3

August 31st, 1985

`What's Pennywise?'

Eleven stared up at the girl. She was extremely pretty. And extremely scary. The girl's eyes narrowed.

`Can't see any red balloons. And you aren't trying to kill me. Okay, we're good.'

Eleven flinched when the girl stuck out a hand. `I'm helping you up.'

`Oh!' Eleven took her hand and got up off the ground.

`So. What's your name?'

`Elliot.' Eleven decided it would be best to stick with her alias for a while.

`Really? You don't look it but I know you're a girl.' Eleven felt heat brush her cheeks, and admitted the truth.

`Not really. Bad men.' Sometimes Eleven found her lack of vocabularly infuriating. `Bad men- trying to hurt me.' There, maybe that would be more understandable. A sympathetic frown took over the girl's face.

`Bad men, huh? Yeah. I've had my fair share of those. You know what, my friend's house isn't far from here. Do you want to go there?'

`Yes.'

The girl led Eleven down the street, then turned round. `Forgot to say,' she said brightly. `I'm Beverly Marsh. And my friend's called Richie Tozier. If he does one of his voices, just say `Beep-beep'. Trust me. Works like a charm.'

`Beep-beep,' Eleven repeated obediently as she took a look at her surroundings. The street had a supermarket, a pharmacy, a few storm drains. It was pretty normal. The only weird thing was the amount of ragged Missing posters all over the walls and lamposts.

There was one of a gap-toothed boy who looked about six. Eleven walked up to it, and touched the boy's face through the poster. It remained still, and Eleven caught up with Beverly.

It didn't take long to reach Richie Tozier's house. The door swung open when Beverly knocked.

`Why, hello, my fair duchess!' He cried, bowing deeply. `And what can I help you with-'

`Mike!' Eleven cried, happiness rushing up her chest.

`What?'

`Where's Dustin?'

`I think you've got your wires-'

`Lucas safe?'

`Beverly, what the hell is going on?' Richie asked, gesturing to Eleven, who was beginning to look more closely at him. There were differences between this Mike and her Mike; the glasses, for one.

`I found her in the street. Dunno who she thinks you are, you sure as hell don't look like Mike Hanlon. He's too good-looking.'

`Shut up!'

Eleven was getting more and more confused, and realised, to her chagrin, she had started to cry. Richie and Beverly stopped bickering.

`Hey, uh, it's okay,' Richie said, giving Eleven a nervous pat on the shoulder. `We'll find your Mike. What does he look like?'

Beverly rolled her eyes. `Like you, stupid.' Richie ignored her.

`Come inside, Mom and Dad aren't gonna be back for a while.'

After giving a loud sniff and wiping her eyes on her tie, Eleven walked into the house.
She was going to get back to Hawkins, no matter what it took.