"Okay, new kid. This is what us locals call the kissing bridge. It's famous for two things; sucking face and carving names."

It (Film 2017) ~ Andy Muschietti & Stephen King

JUNE, 1985

HENDERSON HOUSEHOLD

Mike and Lucas were raiding Dustin's kitchen for snacks. They'd agreed to meet Will at the Barrens and were currently en route, making a quick pit stop at the Henderson pantry. "Take everything but the Delicious Deals, my mom loves those." Lucas's backpack was held open whilst the boys shoved everything from marshmallows to Capri Suns, cleaning out the shelves like feral animals. Mike crossed over to a white slatted cabinet. "Hey, first you said the Barrens now you're saying the sewer." Dustin paused whilst he helped Lucas jiggle the bag to make more room. "I mean, what if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught." Mike said confidently, throwing open the cupboard doors to look for more confectionery.

"Yeah, besides the sewers are public works and we're the public aren't we?" Lucas chimed in. Dustin rolled his eyes at him.

"Hey Dustin, these your birth control pills?" Mike asked grinning. The cabinet he'd been looking through was stocked full of various pill bottles ranging in all shapes and sizes. On the top shelf there was medicine like cough syrup and surgical alcohol. Lucas shared a high five with Mike.

"Yeah and I'm saving them for your sister." Dustin snapped back. Mike wrinkled his nose in disgust. "She's so into me."

"She still thinks you're a perv for spying on her."

"Ok I didn't spy on her! It's not my fault, the door was open and I was walking past! How many times do I have to say this?" Lucas sniggered whilst Dustin complained. The backpack was bursting at the seams and slung securely over Lucas's shoulder as the boys made their way to the front door.

They sneaked along the hall and had just managed to open the door silently when a voice called out to them from the sitting room. "Dusty-bun, where're you going in such a rush?" Ms Henderson was stuffed into a recliner clad in a garish pink and yellow dress wearing tartan slippers with her rollers still curled in her hair. Her eyes never strayed from the episode of Donahue playing on their zenith TV even as she was painting her nails in the same shade of fuchsia as her dress. Dustin sent a pleading look towards the other two.

"Just to Steve's house Ms Henderson." Mike answered for him. Steve was the same age as his sister Nancy but for some reason he'd taken a shine to Dustin and the Party. He often chauffeured them around town in the colder months and could always be relied on to cover for them, provided he deemed what they were doing wasn't too dangerous of course. Mike hoped he'd be able to make an exception this time. Dads tended not to trust him but the moms doted on his adorable big brotherliness, including Ms Henderson. She raised her eyes from the screen to regard all of them warily. Mews (the fat ginger cat on her lap) grumbled suspiciously but Ms Henderson seemed to buy it.

"Ok, be back by curfew. Oh and Dusty remember Steve mowed the lawn a couple days ago so no rolling around on the grass, you know how bad your allergies can get."

"Geez mom."

"It's fine, we'll look after him Ms H." Lucas piped up. The boys started to shuffle out again when Ms Henderson cleared her throat loudly.

"Aren't you forgetting something sweetie?" She stared at Dustin pointedly who flushed right to the roots of his frizzy hair. Lucas and Mike nudged each other barely concealing their smirks whilst Dustin glared at them before dutifully crossing the sitting room and planting a swift kiss to her cheek. She nodded satisfied and the other two boys snickered.

"Want one from me too Ms H?" Lucas asked whilst Mike snorted.

"Son of a bitch Lucas." Dustin shoved him and Mike out of the door so hard they stumbled, although both were laughing harder. Dustin spared his mom a glance. "Sorry mom." Before he shut the front door firmly behind him. Ms Henderson smiled in amusement as she watched her son and his friends from between the blinds. "You really are an asshole you know that Lucas?" They picked up their bikes off of the lawn and cycled away, the three of them ribbing each other as they disappeared down the street.

HAWKINS PUBLIC LIBRARY

Inside the library was cool and shaded, a huge contrast from the bright sun outside. The large bay windows were high up enough that the shafts of gold didn't disturb anyone inside, not that there were many people since it was summer. El Hopper sat at one of the tables, an old postcard of Lovers Lake in front of her. A couple lines of poetry were written carefully on the blank side and as El signed it off with Your Secret Admirer she made sure not to smudge the ink. As she held it up closer to the light for inspection she whispered one of the lines aloud to herself. "Your hair burns like winter fire." It was cheesy and corny but held the weight of El's heart. A part of her rationally declared that it was foolish to be so smitten after such a brief encounter but the other, more dominant, part drunkenly sang love as it drifted through memories of the previous afternoon. The square of cheap school paper seemed to burn in her jeans pocket.

The book hitting the table startled El out of her reverie. The old librarian Mrs Starret watched the girl with beady eyes as she shoved the postcard into her open bag. "Found it. It was in one of the bottom boxes in the basement."

"Thank you." El replied quietly, reaching out to grab the book but Mrs Starret kept a firm hand on it.

"Isn't it summer vacation? I'd have thought you wanted a break from school." El shrugged noncommittally.

"I like it in here." She murmured. Mrs Starret frowned.

"Speak up girly." El automatically felt her spine stiffen. Mrs Starret eyed her disapprovingly. "It ain't right for a girl to be reading so much, you'll start letting silly ideas get in your head. You should be outside with your friends." She watched the girl with a critical eye. "Don't you have any friends?" She asked and El felt a scowl forming.

"Can I have the book please?" She wasn't really asking as she tugged on its sleeve. Mrs Starret harrumphed but conceded the book to her.

"That ain't suitable for a lady." She warned but El was already placing it in her bag. Mrs Starret pursed her lips before bustling off, muttering under her breath about wayward girls and kids these days. El ignored her as she headed towards the exit. There was a word her dad called people like her, a word she was told never to repeat but she thought of it anyway.

As El exited the library she accidentally bumped into a boy. Blushing she mumbled an apology just as he did the same. He smiled awkwardly at her before ducking around and into the building. El opened her mouth to say something but he was already gone. She frowned. She wished more people would talk to her like Max did. Another person bumped into her and her scowl deepened, she was not invisible! Only unlike the other boy this seemed personal. Too late she recognised the mean boys from before, the ones her dad and Max had both warned her of.

"Heya Home school. Where you off to?" There were only two of them, the other two leaning against the monument of Bob Newby watching disinterestedly. El felt her breathing quicken. "You're pretty for a Hawkins girl." The two were surrounding her. The smaller blonde one elbowed the brunette in the side, giggling.

"I heard she ain't a Hawkins girl, that she's from Chicago." He giggled again whilst the other boy eyed her with interest. El tried to swallow but her throat had closed up.

"Yeah? It's the outside girls you gotta watch out for, Mayfield's from Cali ain't she James?" They were circling like vultures and although the brunette had lowered his voice slightly on Mayfield, like he was afraid Billy might hear, it didn't make them any less intimidating. El tried to walk away but they jogged up right next to her, one on either side of her. "Where ya going so quickly, huh?"

"Yeah, stay a while." James said, curling a finger around a lock of hair and tugging it. Tears welled up in El's eyes and fear clawed at her chest. "Pretty hair." He commented.

"Alright, you've had your fun now that's enough." Billy told them. The two boys pouted slightly but Billy ignored them, stubbing out his cigarette and leaving an ashy smudge on the white marble. "He's gonna be out any minute now." James and Troy grumbled but withdrew. Unfortunately El stayed frozen.

"You're lucky Home school. If we weren't after the fairy in there..." He trailed off and left the threat hanging. Whilst that was probably a good cue to run El remained rooted to the spot, mulling the unfamiliar word over in her mind. She knew what fairies were but these didn't seem the type of boys who'd be interested in them so she deducted that it probably meant something different and probably more offensive.

"Fairy?" She questioned.

"She talks!" James crowed before Troy jabbed him in the ribs.

"Yeah. Fairy." He affirmed, something predatory glinting cruelly in his eyes. "Faggot, dyke, Gay!" He spat the last word with such contempt that El recoiled. She knew what those words meant.

"Bully." She stated boldly, even as her fingers shook and her legs were turned to jelly. Billy straightened up.

"What'd you say mute?" He stalked towards her as she stumbled back. She tripped over her own feet and the only reason she was still standing was because of the unnatural speed Billy had used to grab her by the shoulders. He smirked at her terrified face. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He let go and gave her a shove. "Get lost kid." He didn't push hard but it was enough to send someone as light as El to the floor. She landed hard on her rump and for a moment felt a truly terrific surge of anger. It was quickly quashed when the boys started laughing at her nastily. She scrabbled back to her feet and ran away, tears blurring her vision.

The boys watched her go, chortling until the library doors opened again and they all flew into their places. Billy casually propped his foot up against the memorial and started filing his nails with his knife in what was clearly a threatening gesture. The others vanished into seemingly thin air as Will stumbled down the steps before righting himself and walking quickly past Billy. He was oblivious to danger until Billy called out from behind him. Will span around so fast he was in trouble of getting whiplash. The moment his eyes locked onto the older boy he turned to sprint to safety but was intercepted by Troy. "Where you going?" He struggled and kicked out as Troy lifted him easily and dragged him towards the Kissing Bridge.

The wooden railings were carved with numerous initials like R+E and hearts and sweet messages. Will was thrust up against it non too gently and held there by Troy and James. Billy removed the Buck knife from his jeans and tilted it so that the light glanced off and into Will's eyes. He squinted against it and thrashed as Troy yanked up his shirt. Billy leapt forward with the knife eagerly. "Woah Billy, he's just a kid." Tommy tried protesting but Billy snarled at him.

"Shut up Tommy." He turned back to Will who was hopelessly outnumbered and in danger of hyperventilating. James took over from Troy when Troy released Will to grab his hair spray. The canister hissed as Troy aimed it just past Will's head, his other hand fumbling around for his lighter.

"Wait Billy, let me light his hair like Micheal Jackson. C'mon Billy." The flame flickered to life and Troy jettisoned a fireball that narrowly missed Will's head. He laughed manically and Will struggled even harder, squirming in James's grip and screaming. All five of them froze at the purr of a car engine.

A battered Sedan puttered onto the bridge with an elder couple inside. Will thrashed around and made direct eye contact with them, begging for help. They carried on past the group, not responding at all in fact if it hadn't been for the car moving Will would have sworn that they were dead with their empty eyes and stilted movement. Billy and his gang grinned triumphantly whilst Will felt utterly betrayed and helpless. As the back of the car trundled out of view a single red balloon floated out of the trunk and bumped against the rear view window. Will felt a hollow hole of horror open up in his stomach and quickly fill with dread. The feeling was soon replaced with pain though, fiery hot pain that bled profusely from the jagged F slashed into his stomach. He let out an anguished yell that drowned out Billy's cackle and Tommy's cry. Crimson splatters flecked the concrete beneath them and Billy's blade dripped wetly like it was from some cheesy horror film. "Shut up! I'm gonna carve the whole damn word on this little queer. Now what letter's next fag?" Will twisted his head to see the stream behind him and the wooded hill dropping directly after the railing. He turned back to catch Billy's bloody grin, his arm already raising to slice the next cut. Will was in full flight or fight mode and with all the adrenaline of a panicked teenager, he lashed out with his legs and kicked Billy solidly in the chest. James loosened his grip as Will planted his heels against Billy and launched himself over the side, tumbling down the culvert. Billy was propelled onto his ass.

As Will reached the bottom, bruised and bloody but with enough adrenaline to fight off a dragon, Billy was getting back on his feet and leaping over the railings after him. The other boys followed his lead but Tommy tripped and sent the entire lot down, all tangled together as they hit the ground and rolled. By the time they'd come to a stop Will had already taken off running and Billy's knife had disappeared into the foliage. He was on his knees spitting with rage as he tore through the dead underbrush looking for it. "You two," he pointed at Troy and James, "find him or else you're dead meat." The two exchanged a wary glance before Troy drew his lighter again and the two charged off after the runaway middle schooler. "Tommy help me find my fucking knife. My old man'll kill me." When Tommy just proceeded to stand there Billy sent him a glare so murderous that he actually flinched. "MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS!" He yelled, startling the boy and sending him scurrying through the leaves for the familiar metal.

Meanwhile Will was bleeding so badly his shirt had soaked through and made him look like the victim of a brutal murder, which in a way it almost had been. He splashed into the river, almost landing flat on his face as the adrenaline wore off and he stumbled over the loose shingle. His friends were at the Barrens, they'd help him. He pushed himself forward, staggering to his feet and ignoring the stinging water and itchy cotton that irritated his wound. Troy and James weren't too far behind him.

THE BARRENS

Down at the Barrens Mike, Lucas and Dustin were all standing in the mouth of the large sewer pipe that joined the river. Their bikes were discarded on the grassy bank and large willowy trees hung over the water. If the circumstances were different it would be a pleasant sight. "That's poison ivy and that's poison ivy and that's poison ivy." Dustin pointed to every green climber plant and had already begun scratching at his arms. Lucas rolled his eyes at him.

"Not everything is poison ivy Dustin." Ever the expert, Lucas was the Party's ranger and prided himself on always being prepared.

"Yeah? 'Cuz I'm already feeling itchy and-"

"Do you share a bathroom with your mom?" Lucas interrupted.

"Yeah." Dustin answered, not sure where the conversation was going.

"Then that's probably why." Lucas jibed. Dustin shoved him into the mouth of the sewer, rolling his eyes when Lucas ducked out as quick as he could. Mike had already wandered in but paused when he realised the others weren't following him.

"Aren't you coming?" Lucas shook his head vehemently.

"No way dude that's grey water."

"What's grey water?" Dustin asked, worried about another possible source of infection.

"It's basically piss and shit." Lucas elaborated. "I'm just saying you guys are splashing around in gallons of Hawkins sewage." Dustin wrinkled his nose and shuffled further away from the stream. Mike frowned, annoyed at Lucas for dissuading Dustin.

"Stop being babies, c'mon." The other two exchanged reluctant looks. "Please guys? I n-need to do this." His voice cracked before he angrily scowled to cover it up. Lucas sent a guilty glance towards Dustin before very slowly shuffling in after Mike, grimacing the entire time. He looked suitably revolted as he stood next to Mike and the two waited expectantly for Dustin as well. He hovered hesitantly at the mouth.

"Shouldn't we wait for Will?" He tried wheedling. When all he got was an exasperated huff from Lucas he tried again, "I mean we said we'd wait. Besides, can't you guys smell that, it's seriously unsanitary."

"I can't smell anything, maybe it's just your breath wafting back into your face."

"Seriously Lucas?" Lucas picked up a broken branch, his disgust seemingly forgotten as he tormented Dustin. "Because I can smell that from here and- AH!" He leapt back as Lucas flicked something grey and deformed that was dripping with sewage at him. "You're a piece of shit! Have you ever heard of a staff infection?"

"A staff infection?" Lucas raised his brows, clearly mocking the curly-haired boy. "I'll show-"

"GUYS!" Mike interrupted. He'd carried on whilst the two boys were arguing and was now crouched in the pipe, a single sullied sneaker in one hand and a flashlight in the other. The mood dropped by tenfold.

"Shit." Lucas swore. "Don't tell me that's-"

"No. Holly wore galoshes." He met Lucas and held his flashlight up so the other boy could read the name. In faded black marker were the words BARBRA HOLLAND. Lucas swore again. "It's Barb's." Mike informed Dustin. "Nancy's gonna be crushed." He muttered.

"Look, let's get out of here. I don't like this, we should call the police."

"How d'you think Barb feels? Hopping around here with only one shoe." Dustin tried to alleviate the tension but only succeeded in pissing off the other two. He held his hands up in surrender at the double glare.

"Do you think she's still here?" Lucas asked. Something sinister seemed to respond to the question and all three of the boys felt the hair on their arms stand up.

"If I was Barb I think I'd want us to find me." Mike said, sweeping his torch beam over the dripping walls curving further inward.

"What if I don't want to find her?" Lucas had backtracked back to the entrance next to Dustin. "I'm sorry Mike but I don't want to end up like H-" Dustin elbowed him sharply. "I don't want to go missing." He amended. Mike frowned between the two.

"You too?" He asked Dustin, flashing the light towards him. Dustin swallowed nervously.

"It's summer Mike, we're supposed to be having fun."

Before Mike could respond a great splash of water cascaded over the rocks and swilled up to their feet as something heavy landed in the water. Will was hunched over on all fours, coughing as the water receded and he tried staggering back to his feet. Mike was the first to move forward to help him. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked. The wound was bleeding much more profusely and now that the adrenaline had worn off Will was completely and utterly drained of energy. "Shit shit shit! Help me!" Mike called to the other two. In a flurry of action they'd propped Will up, his arms slung over Mike and Lucas's shoulders whilst Dustin ran towards the bikes.

Meanwhile Troy and James had split. James had headed upstream whilst Troy headed downstream towards the Barrens. A noise from up ahead had him smirking as he anticipated the hell fire he'd rain on the boys. He passed the Morlock Hole, a meshed over pipe that stuck upright out of the ground, and passed into the sewage drainpipe. There was no sign of the boys and so Troy crept further forward, rattling his canister to spook whoever was there. The only sound was the steady drip of water that trickled from above and into the shallow sewage. For a moment there was an eerie sort of whisper and Troy froze, goosebumps rising along his arms. It happened again and this time there was an echo, an echo of footsteps that reverberated lightly along the tunnel walls. Troy regained his confidence, "I can hear ya fag. Come out come out wherever you are." He giggled, an unhinged, unmanly giggle that conveyed his sick thrill of the chase. The high sound bounced in the underground space as Troy crept further in, water sloshing around his ankles.

Approaching the thicker darkness, Troy pulled out his lighter and rattled the canister again. A flickering tongue of flame shot out and licked at the retreating shadows. It illuminated the empty tunnel for a moment before blackness returned. Troy took a couple more steps, the distant sound of rumbling traffic came from above accompanied by the sound of... carnival music? No, the music disappeared and Troy shook his head. An unsettling feeling descended on the older boy but as a bully and not a victim he failed to recognise it as the survival instinct to flee. Instead he shook it off and lit up his makeshift flame thrower again. More grey water, more slimy walls and then more darkness.

Up ahead a single shaft of sunlight floated down from the sewer grate and Troy stepped up into it, listening. There's something there, something lurking in the darkness beyond, shuffling in the shallows. There's the pitter patter of footsteps and wet raspy breathing, sniffling like a small child with a runny nose. Troy stepped back into the darkness, uncomfortable being on display in the light. "Don't think you can stay down here all damn day now." He called with fake bravado. The familiar whoosh of fire showed nothing. Darkness returned and a predatory silence settled in, except Troy got the feeling it was him who was now the prey.

Whoosh.

Dead children.

A crowd of them surrounded him, all staring with glassy eyes that flickered with the flames. Or maybe the orange glow was coming from within them. "You found us Troy." They all giggled unanimously, as if each and every one of them was a collective part of a hive mind. "You found us." They repeated as the flames flickered and died. It was the most utterly bone-chilling, soul-piercing sound he'd ever had the misfortune of hearing and even as his mouth dried up and his panicked mind screamed RUN! he was frozen, paralysed by the corpses tittering just out of sight.

He flicked his lighter and pressed the nozzle but nothing happened other than a short hiss. He shook the canister up and down, the rattling sound it produced similar to that of a snake preparing to strike and the noise amplified in the rounded pipe. When the flame finally sputtered to life there were more of them, all with purple bruises blemishing the skin and gnawed and stubby limbs. Between them stood a taller child. It wasn't a child. It was Pennywise.

Troy almost dropped his lighter in shock at the clown. It grinned, slow and sinister before it began unhinging his jaw and revealed rows upon rows of deadly shark-like teeth. Darkness returned. Whilst Troy fumbled with his flamethrower Pennywise took the opportunity to strike and although Troy's vision was impaired his pain receptors weren't. He heard the CRUNCH before he felt the bone splinter but when he did feel it his vocal cords almost shredded at the unearthly sound he made. The kids all reacted to the noise, clamouring loudly as they pressed in against him. They moved in a frenzied way, like piranhas promised fresh food.

As soon as Troy felt the thing relinquish its hold he took off running although not very fast and not very far due to his injuries. He threw himself into the light beneath the grate and tilted his head towards the sun, screaming and hollering for help. He looked awful, like a bad piece of grisly meat that had been chewed up and spat back out again. If anyone heard him above ground they certainly weren't in a rush to come help him. He almost cracked his neck as he looked behind him. Something fast was approaching yet making absolutely no noise in the water. It was only the rustling of fabric that gave it away but Troy still heard it and ran, his heart tap-dancing in his chest. A broken pipe spiked crookedly out of the water and Troy snatched it up, resigned to the fact he couldn't outrun the creature. "COME ON!" He yelled, brandishing the pipe like a baseball bat. There was only silence. "COME ON! LET'S GO ASSHOLE!" The fear was real but so was the instinct to survive. Neither flight nor freeze had worked so all that was left was to fight. He was bruised and bloody and running off of pure adrenaline, cornered like a caged animal. The anticipation was killing him but ever so slowly something floated towards him.

It stopped right in front of him and Troy was able to make it out as a bright red balloon. It squeaked as it turned, brushing against his fingertips and boasting an I Love Hawkins slogan. The red plastic popped suddenly and revealed the face of the clown inches from Troy's nose. Before he could even open his mouth to scream Pennywise had lunged forward, dragging him into the blackness for good.

© ELIXB | 2020