October, 2001

"this shit aint workin for us." a man dressed in loose clothing spit toward the ground.

"its a big town. We just have to move somewhere smaller." he added, pulling the thin jacket closer to his thin body.

"big towns give more." Beverly shivered in her thin black jacket with even thinner clothing underneath. Her long sleeved dark blue shirt that hung down to mid thigh partially covering her ragged and ripped up dark jeans.

"give to people who don't need it. Remember all the damned families in the food line? Why don't they get jobs and make the kids work too." Erik shifted his lean against the brick wall.

"what's that small town you're from? Dairy land, dairy field, something to do with milk?" he asked.

"i – we – its not a very good place Erik." she spoke delicately to avoid making him upset. Looking to the thin man wearing a hole covered grey t shirt that loosely hanged off him. A short neatly trimmed beard covering his face. Slicked back black hair that helped highlight his jade green eyes. Being a little taller than her with tanned skin from being out in the sun constantly. Beverly was sure she developed some sort of farmers tan of her own these past few years being homeless.

Her slight darkening not helping to hide the multiple lighter scars tarnishing her body. Marks across her arms being the most noticeable. A few spreading over her face, however her bright red curly hair detracted attention from those.

"whys that?" Beverly swallowed nervously at the heavy tone he gave her.

"lots of bad luck. … A lot of deaths. Many go missing." Shed rarely told him about Derry as she preferred not too. After her childhood with the old gang against … IT. It was the last place she ever wanted to return to. Yet when things got difficult, which was common, Erik wanted to go straight there. She regretted ever mentioning Derry to him.

"heh, you superstitious now? Sounds exactly like the place we're living in now. We need a smaller place to live. Someplace where foods easier to steal with no cameras on every street corner! Small towns are places stuck in the times of promises actually meaning something! We need a place like that to scam for real things!" Glaring her down until she flinched her gaze away.

" … look babe." he softened himself to bring her attention back.

"you know winters coming. I don't want to see you shivering in the snow again for another year in a row. Smaller towns make things easier. You know I want whats best for you, right?" holding a smile for a false kindness. Something Beverly never fully trusted, but never questioned.

"... yes." she answered passively.

"smart girl. You can take us to the dairy field, land, whatever." he patted her face. Chuckling as she flinched away from the action.

"it's all the way in Maine." she hoped with it being so far from new York he wouldn't want to travel.

"i got money for a bus."

"you said we had no money." she thought, glaring out of the corner of her eyes. Knowing well that saying so would get her another bruise on the ribs.

"come on babe! I want to get there sometime today!" he shouted back toward her on the way to the bus station. She sucked in a deep breath to gather some strength to follow behind.

Meanwhile far up north in the town of Derry something was stalking down below the roads. A huge insect like creature with many glowing yellow eyes shifting to be hidden under the skin. A smooth pointed head with rows of razor teeth bared in anger. Neck lined with sharp ragged Armour plates looking toward a warped grouping of ruffles. A bulky chest with 8 massive spider like claws at the most front. Out of the four sets of larger legs, one was slightly smaller in all black. resembling a praying mantis like position against ITs chest. The pair of praying arms being a cleverly disguised pair of hands ready to grab fleeing prey or to impale them down. Following behind the main body was a long armor sectioned body like a centipede crawling along on many legs.

The creature mumbling to itself with irritation at what its once lush hunting grounds had turned into. IT could keep Derry in a bubble of ignorance to its hunts, but not on the outside world. Things beginning to shut down in the small town was what started it all.

No more factory's meant no more work. Half the town was leaving for work to feed their family's. Then with no more people able to shop the stores closed one by one. Any families with kids have long since left. Leaving only old retired folk too stubborn to leave the town they were born in. With maybe a few younger members staying to care for the elders.

"nothing to hunt or to bring me entertainment." IT growled to itself. Remembering the schools full of young children. Easy to scare into an exciting chase ending with a nice flavorful meal. Now all gone with the schools having to shut down.

"the current selection above not even worth the hunt anymore. Old meat tough as a tire with the rest being flavor less cardboard." ITs large spider like limbs tapping across the stone tunnels with many centipede ones tapping behind. Stopping to lay down across the cool open floor of its home. Spreading out one of his hands to rest his chin upon. The other spreading to lay against the stone.

"i need something to get me along here. If it's not food I want a challenge to thrive against. Having those annoying children back would be better than this insufferable boredom." tapping his sharp slender fingers against the stone.

"i suppose though, they are not children any longer. It has been … 12 years." adding up quickly in his head.

Feeling the town slowly erode over time had IT waking early over its full 27 year hibernation. At first he didn't think too much of it. Sure a bunch of humans left, but there was still plenty. Then the shops closed, and when the schools shut down he grew worried.

"with so little prey I don't have to keep Derry in a bubble at this point. Winter is the primest hunting with no suspicion when the older humans disappear after a blizzard. "oh they just walked off to die in the snow. Big surprise."" he mocked in a higher voice. Puffing out a huge breath of air at the pathetic prey above.

"another day scratched off this rock in space." breathing in with a stretch to his feet. Catching a scent in the air with the approach of something.

"hmm, something new? Something full of fear soaked in the stench of blood coming here? How interesting." Long strands of drool oozing off its teeth at such a delicious smell above. Twisting around on itself back down through the tunnels to go see what arrived.

"why the hell is it freezing up here! You didn't say anything about winter being here already!" Erik shivered after stepping off the bus with Beverly right behind.

"it is further north." she muttered.

"what did you say? You want to speak up?!" he hissed out with a harsh shove to Beverly. Smiling at seeing her flinch in reaction at the minimal threat.

"i am sorry, the colds getting to me. Help me find someplace to buy you hot food to make up for it?" shifting drastically to a more polite tone toward her.

"yes, ... I can." giving a wavering smile. Cautiously passing by with her body preparing for a possible blow against it. Breathing out in relief when no hits came.

"i shouldn't have said that. I was stupid for saying that." she scolded herself. Walking ahead at a slow pace to keep from getting too far. He hated when she got too far away or entered a place before him.

"why are we stopping here?" he asked.

"a diner used to be here." she answered quietly. Walking around had her notice many changes in the town. Many places boarded up with dust filling the windows. Foreclosure letters blowing down the streets. Hardly anyone out walking the streets. It all seemed so dead from what the town used to be like in her childhood. She wondered just how much had changed since she was last here.

"you know another place?" his tone hinting aggressive impatience.

"i think so." holding her breath with worry at what might happen if she didn't find a place soon. If she hadn't been so worried she may have noticed the many eyes watching from a water drain across the street.

"how wonderful, young Beverly has returned. Filled with so much fear since the last we faced. Scared of my presence like she so rightfully should be?" IT chuckled to himself. Crawling his long sectioned body further down the tunnels to watch her from multiple drains. Many yellow eyes in two rows of fours peeking out from the small space in the streets. The eyes weren't necessarily needed with him able to track on body heat alone. It was more for seeing the finer details or merely intimidation reasons. Prey didn't like to be stared down by eight large eyes after all.

Beverly stiffened her stride at seeing something bright yellow pass in a dark drain. Staring toward the drain to catch another glimpse at what she may have seen.

"why are we stopping?!" Eriks yelling scaring her into looking forward again.

"sorry, needed to remember the way." an excuse with her voice hardly being present for the whole thing.

"IT can't be here. It hasn't been a full 27 years yet." she spoke to herself, The anxiety she avoided by leaving Derry returning full force.

"it's just worry having me turn paranoid. IT would have made its presence much more known if it was here. IT wasn't one for being subtle." she thought.

The situation wasn't the same as when she was a kid. The support of her friends following her everywhere. She felt no fear when they were all together. Now all she had left was Erik, he wasn't exactly the most empathetic. The guys were right about him ruining her. He had her believe the guys didn't want her happy. That they wanted her to be completely reliant on them and she believed Erik. She said quite a few things she came to greatly regret along with her choice of who to be with in the end.

Since then she had turned completely reliant on Erik for everything she needed. She had no money, no place to go, she wasn't even allowed to hold her own ID card. He held her card and "their" money with him saying its for the best. She felt it was impossible to apologize for the things she said to her friends. Even if she could manage the proper words she had no way of contacting them. She was isolated in the world with only Erik for support.

"um, h-here we are." she stood by the front door of the diner for Erik to enter first. Following silently behind to the seat he choose.

"you having a burger?" he asked to only sound polite in public. Beverly knew he got what he wanted her to get, which was usually something cheap. Nodding to make it feel less awkward between them.

"at least i'll be getting food today." she thought. With neither of them earning money they relied heavily on stealing. Erik was the better of the two with skills in pickpocketing. Beverly, even though she's done it multiple times, had not gotten used to it. Fear of being caught overwhelming her most the time into stopping. Anxiety growing every minute on when the next meal would be or even where they would sleep.

"In new York they had homeless shelters, but none to be found here." She thought with a hand combing through her bright red hair to relieve stress. Looking out the large window to pass the time. Hearing the sound before a blanket of rain poured on the dreary town.

"perfect." she thought unhappily about stepping out into that. The creature below the streets carefully examining over the two. Its excitement growing with two possible play things entering its territory.

"hmm, she brought a friend with her." ITs voice spoke from a drainage gate. Unable to be heard past the loud waterfall pouring through the drainage entrance.

"this will be a fun surprise for both of them. Ah, now when should I visit?" he cheerfully wondered. Leaving down the sunlit drainage tunnels to wait for his time to properly present itself.

"yes, I understand." When the food arrived, Erik had broken out in a huge lecture about money. He was always incredibly cheap when it came to spending money on those other then himself.

"i am serious. We have to start saving money babe." he said while cutting into a thick steak.

"maybe if you didn't spend like a king. We would have money." thinking bitterly with another bite off her burger.

"can't afford any place right now. Where can we sleep?" he asked.

"there's … not really … anywhere to go." she muttered, knowing the reaction to that coming up.

"nowhere, there's absolutely no where to go?!" his tone turned unhappy.

"its … very small and-" she tried to explain that there were no shelters or food lines in the small town. Flinching at Erik banging a fist on the table. Sitting then on in silence with gaze aimed toward the ground.

"so why did we come here? Why did you bring us up here? Huh?! You didn't think things through again. This is why I have to think of everything!" he leaned his body toward her. Both hands clenched in a fist with a few heavy pounds on the table.

"sorry." she passively apologized. Something she did regularly in the hopes she wouldn't be harmed. It had a common theme of failure no matter how sincere she made it.

"sorry doesn't work when I have to sleep in the rain because of your mistake. Get up, let's go, you're done. It's late and we need to find a place before the sky turns black." he wanted to deal with her away from outsider eyes. Erik hated when people butted in or called the police on him. Beverly abandoned her food still remaining while his was long finished. She didn't dare argue with him. Fear growing inside her about what was going to happen after they reached someplace without people watching.

"this better be a fucking joke. We just got off a bus after a 7 hour drive. I am tired, its raining, you better figure something out or i am gonna be really pissed!" he threatened her outside the diner.

"there's a junkyard." she fearfully offered up.

"that's the best you can do?!" one of his fists raising up over her head. Her body flinching into itself as she spoke multiple apologizes on reflex. "shut up, just go!" waving a pointed finger for her to start moving. Her walking a little fast to stay ahead of his furious pace.

The two shivering as the pouring rain drenched through there coats made for summer. Walking for quite some time to the junkyard. Passing the edge of town where there were no more roads, only a wide dirt or technically muddy path. No street lights to brighten it up under the settling darkness. Beverly swallowing at passing under the run down junkyard sign.

"we arrived in a bus. Might as well sleep in one too." Erik grumbled while heading over to a broken down school bus. The outside had paint peeling with rusted spots all over the frame. The windows being somehow intact, although covered in some moss from the ages. Erik approached to the back exit door. Wrenching open the back exit, with a painful metallic screech sounding out, for them to get in.

"hey, our luck is going up. There's a hobo stove in here." a bit more cheer in his voice. Taking a piece of wood from the metal barrel to light with a lighter from his pocket. Throwing it back into the metal barrel to grow a fire on the rest of the half burnt wood.

Beverly sat away from him without a word. Wanting to avoid his wrath at least for one night. Anxiously watching him from the corner of her eye. Making sure to avoid being caught watching him. He hated when he found her looking at him, talking, or doing anything without permission. He may as well have hated her very existence at some points. Hours of awkward silence passing between the two. Her anxiety building with the falling sun. the fiery colors of the sunset slowly replaced by the light of the burning fire.

The rain pouring harder over the course of time. Condensation building on the mossy windows to block any views to the outside. Beverly being happy for the heat, but not for who she was sharing it with. She had considered countless times on leaving him with a few attempts actually made. Unfortunately he always found her no matter how far she traveled. Being a girl with bright obvious red hair had its downsides. His friends weren't the most fond of her either. Ratting out her location as soon as she was spotted anywhere.

Her hidden watching faltering when she saw him light up a cigarette. Glaring at him for enjoying an expensive luxury only he was allowed. She hadn't smoked in a long time, but the cravings were still there. A twitchy irritating feeling under her skin burning as she watched him smoke. Her glare going on a little too long grabbed his attention.

"what?!" he snapped. Staring her down even after she looked away. Regret filling her chest when she heard him get up. Clawing into her own arm to stop her terrified shivering.

Outside the pouring down rain covered the sounds of multiple legs creeping through the piles of junk. Approaching the lit up bus just close enough to see through the water blurred windows. The smell of fear radiating from the metal structure. The multiple nostrils at the end of ITs snout flaring up to breath in the scent.

"is she aware of my presence? I cant be that rusty on my hunting yet." IT thought. Resting low to the ground to keep hidden in the dark night. ITs curiosity growing over what he expected Beverly to do if she was aware. His body stretched up enough to peek through a blurry window. Discovering the true origins of her fear planting a seed of discontent within IT.

"you going to start this early?! Why do you always want to make me angry?! You think I like being angry at you?!" Erik ranted down at her flinching in the seat. Slamming a fist down into her ribs hard enough to knock the wind out of her lungs. She winced in pain, locking up at a second painful hit.

"stop flinching! You know I didn't hit you that hard!" he spoke with little pity for her pain. "go to sleep!" finishing his assault on her.

"sorry." she wheezed out, not daring to look at him.

"shut up! I don't want to hear a sound from you!" he threateningly looming over her, daring her to say another word. Slowly backing away over to the barrel fire.

She took shallow breaths in to ease the pain away. Staying curled on the seat against the wall. Shaking as quietly as she could to not draw anymore attention on her. Not even wanting to move from the uncomfortable position she was curled in.

despite the lovely scent of fear he was breathing in. IT was disappointed at what it had seen.

"not the challenge she once was." IT thought little of the new cowering Beverly.

"this much fear coming off her from a pitiful male. Yet I could not gain any off her long ago. What a disappointing turn of events this has become. She could make a good meal, but that isn't my main reason for coming. I wanted a challenge, something to put me in a rush. I wont get any entertainment from her if she so easily crumbles like a leaf! Maybe letting her fester will have her straighten out." he thought, carefully crawling away to not be noticed.

Beverly stayed up for hours even when she could hear Erik snoring a few seats away. Staring up at the cold window all through the night. Watching the sky change with the rising sun. gaining something good from the cold morning air turning the metal bus sides into an ice pack. Resting her freshly bruised ribs on the freezing metal.

Inside she debated on moving or staying still. Terrified of accidentally waking Erik at any little noise she could make. The feeling of being sick growing confidence inside just enough to get up. Sneaking as quiet as a mouse to the end of the bus. Turning the back exit handle with a screeching pop. Pausing to slowly look back at Erik for any movement. Looking forward with held breath to slide the door open with a unintentional drawn out screech of the metal.

Stepping quietly out onto the dirt. Letting out a breath at the fresh morning air. Covering her mouth at the painful cough coming up at breathing in deeply with bruised ribs. Walking a few feet from the bus to cough without risk of waking Erik. Crouching down to the floor with exhaustion filling her muscles. Breathing in at a more delicate amount to not start up another coughing fit.

"Please have him work today." she prayed in thought. Erik left Beverly on most the mornings to go pick pocketing. It was the only time she had temporary freedom to relax. If you could truly call it freedom. Erik didn't like her freely walking around since she tried running from him the first time.

"babe!" she heard him shout from inside the bus. Having her body jump with her heart skipping a beat.

"outside." she answered quickly. Holding in a coughing fit from shouting. She didn't move from her crouched position. Afraid he was going to be mad at her outside without asking first.

He stepped out seeming half awake. Walking over with a calm stride to be feet away from her.

"... i am sorry about last night. I know you didn't mean to make me angry. You forgive me?" speaking toward her back with fake sincerity. The same as every other morning after "she caused" a fight. Her body tensing at the sensation of him crouching low next to her.

"yes." she spoke quietly. Not honestly feeling what she answered with.

"thanks babe. I'll bring you back something after work." Startling her with a kiss on the cheek before he went off.

She slowly let out a long breath she held in his presence. Looking back to make sure he was fully gone from the junkyard. Not noticing something else watching her from among the junk.

"what was that?! Why did she accept?!" IT thought with a deep inner frustration.

"the female who once so boldly jammed a iron rod through my head! The female who faced me directly in my lair with only words! now accepts some false words with barely any emotion?! This is an insult! What is this new males position? Are they mates? Cant be so, shes far too above this pathetic male! Or at least she used to be." he thought. Watching her sit out on the open dirt.

"just going to sit there like a chained dog?" it started as a thought, but a few words escaping out of frustration.

Beverly's head shot up at the voice. Jumping to her feet at recognizing it as the clowns. Her fear and cold mixed shivering coming to a halt. Her eyes now slowly scanning across the mounds of items for his figure.

IT held its body still with the surrounding junk for camouflage. A spark of interest coming from her reaction to his unintentional speaking. Noticing much of her fear shedding away completely in preparedness to face him.

"maybe i am hearing things?" she thought. Failing to see ITs figure anywhere or hear anymore of its voice. Not even hearing clearly what IT said, if IT said anything at all.

"ITs not here. IT can't be here." she thought to calm herself. Grabbing her side at feeling her ribs ache from tensing up. She walked over to lean against the cold bus for some relief on her ribs.

"going against natural instincts of self defense when harmed. What purpose could that serve? If she was like this when facing me … she must be playing a game with the male. She wouldn't sit by accepting such harm without a farther goal ahead." IT thought to make sense to itself on what was the reasoning in Beverly's mind. The interest IT had now gone with the frustration returning.

"maybe I should just end her misery. With all the delicious fear she emanates it would be a waste to let a fine meal go if it were caught in my web. " IT thought after watching Beverly stand around in pain for most the day.

"I'll play along to this game she has for a little while. If she's smart she won't test my patience." moving when he was sure she had no eyes in his direction. Crawling off to the Neibolt house not far past the neighboring train tracks.

Beverly sat on the front steps of the bus. Eyes shut leaning her back against the mini metal wall acting as a rail. Watching waves of wind brush over the treetops. Closing her eyes momentarily with a deep inhale of the fresh air hitting her face. Opening with a look over, seeing Erik walking back she went to greet him by the gate.

"hey babe, want to go for a walk?" his question raising red flags in Beverly's mind.

"... sure." Beverly answered hesitantly. Body tensing at what Erik was planning to do. They didn't just go on walks for enjoyment. They did enough walking when merely looking for supplies to live off of.

"you lead." there was no emotion on his face. Making it difficult for Beverly to guess what was to be expected. She gave a small nod while passing him. Watching him from the corner of her eye.

"it might be best for me to head somewhere public." she thought. Heading directly back to town instead of somewhere secluded in the surrounding woods. Body relaxing at being around others, despite knowing that ITs curse of bad happenings being ignored still around.

"he doesn't know about it." thinking about the curse and Erik. Which was good for her with him not liking to harm her in public for fear of cops getting involved.

Every now and again he would ask her a question about the town. Beverly figuring out he was making this walk into a tour. Something she didn't mind too much as long as it kept his anger away.

"what's that place?" Beverly looked in the direction he pointed toward her old school. Seeing the building falling apart with boards covering every entrance possible. Some areas of brickwork falling out of place in the walls. The roof being covered in rusted holes leaving her imagination running on how rotten the insides were from weather.

"wow, that's my old high school. Can't believe they shut it down. It used to have so many kids when I went there. It's the same place where all the guys went to too." shocked at its state after once being so lively.

"okay I didn't need a little story." he pushed her along to rush past it. "where's that bridge lead?" he asked next.

"it's the big main bridge that passes over the river. Heads toward the factory's that turns to farmland after a while." she explained.

"river huh? Is it clean?" his walking momentarily stopping at the front of the bridge. Making his way down the dirt slope to the rocky river edge.

"uh, sort of? It's where all the street drainage pipes lead. No sewage in it." starting to follow his lead down the shore.

"looks a lot better then shitty new York water. That stuff is like black sludge workers tar the roads with." he kicked multiple rocks into the water while walking along the river's edge.

"yeah ..." Beverly passively agreed.

"does this same river run by the junkyard?"

"sometimes. A dry creek splits from it that only fills during the spring floods." Looking down as she stopped focusing on the environment around them.

"is there a treatment plant around here?"

"yes."

"is that where that huge drainage pipe leads?"

"what?!" Beverly froze to focus on their surroundings. Seeing the drainage pipe she never wanted to go near.

"this pipe. Does. it. go. To a treatment plant?" Erik asked rudely in a much slower speech.

"uh ..." she tensed. Mind stalling on what answer to give. "What's most likely to get him away from the pipe."

"hello?!" waving at her for attention. Patients running out on the answer coming.

"yes." she blurted out.

"good, water treatments can make pretty great houses. You know that? Workers rarely visit, tons of space, lots of heat drawing off water pipes in the winter. practically a house of itself. As long as you don't get lost in the pipe network." Heading to the pipe entrance to look deeper inside.

"uh- i- what are we doing here?!" she stumbled over the words to speak. Her body tensing the more he drew closer to the pipe.

"i wanted to find a better spot to stay in. those bus seats are killer on my back. Let's check out the inside." completely ignoring her stress on purpose.

"no!" she exclaimed firmly.

"no?!" he glared from the pipe entrance.

"i-it's not safe!" Her strong voice momentarily crumbling under his glare.

"It's fine as long as you're not stupidly swimming around. Now get in here!" She stood there on the rocky shore with hesitance on going in. her fear of Erik being stronger than her fear of ITs lair, for the moment.

She guardedly walked in behind him. Sounds of rushing river water slowly fading into the background. The sounds left to hear were the echo of moving water at their feet the deeper they went in. sunlight slowly diminishing to the void of surrounding blackness.

Beverly's fear of Erik ebbing away to her body filling with adrenaline. Hesitating at every pipe crossing to make sure nothing was ready to pounce from the darkness.

"hey, there's light. Must be the center." Erik happily announced. Beverly stopping inside the remaining bit of tunnel. Watching Erik go out into the open room with ITs pile at the center. Lit up by the blue sky light raining down from a large skylight up above everything. Memory's of how the open lit air above used to be filled with mutilated bodies.

"wow, look at all this junk. They must find stuff blocking the pipes and just throw it here." she watched him wander around the various items collecting up into the towering pile.

Erik's voice echoed along the stone walls down into the core of the large mound. large strands of oversize spider webbing vibrating with the echos passing. long rows of eyes opened to the sensation with long twisted body uncurling.

Rising to meet the presence of prey in its home.

Erik turned once noticing Beverly wasn't by him. "what are you doing? Get out here and look!" he waved for her to come over.

"no!" she shouted back.

"no?!" he glared.

"yes, no!" Holding her own challenging stare against him. Fear of him hurting her all gone as long as she was deep within the tunnels. She had something bigger to fear that hopefully wasn't home at the moment.

"Why are you being so difficult?! Get over here!" Erik spoke through gritted teeth. Furiously pointing down at the ground in front of him. She refused to speak further with him. Holding her ground with fists so tightly curled her nails dug into her palms.

"Are you really trying to start a fight with me?! When i'm the one looking for a nicer place, for us, to sleep!" tightening his own fists with mutterings of all kinds of curse words following.

"i don't want to be here!" she whispered through gritted teeth.

"it's just a room of water and cement! What could possibly hurt you, the rats?" Erik grabbed her by the arm. Dragging her out more toward the center of the room into the light. The two breaking out into a fight starting with Beverly biting down into Eriks arm, forcing him to let go. She got a returning blow to her arm. A new bruise being sure to form at the area. He grabbed a hold of her shirt with her doing the same.

Both stumbling to the ground throwing punches back and forth. A few cuts collecting with the heavy struggle on the jagged concrete stone. Erik gaining the upper hand with his extra height over her. Throwing her off him to smash her into the wall. Beverly standing defensively with a heavy flow of blood off her freshly cut mouth. Getting sliced against a cement shard sticking out of the wall when she fell.

"Ever since we got in here you've acted like a freak! I was looking for a nice place we can both stay, but now I have to defend myself from your insane acting! You started this, not me, you're lucky i don't strangle you like some assholes would!" he panted with a spit of drool toward the ground. Wiping dirt off his clothes to face her for another round.

All the energy Beverly had was spent in the first fight. Ribs in an extreme amount of pain after being smashed down left and right. Her breathing turned to pained wheezing. Fear settling in place of the lack of energy. Digging her nails into the wall beside her in desperation to stay on her feet.

Erik went forward to punch her when something big lunged from the darkness. Beverly only got a glimpse of many legs, yellow eyes and rows of teeth, it was all she needed to see to flee. Bolting away to a new tunnel while Erik went down where they came from. Separated by ITs large presence of snarling teeth snapping together.

Letting out a long deep hiss toward the tunnel Erik fled down. Shifting away to head down Beverly's path of escape. Following the heavy scent of blood leading along the tunnels. Getting closer to the sound of her footsteps fleeing through the water.

Running endlessly with no direction on injured ribs was not working for Beverly. she stopped momentarily to try and catch her bearings. Minimal light shining down through the tunnels making things just barely see able. the sound of water being disturbed leading her gaze back behind her. Hopes of Erik appearing crashing down with large spider legs coming into view.

"shit!" she thought. Trying to run more against the rounded wall then in the water to prevent noise.

"find a weapon!" was all that her mind was screaming. If she reaches a dead end with nothing for defense it was going to be a complete end, and there it was.

A dead end of a grate made of metal rods. Her heart sunk for a moment, searching for something to give her an out, spotting one rod being badly rusted. She grabbed a hold of it with little hesitation to yank on it. Kicking it a few times to twist it into snapping off. Holding it against her body to keep it hidden.

She didn't want IT seeing the weapon until it was too late. She stood still at the tunnels end in wait. Panting painfully with the taste of blood in her mouth. A dizzy feeling washing over her enough she needed to lean against the wall. She gathered herself to stand again on her own. Focusing on the space of the tunnel behind her. Feeling IT approach around the corner with a deep breath of air flowing out its snout.

Beverly listening to the water being disturbed to guess how close IT was. A sense of the darkness turning into a deeper void at its large form shadowing over her. Skin crawling as she felt ITs hot breath flowing over her back.


i have a few chapters done, but will be posting them slowly. 1 chapter every other day.

wanted something a little different then the usual Beverly/ pennywise fics. one where Beverly isint just a pure sex/ mind controlled slave and pennywise isint being a pure insufferable jackass.