath.


    "Nothing," she replied with amazing steadiness, "Nothing."


    Her mother looked unconvinced, "Well, if you say so. I''ll be back as soon as I can, alright?"


    With that, she left. Alicia listened with dismay as the front door slammed shut, signalling the moment of her inevitable death. For a long moment, there was silence. Alicia was painfully aware of how close she was to Pennywise.


    "I loooooove this room," he said, "I should visit more often. I''ve never had a fan before."


    "I''m not your fan," Alicia protested weakly.


    "Really? Your walls say otherwise. You know, the sewers are so dreary. I could use something like this to brighten it up."


    "If you''re going to kill me, just do it!" Alicia hissed.


    There was a pause. Pennywise''s grip tightened over her forehead.


    "You just love the fear, don''t you?" he asked suddenly, "The thrill of it makes you feel alive. Nothing else quite captures your attention. Not day to day life, not your so-called friends." He drew out the word "friends" with something like disgust in his tone. "Nothing ever happened to you; your life was so ordinary that it appalled you. That''s why the artist in you obsesses over me; it''s your way of embracing the fear. You let it live and breed in you. It''ll never stop. Never, never, never, never!" His voice rose in pitch each time he uttered the last word, ending in a shrill laugh.


    "You''re wrong; I''m not like that," Alicia whimpered, tears streaking her face.


    "I don''t think you know yourself well enough to say that."


    "Shut up..."


    "You know, those losers aren''t your friends. They don''t care about you. You should just forget about them. I''m the only friend you need, Alicia."


    "Shut up."


    "I can help you be who you were meant to be. That''s what friends are for, right?"


    "Shut up!"


    Alicia wrenched one of her arms free and snatched up one of the pencils on the bed, driving it into Pennywise''s throat. Pennywise released her, uttering strange gurgling noises. Alicia took her chance and gunned out of the room and for the front door. She flung it open and raced out onto the street, narrowly avoiding being hit by an oncoming car. She stopped on the opposite side of the street and looked back at the house. The door hung open; she could see down the hallway. The house looked perfectly harmless, and for a second she almost felt foolish. But she didn''t want to go back into the house, or anywhere near it. So she stayed where she was up until her mother got back. She was chided for leaving the door open and when asked what she had been doing, Alicia simply responded that she had overreacted at seeing a spider in the house. Her mother simply rolled her eyes and coaxed her back into the house.


    "Really, Alicia, you expect me to believe that a little spider scared you that badly?" she said, "Come on then, I''ll take a look at your room. You know, you''ve probably invited half a dozen more of those critters into the house with the door hanging wide open."


    Alicia followed her mother apprehensively down the hall, stopping before her room came into view and watching as her mother disappeared inside it. It was quiet for a moment, adding to Alicia''s unease.


    "I don''t see any spiders in here," her mother called, "Found your sketchbook though. Are you going to come in?"


    Alicia advanced slowly toward the room, stopping in the doorway and feeling her heart drop like a stone. There was not a single drawing in sight. Her walls and ceiling were bare. She didn''t know why, but it made her feel strangely vulnerable.


    "Oh, honey, you probably shouldn''t put your pencils on the bed. I don''t want them marking the sheets. And by the way, were your walls always this clean?"

 Chapter 7

    Alicia watched her feet pacing below her. Right, left, right, left, right, left; one foot in front of the other, carrying her step by step closer to her destination as the pavement disappeared behind her. In her right hand, she clutched her sketchbook tightly. It held the only pictures she had left, and they were going to serve a purpose that day other than just covering up the space on her walls.


    She''d slept on the couch last night due to the fact that she couldn''t sleep in her own room for a reason she couldn''t understand. It just didn''t feel like her bedroom anymore; the empty walls almost scared her when she looked at them.


    Alicia looked up to see the Neibolt house nearing her. She swallowed the stubborn lump in her throat before passing through the overgrown gate and stopping on the front porch. She thought of the moment when Bill had stood in that very spot, ready to go tearing through the house on his own if he had to. She had called him crazy, and yet here she was, ready to do the exact same thing. For what? She hardly knew. It reminded her of when she had wandered into the Neibolt house of her own accord. She had been convinced the house was calling to her, and she had answered that call. She had answered it, despite her fear and better judgement. People said that the definition of insanity was repeating the same actions over and over and expecting a different result each time. Did that make Alicia insane, or just incredibly stupid?


    She stepped into the house and looked around. Of course, nothing had changed since her last visit. She made her way into the basement where the entrance to the well stood, dust-choked and broken down. She moved over to the edge of it and peered down. The darkness yawned up at her, sending chills up her spine. She gave herself a shake, pondering how she would get down there. She unsnapped the little flashlight she had attached to her belt. It was small but it had a powerful beam and would suffice. She shone it around the room, catching sight of a thick rope lying in a heap on the floor. She picked it up, fastening it to one of the support beams in the room and tying the end around herself and her sketchbook. She put the flashlight in her mouth before lowering herself down into the seemingly endless abyss. She found an opening to the sewer in the side of the well and climbed into it, taking her sketchbook back in hand and withdrawing a small roll of tape from the back pocket in her pants. Opening her sketchbook, she ripped out one of her drawings and taped it onto the side of the tunnel. It was to be her first marker, her way of finding her way back out of that hellhole. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, forging her way through the eerie space, placing markers as she went. She turned down tunnel after tunnel, becoming increasingly aware of her solitude. She pushed on even as doubts started spilling into her mind, warning her to turn back before it was too late. She asked herself again why she was there. It couldn''t possibly be to find some silly old drawings. Was it to prove something to herself, or to someone else?


    She shivered as a draft hit her. She stopped dead as a thought hit her. How could there be a draft down in the sewers? It had to have come from somewhere. She started hurrying in the direction it had come, feeling suddenly excited. Was there another exit nearby? She halted only a couple times to place markers. Eventually, she reached a thick metal door barring her path. She went to open it when she realized it was already standing open a few inches. As she peered through the opening she felt a breeze hit her face. That''s where the draft had come from. She pushed the heavy door open further and stepped into a massive cistern with an open grate at the top showing a pale light. By that light, she could see what looked like a tower reaching almost up to the grate. Around it there were things floating. Alicia couldn''t see what they were so she moved closer. They looked like...they looked like...


    Alicia paled, clamping a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. They were bodies, some with their limbs torn off, all just hovering over the tower. Only, the tower turned out to be a pile of junk: wagons, tricycles, tattered pieces of clothes, toys, and countless other things which no doubt once belonged to the unfortunate victims of Pennywise. And even worse, plastered across the walls surrounding Alicia were her drawings. She took a couple deep breaths to steady herself after the shock, then raced over and started pulling pictures off the walls, becoming more and more frantic as she worked. She knew she wouldn''t be able to get them all, but she would get as many as she could.


    A sudden resounding clang made Alicia whip around with a gasp. Her eyes swept the area but she could find nothing. She turned back to her pictures, tearing them off the wall with mounting vigor.


    "You can''t have my drawings. You can''t have my drawings. You can''t have my drawings," she muttered under her breath, feeling a knot form in her stomach.


    As she reiterated the words, she began to understand the underlying logic that had "called" her to that place. She knew full well it was idiotic to risk her life for her drawings, but her heart told her that they were too much a part of her for her to leave them behind. For her, it was almost as bad as being trapped down there herself.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Alicia!"


    Alicia turned, her arms full of sheets of paper with no hope of defending herself. She saw Pennywise immediately; he was crouching at the foot of the tower of junk like an animal ready to spring. He was grinning at her, his eyes gleaming yellow in the semidarkness.


    "You finally came to visit me!" he simpered.


    Alicia let everything fall; her flashlight, her sketchbook, and her drawings all scattered across the floor. She bolted, hardly knowing where she was going. Pennywise was up in a flash, tripping her up from behind. Alicia hit the hard floor, trying to worm away from the clown. He grabbed her legs and flipped her over, laughing hysterically at her. He opened his mouth wide, his fangs glinting cruelly. His head snapped downward and Alicia felt his teeth rip through the skin of her lower right leg. She did the only thing she could do: she inflated her lungs and screamed for all she was worth. She screamed until she thought she''d deafen herself. She screamed until her lungs burned. She screamed until she thought she''d faint. Black circles were beginning to appear at the edge of her vision by the time she stopped. Pennywise suddenly let go of her, and she was up on her feet in a second. She reached the far wall of the cistern, looking for an escape. She couldn''t remember where she''d come in anymore; the adrenaline running through her was fogging up her brain. She senselessly began pounding against the walls, still screaming uncontrollably, blood streaming down her injured leg. A hand gripped her shoulder, making her lash out wildly. An arm wound itself around her, securing her arms to her side and pulling her back.


    "No! No! No!" Alicia shrieked.


    No one was there to hear her. No one was there to help. She was going to die; she knew it. She closed her eyes, breaking out into sobs. She heard a quiet shushing noise in her ear.


    "Alicia..."


    Alicia wished he would just shut up and end it, rip out her throat like Patrick''s and kill her before she knew a thing about it.


    "Now we''re even."


    Alicia fell silent, her eyes flying open. Even? They were even? Her mind flashed back to that moment in her bedroom when she had stabbed Pennywise in the throat. She had hurt him, now he had hurt her. So they were even. But, did that mean...


    "Alicia, how could you think for one second that I would want to kill you? I told you before, didn''t I? We''re friends."


    "Then what do you want with me?" Alicia whimpered, "Why have you been scaring me out of my wits? I thought you needed to eat children to survive."


    "I want us to be allies," Pennywise said, "I shouldn''t need to remind you what you''ve already done for me. All I ask is that you make it more of a routine. You give me victims; I''ll take care of the rest."


    "That''s sick and disgusting! I would never be the cause of another kid''s death!"


    "Never?" Pennywise giggled, "But you already have."


    "And if I refuse to be your ally? What then?" Alicia asked warily.


    "You''re expecting me to say I''ll kill you. I won''t."


    "Why?!"


    "Because I know you''ll change your mind, one way or another."


    Alicia felt Pennywise''s grip open up, allowing her to break away from him. She paused, gazing back at him as if suspecting some sort of trickery.


    He simply smiled down at her, "I''ll look forward to your next visit."


    Alicia edged around him, breaking into a run and snatching up her little flashlight as she passed it. She found the door through which she''d come, stopping for one last look over her shoulder. The clown was standing there, staring at her. He made no move toward her. Alicia stepped back into the sewer tunnels, closing the door tightly shut behind her and backing away from it, half-expecting something to come tearing through it after her. When she was firmly convinced nothing was chasing her, she sprinted off down the tunnels, following her trail of drawings back to the well. A thousand questions were ramming against the inside of her skull. Could she trust what Pennywise had said? Had she really been safe all along? Or was he toying with her? Was he saving her for last like some kind of dessert? Did he have some sort of plan for her? Did he really want or need an ally?


    Was he right about her?


    She emerged from the well, pulling up the rope and casting it aside on the floor. She had come to that horrid place to rescue years of work from rotting in the sewer, but instead she had only lost more, and now her sketchbook was lying down there and she was injured. She looked down at her leg, rolling up her pants so she could see the wound. She inhaled sharply at the sight of it. Her leg was thoroughly covered in blood; she needed to get out of there as fast as possible and treat it.


    She limped home as fast as she could, trying to avoid being seen as much as she could. She figured it wouldn''t go too well if some stranger saw a kid walking around with their leg looking like it just got torn up by animal. She didn''t want to deal with any questions or delays. She thanked heaven that her mother was at work; she would''ve been hysterical if she''d seen Alicia''s state.


    Alicia stumbled into her house, racing to the bathroom and running cold water from the tub over her wound. She watched the tainted red water run down the drain in what seemed like an endless flood. She broke out the first aid kit in the house and bandaged up her leg as best she could. She knew she would have to go to the hospital sooner or later, and she figured it would be easier to do it sooner. She had no money but she knew the doctors would doubtless find a way to contact her mother and get her over there. The easiest explanation for the wound would be an animal attack.


    Alicia moved slowly down the hall past her bedroom. The door was standing open, and as she passed she saw a bright projection of color out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to look at it directly. There, scrawled across her wall in bright red letters were the words "Thanks for the pictures."

 Chapter 8

    Alicia taped another picture over the ugly red words. It was a copy of one of her previous drawings which she had lost in the sewer, depicting Georgie Denbrough''s yellow raincoat with his name printed inside the collar lying on a wet street next to a storm drain. She had devoted the past few days entirely to her art in an effort to refill the bare space on her walls and cover up the note Pennywise had left her. She had succeeded in the latter, but the former would be much harder. She of course had purchased a new sketchbook, though she still missed her old one at times. Her injury was hardly noticeable anymore. The doctor had told her that the wound had been fairly shallow and thus had not posed much of a threat. He cleaned it up and bandaged it and gave her a prescription and that had been the end of it. Obviously, Alicia''s mother had been upset but after Alicia had promised her that she''d be spending the majority of the remaining summer indoors, she had calmed down and left the subject alone.


    It was her mother''s day off that day and she was in the kitchen preparing lunch when the doorbell rang. Alicia heard her mother yell "I''ll get it!" and rush off to answer the summons. Alicia wasn''t too bothered; she was thoroughly invested in her drawing at that point. After a couple minutes, she heard a soft knock on the door.


    "Yeah!" she answered absent-mindedly, and the door swung open.


    Alicia assumed it was her mother and continued her sketching. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of feet move over to her hung drawings. Strangely enough, they did not look like her mother''s feet. Dragging her eyes away from her work, she looked up. As soon as she saw who it was, she jumped to her feet in a panic, letting her sketchbook hit the floor with a dull thud. Bill Denbrough stood with his back to her, staring stiffly at the picture of his little brother''s raincoat. He rounded on Alicia suddenly, a look of betrayal in his deep blue eyes.


    "H-how did you know what Georgie was wearing the day he died?" he demanded, jabbing an angry finger at the drawing.


    "Please, it''s not what you think!"


    "How did you know?" Bill repeated harshly.


    "I-I..." Alicia felt as if the walls were caving in on her. She had never intended for things to go like this. She felt like a cornered rat. She had to tell the truth. She swallowed hard, feeling as if she was going to cry. "I was there. I saw Georgie get pulled into the drain."


    Bill looked down at the floor.


    "You ssssaw him..." he echoed. He gaze snapped back to Alicia, feeling red-hot. "You saw him get p-pulled into the sewer. That means...that means you could have helped him!" he accused, his voice rising to a shout.


    "No, Bill! I couldn''t! I was terrified out of my mind!" Alicia said pleadingly, "You have no idea!"


    "I''ve f-f-faced It too!" Bill snapped, "I know what it''s like. All this time¡ªI could have had my l-little brother with me; I could have had a whole family. But now I can''t, because you were t-too much of a coward to help Georgie!" Bill stepped forward, dealing Alicia''s sketchbook a vicious kick and staring her straight in the eye as tears coursed down her cheeks. "All this time," Bill said, sounding on the verge of tears himself, "I thought it was m-my fault my little brother was dead. But it was yours!"


    He turned abruptly and strode out of the room. Alicia''s mother was standing in the doorway; she looked surprised as Bill brushed past her. She turned to her daughter.


    "What''s going on?" she demanded.


    "Nothing," Alicia said, ducking her head and rushing past her mother so she wouldn''t see the tears on her face. "Bill, wait! Where are you going?"


    Bill flung open the front door, not bothering to look at Alicia as he replied, "I''m going to the well house. It got Beverly."


    "Beverly?" Alicia queried but Bill was already gone. Alicia raced out onto the porch, leaning over the rail and shouting at Bill as he mounted his bicycle, "You can''t go there alone!"


    "I won''t!" Bill snarled, "I''m going with my friends. After all, that''s what friends are for; they help each other. B-but most importantly, they can trust each other."


    Alicia opened her mouth to protest but Bill was already pedalling away at a furious rate. Alicia dove back into the house and pulled on her shoes. Her mother came down the hall and spotted her.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "What are you doing?" she asked in confusion.


    "Mom, I need a flashlight!"


    "What for? Lunch is almost ready¡ª"


    "Forget about lunch! This is urgent!"


    Alicia finished pulling on her shoes and raced into the kitchen to find a flashlight.


    "Honey, are you okay? What''s this about?"


    Alicia made an exasperated noise as she dug a flashlight out of one of the kitchen drawers, "I don''t have time to explain, Mom!"


    She raced back down the hall and jumped out the front door, her mother in hot pursuit.


    "Wait!" her mother cried, "Where are you going?"


    Alicia bounded down the street, yelling a "sorry" over her shoulder. She hurried down to the Kaspbrak residence first and knocked on the door. A sobbing Mrs. K answered.


    "Mrs. K, is Eddie here?" Alicia asked quickly.


    "No!" Mrs. K wailed hysterically, "He left to join your stupid gang! I told him not to go!"


    She broke down into a fit of sobs.


    "Oh no..." Alicia muttered, her thoughts racing.


    Her only choice was to move on to the next house as quickly as she could. She soon developed a stitch in her side, which only served to slow her down a little. She was becoming increasingly panicked as time passed. Her heart was thudding in her chest from overexertion. She tried Ben''s house next, and when nobody answered, she raced off to the arcade in hopes of finding Richie. She had no such luck, and after concluding that she was already much too late, she made the decision to go to Bev''s flat. Maybe Bill had been wrong, maybe Bev hadn''t been captured after all and she could tell him herself that she was alright. Was it possible this whole thing could have been a misunderstanding?


    She arrived to find the door unlocked. She took a cautious peek inside, and when no one was to be seen, she entered. She started down the hall slowly, a feeling of unease in the pit of her stomach. She peered into the sitting room but there was no sign of life there either. She looked up to see the doorway to Bev''s bathroom cracked open. She put her hand on the doorknob and pushed it open.


    She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. A man was lying dead on the bathroom, blood pooled around his head. Etched on the walls in dark red lettering were the words "You die if you try."


    So it hadn''t been just a misunderstanding. Bev was really in danger.


    Alicia raced down to the house on Neibolt as quick as her aching legs could carry her. Her wound had started to throb by the time she got there and she hoped that it would be able to hold out for what she needed to do. She barged into the old house and found that the rope she had previously used to get into the well had been hung over the center of it by a metal hook in the ceiling. Alicia figured the Losers must have put it there, which meant she could be well behind them. She prayed that they would be alright. She lowered herself down and found that her trail of drawings were still there. She whipped out her flashlight and followed them back to the cistern. The door was standing open, and Alicia could hear shouts coming from beyond it. She followed the sounds until she saw the Loser''s Club all standing in a group armed with an odd assortment of weapons and staring fixedly at one thing. Alicia crept up to them unnoticed, wondering if Pennywise had not yet appeared, or if they had succeeded in driving him off as Bill had hoped. As she reached the edge of their circle, she saw what it was they were looking at. Beverly was standing over a crouching Pennywise, holding a rod down his throat. She let go of it and stepped back. Pennywise abruptly spit out the rod, causing the Losers to all break out into a string of alarmed curses. But instead of attacking, the clown started to back away toward a large basin-like opening in the cistern floor. Alicia was shocked; he was actually whimpering, his face screwed up in a fashion that made him look as if he were about to cry. Bill took a step toward him.


    "That''s why you didn''t kill Beverly," he said suddenly, "Because she wasn''t afraid. And neither are we. No...you''re the one who''s afraid now, because you''re going to starve."


    Bill picked up the rod Beverly had dropped and came at Pennywise in a threatening manner. Alicia crept a little closer; the other Losers could see her now but they said nothing. Pennywise backed up a little further, suddenly giggling.


    "Not afraid, eh, Billy?" he chuckled, his eyes finding Alicia, "Well, I know one of you still is."


    Billy turned to look at Alicia just as she reached his side. He looked confused but all he did was tighten his grip on the rod and face Pennywise again. The clown, still chuckling, flipped himself over the edge of the basin, hanging onto the sides tightly.


    Alicia could hear him muttering something as she and Bill took a step closer, "He thrusts his f-f-fists against the p-p-p-p-p¡ª"


    Bill raised the rod to strike and Pennywise let his fingers slip a little. His blue eyes met Alicia''s, an almost pleading look in them. The look abruptly changed, however, and one of his hands shot out to grab her ankle. Alicia shrieked and Bill reacted quickly, bringing the rod down on Pennywise''s hand. At the same moment, the other Losers rushed forward. But as Richie rushed to help along with the rest of them, he tripped up over his own feet and bumped into Bill, knocking him off balance. Bill''s arms flew outward in an attempt to steady himself, the rod in his hand waving wildly through the air. The rod struck Alicia with a stunning blow, and for a split second time seemed to stop. She stood there, teetering on the edge of that black abyss with Pennywise grinning up at her. She felt herself start to fall; she heard some of the Losers shout. Pennywise let go of the edge just as she tumbled forward, reaching out his arms and grabbing her in his hold. The last thing Alicia heard was Beverly screaming her name.


    Then everything went black.