— the history of derry

Adelaide walked with the group as they entered Ben's home. He led them to his room. He rushed in and when they entered he was leaning against his closet door.

As Eddie and Richie walked in their conversation was cut off. Adelaide glanced around at all the history on his walls.

"Wow," Richie said.

"Cool right?" Ben asked.

"No, no nothing cool," Richie teased.

"This is cool," Eddie said looking at something, "wait no it's not."

"What's that?" Stanley asked, pointing at something on the wall.

Adelaide walked over to him to see what he was looking at, Richie and Eddie doing the same. "That's the charter for Derry's Township, right?" Adelaide asked, looking at Ben.

Ben nodded, with a smile, "Yeah, that's right," he said.

"Nerd alert," Richie exclaimed, he said fixing his glasses.

Adelaide rolled her eyes and looked at Ben, "No actually, it's really interesting," Ben reassured, "Derry started as a beaver shop."

"Still is!" Richie exclaimed, "Am I, right boys?" Richie threw his hands up in the air, getting ignored by them all.

"91 people signed the charter that made Derry," Ben explained, "But later that winter, they all disappeared without a trace."

"The entire camp?" Eddie asked.

"Their's rumors of Indians," Ben added, "But no sign of an attack. Everyone just thought it was just a plague or something, but it's like just one day everyone woke up and left. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes leading to the well house."

"Oh my god..." Adelaide mumbled.

"Jesus," Eddie said, "I didn't think Derry had so many unsolved mysteries."

The boys started arguing and Adelaide looked over at Bill who spoke up after a moment, "Where's t-the well h-house?"

Ben shrugged, "I don't know," he replied, "Somewhere in town I guess. Why?"

Adelaide looked over at Bill, a comforting look across her face. "Nothing," Bill said quietly.

They stayed at Ben's for a while, chatting about more of the history of Derry. The scary history of Derry at that.

A few hours later.

Adelaide and Richie live close to each other, so quite often they would split off from the group and walk home.

It was silent and the sun was setting, Richie was humming.

"Rich?" Adelaide asked, her eyes glancing up at him.

"Hm?" He asked, and the humming stopped.

"Something weird happened... after school ended when I went home," she explained.

Richie looked up at her, "Yeah? Already missing school Addy?" Richie teased, he cracked a small grin, but Adelaide didn't. Adelaide shook her head, which made his smile fade "What is it?"

"I got home, just like I always did. My mother snapped a bit about cleaning and I went to my room to get situated," Adelaide explained, "All of sudden I heard water swooshing, from inside my room..."

"Inside your room?" Richie asked.

Adelaide nodded, "Yeah anyways so I went to see what it was and all of a sudden there was a pipe spitting out water... but obviously there isn't a pipe in my room, right?" Adelaide explained, looking at Richie, who nodded. "Anyways I covered the pipe up, to stop the water and it stopped for a moment before it started flooding even more. I ran to my door but it was locked... from the outside."

"Your room doesn't lock from the outside Addy," Richie reminded her.

"I know! That's what was so crazy," she admitted, "I started panicking, my chest tightened and I could barely breathe... and I don't know... I think I'm going crazy. My parents could see it, only I could..."

"Maybe it was just anxiety getting to you?" Richie suggested, "You are afraid of water... why?"

The losers knew Adelaide was afraid of water, they never once asked. Adelaide probably wouldn't have told them, they just assumed it was how dirty water could be... or how sometimes you couldn't see the bottom. But she wouldn't even swim in swimming pools, where you could touch and see the bottom.

"What?" Adelaide asked quickly, looking over at him.

"You never told us, why are you afraid of water?" Richie repeated.

Adelaide sighed, "Don't tell the others?" She asked.

"I won't," he said, looking at her, "I promise."

"Two years ago, my sister, Christine... she died..." Adelaide started.

Richie's usually cheerful face dropped, "I thought you said she died in a car accident?" He asked.

"I only said that... because when she died... I was there... and it might be my fault," She explained, "We went to the quarry together, I had never taken her but decided to show it to her. I forgot to mention to be sure you jump correctly and not just go for it. So she jumped and landed wrong, she broke some ribs and started yelling for me to help her. I was frozen in fear... she was able to stay afloat for a few minutes. Her screams Richie... I didn't go down to save her after a while she struggled to stay up and went under, that's when it hit me. She was gonna drown. So I panicked and jumped off, I couldn't find her once I jumped in... I had to tell my parents... and they were so mad, Aiden was heartbroken, and I felt like it was entirely my fault."

Richie was silent, he didn't know what to say. Richie being silent was never normal. "Addy, all I know is it isn't your fault," he reassured her.

Adelaide never really opened up about what happened to Christine, especially after it happened.

The rest of the walk was silent, soon Adelaide stopped in front of her house, looking up at it.

Richie sighed, "Addy..." he said quietly, which made her turn to face him, he hugged her. "I'm not pitying you, just know I'm here, no matter how much I joke around about everything."

Adelaide hated when people pitied her about anything, it made her feel weak. She hugged Richie back, smiling sadly. "Thank you," she said.

Adelaide and Richie waved goodbye, Richie lived down the street so he'd be home, and safe soon.

Adelaide walked inside quietly, her house was quiet. She walked through the kitchen, which was the direction of her room.

Suddenly the living room chair spun around, Adelaide jumped slightly, before sighing once she saw her brother.

Her brother, Aiden, was 17. He basically took care of her. "Addy, where the hell have you been?" Aiden asked, in a quiet, but the upset voice.

"I was out with my friends..." Adelaide mumbled as Aiden walked over to her.

"It's late Adelaide, basically dark outside," Aiden told her, "I was worried sick."

"And mom and dad weren't," Adelaide said, shrugging it off. "I'm sorry Aiden,"

"What is it with all these boys? Soon rumors will spread and you'll be like that girl in your grade," Aiden told her.

"What girl?" Adelaide said, but it clicked, "Beverly Marsh?"

"Yeah, Beverly. The only difference is yours won't be true," he told her, crossing his arms.

"Beverly's isn't either," Adelaide said as she slowly shook her head.

Aiden sighed, not wanting to argue he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Just be careful and get some rest please," Aiden told her.

Adelaide nodded and walked up to her bedroom, grabbing a stack of towels on the way. As she entered her room, it still was the same, but damp instead of soaking. It smelled off as well, she placed some towels down before climbing into bed.

Maybe she was crazy, and maybe she was imagining all of this stuff. Or maybe she wasn't and something really weird was going on.

Either way, Adelaide wanted to figure it out.

A/N:
To be entirely honest I had to edit this chapter because I put Anna instead of Christine for her sister. But I hoped you revealed the small revealing of part of Adelaide's backstory!! Stay tuned!