"Why do I have to wear this nasty smelling bird colored shit?" I grumbled as Linda only rubs all harder for my comment.

"This isn't bird shit Bobby. This is sunscreen. I'm trying to keep your pale ass from burning and becoming fried chicken. Now hold still!"

I groan as I finally do as told. The stuff smells awful to me. It messes with my sense of smell and feels so oily as she lathers it on every patch of skin she can find bare on me. With it messing with my senses, setting them off in ways I just can't handle, I do nothing more then dislike it.

I've always had a hard time with my senses. All of them can be set off in a good way, or in the worst way. With my sense of smell, things can smell awful and off for me, but no one else will even notice it. My sense of touch, things may feel fine for others, but for me it can feel overly too rough. My sense of taste, it may taste fine to others, but for me it can be disgusting. With my sense of sight, like today, the sun feels too bright for me.

Linda told me it has something to do with me having blue eyes, but I don't know for sure. I'm not calling her a liar, but I like to double check some the things she says at times. I have a habit of correcting her when I do find something that isn't true she's said. Of course she doesn't enjoy that half the time. One of those times, "Linda! It says you won't ruin your eye sight if you sit in front of the tv too close." That didn't go over too well. She still yells at me if I get too close to the tv screen.

My attention comes back to the present as I frown at her. "I'm pretty sure I don't burn. I can't remember a single time I've had a sunburn." Even so I keep my arms spread for her to continue her work.

"That's because I'm always there slathering this all over you dummy." She's frustrated, but not actually upset with me. I can already see her grinning from the corner of my eye as she finishes lathering me up.

"There. That should keep you safe." She smiles at her work, snapping the lid shut on the lotion as I continue to glare at her.

"Why did I have to take my shirt off and let you put it in my back? The shirt would have been enough." I pull said shirt back on over my head. My hair getting smeared and oiled by the lotion on my face. I grunt and whine as I try to get the stuck hair out of my eyes. The lotion is already making them sting.

"I'm not taking any chances. I've been reading up on sun exposure and I'm not chancing you getting skin cancer." She swatted me lightly before gesturing to herself. "Now you get me. I got the parts I could by myself but I want you to get my back."

"Damn, you sound like Eddie's mom."

We both turn to see the children have arrived. They set their bikes aside as they come over.

"Like seriously, She's nuts!" Richie continues from his first remark as Eddie glares at him.

"Well I'm not that crazy, yet. No offense." Linda smiles apologetically to Eddie.

"You know my mom?" Eddie looks surprised at her.

"Sad to say, I believe everyone in town does bud. Not just the police department. I've heard the fire department gets a lot of calls. Many about supposed gas smells. Us it's possible break ins or people lingering outside the windows." Linda looks like she's ready to rant, but holds back for Eddie's sack.

He in turn looks greatly embarrassed. Just now really taking in how much of a reputation his mother has.

"I thought she knew what was right...turns outs she's only been keeping me away from the world. Stuffing me with gazebos she say's are for things I don't really have."

We all just stare at him confused. It's Richie that breaks down in a fit of laughter, breaking the silence first.

"Gazebos? She's been forcing down one of those bandstands on you? Learning to play the tuba?"

"What?" Eddie looks ready to strangle his friend, but Linda butts in quickly.

"Eddie, I believe the word you are looking for is placebos. Gazebos are those things you see in the park. A small structure with a roof." She smiles so sweetly at him that I see him turn from an angry red to a bright pink. He's obviously blushing now.

I mean it shouldn't be surprising that a young boy would form a crush on her. I guess she's fairly attractive. It's just, I've never seen her that way. It takes me a moment to refocus, looking away from her to the children.

We all take a seat at a lone picnic table while Linda pulls out the files from her bag. The children pull out their own stack of findings as well.

I eye both stacks, frowning, "How long has this been happening?"

"There has been stories as far back as before the town of Derry formed." Ben filled Linda and me in.

"From all my research it did at the library, people have been disappearing from the start."

"That can't be possible." The words slip past my lips before I can really think on what I'm saying. "No one can live that long."

"You've seen IT, time doesn't matter to that thing. IT's been here from the start. IT's been picking people off, scaring and then eating them for centuries. The founding fathers of Derry disappeared without a trace." Ben continued.

"Until at some point IT picked us kids as IT's main course!" Richie complained. I couldn't blame him or any of the other children as the became gloomy at that reminder.

A thought occurs to me, "Wait, this thing has been going after kids this whole time? How hasn't the whole town disappeared?"

Bill is the one to present the reason why that hasn't happened.

"There is a time limit. IT only shows up every twenty seven years to 'feast', as IT says, before IT goes to sleep for another twenty seven. IT stocks us for a year. IT got Georgie... and a lot of people we knew from school..."

"Sometimes IT doesn't even sleep that long." Ben mumbled, "There are times I found that IT shows up out of the blue. Times when something bad happens."

He pulls a page out from his stack, presenting it before Linda and myself, then he continued.

"When ever there is a major accident ending in death and blood shed, IT shows up."

I skim the page over, as does Linda beside me. I frown seeing the evidence. A mass explosion on Easter, killing families. Gangsters at another time starting a shoot out. All of these things trigger a sudden toll of missing persons, mainly children, after they occur.

I can't pull my eyes away from the text. Even after I've finished reading, I can't look away. My head is slowly beginning to ache, my vision growing dark, I'm feeling suddenly dizzy and I can't handle what is presented in front of me.

The mayhem alone should make me feel this way, but it's the sudden memories that cause me to feel bile rise in my throat. I looked up quickly, no longer wanting to read it anymore, but as I do, things are suddenly no longer quite right.

In front of me, the group of children are still there, but now there are others. I'm seeing children happily running about with baskets. Doesn't take long to guess that they are looking for Easter Eggs, but they are not wearing modern clothing of the late or even early eighties. This clothing is foreign to this time. Centuries too late.

I shake my head violently, gulping for air as I get up quickly, stumbling backwards as I nearly fall over my seat. When I regain my balance, I feel a tug on my sleeve. I turn to see what has

caused it, only to see a most horrifying sight.

A small girl in her Sunday best, at least what is left of it and her. She's severely burned, even missing part of her head, and her other arm is gone. Behind her I see a group of other children. All in different states of similar horror.

"Help us find some eggs mister?"

It's not real. It's not real! IT'S NOT REAL!

I slam my hands over my ears. I can feel the tears form in my distress behind my closed eyes. I no longer hear the voice. I no longer hear anything but screaming.

I suddenly feel hands on my shoulders as my eyes shot open. I see Linda's mouth moving, but I don't comprehend what she's saying. It's as if I'm watching a silent film unfold in front of me. But she seems to be saying the same thing over and over. As she does for the umpteenth time, I slowly make out her words.

"Bobby, just breath. Slow deep breaths. Come on Bobby."

I stare a moment longer before I slowly do as I'm told. My hearing begins to clear as I do so. My throat feels suddenly raw and I reach up to it confused.

"Bobby, you were having a panic attack. You started screaming. You're safe. It's going to be alright. Nothing that happened to you was real. Whatever you heard or even say, it wasn't real."

I look past her to the children and they all look worried.

"She's right Bobby. Nothing IT shows you is real." Bill assures me. "Fear gives IT strength. I know it's hard, but you have to learn to not to fear IT."

I let out a shaky breath, whipping at my wet cheeks, "How do I do that Billy? How do I stop fearing something like IT?"