*Chapter 3: A Beauty meets a Beast*
The clouds cleared up to show off the blue sky with a bright sun. It's been raining for days, and children were dying to go out and play. Now, Belle can see children playing around the neighborhood, riding their bikes, anything they want to do outdoors. The woman smiled at the sight. She walk pass the neighborhood, holding a bag. She looked up to see a woman putting up a missing poster on a post. Belle took a good look at the poster. A young boy, age 7, is missing. His name is William. He was last seen two days ago.
"No..." Belle gasped.
"Terrible, isn't it?" A woman, holding the missing posters. "I hope the boy will be found."
"Didn't anyone see him before he went missing?" Belle asked.
"He was last seen by his friends. I believe he was riding his bike home and...he's gone." The woman replied. She walked away to do her job. Belle stormed off with a look. It was the clown. She must find him and bring the boy back. A blue car was cruising by, and she could hear laughter from four teenage boys inside.
"Hey, it's the fucking savior." One of them laughed. Belle didn't stop walking or look at them. It's Henry and his friends. They are the bullies of the poor kids in town. They mess with Belle too, they don't care if she's older than them or not.
"Shouldn't you be with the kiddies? Making sure they don't get eaten or killed?" Belch asked.
"One of them was gone, so she ain't the guardian." Victor said.
"How's the one arm twerp?" Henry asked with a smirk. "And his b-b-b-b-brother?" Belle made a halt and the car stopped. She faces the boys with a sneer.
"Why don't you all just fuck off?" She asked. "Would you laugh if one of you have gone missing or worse?"
"I would if you were." Patrick snorted.
"Face it, cupcake. Kids aren't worth it. You can't save them or protect them. Some come and go." Henry taunted. "Georgie was just fucking lucky that day. He should've died." Belle glared at him. She wanted to punch him in the mouth so bad, but she couldn't since she's the adult. Of course, she could always to go Mr. Bowers who is cop. That's what Henry is afraid of. The car drove off, and more laughter came out of those mean boys. Belle couldn't let them get to her. They will be dealt with in another time.
Belle walked on the dirt road in a quiet neighborhood that seems dead. No one has ever cross paths the Neibolt Street. There is a creepy old house that is been around for years and never bothered to be taken down. She looked up at the house with wonder. She heard stories about it. People call it Neibolt House or Well House. But, she doesn't see the well anywhere in sight. Before Belle could walk pass the house, she started to hear the nursery rhyme sang by children. She slowly turn her head towards the house, hearing the song. No children were in sight. The front door slowly opens, and the voices got louder. Belle started to have chills. It's too dark to see what's inside.
"Kids wouldn't dare to go in that house." Belle said to herself. "But, I want to make sure..." She walked up the porch and quietly went inside the house. The singing voices of children are gone as soon as she took a step inside the house. The house is filled with cobwebs, and dust. The smell is awful. Belle wanted to call out for anyone, but she was afraid to. The house is too quiet. Where did the voices go? "I guess I was hearing things again." Belle said. No kids around. They can't be in this old house.
Before she could exit out the front door, she hears a growl. She slowly turned her head and see a red balloon. Belle felt a chill running down her back. A red balloon, but it didn't have I Love Derry this time. It floats up towards the old stairs.
'Not again.' Belle thought. She doesn't know why, she started to follow the red balloon upstairs. It is leading her somewhere. Belle kept her guard up if anything happens. She doesn't want blood on her again like the first time back at the hospital. The balloon floats ahead down the hallway and went inside one of the bedrooms. It stopped and Belle watched it with caution. Then, the balloon popped. Instead of air, there is blood. The door was slammed shut behind the woman. Belle gasped in fright. Her hands are on the knob, but the door wouldn't budge.
"Hey! Let me out!" She called. She hits the door, pushing and pulling, anything to get it open. "Whoever is out there, this isn't funny!" Belle yelled. "Let me out!" A giggle was heard from behind her. Belle turned around and let out a gasp. There's a clown standing across from her, giving her a smile. His face is white, red nose, red lips with red lines running up to his eyes, red hair on his massive head. He is wearing a Victorian clown suit, which is dirty in some parts. And he has yellow eyes. Belle recognized them. It's the clown Georgie was talking about. "Oh my god..."
"Hiya, Belle." The clown spoke. The woman pressed her back against the door in fright, staring at the creepy clown. "Oh, don't be so alarmed. I hear you coming in and I should say hello." He gave her a Cheshire Cat grin, drool dripping from his bottom lip.
"It's you..." Belle whispered. "You were the one that bit off Georgie's arm!"
"So, the boy's alive after losing so much delicious blood." Pennywise said with a smirk. He approached her. "Maybe I should give back his boat. To tell him I was sorry." He giggled.
"S-stay back!" Belle said, moving away from the door. "Don't come any closer!"
"He was going to be my first meal that day." The clown said, still walking towards her. He gave her a glare. "And then you came along. You two were so lucky to escape. But your luck will run out." Belle was trapped in the corner as Pennywise is towering over her, growling. The clown is very tall. Belle couldn't help but to shake when Pennywise brought his face down to sniff her. She stiffened a bit. "You smell so sweet, Belle." He told her in a whisper. "Hmm. Your name is French, is it not? It's French for...beauty." He couldn't help but to snicker, making Belle wince a little. "A human named Beauty. That's something coming from a children's bedtime story. Hehehehehe."
"Please..." Belle spoke. The clown brought his face lower to her head.
"Beautiful fear." Pennywise inhales her hair as he brought his gloved hand up to the side of her face. He let out a purr. Belle can see drool dripping from his lower lip. He is hungry. Her green eyes move up to see his face. He grinned at her, showing those sharp razor teeth. "I do hate to harm such a pretty face." Pennywise commented, running his fingers through her dark hair. "But, I must eat. You have such beautiful, delicious fear, Belle. Oh, how I love to scare you for some time!"
"No..." Belle whispered, fighting back her tears.
"You will join the others. We all float down here. Yes we do." The clown started to open his mouth wide, revealing rows of teeth. Belle was terrified by them. She let out a scream and push Pennywise away. She rush towards the door, and got it open. As soon as she ran down the hallway, Pennywise appeared right before her eyes, blocking her escape. "Leaving so soon, dearest?"
"Let me go, you fucking clown!"
"I will not let some human savior get in my way! I need to feed! I need to eat!" Pennywise growled. Belle had to find a way to get passed him. This clown wanted to kill her. She figured this is no ordinary clown. Pennywise charged at her, grabbing her by the throat. Belle cried out and look right into those yellow eyes. He opened his mouth, ready to bite off her flesh. Belle shut eyes, preparing for it...
"Hello? Belle?" A voice called from outside. Pennywise froze when he heard a voice. Belle push the clown off of her and ran down the stairs. She made it outside the front lawn and see Kyle holding her bag she left. "Hey, what're you doing in there?" He asked. Belle panted after she ran out of the house, turning back to see if Pennywise followed her, but he didn't. Kyle noticed this. "Belle, what happened? Are you okay?" Belle wanted to tell him what she saw inside the house, but at the same time she couldn't. She found out who was Georgie's attacker. A strange clown with razor sharp teeth. Belle made up a lie that she saw rats in the house, which there are, but she didn't mention about being attacked by Pennywise. Belle took the bag of hers from Kyle and left the property. Kyle watched her leave with concern.
'Now that I found the clown, I get a feeling I will run into him again.' Belle thought, still shaken up.
From one of the windows, Pennywise was watching her with a smirk. He almost got her, but he won't let her get away from him next time. Though, he loved the way she smells. He will taste her blood, and have her float along with his recent victims. He never got an adult before, so Belle will be his first.
She made it home safe. She locked the door with her key and drop her bag. Belle held her head, catching her breath. What did she just see back at the Neibolt house? The clown isn't normal. Those eyes. Those teeth.
"What the fuck was that?" Belle asked herself. She went down to her bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. She looks pale. White as a ghost. She turned on the sink to wash her face to calm herself. "Get it together, Belle." She told herself. As she grabbed her towel to dry her face, her eyes look at the mirror. She let out a gasp as Pennywise appears in the mirror, grinning at her.
"Boo!" The clown chirped. Belle let out a scream, hit her back against the wall. With a blink, the clown is gone from the reflection. Belle is breathing hard.
"What do you want from me?!" She yelled, holding herself up. No answer from Pennywise. But, she could hear him giggle from the sink. She figured he was the one who sent her a balloon at the hospital and called her at work. It was all him. To scare her. Belle walked out of the bathroom, and her phone started to ring.
She rushed over to her phone to answer it.
"Hello? Belle?" It was Mrs. Denbrough.
"Oh. Hi, Mrs. Denbrough." Belle said, trying to sound normal.
"Are you alright dear? You sound strange."
"No. I'm...I'm fine." Belle convinced her, pressing the phone against her ear. "How's Georgie?"
"He's doing just fine, Belle. I called to ask if you could babysit him tonight." Mrs. Denbrough asked. Belle couldn't say no to that. She told her that she will watch the boy since she is free. "Thank you, Belle. I knew we could count on you. Come on by before we leave."
"I will. See you soon." Belle said. She hung up the phone. "Okay. Okay. I can't tell Georgie about the clown. I don't want to worry him. And while I was with him, Pennywise can't get him. Nothing will go wrong." She walked to her room to gather her things to bring to the Denbrough house. That clown better not have any ideas tonight.