Katherine walked into the pharmacy, the feeling of nostalgia running through her body, remembering a time when she and her three best friends stole medical supplies to save the new kid in Derry.

She walked to the feminine aisle, her eyes scanning past the Tampax products and birth control pills to the pregnancy test boxes.

She immediately grabbed one Clear Blue box. She's heard from her co-workers that Clear Blue was going to be the best test to use but she didn't use Clear Blue because all she could afford after college was the cheapest test the pharmacy had.

She walked up to the counter, looking for Mr. Keene silently hoping he wasn't the same creep she remembered as a kid when she would steal a pack of cigarettes.

She pressed the silver bell on the counter, letting it ring out in the silent store. "Hello," she called out.

"Well, well, well," someone spoke. Katherine saw it was a woman who chewed pink bubble gum obnoxiously and looked like she was stuck in the 80s. "If it was Katherine Walker-Katy Angel walking back in as if she runs the place."

Katherine furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, who are you?" she asked.

"Of course the big star doesn't remember anything because she's too busy being rich and slutty," she judged looking down at the pregnancy tests.

Katherine was about to question her further until it clicked-

"Holy shit, Greta fucking Bowie," she stated with a small laugh. "Wow, you didn't age very well."

"At least I don't plastic put in my body unlike you, honey," Greta replied.

Katherine chuckled. "Oh Greta, honey. I'm an all-natural woman but you can't do plastic surgery anyway because you're still working for your dad."

"At least I have a dad," Greta snapped.

"I may not have a dad but at least I have a husband and managed to keep him for so long," Katherine fired back.

Greta rolled her eyes. "That loser Bill-"

Katherine narrowed her eyes. "' That loser Bill' is making thousands a year by writing his novels and using his creativity. Do make thousands or even have creativity?"

"He must not be that lucky if he's dating a whore like you."

"Whore is so eighth grade," Katherine told her. "I prefer tramp or hustler if anything. And clearly, he's very lucky if he's the one who mostly wants to rock the bed with me."

"That's fucking disgusting."

"So is your hairline," Katherine replied. "At least I can be classy with my insults unlike you who talks only like white trash." She pushed her test forward. "Now ring up my Goddamn test."

Greta did so, punching in the amount in the cash register with frustration before telling her the amount. "$18.98," she told her as the total.

Katherine hummed. "That's odd because the register says $8.99."

Greta covered the digital numbers. "You must be stuck on drugs like your mom was, so damn delirious," she replied.

Katherine grew angered at that but pushed it down as she kept a calm composure but smiled as she leaned against the counter.

She wanted to rub her lifestyle in Greta's face now.

"You know I could sue you for overcharging me a great amount and I'd win because I can afford a damn good lawyer. I could also buy your dad out of this pharmacy but...you'd have no job and I'm not an asshole like that so I'll put up with it." Katherine pulled out her American Express black card. "I have money."

Greta slid the card and the test was purchased as she handed the card back to Katherine and shoving in a plastic bag, giving it to her as well.

Katherine turned quickly to see someone covered in a black substance coming upstairs from the basement screaming like a child in disgust.

"Eddie," Katherine uttered, recognizing the germaphobic man as Greta approached by the door as Eddie kept pulling on the door, trying to leave.

"Push, not pull, you moron," she told Eddie as Katherine approached slowly, sneakily grabbing two packs of cloths and a water bottle.

Eddie looked down at the door, stopping his frantic movement. "Oh," he laughed. "Thanks," he told her before exiting by pushing on the door.

Katherine followed, having to jog behind him. "Eds, Eddie," she called, grabbing his arm, making him jump as he turned to face her.

"Oh fuck!" he exclaimed.

"Calm down. You're okay," Katherine reassured her best friend.

"There's fucking shit or god knows what on my face! I can barely fucking see, Kat-"

"Relax," she told him, pulling down to the store's alley. "It's fine. I'll clean your face off." She kicked a bucket over, flipping upside down so he could sit down on it. "Sit," she told him.

"But-"

"It's cleaner than the ground, Eds, sit down," she replied with so he listened and plopped down on the bucket.

She inspected his dirty face from different angles. "Jesus," she muttered, dropping her bag and only held the bottle of water and cloth as she tore open the plastic with her teeth. "I'm gonna clean it off as best as I can so you can see. You can clean the rest of it off at the Town House."

"Okay," he answered.

She dumped water onto the cloth before wiping his cheek. "How'd this happen, Eds?" she asked.

"Well, I went downstairs into Keene's basement and fucking projectile vomits all over me," he explained.

"Gross," Katherine muttered. "Did you find your token at least?"

"I think so," Eddie answered. "What about you? I don't think your token would be in the pharmacy too."

"It wasn't. I find mine," she replied. "I only went to the pharmacy because..." she trailed off as she glanced down at her journal lying on the ground next to her bag. "That's my artifact."

Eddie picked it up as Katherine continued to clean off his lips and moved onto his nose. "Oh, isn't this your songbook?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Katherine answered with a small smile. "I wrote some pretty great songs in there. The only object that has sedimental value in this town."

Eddie opened to a random page. "They were really great songs. How come you don't make songs like this-" He hissed as Katherine tried to wipe his eyelid. "Ow..."

"Sorry," she told him. "Close your eyes." He did so, letting Katherine clean his eyes before she answered, "I don't know. My manager does like my lyrics but my beat and style to the song, not so much. He wants to add more upbeat tones to songs that are meant to be slow and caring or just the opposite for other songs."

"You should fucking tell him then," Eddie replied with eyes still closed. "Tell him it's your music and you'll do whatever the hell you want with it."

Katherine chuckled. "Ah hell, Eddie. I'll do it just for you," she told him. "That's good advice, Eds." She finally dropped the cloth. "Okay, done." She helped him up as Eddie blinked rapidly. "Can you see better?"

"Yeah. Thanks," he told her before taking her hand once she picked up her journal and bag. "Let's go. I want to scrub the rest of my face."

"Eds," Katherine called which made the man sigh but turn to face her. "You asked me what I was doing in Keene's. Well..." She dug through the bag and fished out her box. "This is why."

Eddie looked at the words and his eyes widened. "A pregnancy test?" he questioned.

"Pregnant is when a woman is carrying a baby due to-"

"I know how pregnancy works," Eddie cuts off. "Do you think are?"

"Pennywise teased that-"

"IT fucks with you. IT lies, Kat."

"But what if IT actually didn't?" Katherine questioned. "And I'm actually p..." She couldn't bring herself to say it. "That means the baby in harm by being here."

Eddie grabbed her hand. "Kat, when we get back, you can take the test and I'll be by your side like I always have been no matter what the results are."

Katherine hugged him tightly, not caring he was still covered in the black substance as he hugged back. "Thanks, Eds," she told him.

"You're welcome. Now I don't think hugging me is very sanitary for you," he replied.

***

Short chapter but I want to make this book longer because it's going to end maybe after chapter 13 and that's too damn short.

Hope you liked the update though.