.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

SHE'S TALKING AGAIN

CHAPTER TWO

ii. the barrens

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THE GROUP OF FIVE make their way over to the bike rack with apprehensiveness and eyes searching for any other person trying to make their first day of summer awful. Bill began to unlock his bike while Stan hovers over him muttering out "You're putting the key in the wrong way!".

Veronica jumped up while pulling her jeans up, "I fucking hate them! That's literally sexual harassment? Ugh!" She groans while falling into Richie's arm. He wraps it around her while Eddie makes his way over to her and rubs her back.

"Calm, Nic, calm," He coaxes, nodding his head. They all hated Bowers for bullying them - but, they hated him especially for the things him and his gang would do to Veronica. The thought of it made them all sick.

Richie sighs, tucking a piece of wispy hair behind her ear. They'll get what's coming for them, alright, Ronnie?" He adds.

"I guess," She sighs, walking towards her bike and aggressively pulling it out. "I just don't care when you do it, because... Well, because, you're you! That's us, I slap you. You slap me! But - But... They're them!" Veronica gags, shaking her head rapidly as she mounts her bike.

♧

They found themselves in Eddie's house the next day, all except Stan, that is. He was at the temple, practicing for his Bar Mitzvah. Bill and Richie dug through the pantry, tossing things they deemed good onto the counter and chattering amongst themselves while Veronica sat on the counter sucking on a red lollipop, ignoring her friend's orders to put the snacks into their backpacks.

"Take everything but the Delicious Deals, guys. My mom loves em'," Eddie advises them as he slaps Veronica's dangling leg as he walks passed and leans against the counter. "Hey, first, you said the Barrens, and now you're saying the sewer. I mean, what if we get caught?" He goes on, his eyes getting wide with worry.

Bill looks away from the pantry, shrugging. "We won't, Eds. The sewers are p-public works, we're the public, aren't we?" He responds. Veronica scoffs at this statement before chiming in.

"Besides, even if we do get caught, what would they do about it? Throw us out and make us stay out past curfew in hopes that these five little delinquents are caught by the redhanded child napper?" She pulls the lolly from her mouth, hopping off the counter and walking towards Richie who had moved to a different cabinet.

He laughs as he opens it, seeing a bunch of pull bottles cluttering it. "Eddie, these birth control pills?" Richie looks to Eddie with a smug smile as Veronica tilted her head side to side, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Yeah and I'm saving it for your sister! This is private stuff!" Eddie says while pushing Richie to the side and slamming the cabinet door shut.

Veronica snorts at the comment. "Rich doesn't have even have a sister, numbnut," She says as she leans into Richie's arm.

Bill rolling his eyes in annoyance. "You g-guys are..." He starts but stops himself as he watches Veronica take a lick of the lolly before pressing it to Richie's cheek, getting it sticky. He laughs softly.

"Oops. My hand, it slipped," She shrugged, exclaiming loudly, pulling the lolly down.

Richie groans, looking to her in half disgust and half fake-annoyance. "You're fucking gross," He says, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand.

Eddie scrunched up his nose, turning to the paper towels and ripping one off and turning on the sink, wetting it. "Why're you wiping it with your hand? That can transfer so many germs," He gags, Bill snorting, watching as Veronica took another kick of her lolly before looking to Richie again.

She tiptoes, noticing Richie's parted lips and shoves the lolly into his mouth with a laugh. "Guys, my hand slipped again. I think something's wrong with it, I keep shaking," She goes on sarcastically as Eddie drops the paper towel onto the floor.

"Veronica! That's so... You're so... Ew!" Eddie gags, looking to Bill who watched the scene amused. It was funny, after all. Veronica and Richie were like this comedic duo that always seemed to entertain.

Sighing, Richie adjusts his glasses, keeping the lolly in his mouth - not even caring that it was already half gone. It was cherry flavoured and it was candy. "Ronnie, you're still shaking from last night? Gee, I know I'm good - I just didn't know it was that good," He comments, his hand going to the white paper stick and pulling the lolly from his mouth.

Pausing for a moment, Veronica goes as red as the lolly. "Beep, b-beep. T-That's enough, Richie," Bill rolls his eyes, noticing the way her face burned red, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, shut up," Eddie nods in agreement, beginning to walk out of the kitchen. The group following after him. Bill behind, Veronica and Richie trailing after.

Veronica nudges him, shaking her head. "You're annoying," She sticks her tongue out at him, met with the taste of cherry once again - Richie had swiped the lolly against her tongue as they reached the front door.

"You love me," Richie teases, a knowing smirk on his face as Veronica takes a deep breath not even bothering to deny it.

Eddie opens the door, ready to leave the house and get the adventure Bill had had planned before summer even started.

"Eddie Bear," Ms. Kaspbrak stops the children from exiting the house. They all turn to her. Eddie facing her in the front with Bill and Richie standing beside him. Veronica stood to the back, covered completely. "Where you boys off to in such a rush?" She asks, completely disregarding and forgetting of the small blonde girl who hid behind the taller boys.

They all pause for a moment before Bill jumps in. "Uhm! J-J-Just my backyard, Ms. K. I got a new..." He trails off.

"A new croquet set! Jeez! Spit it out, B-B-Bill!" Richie finishes the lie, smacking Bill's arm. Veronica looks down and giggles to herself at the God-awful lie.

Ms. Kaspbrak nods. "Okay. Oh, and Sweetie, don't go rolling around in the grass, especially if it's just been cut, you know how bad your allergies can get," She adds, looking up from her nails which we was painting.

Eddie swallows, nodding in agreement. "Yes, Ma," He turns to leave again.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She stops them again. They freeze in the doorway and Eddie, closes his eyes, sighing. Reluctantly walks over to his mum and presses a kiss to her cheek. Richie snorts into his hand while Veronica begins giggling. Bill hits them both, giving them a warning glare.

Veronica looks up to Bill, pouting her lips. "It's funny!" She whispers to him. He shakes his head.

"Shut up," He tells her, nudging her again.

Eddie begins to walk back to them, an embarrassed look in his face as he gets ready to leave. "D'you want one from me too, Ms. K?" Richie asks at the last minute. Veronica lets out a loud laugh and is hit in the arm again by Bill. Eddie pushes them all out the door.

"No! No! No!" He scolds them, shaking his head and slapping Richie.

"I was kidding!" Richie laughs while Ms. Kaspbrak watches them sharply.

Eddie rolls his eyes, his hand on the door knob, peering his head in one last time. "Sorry Mummy!" He shouts before he slams the door shut and gives the group an earful of a lecture.

♧

The adventure begins with the group biking down Witcham street, biking past the areas and shops they grew to know too well. As they pass by the local library, Bill shouts out a well-known phrase within the group.

"Hi-Ho, Silver, away!"

The group watches as he speeds down the road, not knowing that from the library window a lonely boy watched them with a sad sling in his eye. "The old lady bike is too last for us!" Richie laughs while pedaling faster. Eddie and Stan speeding up too.

They left Veronica trailing behind them, her legs working as fast as she could move them. "Wait for me! I have little legs!" She shouts out after them while attempting to pedal faster than she was going, she was the smallest of the group standing at only 5 foot. To say she hated it was the biggest understatement you'd ever know.

♧

They would stop when they got to the sewers, dropping their bikes and walking towards the opening. There was debris and sewage water all over the place with vines covering the walls. Veronica kicks a large rock on the ground into the opening while plugging her nose.

"This is disgusting," She groans while staring into the dark hole.

Stan looks around, pointing to each one, everything was beginning to look like that one photo of poison ivy from his book. "That's poison ivy! And, that's poison ivy! And, that's poison ivy!" He points at random plants while squinting at them. He's always been a worry-wart.

With wide eyes, Eddie snaps his head around the place. "Where? Where's the poison ivy?" He asks with clear worry in his voice while Veronica shakes her head.

"Shut the fuck up, Stan. Go bird watch!" She says, looking back to Stan from peering over Bill's shoulder into the dark tunnel.

Richie rolls his eyes, looking to Eddie then Stan. "Nowhere! Not every fucking plant is poison ivy, Stanley!" He bursts out in annoyance, nodding in agreement at Veronica's statement.

Bill then begins to walk into the tunnel while Stan, Eddie, and Veronica stay back with disgusted looks on their faces. The trio looks at one another with distaste. Richie follows in.

"They really just did that..." Stan shakes his head, disappointedly as he watches Richie and Bill begin to trudge into the water.

Scrunching up her nose, Veronica stares at her two friends who stood in the water. "We're really going in? I thought we were just gonna stare into the tunnel... Maybe, peer in a bit and get all grossed out. Not actually go into the shitty shit water!" She blurts out while squinting. "Bryce will kill me if I go home with my shoes dirty," She adds before sighing, following after them into the tunnel, instantly beginning to feel the water seep into the fabric of her shoes as she hurriedly hops onto stones and solid pieces of debris in the water towards Richie and Bill.

"Kay, well I'm starting to get itchy now," Eddie says whilst scratching at his arm.

Looking back, Richie continues walking deeper into the tunnel. "D'you use the same bathroom as your mother?" He asks.

"Sometimes yeah," Eddie responds, nodding his head sideways as he watches Veronica hops onto a piece of wood, wobbling in the water. She nearly slips, putting her hands to the side to balance herself, eyes wide before she lets out a relieved sigh.

Richie laughs before he responds. "Then you probably have crabs," He says nonchalantly, Veronica snorting at the comment as Stan rolls his eyes in annoyance at the immaturity.

"That's so not funny!" Eddie says shakes his head angrily.

Giggling, Veronica jumps onto a rock. "Just a little bit!" She pipes up, getting closer to Richie and reaching out for him, her hands grabbing at the air for him to help her. He looks to her with a smile, leaning towards her and taking her hands, pulling her towards himself.

"Aren't you guys coming in?" Richie asks, turning towards the two boys who stood out of the tunnel, placing Veronica next to him and not bothering to let go of her right hand.

Eddie shakes his head frantically. "Uh-uh! It's grey water!" He looks down at the water which filled the tunnel in disgust.

"What the hell is grey water?" Richie breathes out in annoyance, Veronica pulling her hand from his and running it through her hair in exasperation at the budding argument. Richie couldn't help but want to whine to her to hold it again. His hand felt awfully cold without hers.

Raising his hands up in defence, Eddie frowns at his three friends - more so at the water, though. "It's basically piss and shit, so I'm just telling you!" He shouts.

"That's actually sick," Veronica grumbles out while shifting on her feet and snapping her scrunchie on her wrist.

"You guys are splashing around in millions of gallons of Derry pee!" Eddie ranting goes on, shaking his head erratically.

A smirk coming on her face, Veronica smugly smiles to herself. "Bet your mum contributes to half though!" She chimes while winking at Eddie.

"Shut up, Nic! You and Richie are so annoying!" Eddie groans, he was over the constant jokes they made about his mom! It was so annoying. "You guys are gross too!".

Richie then picks up a stick which laid on the ground and brings it up to his nose, shrugging his shoulders. Stan exhaling sharply, closing his eyes for a moment and holding in the urge to just walk away from the tunnel and go home.

"Wait - are you serious?" Eddie asks, his eyes widening.

Richie stands up straight, looking to Eddie and Stan with a grin. "Doesn't smell like çaca to me sęnor!" He impersonates a Spanish accent.

Veronica has the slam her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles, watching as Richie's large eyes stare at Eddie and Eddie simply just gag.

"Okay, I can smell that from here!" Eddie says.

"Probably just got breath wafting back into your face!" Richie responds, waving his hand around in the air as if it were fanning the scent all around.

Eddie lashes out now, throwing his hands up angrily once again. "Have you ever heard of a staph infection?" He asks, voice rapid.

"Oh, I'll show you a staph infection!" Richie says while swinging the stick around like a sword.

"This is so unsanitary. You're literally... This is literally like swimming inside of a toilet bowl right now. Have you ever heard of Listeria?" Eddie rambles his voice quickening at each word he says. Richie picks something up with the stick and tosses something at Eddie. He screams out loud.

"Little girl scream!" Veronica shouts out, pointing at Eddie and jumping up and down while giggling. Stan rolls his eyes at their childish behavior. He didn't understand why and how he tolerated them.

"Are you retarded?! You're the reason we're in this position right now, cause you're-" Eddie gets cut short by Bill.

"Guys!" He yells while holding up a battered old shoe.

"Shit. Don't tell me that's..." Stan's voice breaks at the end of his sentence while staring.

"No, G-Georgie wore galoshes," Bill finished the sentence while pointing the flashlight down at the shoe. Richie walks over to Bill.

"Whose sneaker is it?" Eddie speaks up. Veronica peers over Richie's shoulder while grasping onto his shoulder for support as he reads it.

"It's Betty Rimpsom's" Richie says while looking towards Stan and Eddie. Bill frowns, looking towards the ground. Richie could hear Veronica's breathe get caught in her throat as she whispers out a quiet "Shit".

"Shit! Oh God! Fuck! I don't like this," Eddie panics as he shakes his head with wide eyes.

"How do you think Betty feels? Hopping around these tunnels with only one friggin shoe!" Richie jumps up causing Veronica to lose balance and fall back.

"Fuck! Richie, warning next time! That's not funny at all, by the way!" She says while shaking her head as the others look at Richie unimpressed.

He quickly puts out his hand, pulls up the small girl and apologizes. "Sorry, Ronnie," as he pats her head. Stan speaks up then, "what if she's still here?" he asks.

Bill turns and is followed by Richie and Veronica deeper into the tunnel. The sounds of sloshing water and the snap of Veronica's scrunchie following them.

"Eddie, come on!" Richie shouts out to the dark-haired boy.

"My mom! Will have an aneurysm if she finds out we're playing down here! Okay? I'm serious!" Eddie freaks out.

"Doesn't she have one like every day?" Veronica taunts while bumping into Bill's back as she walks.

"Again! Shut up, Nic!" Eddie shouts back to her. "Bill?" he adds.

"If I was Betty Ripsom, I would want us to find me. G-G-Georgie too," he responds softly. Stan looks down while inhaling.

"What if I don't wanna find them?" Eddie asks. "I mean, no offense Bill, but I don't wanna end up like Ge-. I don't wanna go missing either," Eddie corrects his words at the last moment upon seeing Richie and Veronica look to Bill, his lip quivering gently.

"He has a point," Stan says.

"Y-You too?" Bill's voice wavers while looking to Stan.

"It's summer! We're supposed to be having fun! This isn't fun. This is scary and disgusting!" Stan snaps while looking deeper into the dark tunnel with a disgusted face.

A splash from behind took their attention away from the situation going on in the tunnel and gasps from each of them came. They turned in shock and saw a boy, grunting and trying to get up from where he fell in the water only to stumble again.

He was covered in both dirt and blood.