Chapter 23

Ale rode down the road on Richie's bike and arrived at the kissing bridge. She parked her bike, got off, and ran into the woods. Ale went back to the area where they lost the Bowers gang and sniffed the air. As she did, Ale looked around and tried to find the strong scent trail. When she did, Ale followed it. As she went down the river, the Bower's gang scent was fading and it was starting to become Patrick's. Ale's stomach churned as she knew what this meant and what was to expect. Ale stopped at a sewer tunnel and went inside. The sewer tunnel was dark, but that wasn't a problem. Ale's eyes glowed in the dark; meaning she had night vision. Ale went deep into the tunnel and the scent was getting faint through every tunnel she tried to enter, but when she entered one, the scent came back. Ale entered and went down the tunnel. She stopped when the light showed the skeletal body of Patrick. As expected, the body had no meat and there was the clothes and hair to cover it. Ale chuckled as she realized that Patrick must've tasted that good if Pennywise ate his entire body like that. She left the tunnel and left the sewer tunnel. Ale went back to the kissing bridge and got on Richie's bike. She rode down to town and found the nearest payphone. She got off Richie's bike and walked over to the payphone. As Ale dialed 911, her eyes changed from normal eyes to black with white pupils and some of her human form was shifting to her demon form.

"There, that should be enough." She thought.

Ale knew that when she changed into this form, her voice would be deep enough to hide her real one; it would make the perfect cover. Suddenly, the phone picked up.

"911, what's your emergency?" a female voice spoke.

"Yes, I'd like to report a murder." Ale spoke deeply.

Meanwhile

Pennywise walked back to the hidden lair; still holding the can of blood and having his hand under it. He smiled and reminisced about killing Patrick. It was pure joy to have killed someone the first time, especially if you were going to please someone. Pennywise laughed cackling and entered in the hidden room. As he entered, Pennywise went to the table.

"Dad, you'll never believe this. I killed a sinner!" he said excited.

"Really?! How'd you do it?" Pennywise's father asked.

"Simple. I mange to corner him in a sewer tunnel and I managed to stab him multiple times. There was a struggle, but I did manage to kill him." Pennywise explained.

"You ate his body, right?" his father asked.

"Of course, I made sure not to eat his hair and clothes." Pennywise answered.

He poured the can of blood into a separate bowl. When it came to the last drop, Pennywise put down the can and looked at his father. Pennywise's father made a demonic victory yowl and looked at his son with pride.

"Pennywise, my boy, I'm so proud of you. You killed a sinner and you drained it of his blood, how glorious!" he yowled.

"The best part was the look on his face, priceless." Pennywise laughed taunting.

"My boy, you are going to go far. So, what are you going to do now?" Pennywise's father asked.

"I think it's time I move on with my plan…to kill one of the people that hurt you." Pennywise said.

"Ah yes, him. Be careful, his ancestors have a history for their…"hidden strength"." Pennywise's father said cautiously.

"I will father, I promise." Pennywise promised.

He went deep into his thoughts, he would make them pay, they all would. Suddenly, Pennywise and his father heard a loud bang and screams.

"What's going on?" Pennywise's father asked.

"Hold on dad, I'll go check it out." Pennywise said.

He left the room and ran into his lair. Pennywise approached the chambers and came across Henry; on top on Edward, punching him multiple times in the face and Betty staring at them in horror.

"HENRY STOP!" she screamed.

Henry wasn't listening, he kept punching Edward over and over. By now, his face had a black eye, some bruises, and a bloody nose. Betty tried to get Henry off of Edward, but Henry pushed Betty away; causing her to hit the chamber door and collapse to the ground. Pennywise was enraged.

"HENRY!" he yelled.

Betty, Edward, and Henry looked and saw Pennywise approaching them. Betty stared in horror as she realized that Pennywise had now possessed Richie and that he was covered in blood. Henry got off of Edward as he was recoving from injuries he received. When Pennywise approached Henry, he closed the chamber door, locked it, and then, he looked at Henry and smacked him in the face; so hard that he fell to the ground. Betty gasped in horror and Edward's eyes were wide as he was getting up. As Henry was getting up, Pennywise grabbed a hold of his head and pulled him closer to him.

"Don't ever do that again, got it?!" Pennywise growled.

Henry didn't show any fear. Pennywise loosened his grip and Henry looked down.

"I'm sorry master, it won't happen again." He said.

Suddenly, Pennywise realized something. The only reason why Henry would attack someone, was if the person in question was a threat to him or the person that controls him. Pennywise realized that he should've listened to Henry's side of the story before hitting him. Pennywise cursed at himself and started to calm down. He looked at Henry solemnly.

"What happened?" Pennywise asked.

"They tried to escape. While I was giving them their dinner, Edward tried to take the keys. We struggled and I had to knock him out just to get him to stop." Henry explained.

Pennywise signed and hit his head out of shame. He let go of Henry.

"I'm sorry I hit you. Next time, try not to hurt them too much, alright?" Pennywise apologized.

"Of course, master." Henry said.

Pennywise nodded and looked at Betty and Edward. Both kids stared at him, but not because they were surprised that Pennywise could show some sort of compassion, but rather, the blood on his clothes and that it was fresh. Edward looked at Betty.

"Is this Pennywise?" he asked whispering.

"Yes." Betty answered.

"I thought you said he possessed Eddie?!" Edward said confused.

"He did, but he must've switch places with Richie." Betty said explaining.

Pennywise got closer to them, wanting to know more on what they were saying. Betty and Edward stopped whispering and looked at Pennywise. The were disturbed and their eyes were wide when they saw blood on Richie's clothes and Pennywise giving them a grim smile.

"Who's…blood is this?" Betty asked stammering.

"Patrick's." Pennywise answered.

Betty gasped.

"Patrick Hockstetter!" Edward said in shock.

"So you know him." Pennywise said guessing.

"He…He's a bully, and a creep" Betty said stammering.

"He has a younger brother, Avery." Edward added.

"Well, he won't be a problem to him anymore. Henry, did you get the blade?" Pennywise asked.

Henry nodded and ran to the chair. After a few moments, he came back and was holding a silver switchblade. Pennywise laughed and he took the blade from Henry.

"Finally, a weapon I can actually use!" he yowled.

Pennywise took out the bloody broken beer bottle blade and threw it into a small stream of dirty water. Betty and Edward watched the blade go into the water and Edward put the pieces together. Pennywise killed Patrick because he was a bully, Edward wondered if he would do the same to his abusive stepfather. It had been a few days since he had disappeared, his mother was worried sick, and God only knows what his stepfather was doing to his younger brother. Edward had been worried sick about his younger brother and mother and he prayed to God that nothing would happen to them. Pennywise looked at Betty and Edward.

"Now, you two can think about on how you're going to escape this time, because next time, I'll have this." He threatened.

Pennywise opened the switchblade and it revealed a bit of blood on it. Betty gasped and her eyes were wide. She recognized the knife as Bower's knife and figured he had attacked someone before Pennywise intervened. Henry went to the chair and sat back down. Pennywise turned around and started leaving the lair. Edward snapped out of his thoughts.

"Wait, I wanna make a deal." He said.

Pennywise stopped and turned around. He looked at Edward like he was joking and Betty looked at him like he was crazy.

"Edward, what are you doing?!" she asked.

"A deal, you must be joking." Pennywise said in disbelief.

"I'm not. My stepfather has been abusive to me, my younger brother, and mother. I know you killed Patrick because he was a bully, you kill bad people, right? My stepfather is the worst. If you check on my brother and mother and my stepfather is abusing them, you can kill him, and in return, I'll stay here and I won't try to escape. Do we have a deal?" Edward offered.

Pennywise looked at him with interest. Edward was right, he did kill bad people and killing an abusive parent wouldn't be no different. Pennywise thought for minute; he can't stop everything just for one boy, he would have to send Henry for that and if the stepfather was caught abusing his family, he would make sure to kill him, but as for Edward's promise, he needed to be cautious. People could sometimes break their promises, but if Edward was telling the truth, then he wouldn't have anymore problems. Pennywise smiled and looked over at the chair.

"HENRY!" he yowled.

Henry perked and ran over to Pennywise, then he stopped.

"Yes master." Henry spoke.

Pennywise looked at Edward.

"Alright kid, we have a deal." He said.

Pennywise looked at Henry.

"Henry, do you know where Edward lives?" he asked.

"Yes, I do." He said.

"I need you to check if the stepfather is being abusive towards Edward's mother and younger brother. If he is or isn't, let me know, alright?" Pennywise ordered.

"Of course master." Henry obeyed.

He walked away and vanished into a sewer tunnel. Pennywise approached the cage and squat in front of Edward.

"Tell me, what would happen if Henry finds that nothing is wrong?" he asked.

"My offer stays the same." Edward answered.

"Good." Pennywise said.

He stood up, turned around, and walked off. Pennywise disappeared into a sewer tunnel and headed back into the hidden room.