A little more Domestic!Pennywise.

Pennywise c Stephen King

The darkness of the sewers was a comforting presence that existed only for few. Rats and snakes often traveled deep in these cemented cavern walls, looking for a bite to eat as well as spiders and other creepy-crawlies thatmade ahome here.

I could relate whole-heartedly.

The raw hunger had become a constant pain that I would satisfy almost regularly. But, why children anyone would ask? They would be the easiest to frighten and succumb to my dead lights.

Except for one.

My long fingernails tapped against the wood of the wagon as I laid in the darkness. It was almost hard to believe that my little Lizzie-bean had done what she did.

So willing to sacrifice a life to me. So willing to do anything for me.

The taste of fear and flesh still lingered on my tongue as well as the sweet wine from the previous night. After that satisfying meal, we discovered that the man's cap was still on the coffee table when he set it down.

"I'll take care of it, Pen," Lizzie-bean smiled, stretching across and picking up the offending garment before twirling it around on one finger, "I'll bring it by the station in the morning."

"But, aren't you worried?" I asked, my usual smile vanishing, "They'll realize he's gone missing and ask you questions again."

"Perhaps, but another body will show up and as long they don't find Marcus' remains, they'll start focusing their time and energy elsewhere."

It was true. They would find another body or another child would turn up missing, someone more important than an adult police officer. But it didn't change the fact was that I was worried.

I was worried that she might get caught, that our little game that we played would trigger a set of events we couldn't control. She would be discovered, then tried from what I understood about the human world laws. I wouldn't let that happen… I couldn't let that happen to my Lizzie-bean.

But I never worried, most especially about humans like my little Lizzie-bean. When had I ever referred to her as mine?

I scratched my scalp, trying to get my mind wrapped around the situation.

Elizabeth, no doubt, was different than the other humans I've encountered in centuries. She had a darkness in her that had awaked only when I met her from the sewers that rainy day twenty-seven years ago. She also had a delicious smell that only made me want to, not only consume her flesh and fear, but her in her entirety. She was so warm, so soft, so pleasant. Even as a child, she had been appealing. But she was too young at the time, too innocent.

That may have been the reason why I let her live. And saved her life.

I felt myself groan inwardly, the memory of her consuming that bloodied heart filled my mind. She had eaten it without question, no words tumbling out of her mouth except for the slurping and moaning at the taste. She had enjoyed it… my Lizzie-bean had actually enjoyed the taste of flesh!

My stomach let out a growl then. Time to go hunting.

Perhaps, I would bring something for little Lizzie-bean too. She had been working so hard on those book covers for those awful clients, after all. Maybe she would like something brought to her.

If only they lived here in Derry where I could reach them.

I stood and made my way out of the wagon before racing down one of the long tunnels towards Derry.

"Thank you so much again, Lizzie. You didn't have to."

"Not at all, Mrs. Higgins," I smile at the elderly lady as I place the two grocery bags on the counter, "I was on my way in after all."

"Well, I think there are a shortage of people like you in this world," Mrs. Higgins began, "You are always so thoughtful of others and helpful. Why, I just talking to my sister the other day about you and she is so certain that you are an angel sent from heaven."

I chuckled, "I wouldn't say angel, Mrs. Higgins. I would say… someone who knows how to look out for others."

"That's an angel, my dear."

I shifted slightly. This talk of angels and God were starting to get to me. I was no saint, I had blood on my hands… and I wouldn't have it any other way. But I wasn't about to let Mrs. Higgins know that.

She was the saint between us.

She had allowed me to stay in her apartment after Pennywise trashed it on Halloween night and during the duration of the investigation. After it was dismissed and the blood was cleaned from the apartment, she helped me move back in and clean the place back up, getting help from some of the other neighbors. She even wanted to set up a "GoFundMe" page to help pay for a new window, but I couldn't let her do that.

That was a line I wouldn't allow her to cross. Mrs. Higgins had done so much for me already.

"Oh! I meant to ask you," The elder woman held out a cup of coffee to me, which I took gratefully, "When I was talking to my sister, she was curious to know if you wanted to come and spend Thanksgiving with us next week."

"Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Higgins, but I already have plans."

"Will you be going to upstate New York then?"

I shake my head, "My family is too toxic for me. I can't imagine going there and listening to how great my brothers and sister are doing and how poorly I am."

The elderly woman nodded, "Then, are you spending it with that nice young man's family that's been around lately?"

I nearly sputtered, "Sorry?"

"Well," Mrs. Higgins took a seat at her dining room table, "apparently, there's been some shadow hanging outside your window in the evening and some of the neighbors were telling me they've seen a man coming and going from your apartment recently. I told them that I also saw that nice Officer Marcus enter your apartment a few nights ago."

I shake my head, inwardly worried. People seen Pennywise enter my apartment? Did they know who he was?

"Sorry, no boyfriends or relationships currently Mrs. Higgins," I try to smile, "I… prefer to be on my own. The man in question is... an old friend from my childhood. Officer Marcus had swung by as a follow up and to do a neighborhood check. As for the shadow, it was probably a cat or something. You know that Ms. Jensons likes to let her cat out at night."

"Yes, I'm quite aware," Mrs. Higgins frowned, "If I catch that little varmint in my tomato plants again, I'm going to skin it."

I laugh out loud, "Digging or knocking the poor plants over?"

"Both."

We chuckle and finish our cups of coffee as I help her put the groceries away.

"I'll make a batch of my famous chocolate chip cookies and bring them over one of these days as a thank you," Mrs. Higgins smiled as I grab my coat to leave.

"Oh, you don't need to, Mrs. Higgins, honestly."

"Oh, I insist! Besides, I never thanked you properly for what you did Halloween night."

I smile and nod, "Thank you. Just leave them outside the apartment door if I'm not there."

"Will do, dear."

I open the door and leave Mrs. Higgins' apartment and took a few steps to my own.

The door is unlocked, which I thought for sure I locked earlier when I left this morning. I hear scuffling around, as if someone is looking for something. Memories of Halloween came racing back, and I wasn't armed except for my purse. I push the door open slowly, hoping to catch the intruder off guard.

Suddenly, grey gloved hands pulled me in and into the arms of a familiar monster.

"Pennywise!" I let out a sigh of relief at the feel of him as the door closes with a slam behind us, "What the hell?! You know I'm still a little shaken up!"

"Sorry, Lizzie-bean," The clown gave me his signature smile, his two front teeth poking at his bottom lip, "I wanted to surprise you."

"You did! Scared me to death because I thought someone was breaking into my apartment!"

"Is that what you're afraid of?"

I pouted before wrapping my arms around him, giving into the hug and filled with relief and content. I hear a soft dark chuckle and feel his gloved hands move from my waist to cup my cheeks, pulling my head upward to look into his pale blue eyes.

"What's wrong Penny? You look... lost."

The clown smiled and pressed his red painted lips to my forehead, "I'm fine Lizzie-bean, I just had to see you. And I was thinking."

"What about?"

"About what that person I consumed a few nights ago."

Ok, now I was starting to worry a bit. I pulled Pennywise to the couch and had him sit down. I pressed my hands to his cheeks, then kissed his forehead. He didn't feel warm at all, still cold to the touch.

"What are you doing Lizzie-bean?" the clown asked, eyes raised to look up at mine.

"I'm checking your temperature, Penny," I explained, "You're acting a bit wierd and I wasn't sure if it was because you were sick or not."

Pennywise let out a dark chuckle, "Silly little Lizzie-bean. My kind can't get sick."

I stuck my tongue out at him in a child-like manner, "Then tell me what's bugging you."

Pennywise reached behind and scratched the back of his head, chuckling softly, bells tinkling as he moved. He didn't seem sick, just nervous.

"I was thinking how you always seem to want to provide something for me... and I wanted to return the favor."

"Pennywise," I smiled, touched, "you didn't have to."

"Please accept it, primarily for my sake because I'm not sure how long I can hang onto it anymore."

I giggled as he choked up yet another very bloody, sticky, human heart, "Can I ask why the heart?"

"It's the main power source for you humans, isn't it?"

When I nodded, Pennywise continued, "The heart is also the most tenderest of the organs, even though the Liver or the Pancreas would be the most delicate. But, what makes the heart different is the emotions that are tied to it. My kind can't feel emotions like you can, we only feel hunger."

"But don't you thrive on fear?"

"We do, but the heart fills us with other emotions. We do crave fear the most because it's the sweetest."

I knew the taste of fear. It was almost indescrible, but had the flavors of honey and sweet red wine. It was warm like fresh baked cookies or a pot roast.

It was... delicious.

I stood and took the heart with me, blood covering my jeans. I placed the heart a top the cutting board and pulled out one of my cutting knives, the one I used for slicing meat.

"What are you doing?" Pennywise had hopped up onto the island and was trying to look over to see what I was doing.

"I want to share this with you," I answer, looking over my shoulder, "Apparently, you need it more than I do."

Pennywise grinned and I sliced the heart in half, giving him one piece while I ate the other.

He swallowed the thing whole while I took my time devouring it. The flesh of the heart was a little tougher than the last one and the blood was thicker too. It still held that sweet indescrible taste that the previous one held, but had more of a soft fruit taste to it as well.

Once I finished, and my face and hands were dripping with blood, Pennywise leaned forward and licked the blood off my face with his snake-like tongue.

It was like dog kisses, soft and sweet with a few playful nips to my lips and cheeks. Once finished, he moved to my hands, doing the same thing.

My stomach full and content with the meal, I grinned at Pennywise, "Still hungry?"