*Chapter 1: Saving Georgie*
It's October, 1988 in Derry, Maine. A 21 year old woman is sitting in her living room reading a novel while it's raining outside. Her name is Belle Whitehurst. Her skin is pale with rosy cheeks, emerald eyes, pink lips, and long curly dark brown hair. Most men around her drool whenever she goes around town and want her. Though, Belle isn't really into men who only care about her appearance and nothing else. She's no object. And she isn't ready for marriage as well.
Belle was living by herself in the house since she moved from her folks two years ago. She wanted to start her life anew since her old home has nothing but family. So far, things have been great. She works at the library since it's her favorite quiet place. Her second job is babysitting which she doesn't mind having. She knew most children in Derry. The child she babysit the most is Georgie Denbrough. He's the sweetest kid. Belle always read fairy tale stories to him, even the underrated tale called Bride of the Lindworm King. Georgie was disturbed by the story, but at the same time, he enjoyed it. Belle had to give him better details of why did the Lindworm wanted a bride to begin with. For a 6 year old, he sort of understood.
Belle closed the book and went over to the window to see the street drenched by the rain. But something caught her eye. Across the street, there is a child wearing a yellow raincoat. His hands and knees are down, looking down at one of the drains. Belle grabbed her coat and head out the front door.
"Hey! Do you need help?" She called out. The child let out a cry. She recognized the scream. It was Georgie. The boy backed away from the drain and started to crawl with one arm. There is blood around him. Georgie is crying in agony.
"Ahhh! Help...!" Georgie cried out, trying to crawl away from the drain. Belle let out a gasp.
"Georgie, hang on!" Belle ran towards the boy. As soon as she picks him up from the street, something is coming out from the drain. An arm. It's stretching out.
"Belle, it hurts!" Georgie cried. Belle was about to run with the boy in her arms, but the hand grabbed her ankle. She fell, dropped Georgie on the street. He backed up and watched Belle being pulled into the drain. "Belle!" The woman tried not to panic as she was being dragged into the drain.
"Let go of me!" Belle screamed, kicking the hand with her free foot. Inside the drain, she can see yellow eyes. They don't look happy at all. Belle looked back to Georgie who is safe, but he is losing too much blood. He could die out here. The woman tried to get out of the gloved hand's grasp. As soon as her legs are in the drain, she kicks something hard. It felt like she kicked someone in the face. She could've sworn she heard a cry of agony in the drain. Her ankle was free. Without wasting time, Belle crawled out of the drain and ran towards Georgie. She picked him up. His eyes are closed. "Hang on, Georgie. I'm taking you to the hospital." She told him. Belle took the boy to her car.
"Belle..." Georgie sobbed as he was put to the backseat. Belle uses the towels to wrap around the wound to stop the bleeding. The boy started to pass out in the backseat. The woman got in the front seat to start the car.
"Stay with me, sweetie." She told the boy. Georgie didn't reply. He's out cold. "Shit. I gotta hurry." Belle said to herself.
Inside the drain, the shadowy figure watched the car pull out and pass by. The figure growled. He just woke up from his long slumber and found his first feast of the day, but the woman got in the way.
"She will pay for taking away my meal. Oh, she will pay dearly." He rasped, his eyes turning red. He will have to sniff out for her. The figure rubbed his face after being kicked so hard. His nose could've been broken. He disappeared in the darkness, growling angrily.
As soon as Georgie was taken to the emergency room, Belle used a phone to call his parents about what had happened. She hears a few rings on the line and Mrs. Denbrough finally answered.
"Hello?"
"Mrs. Denbrough. This is Belle. You have to come to the hospital right away." Belle said, trying to calm herself.
"Why? What happened?"
"It's Georgie! He was attacked, and his arm is gone." Belle said. She could hear Mrs. Denbrough gasp on the line. "I brought him here. He's in the emergency room."
"Oh my god! I'll be right there. I'm calling my husband." Mrs. Denbrough hung up. Belle hung up the phone and stood against the wall. She brushed her wet bangs away from her face.
XX
Mr. and Mrs. Denbrough walked in the room with their son, Bill, to see Georgie laying peacefully in bed with bandages where his missing arm should be. Bill noticed that his little brother's arm is gone. Belle stood by Georgie's side since they brought him in, and never left his side. The parents were very scared, but relieved that Georgie is still alive. Belle told them that she stopped the bleeding when she brought him to the car and head straight to the hospital. He nearly died after losing so much blood, but he was saved. He's going to be okay. Mrs. Denbrough gave Belle a loving hug, thanking her for saving her son and bring him to the hospital.
"Thank you so much, Belle." She said. "You were always there for him."
"Wh-wh-what was in the drain?" Bill asked. Belle wished she knew, but she doesn't. Only an arm stretch out and those yellow eyes in the drain. She didn't get a good look at something or someone in the drain. It's too dark. Only Georgie knew the answer. Everyone will have to wait till he wakes up. Right now, he needs to recover and he will be in pain once he wakes up.
"How long will he have to stay?" Mr. Denbrough asked.
"He's staying the night." Belle said. "I'll stay by him at all times."
"Oh no, you've done enough. Saving him from whatever that tried to take him away after taking his arm is enough. And you are drenched, dear." Mrs. Denbrough said, looking at Belle's wet clothes and wet hair.
"No, I insist." Belle said.
"We'll t-t-take turns." Bill suggested. "We should stay here tonight, Belle. You can s-s-s-see him tomorrow. We'll call you when anything comes up." Belle faces Georgie's sleeping form, then face the family with nod. She left the room. Tomorrow she will come back to take their place to look over the boy.
XX
Belle walked down the hallway, but stopped when she spots a red balloon in a middle, floating. There is no one on sight. Belle looked behind her to see if some child lost a balloon, but there was no one. Where did this balloon come from? She reached for the string, and the red balloon slowly rotates. I Love Derry. That's what the writing on the balloon said. It popped suddenly, splashed blood on Belle's face instead of air. Belle let out a scream as she felt blood on her face and hands. A doctor came out from one of the rooms to see her.
"Whoa, whoa, hey. What's wrong?" He asked her, holding her shoulder. Belle looked up at him.
"The balloon! The blood! Look!" She shows him her face and hands with blood. The doctor looked confused.
"What blood?" He asked her. "I don't see any blood on you." Belle stared at him in disbelief. Is he blind? How could he not see it? "Are you okay, ma'am?" The doctor asked. Belle didn't answer him and rush to the women's restroom to wash up. "Crazy." The doctor said shaking his head before going down the hall.
Belle washes her face and hands to get the blood off. Has she gone crazy? She looked at herself in a mirror before drying her face with a paper towel. Something strange is going on. Georgie was attacked and then there is blood in a balloon. What else is next? The woman dries herself, trying to calm down. Then, a light growl was heard down the sink drain. Belle froze. Her green eyes move down to the sink. A growl was heard again.
"Shit." Belle grunted and rushed out of the restroom. She is hearing things. Or so she thought.
After Belle got home, she changed out of the wet clothes to be in warm pajamas. She made herself some coffee and look out the window. The rain never stops after everything that happened. Belle couldn't get those yellow eyes out of her mind. That arm stretched out and grab her. Whatever it was down in the drain, it wanted Georgie. There is a killer out there. People must know about this if they want to keep their children safe.
"Georgie must've seen something down in the drain. I will talk to him." Belle said to herself. She brought her coffee mug to the living room to relax after the terrifying experience. Soon she will know what was lurking under Derry. But, she wanted to know where that red balloon full of blood came from, and those sounds coming from the sink. Were those all connected to what happened to Georgie? It couldn't be. Belle shook her thoughts away as she took a sip of coffee, trying to remain calm. Tomorrow is another day. Georgie will be okay. That is more important to Belle than anything else.
XX
It was late at night, Belle is fast asleep in her bed. The rain pours once again. Lightning flashes in the bedroom, and thunder rumbles. The woman was very unaware that an angry killer clown is watching her sleep with its glowing yellow eyes. The white gloved hand reached out and lightly touches Belle's dark hair, growling.
"You'll float, Belle..." The clown spoke in a raspy voice. "For taking my meal of the day. You will float along with the others." In a flash, Belle woke up. She looked around her dark room. She could still hear the rain outside. But she could've sworn she heard a voice. A creepy one.
"Must be hearing things in my sleep." Belle said to herself. She lays her head back on her pillow and close her eyes.