"she's been missing for a week!" richie cried, his anger getting the better of him as he slammed his hands down at the table in front him; causing the diner to go completely silent, all eyes turned towards the group of kids.

"calm down, richie! she's gone.." eddie shouts through his clenched teeth but his voice became softer, gesturing for him to sit down. it was one of the few times richie had ever been so serious. no puns, no dirty jokes, nothing.

he stormed out the diner, pushing past the waiter who held a tray of drinks.

richie didn't know where he was going but he had to blow off some steam. he kicked anything in his path and insulted anyone who dared to say hello so joyously.

but that was until he saw her. it was [name].

she sat so innocently on the side of the curb, kicking at the stones on the floor and fiddling with her red balloon, "[name]!" he yelled happily, running over to her.

"do i.. do i know you?" [name] asked cautiously, slowly standing up before taking a small step back, her hand still wrapped tightly around the balloon rope.

richie emitted a nervous laugh, "of course you know me! it's me, richie!" he explained, pointing at himself, confusion plastered across his face.

"i really don't know you.. i've never known a richie in my life.." she took another step back, her eyes shifting around uncomfortably as the stranger confronted her.

"you really don't remember..? you went missing a week ago, no one could find you!" richie felt himself begin to tear up. had she really forgotten about him? all those times at the movie theatre and fooling around at the quarry? "how don't you remember! you have to remember!" he shouted out of desperation, grabbing her wrists tightly.

the red balloon popped, a clown appeared behind her, wrapping it's lanky hands around her shoulders, "beep beep, richie. where'd your mind go?"

suddenly, it felt as if he had woken up. he gazed down at the person in front of him.
it wasn't [name].

shouting and screaming was heard behind it, alas it was muffled but still there. hands gripped onto his shoulder, attempting to pull him away from the young girl with the balloon.

"richie, have you lost your mind?!" beverly screamed, "that's not [name]! she's dead, richie! she's dead! when will you get that through your thick skull?!" beverly yelled through tears as she sniffed roughly, pushing richie away from the girl.

"she's gone. she died a year ago, richie!"

"pennywise took her away, okay?! so why can't you accept it!"

he refused to believe any of it. she wasn't gone. not yet. she was still alive. just missing. yeah. that's right. she's just missing.

—

"how is he doing?" beverly asked, biting her nails as she gazed into the one-sided windowed room. it had been a few years since she had visited him, truthfully.

"he's not getting any better. it's worsening, in fact. he won't tell us anything about the girl." the doctor uttered, their clipboard loosely tucked under their arm, "he won't stop talking about [name], and how she's still alive.. we've been trying everything."

"[name]..." beverly gazed down at the marbled floor, "they were extremely close.. even before the incident. but she was murdered brutally.. by someone that had all scarred us far too deep.." she felt herself tear up. she had a close bond with [name] before she passed. they were like sisters, blood or not.

"we'll take that into account but.. he seems too far gone." the doctor mumbled, gazing at richie whom was talking to himself in the nicely decorated room of neutral colours.

"that can't be true.. there must be something you can do!" she exclaimed, "let me see him!"

"as you wish, although please be careful, he's extremely unstable."

beverly staggered into the room, watching as his head immediately shot up to the sound of footsteps, "[name]?!" he exclaimed happily, jumping off of the bed and towards beverly, hugging her tightly.

it was true.. he couldn't even recognise beverly as herself.

she stood still, emotionless, a few tears being shed, "it's me.. richie.. it's bev." she sniffed.

"don't be silly, i know it's you, [name]."

—

my bad this is super short, but i dont reallt make emotional ones too long lmao.

this is unedited too so my bad if there are any mistakes!