#billwise

Bill doesn’t sleep that night. He’s still awake when his mother gets home from work, some time after nine. She doesn’t come to check on him, like she used to before Georgie. He’s stopped expecting it. His eyes are still staring up at his bedroom ceiling when his father finally crawls home, hours later. A twisted repeat of the clown’s words plays over and over in his head, until they begin to blur together.

 “You’ll come float with Us.”

What had the clown meant by that? Why had It referred to itself as ‘Us’? He runs over it again and again, but can’t seem to make sense of it. He tells himself he doesn’t understand why It singled him out. Why It chose him, over the other Losers. Only, he does. That part makes sense, at least. He’s their leader, had lead every attack against the clown. He doesn’t believe that’s the only thing, though. Something about him made It single him out.

It makes sense and doesn’t at the same time. A headache starts to form between his eyes, his mind trying to think it through. His body feels drained, eyes are burning, but still his brain goes on. The sun is beginning to light his room when he decides enough is enough. If he can’t sleep, he’ll go out. He waits for the sound of his father snoring before he climbs out of bed. Their lack of care doesn’t mean the man won’t be angry if he’s woken up.

As quietly as he can manage, Bill gets dressed, carrying his shoes down with him to lessen any sounds. He pulls the door closed, and locks up behind himself, putting his shoes on once he’s done. He jumps on Silver, and then he’s gone. Bill’s not sure where he’s headed, but rules out both the quarry and the hideout as he rides. There’s a chance that one of his friends has also had a sleepless night, and he doesn’t want to run into any of them. He takes random turns, going down roads that seem different in the light gray of dawn. Though they might not have been random after all, with where he ends up.

His heartbeat quickens at first, when he realizes where he’s lead himself. It figures, that he’d end up here, of all places. The familiar, decrepit outline of Neibolt house looms before him. Bill stops his bike as he reaches the gate. He takes a moment, wars with himself inside his head. He’s shaking with nerves, but not fear when he walks up to the door. Never fear. With a deep, steadying breath, he opens the door.

He expects some fanfare when he walks into the house. Some creepy noise, or the sound of Georgie, as much as he hates it. Something to let him know where It was, because there was no doubt in Bill’s mind that the clown was also here. There’s only dark and quiet. The floor creaks as he makes his way further inside, pushing the door closed behind him. He leaves a small crack, some half-brained idea that the dim light from outside would help him.

His steps are soft, and he’s halfway through the house when the hairs on his body stand on end. Someone is watching him. It is watching him. He’s no longer anxious, or mad. The anger from last night seems years away. Now, he’s only tired.

“Billy”, It says from behind him. He doesn’t startle, and wonders if that says something about him. It’s so close he can smell a combination of popcorn and rotting meat, yet he feels nothing. If he’s honest with himself, he’s ready for this to finally be over. He takes a deep breath, and turns to confront the clown. He gets only a glimpse of the gory clown suit before he’s being pulled to It. He’s ready for this, willing to be eaten to save his friends. To bring Georgie back. They’ll be safe, and won’t even have the painful memory of losing him. He’s going to die for them, but a part of him is glad the fighting is over.