*Chapter 6: The Decision*
It's past 8 at night, and Belle arrived at the Neibolt House without a car. People will be suspicious and search inside and underneath it, but they won't find anything anyway since Belle was the only one who could see the monster underneath the clown. Before she left the house, she wrote a note on her door for anyone who haven't heard from her. She made up a lie about going out of town and won't return for a while. She hopes the trick will work. Belle walked up to the front door, but it opens by itself. Pennywise was waiting for her inside, she knows it.
"I'm here. I've made my decision." She said as she walked in. Without warning, she is no longer in the house. Everything around her turn black and she found herself in Pennywise's lair. She wouldn't ask how she got here, but now is not important. "Where are you?" Belle called. A groan is heard from the tower. She turned to see a boy on the ground, next to the tower, tape over his mouth. His hands are tied behind his back, and his face is dirty. "Bill?" Belle gasped, running over to him. His eyes open to see her face. "Bill, what happened?!"
"He came for Georgie." Pennywise's voice replied. Belle turned to see him across from her. "Seems to me that he doesn't want you to be my mate. It took a lot of guts for a child to come here." Belle faces Bill, pulling the tape off his mouth.
"Are you okay?"
"Don't do this..." Bill panted.
"What were you thinking?! You could've been killed!" Belle scolded him. "I've made my decision. Georgie will return home while I stay. I have to pay the price."
"Th-th-th-there has to be another way-"
"No, there isn't." Belle said. "Please, just take Georgie home with you and never come back. I'll be fine." Bill started to tear up. Belle released his hands and embrace him. Pennywise watched in silent, but he waved his hand and brought Georgie down from above. The boy floats down to Bill's arms. His eyes are still white and glossy. Belle told Bill that Georgie will be fine by tomorrow. She gave Georgie a kiss on a forehead. "I love you both so much. Tell the others I'll never forget them and never come near the Neibolt House or near the sewer entrances." Belle told Bill. The teen held Georgie in his arms as he stood. He walked towards the exit, slowly turning back to Belle one last time. Belle held back her tears and told Bill to go now. So, the boy left with his little brother in his arms.
"There. Now, neither of them will be harmed. Same goes with Bill's friends." Pennywise said with a smile. Belle didn't say anything. "Before you become my mate, there are things you must know."
"Hold on." Belle said, facing him. "I want to know if you are serious about this. You won't hurt or kill anyone I love, right?"
"Only those who knew you personally." Pennywise replied. "Don't try to talk me out of eating children. I need to feed." Belle knew she couldn't talk him out of that part, so there's nothing she could do about it. Some guardian she is. "Now, are we ready to discuss about you becoming a mate?" Belle only gave him a nod. The clown grinned and grab her by the shoulders, making her yelp. Pennywise pulls the jacket aside to see her bare shoulder. "Hold still." He warned. He opened his mouth wide, revealing the teeth, and he bit down Belle's shoulder blade. The woman let out a cry of agony, but she couldn't move since Pennywise held her in place. What was he doing? The pain was too much. It felt like she was bit by a shark because of the teeth. After a couple of seconds, Pennywise pulled away with a gasp of satisfaction, blood dripping down from his mouth. Belle held her shoulder to stop the bleeding and see bite marks.
"What'd you do that for?!" She asked.
"To imprint you, of course." Pennywise replied, licking the blood off his chin with a fork tongue. "That's the first step of becoming my mate."
"You could've give me a warning before doing that."
"No need to warn you." Pennywise giggled. Belle took off her jacket and use it to stop the bleeding. "Aw, no need for that. Here..." As the clown approaches her, Belle took a step back with a look. Pennywise gave her an annoying look. "I know how to stop the bleeding. It won't hurt."
"Not sure if I can trust you with that." Belle said. But Pennywise came up to her, took the bloodstain jacket away from her. He uses his tongue over the bite marks, licking the blood off. Belle shook a little at the feeling. What's weird is that she no longer can feel the pain on the shoulder. As the clown pulls away, Belle looks at her shoulder to see scars where the bite marks were. She's been imprinted, and she didn't like it. But she can't break the deal. At least the bleeding stopped so she won't pass out.
"Now was that so hard?" Pennywise asked.
"I...guess not." Belle replied. "So, it's over? The first part?"
"Yes it is."
"What's the second step?"
"You don't seem prepared for it. Right now, you need to rest." Pennywise told her. "I know where you can sleep." Belle raise a brow at him. She's not sure if she would like it. Hopefully it won't be around in the lair. "But first, I could have some dinner. Wait there and do not move!" Pennywise said as he walked around the wagon. Belle touches her shoulder to see the bitemarks with a frown. Her head shot up when she hears a scream. Pennywise is dragging a little girl with black hair, wearing a white top and jeans. The girl is terrified as she was being dragged. Belle recognized the girl.
"Jenna!" Belle gasped.
"You know this woman?!" Pennywise asked the frightened girl. Jenna looks up to see Belle standing there. The girl's eyes widen. Pennywise looked up to stare at Belle. "You wanna know how I feast on children? I only feed on fear! And since you are my mate, you cannot stop me from eating children!"
"Pennywise, please!" Belle pleaded as she got on her knees. "Not her!"
"No!" The clown growled, bring the child close. "We made a deal, did we not?!" Belle started to cry again. She can't do anything to save Jenna. She can't stop Pennywise from eating children. She only saved Georgie and the others she knew personally. Belle looks at Jenna as tears start to fall.
"Belle, help me!" Jenna cried out. "Please help me!" Belle sobs as she watches the child. Jenna doesn't deserve this. Pennywise smirks as Belle turns away from him and the girl. "Belle! Belle!" Jenna screamed.
"She can't help you now, child." Pennywise whispered. "Now, time to say goodbye." He lifts the child up in the air, grabbing her by the throat. Jenna choked, placing her tiny hands on his wrist, kicking the air. "No need fighting it, Jenna! This will be painful, I promise!" Pennywise taunted. Belle moved her green eyes over to see the clown holding the helpless child in the air. Pennywise opened his mouth wide, revealing more of his teeth. He bit Jenna by the leg and tore it off. Jenna let out a bloodied scream of agony. Belle covered her mouth in shock and disgust. Pennywise dropped the child and started to feast on her and the screams stopped. Jenna is being devoured by a clown.
"Oh god..." Belle whispered, turning away from the gruesome scene. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Pennywise lifts his head up with his face and suit stained with blood. He licks his lips with a fork tongue and stood up. "Fuck. Forgive me, lord." Belle whispered.
"Now you know." Pennywise said with a growl. "Children taste better when they are afraid." Belle looked up at him. "Do you understand?"
"Yes! I do! Please, stop!" Belle said. "I don't want to watch you eat kids anymore!" Pennywise grabbed her arm to lift her up. He must take her to her room where she will sleep. She had a rough day and night.
Pennywise brought Belle back up in the Neibolt House. He opened one of the bedroom doors upstairs and lead Belle inside. It's the same room she first encountered him, but things look different. The window isn't boarded up. There is a mattress with sheets and pillows. And a closet filled with Belle's clothes from home. She won't even ask how he manage to get her belongings from home. At least the room isn't so dusty and doesn't smell like rotten death. Pennywise did this just for her.
"This is where you will slumber, dearie." Pennywise spoke. Belle didn't say a word. But the clown continued to speak. "When you wake up, we will talk some more." Belle nodded, not facing him. So, Pennywise disappeared from the room and the door is closed. Belle collapsed on the bed, crying her eyes out. This is really happening. She is now officially a mate. There is no escape. She's afraid of what the next step will be like.
"Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?" Belle sobbed. She sniffed and raise her head up to look at the window where the moon shines through. She walked towards the window to look up at the night sky. She sings to herself.
"Yes, I made the choice.
For Georgie, I will stay.
But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way,
You monster!"
Belle gritted her teeth as she turns to the closed door. She sinks to the floor as she felt anger towards the child eating clown who took away her freedom and will make her his mate for eternity. The woman dried her eyes.
"If you think that what you've done is right.
Well, then you're a fool, think again!"
She brushed the bangs away from her face as she stood on her feet and look out the window again. She touches the broken window with her fingers.
"Is this home?
Is this where I should learn to be happy?
Never dreamed that a home could be dark and cold.
I was told every day in my childhood,
Even when we grow old,
Home should be where the heart is,
Never were words so true.
My heart's far, far away, home is too."
Belle walked over to her bed to sit on, imagining what Georgie and the others will think the next day. Even the whole town will be wondering where she is. There will be missing posters of her. The worst part of it all is that Belle couldn't say goodbye to her family. They will think she's dead. Belle touched her chest as she continues to sing to herself.
"Is this home?
Is this what I must learn to believe in?
Try to find something good,
In this tragic place, just in case I should stay here forever,
Held in this empty space.
Oh, but that won't be easy I know the reason why.
My heart's far, far away, home's a lie."
She touches her shoulder where Pennywise had bit her. Belle stared at it with disgust before turning away to look at herself in the mirror. She doesn't see herself in her peaceful home. She sees herself in a prison. A caged bird. The guardian is trapped with a clown. The children in town won't see her or hear her again. Belle closes her eyes as more tears start to fall from her face.
"What I'd give to return,
To the life that I knew lately,
And to think I once came,
From that cursed, provincial town.
Is this home?
Am I here for a day or forever?
Shut away from the home until,
Who knows when, oh but then,
As my life has been altered once,
It can change again.
Build higher walls around me,
Change every lock and key,
Nothing lasts nothing holds all of me.
My heart's far, far away.
Home and free."
Belle fell back on the bed and brought a pillow to her face to cry on. She cried herself to sleep. She won't be having sweet dreams tonight, she will be having nightmares. Belle couldn't get Jenna's screams out of her head. The poor girl was eaten. Pennywise never plays around when he feasts on children. Belle can't stop him.