warning: chapter contains detailed description of a dead body  -kat

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Forty two year old, Sigmund Hunt was wandering the outskirts of Derry High with a cigarette in hand. His eight months short of a two decade-long career at the retched school was beginning to weigh on him. He figured he deserved a break from the putrid scents and up-in-your-face hormones. Only six minutes after Eddie Kaspbrak's death occurred, Sigmund was taking a drag, enjoying the last few moments of his peace before needing to return to the gym where his class was running laps. He rounded the corner between the old water tower and the side of the school. Hunt had seen many horrid things in the twenty years he'd taught at the high school, horrid indeed. Nothing surpassed the gruesome pool of blood he saw, surrounding a young man's skull. The crimson goop streamed through the cracks in the pavement like a canal, and Sigmund curled over and heaved at the sight. 

"N-Oh my fucking God," He choked, watching the lifeless form at his feet. The man couldn't move, he wanted nothing more than to run for help but his heart was the only thing that was racing. 

In his mind, Sigmund began hearing his ex wife who for so many years nagged him to get a job that mattered. Get off his lazy ass and quit. Their divorce six years before seemed daunting, now. He realizes maybe she wasn't crazy after all. He wishes she would've nagged him harder, wishes he would've quit to have never been put in such a position as the one he found himself in as he stared down at the dead boy he'd once seen walking the halls. 

So there Sigmund stood, with his ex wife's shrilly voice playing loops in his head. 

It wasn't until a bell sounded behind him, announcing the end of second period, did he remember how to use his feet. He quickly shifted his weight, turning towards the school where he could already hear shouting of students as they filled the halls. It was only a matter of seconds before about half-a-hundred-dozen students were to exit through the side doors and fill the courtyard, merely a few yards from where Sigmund and the body were located. The man panicked, suddenly. He was in a stable enough state of mind to know that he needed to get the authorities before those near-six-hundred teens discovered the same nightmare that he had. He couldn't be responsible for that kind of trauma on such a grand scale. 

He ran, the middle aged man ran like he'd ordered so many students before him to run. He ran past the students already piling towards the doors, ready to exit the building for their ten-minute break. He ran past the line of lockers that filled up most of the first floor. He ran past his favorite utility closet for those desperate quickies with Ms. Weiss from down the hall. He ran past William Denbrough who had just gotten out of US History, and into the front office. He panted, heaved, reached for the phone with horrified eyes on him the whole way. 

"I- He-" Sigmund dialed the emergency number. "Ed-Edward Kaspbrak." He pointed behind him, staring at the office secretary who was looking at him as if he'd grown a second head. 

The secretary, Marth Jonestein, shook her head, not understanding. "What is it, Sigmund?" The pepper-haired man ignored her, speaking into the phone once their was proof of life on the other end. 

"Yes, Derry High School. A-A boy. A boy was found dead. D-dead. S-se-," He panted, Jonestein's body went cold at the words. "Send help."

At the same moment the news was being delivered into the telephone, a student entered the office. Tears stained his face though one would have had to look at him closely to notice, behind the giant lenses perched on his nose. He walked up to the front desk, slowly, unsure if he'd heard what he thought he heard.  For Pete's sake it was only his third day. A boy dead? It couldn't be. He held his backpack at arms length in front of him as whimpers left his lips. Mrs. Jonestein paid no attention to the poor boy as she was taken aback by Hunt's words. 

The man went on, "Blood, so much blood. You have to get him. Eddie, Eddie Kaspbrak. B-Before the students see!" He cried into the receiver. Richie Tozier took a step back, having heard correctly. 

"A boy? Dead?" He felt his chest tighten as he breathed the words. Sigmund turned, frightened. He shook, visibly. Richie's eyes were wide with fear as he waited for answers. He'd only wanted to call home. He didn't want to hear this. 

"S-Son, get to your next class." Hunt replied, holding the phone to his chest. 

Richie's mouth twitched as he took more steps back, dropping his backpack as he ran out the door. He ran out the door and his body collided with another, the two groaned as they regained their balance. 

"Hey," The girl whined. "Watch where you're going new kid." 

 "Dead." Richie muttered, eyes wide. The girl, Betty Ripsom stared warily at the boy before her. "He-He's dead. A boy is dead." A few students turned to look at him and within the hour, the whole school would hear of the news. 

It appeared, hours later, that Sigmund Hunt would not be reaching his two-decade milestone at Derry High. He'd resign, haunted by the memory of what he'd discovered that day. Though, that wasn't the only haunting to be reaped in the town, no. Though Eddie Kaspbrak may have been declared dead, he was far from gone. 

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Is it wrong for me to say that I like this? Like genuinely, I feel like this story is my best work so far. As in it started off with good writing and continues to be good writing, rather than the one or two good chapters I have in each of my stories. I truly think that the work in this one is far better and I'm really proud. 

Thank you for reading (: Can I get some feedback? 

-Kat 

2/3/18 @12:13 am