▌Chapter 14 ─ We Stay, We Die ▌

      ━━━━━ HOLLY WALKED NEXT to Bill, with Prudence right by her. Eddie was in the front with Beverly next to him. Richie was next to Bill but behind Beverly, and Ben, Mike, and Violet were walking with them.

"That's what Pennywise does, right? He fucks with us. So, Stanley's probably fine." Eddie said.

"Hey, Mike. Do you have Stand's number?" Beverly asked him, pulling out her phone.

"Yeah." Mike answered.

"Hey, Richie." A voice called out, causing them to stop in their tracks. They all turned around to see a little boy walk up to Richie.

"How'd you... How'd you know my name?" Richie asked him.

"The fun's just beginning. Right?" The kid proceeded to place a smile on his face as he looked at Richie.

"What he said, is it..." Eddie went to say.

"Listen. You think this is funny? All right? Think this is some sort of game, huh?" Richie moved close to him and grabbed his arm, pointing at him. "Well, fuck you, all right?"

"Rich, be careful, dude." Bill told his friend.

"Fuck you! I'm not afraid of you!"

"'The fun's just beginning.' The line from your act, dude. I'm a fan." He informed Richie.

"Are those your parents?" Richie asked him, pointing to them.

He turned back to look at them then looked back at Richie. "Yeah."

"You want a picture?" Richie went on to ask.

"You okay, Dean? Come on." His father called out.

"I think I'm good." He walked back to his parents and the two adults looked at Richie.

"Okay, cool. He's a good kid."

Richie turned away looking at the others. "Jesus, Richie. You don't remember a line from your own show?" Ben asked him as Bill and Holly started to walk towards the front doors.

"I don't write my own material." Richie remarked.

"I fucking knew it! I fucking knew it!" Eddie said in excitement.

They all made it outside and Beverly had called Stanley's wife, Holly had periodically looked over at Prudence because she had remembered what Stanley had meant to her. There were hidden feelings between the two of them but they never got the chance to tell each other because they were both scared to but Holly could see it between them.

"Hello, Mrs. Uris. My name's Beverly Marsh. I apologize for calling, but I'm an old friend of your husband's." Beverly told her.

"You lied to us." Eddie said, walking up to Mike and Violet. "That's not okay."

"Yeah, first words out of your mouth should have been like, 'Hey, man. You want to come to Derry and get murdered?' Cause then I would have said no." Richie told them.

"Guys." Ben called out, looking at the two men.

Holly moved closer listening to the call. "Oh..." You could hear her crying on the other end. "He passed." Holly looked to Prudence seeing the tears threatening to fall down her face, even though Holly was concerned for her friend she was still listening to Beverly and the conversation.

"When did it happen?" She asked.

"Yesterday. It was horrible, the way he died. His wrists."

"In the bathtub." Beverly breathed out.

"In the bathtub." Patty Uris said, soon after. Holly and Ben looked at Beverly upon hearing her say the words first. How did she know that? "I'm sorry. I have to go."

"We're all very sorry, Patty."

"Thank you." With those words she ended the call.

Holly then walked over to Prudence and pulled her into a hug as she let the tears fall down her face. Beverly proceeded to pull out a lighter and a cigarette.

"Stanley. Pennywise knew. He knew before we did." Eddie said.

"We have to stop him. Vi and I have a plan." Mike said, looking at his friends.

"I got a plan. Getting the fuck out of Dodge before this ends worse than one of Bill's books. Who's with me?" Richie said, raising his hand. Eddie followed in suit and so did Prudence and Holly. She just wanted to get home to her daughter and father.

"We made a promise to each other." Violet said, looking at them.

"Let's un-make the promise." Richie told her.

"Richie, other people are gonna die." Ben told him.

"Other people die every day, man! We don't owe this town shit! Plus, I just remembered I grew up here, like, two hours ago. So, I'm fucking leaving. Fuck this." Richie said, walking away.

"I'm sorry, man, I'm with Richie." Eddie said, soon after.

"Eds, please." Mike called out to them as he followed them.

"Listen. What? We stay, we die, that's it? I'm gonna go back to the inn, I'm gonna pack up my shit, and I'm gonna drive to my home. I'm sorry, man. Good luck." Eddie turned away and Mike followed after him.

"I'm gonna head back to the car." Prudence said, looking at Holly.

"Okay, I'll be there shortly." Holly replied. Prudence nodded her head and walked away, Holly then turned around and walked over to Beverly sitting down on the curb next to her and wrapping her arm around her. Just as Ben walked up to them and kneeled down to look at Beverly.

"You okay?" Ben asked her.

Beverly stood up, "I'm gonna head back to the Town House, too. Are you coming?" Beverly asked the two.

"Yeah." They answered in unison.

Holly stood up and waved goodbye to Violet and Mike, then she walked to the car getting in it and turning it on. Soon she pulled out of the parking lot heading to the Town House.