CHAPTER TEN.
the one at niebolt
triggers: blood, gore, broken bones, fighting
a/n:
ash: hey this is my gf bev
ash also: and this is her bf ben.

ASHLEY HAD ENDED up staying outside to watch guard with Ben, Bev, Stanley and Mike, and praise God for that. The last thing she wanted to do was go inside that rickety old house.

The silence itself was deafening- the five kids stood outside the house. Bev stood in the middle of Ben and Ash, while Stan and Mike were behind them.

The boys wouldn't take long- would they? No. They'd go in, check it out, and leave. It'll be fine.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Stanley and Mike, a frown staining her pale lips. She was pretty sure Stan had said something to Mike, but it was quiet and Ash couldn't really make it out.

Though she did hear the words "can't" and "house".

Ash let out a sigh, and the feeling of a hand in her own distracted her. She glanced next to her, and sure enough, Beverly Marsh had slipped her own hand into Ashley's. A broken copy of a smile fell on Ashley's lips,

She looked back at the house, and the silence was back again.

After what felt like years, but was most likely fifteen minutes with no one leaving the house, Ash spoke up, "You think they're okay?" She questioned, and she could see Beverly shrug.

"I'd hope so." Mike commented. No one spoke after that, before the sound of someone screaming was heard- holy shit, holy shit-

"What was that?" Stan questioned frantically, and before she knew it, Beverly had slipped her hand out Ashley's, and was running towards the door.

"Bev! Bev, wait up!" She called, before running in after her. She listened for Beverly, or Eddie, Richie, Bill- anyone. The house was like a maze, the screams being her only clue as  to where anyone else was, and Ashley hates mazes.

Panic rised in her as she looked for Beverly, and a flash of red hair running down a hallway caught her attention. She ran after that, the boys following after her.

She arrived a room where Eddie was backed up into the wall, It was in front of him, and Bill and Richie were watching with fear.

She also arrived just in time to watch Beverly stab It right in the eye with a pole, Stan, Ben, and Mike stumbling in after.

"Holy fuck!" Ashley whispered to herself. Blood, instead of falling down, seemed to be floating up. Slowly but surely, and Ash was postive she could hear something that sounded similar to wailing. Beverly, Bill, and Richie backed up into a wall. It seemed to have stopped moving.

"Get Eddie, get Eddie!" Richie exclaimed, and the three ran over to the boy who sat against the wall, clutching his arm.

Ashley was frozen. Maybe in fear, maybe in shock. She wasn't sure, but she felt like she couldn't move. As the three clammered around Eddie, she watched with terror filled eyes as It began to stiffen, letting out a low growl.

She backed up a bit, as did the others she stood next to her. Richie had said something, but she wasn't sure what.

It suddenly turned around. It's face was terribly... mutilated, that was the word. Worse than usual. Ash wasn't sure how to describe it, but he only word that came to mind was petrifying.

It growled deeply, and Ashley grabbed at the wall next to her, letting out a scream. There was a lot of screaming.

"Get Eddie, let's go!" Bill said- ordered, actually.

It walked slowly towards the group, and Ashley could see It's nails grow- like- like claws.

"We need to leave!" Ash cried, but no one seemed to hear or listen. Richie was busy attempting to calm Eddie down.

It growled once again, staring at the group in front of It. It lurched towards them, letting out a terrifying noise of some sort, making it seem like It was gonna use It's claws on the group. Beverly backed up against the wall, the boys screamed, and It let out a laugh.

It then turned around quickly, slicing Ben across the stomach, who fell back with a yell.

"Ben!" Ashley screamed, attempting to grab the boy who could barely stand, "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my fucking God!"

The creature let out a laugh, and the boys screamed, cursed, whatever the fuck. It stumbled back through the doorway, and down the stairs, and out of sight.

While everyone else was being, well, sane and were trying to get the fuck out of this hellhole, Bill stood up and walked towards the door that the creature had just left through, "Don't let It get away!"

"Bill! You God damn idiot, get over here!" Ashley yelled, as did the others,  but no help. Within a second, he was gone, "Fucking hell!" Ashley screamed in irration, stomping her foot rather hardly. A mistake, it proved to be, as that caused her foot to go through the floor and forming a hole, "Shit!"

Her attention was quick to be back on Ben though. She pulled her foot put of the hole (which scraped her leg, but she didn't give two flying fucks in the moment, and helped the boy up.

"Bill! We have to help Eddie!" Beverly exclaimed, loud enough for what everyone hoped Bill would hear. Luckily enough, he did, and he came running back.

"I'm gonna snap your arm into place!" Richie told Eddie, who was quick to protest.

"Rich, do not fucking touch me!"

But Richie ignored this, and began counting instead, "Okay, one, two, three!"

"Do not touch me!" Eddie continued to protest, and Ashley watched with terrified eyes. She glanced back at the others, who looked just as scared as her. (Stan, especially.)

Praise God she was able to miss the sight of Richie snapping Eddie's arm, because she could heard it, and that made her cringe enough.

After that, the group was accurately bolting out of that house.

♡

"YOU. YOU DID this." Sonia Kaspbrak accused the group that was currently standing in front of her, an arm around her son, "You know how delicate he is." She continued, walking through the group and pretty much dragging Eddie along with her.

"We were attacked, Muh-Mrs. K." Bill attempted to defend the group, but no use.

Sonia opened the passenger door of her car, "No, don't." She said, shoving Eddie into the seat, "Don't try and blame anyone else." She spat, before slamming the door shut.

Sonia fumbled with her keys and such for a second, before dropping them.

"Let me help-" Beverly began, bending down to pick them up, but was shoved away by Sonia.

"Get back!" Mrs. Kaspbrak exclaimed, snatching her keys up before getting into Beverly's face, "Oh I've heard of you, Miss Marsh." She spoke, "And I don't want a dirty girl like you touching my son."

It took everything inside of Ashley Harp not to slap Sonia Kaspbrak then and there. But she did glare bullets, and good God, if looks could kill.

As Sonia turned around, Bill tried to defend them once again,"Mrs. K I s-s-s-"

"No!" Sonia interrupted, turning around, "You are all monsters! All of you."

"God, could you shut the fuck up and listen to what we have to say for once?" Ashley said in an outburst, stomping her foot in pure outrage. She wasn't entirely sure what she was mad about. It may be what Sonia said about Bev, or how she treated Eddie, or how she wouldn't stop interrupting Bill. Maybe all of the above. But what she said didn't affect Mrs. K one bit.

"I'm not listening to one thing that comes out of a dykes mouth." Sonia spat, "And Eddie is done with you. Do you hear? Done!" She finished, before stomping off to the driver's side door, getting it it, and driving off.

The group of seven walked foward into the middle of the street, and Ashley let out a sigh, watching as the car drove off.

Bill turned to the others behind him, "I saw the well." He informed, "W-We know where it is, and- and we'll be better prepared for next time."

"No!" Stanley near yelled suddenly, gaining everyones attention, "No next time, Bill! You're insane!"

"Why?" Beverly questioned, "We all know no one else is gonna do anything."

"Eddie was nearly killed!" Richie exclaimed, "And look at this motherfucker!" He gestured at Ben, "he's leaking hamburger helper!"

"Come on, Bev, Bill.. They have a point. It'll be safer for us and- and for Eddie." Ashley added, rubbing her arm.

"Eddie? Eddie's fine. God, do y-you only care about your st-stupid boyfriend?" Bill retorted.

Ashley gritted her teeth, murmuring 'He's not actually my boyfriend, you idiot.' under her breath. In the heat of the moment, everyone either didn't hear or couldn't give two flying fucks. And honestly? Ash was mostly worried about Eddie.

"We can't pretend It's gonna go away. Ben, you said it yourself, It comes back every 27 years." Bev reminded the group.

"Fine!" Ben replied, "I'll be 40 and far away from here. I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town, too."

"Because I want to run towards something. Not away." Bev responded.

"I'm sorry, who invited Molly Ringwald into the group?" Richie asked sarcastically, earning the middle finger from Beverly and a firm 'Richie.' from Stan.

"I'm just saying let's face the facts. Real world! Georgie. Is. Dead." Richie exclaimed.

"Rich-" Ashley began, only to be interrupted, just as Stan.

"Stop trying to get us killed too." Richie added, beginning to walk towards Bill.

"Georgie's not dead." Bill replied, stopping Richie and pushing him back.

"You couldn't save him, but you can save us." Richie spoke. The words were like venom, in Ashley Harp's mind. She could tell off Mrs. Kaspbrak, sure. But telling Bill his brother- who he was oh so convinced was still alive- was dead? Ashley would be dead, too, before she was caught doing such.

Richie tried walking off again, but was only stopped by Bill, "No! T-T-Take it back! You're scared, and we all are, but take it back!" He snapped, pushing Richie back.

Richie stared at him for a second in shock, before running foward and pushing him as well.

"Don't fight, haven't we had enough of that today?" Ashley tried, but that was no use, as Bill ended up punching Richie, making the glasses wearing boy fall back onto the ground.

"Bill!" Bev exclaimed, as Mike and Stan ran over to Richie to help him up. Which also ended up with them having to hold him back.

Ashley watched the scene unravel in front of her with terror filled eyes.

"You're just a bunch of losers!" Richie shouted, struggling to get out of Stan and Mike's grip.

"Richie, stop." Stan tried. No use. Bill walked up to them, or Richie, attempting to fight him once again, but was brought back by Ben.

"Fuck off!" Richie yelled. Bill broke away from Ben, and tried to throw another punch, "You're just a bunch of losers who are gonna get yourselves killed trying to catch a stupid fucking clown!"

"Guys, stop! Stop it!" Ashley exclaimed.

Richie pushed Bill back, and Beverly went to attempt to break up the fight as well, "Stop!"

Richie broke out of Stan's and Mike's grip, pushing Stanley back, but didn't move to attack Bill.

"This is what It wants." Beverly spoke, "It wants to divide us. We were all together when we heard It. That's why we're still alive." She spoke, firmness in her voice.

"Yeah? Well I plan to keep it that way." Richie replied, before storming off, purposely running into Bill in the process. Stan followed, and then Ben, then Mike after a second of hesitantion.

"Mike." Beverly said with an attempt to grab his attention. He turned back to the remaining three.

"Guys... I can't do this." Mike responded, "My Grandad was right. I'm an outsider. Gotta stay that way." He said, before turning around and walking towards his own bike.

Ashley glanced down at the floor before quickly making her way over to her bike.

"Ashley, come on-" Beverly near pleaded, but Ashley ignored her, picked her bike off the ground, and began to ride off.