Chapter 49: Entering the Twilight Zone
"So… the whole poisoned water supply thing," Ben begins, biting his tongue in anxiety. He didn't think there was any other way to start. "The reason why we're even in Hawkins…"
"What about it?" Max asks. She is glad that they're finally getting some answers, just wishing they wouldn't beat around the bush.
"You mentioned that before," Dustin says. "What kind of conspiracy are you thinking?"
"Not really a conspiracy," Beverly says. "More of a cover-up."
"B-B-Big cover up," Bill stammers. He leans away from the group again, trying to get his stutter under control. The high stress of the situation and the thought that they were finally safe from the thing from Derry, only to be completely wrong makes him feel afraid and shaken.
"Remember how I said people blamed the tainted water for hallucinations? The giant birds, mummies, the clowns with glowing eyes and stuff?" Ben asks.
Dustin nods.
Ben swallows. "Those weren't hallucinations. They were real…"
"What?" Max says. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"T-There's something in the s-sewers," Bill says. "S-something that's lived under Derry for a long time."
"How long?" Will asks.
"Decades," Ben responds, remembering his research from before. "Centuries even."
"Holy shit," Dustin replies.
"It haunts Derry, attacks and kills people, mostly kids and makes life miserable for everyone."
"What is… it?" Eleven asks.
"It's just… IT," Bill says gravely. "That's all we can call it..."
"There is no real form," Beverly says. "IT takes the form of what you fear most."
"A shapeshifter," Dustin says.
The trio nods.
"It feeds on a person's fear, it delights in tormenting us before attacking," Ben continues.
"And it attacks kids the most because they're so easily scared," Bev adds.
"So… this thing, exists in Derry?" Will asks.
"Did it come through a portal or something," Dustin suggests.
The implication for those who live in Hawkins is now that the Upside Down is not just situated in their town. The reigning theory for 3 years while they've been living through this is that there's only been one portal to the alternate dimension... until now with the knowledge of this unknown creature that's a shapeshifter and feeds on fear. This means that there might be other gates outside of Hawkins… could it even be spreading? All the beings that they knew about from this other realm were the Demogorgon, the Demodogs, and the Mind Flayer. It never crossed any of their minds that there would be more… much more. And if this creature is centuries old, could the Upside Down have existed for that long and they only learned about its existence when El opened the gate the first time? This was difficult to wrap their heads around.
"N-No one knows w-where it c-came from, but…"
"But it's always been there," Ben finishes Bill's sentence. "I've done a ton of research into Derry and this thing pops up a lot, I've estimated every 27 years."
"Why 27?" Will asks.
The three from Derry shrug and shake their heads.
"It has a favourite form though," Beverly adds. "A clown. A clown calling himself Pennywise."
"Weird name," Max points out.
"Why a clown?" Will asks.
Eleven's heart drops slightly and she swallows a lump in her throat. The mention of the clown makes her heart race. Her hands grip into fists and they shake slightly from growing anxiety. Why was a clown appearing in her nightmares? Was it the same clown? How could they know that?
"Is that seriously what you're asking?" Max asks, shaking her head. "They're talking about a monster that lives in their sewers and eats kids and that's your question?"
"Max!" El snaps, hating her friend's attitude.
"What? You have to know how this sounds?"
"W-We're not crazy. W-we… we've seen IT."
"We've also fought IT," Ben says. "Down in the sewers over the summer. We thought we'd killed IT, but with what we heard on the radio system… we think IT's followed us here. How we don't know, but I know that voice. I recognized it."
"So, it took on its clown form on the radio?" Dustin deduces. "Based on the carnival music?"
Ben nods.
"But why would it follow you here?" Max asks.
"P-Probably because he kicked…kicked its ass," Bill says.
"But has it ever existed outside of Derry," Ben ponders. He's still a little overwhelmed by everything, but his analytical brain is at work. In his mind, he sorts through his research. No other town outside of Derry had ever experienced what they had. "I've never found any proof."
The group from Hawkins looks at each other.
Doubt fills Dustin's mind that these things are connected to the Upside Down in any way. The only similarity is that people disappeared, but that was because of the Demogorgon wanting to eat. None of the creatures could change shape and while they were scary as hell, except Dart at the beginning of his life cycle, they didn't feed on fear or just specifically children. Nancy had suspected that the creatures thrived on blood and were attracted to it like a shark. She, Johnathan, and Steve had confirmed the theory back at the Byer's house and he and his friends had seen it happen at the middle school when El had killed some agents, attracting the creature. This one… this Pennywise was different. Very different. A shapeshifter was something new. Like in DnD, shape changers were usually monsters and this IT matched that perfectly. But what continues to baffle him the most are the odds that this group has experienced otherworldly phenomena as they have. He thought they were the only ones.
"We know what this sounds like," Beverly says not wanting to have any snarky comments from Max especially, but she was surprisingly quiet at the moment. "But we've all seen it. Me, Ben, Bill, Richie, Eddie, Stanley, and our friend back at home Mike. We have scars from it."
Hers were psychological, having seen into its lights, but she knew that her one had proof.
Ben slowly lifts his shirt slightly to show everyone the claw marks that he'd received from Pennywise. The scars were there and when he'd heard that voice, they'd flared up and burned. Right now, the marks look normal, but he'd felt them burn earlier.
"Holy shit," Dustin says.
He leans in to look. The claw marks were definitely distinct and huge. Not something you could get from a cat or hell even a wolf. Whatever had scratched him had left its mark for sure.
The others see it too, no denying the scar.
"It's not something that you get from surgery," Ben adds, before putting down his shirt again. "Or from riding your bike."
It's hard to deny physical proof. Not many things could make a gash that size unless it was some crazy circumstance.
Dustin was completely sold on their story, especially since he'd already encountered some sign of this entity. They'd seen some shit no doubt. El and Will were also able to believe them, especially of what they'd experienced on their own. Max is still skeptical, but not able to deny what she saw.
After a long pause, Eleven looks at them.
"We believe you," she says.
This takes Bill by surprise. "R-R-Really?"
She nods.
She glances at the others exchanging a look between all of them. If they were able to keep this secret of something like that, they could keep another one. Will was on board. He trusted Bill as his friend and knew that he wouldn't tell another person about what happened to them. Dustin and Max were more apprehensive about it, but… they were more alike than any of them could admit.
"You're not the only ones who've been through something weird," Will says.
"What do you mean?" Bev asks.
El glances at the three of them. "You're not alone."
A/N: Finally, the air is becoming clearer. Another chapter to enjoy. Please follow and review. Thank you to everyone who continues to support this story. It means a lot.
Response to Reviews/Comments:
Larry: That is the hope that Joyce and Hopper will unite their families. I definitely support their coupling/shipping.
Guest: It is a tricky thing in the story especially when merging them. I'll do my best to help make it clearer.
The year is 1985
Will, Lucas, Dustin, Mike, Eleven, Max, Bill, Ben, Beverly, Richie, Eddie and Stan are all either 14 or will be turning 14, meaning they are in their freshman year of high school. (El will be when she's finished homeschooling).
Nancy, Johnathan, Robin and Mia are all 17 or will be turning 18. They are all in their senior year of high school and going to be graduating in 1986.
Steve has graduated from high school and is 18 turning 19.
Guest: There is a strong possibility that she is or will be soon.