*Chapter 8: Blood of Immortality*
Belle places her hair in a ponytail after she dried it off. She is dressed in jeans and long sleeves. She walked downstairs to head down the room where the well is. But before she went down there, she started to hear distant voices. Belle turned and see no one around. The voices sound like children. She thought they could be outside passing by the house. They wouldn't come in here. Belle walk towards the window to take a peek outside, but no one was in sight. No kids or anyone. Then where did the voices come from?
"Why did you stay?" A child's voice asked. Belle spun around in shock. There are four kids standing before her, but they have wounds, holes in their clothing, and bloodstains all over them.
"Who are you?" Belle asked, trying sound brave. "How did you get here?"
"We've been dead for a long time." A girl spoke. "He tricked us."
"He ate us so he could live." A boy said.
"Or make us float to be his leftovers." Another boy told the woman. Belle stared at the children. These are the children that Pennywise killed and ate. Are they ghosts? Why are they here? Belle kneeled down to face the smallest girl.
"Why are you here? Just to warn me?" Belle asked. "I know he feeds on fear. But, I must save Georgie and the others I know. I'll become his mate fully."
"But you're the guardian of the children." The small girl said.
"You could stop him." A second boy said.
"He can't keep eating children in Derry. It happens to often. They have so much to live for." A girl said. Belle felt like she wanted to cry. These souls tried to talk her into killing a monster, but how? She's been imprinted, and soon she will be immortal. The deal she made can't be broken. Bill, Georgie, and the others she knew and love will die. Belle was about to speak to the dead children, but they disappeared.
"I'm sorry." She whispered as if they could hear her. A sound is heard from the dark room below. Belle got up on her feet and went down the steps.
She can hear rumbling noises coming from the well. Belle got close to the well, listening to the sounds. Then, gloved hands pop out, startling her. Pennywise climbed out of the well, blood all over his mouth and costume. He just finished his meal of the day. Belle felt sick to her stomach, thinking about the fate the poor child went through. Pennywise faces her and smiled.
"Hiya, Belle." He greeted. Belle didn't say anything. "Oh, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
"Nothing." Belle responded. "About becoming immortal..." Pennywise listened to her, waiting for her to finish the sentence. Belle let out a sigh. "I'm prepared."
"Oh good!" Pennywise squealed in excitement. "Let us go down to the sewers and we will start." He got his gloved hand out for her to take. Belle reached for it and took it. She let out a gasp when the clown picked her up in his arms and went down the well. But, they are not falling down in speed, they are floating down. Belle held on Pennywise's clown suit, seeing nothing but darkness. After floating down the well, Pennywise puts Belle down on her feet. The woman brushes down her arms, and feel the gloved hand holding hers. Pennywise started to lead her down the tunnels to get to his lair. They walk through the gray water, filled with lost items and heads floating. Belle almost gagged, covering her mouth with her free hand.
They arrived at the lair, Pennywise brought Belle over by the tower of junk and face her. Belle can hear rip sounds coming from Pennywise's left hand. He's forming claws. He brought his long claw up to his wrist and slice it. Dark blood flows out of his wrist. Belle bit her lip nervously. The clown brought his wrist to her.
"After drinking it, you will become like me." He said. Belle grabbed his hand and brought her mouth close to the wrist. When her mouth is over the wound, she tastes the blood. Her eyes were shut tight in disgust she wanted to spit out the awful taste. The worst part was that she had to swallow the blood. After seconds of drinking the blood, Pennywise pulls away his wrist and watch Belle gasp and cover her mouth. She held her stomach, got on her knees, groaning in disgust. Belle wanted to puke, but she started to feel strange. Her body started to feel different.
"My body...it's starting to hurt." Belle gasped. Pennywise just watches her in silent. He knew his blood is changing her body. Belle grunted a little, holding her stomach. As she opened her eyes, they slowly turn golden brown to her normal green eye color. Belle got on her feet, looking over at Pennywise who smiled in pride. "I feel...different. Did that mean...?"
"Now, you are fully mine." Pennywise spoke, coming close to her. "You will no longer age." Belle stared at him, then at her own hands. It's official. She is his mate. She won't grow old, she will stay like this forever. But she remembered something. Pennywise mentions the final step, didn't he?
"We're not finished, are we?" She asked him. "There's one more step." Pennywise turned his face away. "What's the third step, Pennywise?"
"It isn't really important. But, do you wish to know?"
"...Yes."
"We begin the Consummation." Pennywise told her. Belle froze. She knew what that word meant. They will have to sleep with each other to make a marriage. She shuddered a little. "As I said. It is not important. I have never experience it myself. You are my first. You are my mate, that is all. You only chose to save those brats to be my mate." Pennywise spoke. Belle was grateful that she isn't forced to do the final step with him. It would be so awkward to sleep with a beast in a shape of a clown. Besides, she never slept with anyone. She was saving herself for someone she loves, which will never happen.
"So, that's it then? I'm immortal and a mate officially. We don't need to do... the Consummation?"
"No. But, it is up to you." Pennywise replied, facing her. "The final step won't happen unless you wish for it." Belle didn't want it to happen. So, the Consummation is in her hands, waiting for it to happen. But Belle won't do it. She becomes a mate, and that's that. Nothing more.
Kyle knocked on the door of the Denbrough's house. The door opened and revealed Mrs. Denbrough. Kyle held a note he found from Belle's front door, showed it to the woman.
"Did she tell you that she's been gone?" Kyle asked.
"Why no. Is she on vacation?" Mrs. Denbrough replied. "No wonder she never answered the phone. I wanted her to watch the boys tonight."
"Even the head librarian didn't know Belle left town. Belle never told anyone. It worries me." Kyle said.
"Maybe there's an emergency. I'm sure she'll be alright and come back soon."
"I hope so."
"Well, I suppose I'll just cancel the plans." Mrs. Denbrough said with a sigh.
"Hey, how about I'll watch the kids tonight?" Kyle asked. "I got no plans."
"Oh no, Kyle, you really don't-"
"I insist, ma'am." Kyle said with a smile. "I always run into Bill and Georgie by the school and we talk all the time. I'm sure they won't mind me watching them tonight. I'll take good care of them, especially Georgie." Mrs. Denbrough thought about it, and told him that Kyle can watch the boys tonight. When the young man walked in the house, he greeted Georgie and Bill who sat in the kitchen with their father. After telling them that Kyle will babysit the boys, Georgie wasn't even excited about it. Not because he didn't like Kyle, it's because he loves Belle as his babysitter.
Kyle sat next to Georgie, ruffling his hair.
"How you doing, kiddo?"
"Fine." Georgie replied quietly. Bill looked over at Kyle.
"He's getting b-b-b-better."
"Good. So, you guys okay with me watching you tonight?" Kyle asked.
"Y-y-y-yeah." Bill responded, giving him a small smile. Kyle can tell that the boys are even quiet. They are usually happy.
"You guys okay? You two didn't seem thrilled about me becoming a sitter for one night." Kyle said. Georgie kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to say anything about Belle. So Bill will have to do the talking. Bill told Kyle that Georgie was still spooked by the day he lost an arm, no one found a animal. Of course, Bill couldn't tell him or anyone about Pennywise. Or Belle becoming a mate of his to save him and Georgie. She won't be seen again. Mr. and Mrs. Denbrough told the young man that he must arrive the house early evening and thanked him for deciding to babysit. Kyle smiled at them and left the house, telling the kids that he will be back later.
"That was nice of him." Mr. Denbrough said.
"Yes. He is also friends with Belle, so we can trust him." His wife added. Georgie looks down at his hand on the table in silent. Bill knows what his brother is thinking.
"G-G-G-Georgie, I know it's been a day, but w-w-w-we have to move on." Bill said. "Belle would w-w-w-want us to get on with our lives."
"I know..." Georgie choked. He started to get teary eyed. Bill hugged his little brother, telling him everything will be okay. But Georgie misses Belle so much. He wanted her back. The children of Derry would want her back as well. But, she is no longer with them. She is with the killer clown. Things aren't the same without the guardian of all children.
She started to cry in her room. She uses the Shine that Pennywise told her about before to hear the voices in Derry. She hears and sees Georgie sobbing in his brother's arms. Belle's tears run down her cheeks when she hears cries of a child. After trying out the abilities she received, she thought she could try out the Shine to hear and feel everyone. She shook her head, no longer wanting to hear Georgie's cries for her. Everyone like him will be the same way.
"Please understand, Georgie. I did this to save you and your brother." Belle said.
Outside her room, Pennywise is hearing her cry and use her Shine to see the outside. He was annoyed by this. She is his mate, but she still mourns over those kids. He grumbled and left the house to return to his sewer lair.