September

The last ten days leading into early September were some of the most peaceful days I've ever experienced since moving to Derry, and not just me– the rest of the losers club as well... It was as if the invisible force that was once resting heavily on top of our shoulders was gone for good. After the first few days after our final battle with Pennywise, we took our respective time apart. Everyone was really just trying to settle back into normal life and move on with the remainder of our summer. Bill and Bev kept their word about talking to my mom. When Richie and I left the quarry, they were just rounding the corner of Witcham Street to come onto West Broadway. She told my mom everything– about her dad's abuse, what happened to him– anything there was to tell...Bev told her.

Of course, after the tell-all, my mom had to report it down at the station. I tagged along, I figured Bev would need a support system with her for the moment the Derry Police Department decided their course of action for the matter. It was there that we learned about the death of Deputy Bowers– otherwise known as the father of Satan himself...Henry. We didn't know how he died or who killed him, just the fact that he was dead and the department didn't seem to be mourning all too much. Mom told Bev and me to keep quiet about it, I guess they weren't ready to release any information about it.

Having Bev stay at my house was like a sleepover every night with my best friend. We stayed up late talking about anything and everything. We watched movies, went to the pool, read magazines and even baked some pretty damn good cookies. I told her about Richie and she told me about Ben and Bill. She told me about the poem she'd found, how she loved it and her initial thoughts that Bill had written it. I knew Ben liked her...he probably even loved her– not that he'd admit it. But Bev had feelings for Bill...feelings that I don't think she could even ignore at our age. It's young, it's wild...it's pure. Something about Bill drew her in– maybe it was the fact that the both of them had more courage in their pinky fingers than the rest of us combined. Or maybe it was something else that you really couldn't find a way to put into words.

Bill and Richie were over at my house when my mom came home from work that afternoon with the news. The police were able to locate a relative of Bev's– her mom's younger sister. She lived out in Portland, Oregon and was more than willing to take care of Bev and become her legal guardian. She said she'd need a little time to get her apartment all prepared and agreed with a time that would be best for Bev to hop on a flight and head out west. Everyone agreed on September 6th– which was tomorrow. As much as it sucked to know that my first and best friend here in Derry was moving to the other side of the country, I helped her pack up all of her things. 

We promised to always stay in touch. She had my home phone number and I told her I didn't care about the time difference– if she wanted to call, she could. She told me she'd write all about the things she'd see while she was out on the west coast, that maybe if I went and visit Benny, she'd come down and I'd show her everything Los Angeles had to offer. We've got no other choice than to hold out for the best that our friendship– which had overcome something as big as Pennywise the clown...could survive a distance of 3,064 miles and a three hour time difference.

With the news of Bev's departure, Bill only saw it fit that we'd have one last meeting as the losers club. Sure, we'd hung out a little bit before this final meeting...but this was almost necessary. Our meeting place? Well, it would be only right for us to have our last meeting in the same place that the losers club became what it was. That small grassy area near the train tracks, just a short walk away from the quarry. And while we knew it wouldn't be the end of the losers club, it only seemed right to meet there since we'd never really be completely whole again.

My mom drove Bev and I into town, treating us to our last lunch together at the diner before she had to go back to work. When lunch was over, Bev and I walked the rest of the way to the meeting spot, bumping into Mike on our way. He rode slowly on his bike as we made the journey underneath the train tracks– a sort of deja vu feeling overcame the three of us as we heard the train go over our heads. We didn't say anything, but just looked at one another and smiled. It was almost crazy to think how far we'd come along since that day of the rock fight with the Bowers gang. 

Everyone was already sitting around when we finally got there– even Stan. He had a bandage wrapped around his head from the bites he sustained in the sewers. He told his parents that he'd been bitten by a dog walking back from the Synagogue. I only know that because my mom had come home from work the next day telling Bev and I to be careful of our surroundings when we walked around town. They haven't found the dog yet.

And they never will.

It wasn't easy for us to slip into small talk. It might sound a little ridiculous, but that was something that I was scared of. The fact that maybe Pennywise was really the only thing that brought us together and after this defeat– we wouldn't know what to say to one another anymore. But that wasn't the case and I should've known that. We've been by one another this entire summer during some of the most hectic times of our young times...why would we ever drift away from a bond like that? I sat down between Eddie and Richie– probably the two most important people in my life besides my mom and Benny. I mean, the entire losers club means a lot to me...every single one of them. But these two, they were different.

"For once, Derry kind of seems like a nice place...it's calm, you know? Like all of the bad things are over." Ben said, looking at us with hope-filled eyes.

I looked at Bev and she raised her eyebrows. I sighed and looked at the group. "Deputy Bowers is dead, and so are Vic and Belch. Someone murdered them."

"WHAT?" Richie said, looking at me.

"My mom told us the day we went into the station to tell them about Bev's dad. Apparently, they're still investigating it and I'm not supposed to say anything, but I don't think it really matters." I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"I bet you Henry did it," Eddie said with certainty. "He looked so out of it that...that day."

"No way, I heard he got sent up to Juniper Hills." Richie objected.

"I heard he's still missing," Stan added, resting his crossed arms on his knees.

"I hope he's dead," Mike said, drawing into the dirt with a stick. He looked over at me and I gave him a small smile. Henry made it his life mission to make our lives hell, but Mike had it the worst...and that day back in Neibolt was the final straw for him.

"Well wherever he is...or isn't– I hope I never have to see him again, he was such an ass," I replied, leaning back onto the palms of my hands.

"Bev, y-you okay?" Bill asked, scooting a little in her direction.

She looked up from twiddling her thumbs with a shocked look on her face as if she'd been caught in her own thoughts. "Oh, uh...yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?" Ben asked, his eyes still full of pure love for her.

I knew what she was thinking about. We've talked about it during one of our many sleepovers the past couple of days. It was what happened down there in the sewers with Pennywise. She never talked super into detail about it, but I knew there was something that she was hiding. 

She took a deep breath and sighed, looking out at the group. "I only remember parts, but...I thought I was dead– that's what it felt like. I saw us, all of us together, back in the cistern, but we were older..." her eyes skimmed across the reactions on our faces, taking them in. "like our parents' ages."

"W-w-w-what were we all doing there?" Bill asked, breaking the deep silence.

Bev shook her head as she began to pick at her fingers. "I just remembered how we felt, how scared we were." She looked back down at her hands and shook her head. "I don't think I can ever forget that."

The reveal wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, that's for sure. Whatever she saw– whether it was the future or just a dream in her conscience...it was still scary. The last couple of days, we've been living on a high. With no worry about the return of Pennywise and that our little town was safe from evil– we've already become accustomed to the thought. And the idea of this new reality being nothing but a cruel joke...was something none of us wanted to think about. Bill picked up the piece of broken glass he'd been playing with earlier and stood up. "Swear."

"Um...what is he doing?" I whispered, leaning into Richie.

He just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders before turning his attention back to his best friend. "Swear if IT isn't dead–" he paused, looking at each and every one of us. "if IT ever comes back, we'll come back too."

I looked around at my friends, each reaction more unsure than the next. Bev stood up, nodding her head. Richie grabbed my hand and looked at me with a smile. I sighed and stood up with him, Eddie standing up a few moments after I did. The last three boys stood up with no hesitation the moment Eddie did. I looked across at Stan, the sight of his bandages alone reminded me of the guilt I still carried with me. He looked at me and gave me a weak smile. There's a lot you can say about Stanley Uris, but there's one thing that you can never deny– he cared deeply for his friends, no matter what crazy shit we dragged him into.

Bill brought the rugged piece of glass to his palm and cut diagonally across– the crimson liquid oozing out of his cut and collecting right in the middle of his palm. He turned to Richie, bringing his palm up to him, cutting his in the exact same place. "Ow fuck!" Richie said, trying not to spray everyone around him with the blood as he shook his hand in pain.

Bill stood in front of me and I took a deep breath, holding my palm out for him. I watched him bring the glass to my palm and glide it across my skin. It hurt, I won't lie. But I just bit my lip and took it. I looked down at my palm to see the blood immediately flowing, a drop dripping down onto the grass. I looked at Richie who looked at me with wide eyes. "You're such a baby." I joked, bumping into his shoulder.

"Motherfuck–" Eddie gasped, holding the wrist of his one good hand– which now had blood coming out of the palm. "I think a piece got in my palm, I'm going to die. I'm–" He turned to look at me and I just stared at him. He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm fine, I'm not going to die from a possible flesh-eating bacteria that are living on that broken piece of glass."

"You're getting better." Ever since his huge blowup on his mom, Eddie's been trying to work on his hypochondria. He's got a really long journey ahead and I doubt Aunt Sonia is going to make it any easier on him, so encouraging him is really all I can do.

Bill walked back to where he was originally standing and dropped the glass into the grass. Bev looked down at his hand and grabbed it. It was a chain reaction– each of us grabbing the hands beside us. Richie squeezed my hand tightly as we stood there in silence. It was hard to describe the feeling we had by just standing there together in unity. It was a moment that would be forever burned in my mind, I was sure of it.

We let go of each other's hands and Stan bit the inside of his cheek as he looked at the ground. "I've gotta go," he looked back up at Bill as a smile grew on his face. "I hate you."

We all laughed, knowing that there was probably a little bit of truth beneath his statement for all of the shit he'd gone through this summer. But we also knew that he loved us too. He stepped away from the circle and went to walk away. "Stan, wait!" I cut across the circle and stopped in front of him. I looked at him and sighed. "I'm–"

"I know," he interrupted, nodding his head. "stop blaming yourself, it wasn't exactly your fault."

I laughed as he smiled at me. Before I could even let myself begin to get emotional, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "You, Stan Uris, are such a strong person and I admire you for that...so, so much."

He hugged me back tightly and pulled away, smiling one last time before walking back up the path, disappearing from view. I walked back to the circle, standing next to Richie. "Well, I guess I should go too. I'm still grounded for the rest of my life and my mom's soaps end in 30 minutes, so I should get back before she notices I'm not in my room."

"You're still coming over every once in a while, right?" I asked. "My mom keeps looking for a reason to make that pie concoction and you're the only one who likes it...well you and Richie."

Eddie glared at Richie before shaking his head and looking at me. "Yeah, I'll come over. I guess I'll see you there too Richie?"

Richie looked at him with wide eyes before looking at me and nodding his head. "Yeah Eds, I guess you will."

Eddie groaned and threw his arms into the air. "How many times have I told you not to call me that?!"

"Bye Eddie." Bev laughed as we watched him walk away.

Mike was the next to leave with a promise that he too would see us around town and that he'd be sure to make some time to hang out with us when he could. Before he left, I hugged him tight. We both knew that our situation by the well could have gone in a whole different direction, but the fact that we both stood up for one another sealed our friendship tight. I joked with him that maybe he should register for public school and he just smiled and said goodbye.

And then there were five losers left. Richie, Ben, Bev, Bill...and me. I looked at Richie and nudged him. "We should probably leave too," I said, looking at the remaining members.

"Yeah, see ya, Bill." Richie nodded, looking at Bev and Ben. "You're gonna be the badass of that new school of yours Beverly, no doubt in my mind. And Ben, I hope we have one class together this year, now that I've seen how much work you put into educational shit."

I elbowed him in the side and he groaned. "I'll see you at home Bev," I smiled, turning to Bill and Ben. "bye you two."

Richie and I walked back up the path, further away from our friends. When we got to the place where Richie and the others had left their bikes, he picked his bike up and looked at me. "You didn't bring yours?"

"My mom took Bev and me to lunch, so we just walked here," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "I kind of liked walking for once."

He patted the back of his seat and looked at me. "Come on."

"Why?"

"We're going somewhere, just come on." He laughed, shaking his head.

I sat on the remaining material of his seat before placing my feet on the back wheel pegs and stood myself up, tapping him on the head. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Hold on tight, cause I feel the need for speed." He laughed, seemingly proud of himself at his Top Gun quote as he pedaled away from the grass area as I held onto his shoulders.

❏❏❏❏

We stood there, side by side and looked out over the quarry. The air was cool as the afternoon hours began to fade away. Fall was beginning to show itself in our town, though officially it was more than a few weeks out. If you cared enough to look closely at the trees, you could see the hints of change within their colors. Fall was an important time– well at least the month of October would be. In one months time, it would officially be a year since my mom and I moved to her hometown. So much happened during that year, that sometimes when I thought about it– it felt like more than just 12 measly months. "What are you thinking about?"

I shook the thoughts of out my head and turned to Richie. "Huh?"

"You were thinking," he said, clearing his throat and waving his hand around aimlessly. "you do this thing when you're super deep in thought. You just kind of chew on the inside of your cheek and burrow your eyebrows– like a tick almost."

"Well look at you! You actually pay attention to anyone that isn't yourself." I joked, nudging him with my elbow. "Consider me impressed."

He just shook his head and dug his hands into his pockets. "So? What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing really...just how it's almost been a year since my mom and I moved here and how much has happened since then."

"Yeah, a shit ton has happened..." He sighed, rocking on the heels of his feet. "Do you–"

"Do you think it's really over?" I asked, cutting him off. "I'm sorry, you can go ahead."

"No, no it's fine. I was...I was gonna ask the same thing actually." He replied, brushing the interruption off.

I knew he was lying. He always looked to the left and scrunched his nose a bit when he was lying– or going to lie. I picked it up during the times we've hung out...but I can't let him know that. "So do you? Think that...all of this is over? That we'll have to come back in 27 years?"

"God I fucking hope not." He laughed, pushing his glasses further up onto his nose. "I mean, I hope we don't have to come back here...so yeah, I guess I do think it's over. Or at least hope it is."

"Just the thought of coming back here in 27 years–" I said, shaking my head. "I mean, I don't even know what my life is going to be like in five years! I can't even imagine 27! I do know I don't want to be fighting Pennywise...that's for sure."

"Yeah, I'd like to think I'll be making it big in the comedy scene, living in some big house in Beverly Hills or Malibu with a butler and a huge pool I can throw huge parties at, living my life as a hot bachelor." He smiled as he dreamed up his glamorous life. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe instead of the bachelor life, I'll be married to an incredibly hot woman– like I'm talking playboy centerfold hot, and she'll pop out a few Richie Tozier juniors. And we'll still throw the biggest parties Hollywood's ever seen."

I laughed and shook my head. "That definitely sounds like the life you'd live Richie. Though I will admit, the idea of miniature versions of you running around is a little unsettling."

"Even if you're the one popping them out?" He said, looking at me with a serious look. I looked at him with wide eyes as he threw his head back in laughter, clutching his stomach. "Relax, I'm kidding." He straightened up and nudged me. "What about you? What do you hope to be in 27 years?"

"Well, I hope to have a college degree...or two, I think two would be ideal. In what exactly, I don't know," I replied, biting the inside of my cheek as I looked back out over the quarry. "I think I'd definitely want to be married and have at least three kids by then. I love the idea of having a family and living in a small town or even a suburb somewhere where kids play outside all day like we do."

"I bet you'd be a good mom."

I looked at him and smiled. "You think so?" He nodded and just kind of smiled at me, digging his hands further into his pockets. "I guess I should get going. Bev's probably already back at my house waiting for me."

"Yeah, you should probably go," Richie said, biting his lip and nodding.

I smiled and softly laughed. "Walk me home? Or I guess, bike me home?"

"Or I could leave you here in the woods all by yourself..." he said, blankly staring at me. I widened my eyes and tried to keep my jaw from dropping. Of course, he was still upset at that time I left him in the woods. I guess I should have expected that. "But we both know I'd never leave you anywhere..." He walked towards his bike, turning around and smiling at me. "Are you coming?"

We walked over to his bike and he got on it, making sure to hold it steady as I stood up on the pegs, holding onto his shoulders. He started to ride away from the quarry and I watched it as it disappeared out of view. The reality set in quick on our ride back through town that summer was officially over and school was set to start in just a few short days. 

The days of doing nothing but riding around town looking for something to do, but going to be replaced by homework being done at the table. Sure, there was a lot to be said about that the endless freedom summer brought, was going to be limited, but there was some good too. Like having classes with my friends, talking to them in the hallway...even having a place to sit in the cafeteria for lunch. Yeah, summer was ending, but I was excited for what the school year would bring.

"Hey, remember when you interrupted me back at the quarry? You were asking about if I thought it was really over and I said I was going to ask you the same thing?" He asked as we turned down my street.

"Yeah, why? Was that not what you were going to ask?" I lied, already knowing the answer.

"No, it wasn't. I was gonna ask if you wanted to hang out tomorrow or something."

"We hang out all the time Richie." I laughed.

"Well it won't be hanging out it'll be like–" he huffed and shook his head. "I mean, we will be hanging out, but it'll be different than our normal hanging out stuff and–"

"You mean...like a date?" I asked as he began to slow down– my house coming into view.

"Yeah...a date."

I smiled as he came to a stop a little bit before my house, letting me off of his bike. He looked nervous– like he was going to throw up, nervous. "I'd like that."

He looked at me with wide eyes, the lenses of his glasses making them even wider. "Really?"

I nodded as we walked towards my house, coming to a stop as soon as we were in front of it. "Yeah, really."

"Okay, okay yeah– it's a date then." He smiled, adjusting his glasses. "Hey, who's that guy standing there with your mom?" Richie asked, nodding his head towards the front door.

I turned around to see the back of a man standing on my front porch talking to my mom who was wiping her face. He was in, what looked to be, some type of uniform, maybe a police one. I couldn't really tell since he was facing away from me. My stomach dropped as my brain threw out every possibility it could think of. My mom looked over at me and she smiled, covering her mouth. The man in front of her turned around and my heart sank to my feet. "Oh my God..."

"Hey isn't that your–"

I ran towards the front porch as fast as my feet could take me. The man practically jumped over the three measly steps, meeting me halfway in the front yard- just short of the porch. I jumped up and hugged him, wrapping my legs around his waist. "You're home," I whispered, hugging him tightly.

"Of course I'm home, I had to come and see my little sister," Benny replied, squeezing me tight.

I looked towards the front door to see my mom and Bev standing there, smiling. I just buried my head back into his shoulder and hugged him tighter. His signature cologne filling my nostrils, but for once I didn't mind the overbearing smell. Because it meant that Benny was here...really here. He put me down and I pulled away, quickly wiping my cheeks and laughing. "Your uniform is very nice, you look official."

He looked down at his uniform and smiled. "I understand why dad always wanted mom to iron his stuff. We had to do it at the academy and it was a hot mess the first couple of times," he laughed.

"How did you get here? I mean, don't you have more training to do?"

"We get a little leave time after we get our station assignments and start our field training program with an Officer there." He looked back at our mom who was talking to Bev. "I'm with dad's old station and Sergeant Murphy is my assigned training Officer."

I raised my eyebrows and covered my mouth as the name bounced around in my head. "He was..."

"Dad's partner...yeah. So I told him I was coming here to see you guys and he told me to tell you both hello and that everyone sends their best. He also wanted me to reassure mom that I'm in some pretty good hands over there, that he won't let anything happen to me."

"I bet she loved that."

He just nodded and looked behind me, raising his eyebrows. "So...is that Richie?"

I turned around to see Richie standing there with his bike, shuffling his feet against the concrete. "Yeah, that's him. But Benny, please don't–"

"Hey, you!" Benny yelled, getting Richie's attention. Richie pointed to himself and Benny nodded. "Come here!"

I smacked Benny in the stomach as Richie slowly made his way over. "Benny! Please don't embarrass me. I swear to God if you embarrass me I'll–"

"Relax Dani, I just want to meet the kid," he laughed, looking at me with a smile. "besides, if he wants to date my little sister, he's got to get the seal of approval...remember?"

Richie was soon standing next to me, looking as nervous as he was the time we entered Neibolt for the first time. He looked at me with wide eyes and I just shrugged my shoulders. "Richie, this is Benny, my older brother. Benny, this is Richie."

Richie extended a hand and gulped. "It's nice to meet you Benny...sir." I could see his eyes linger down to the police duty belt that held everything Benny was issued after graduating the academy...including his gun.

Benny crossed his arms and glared at him as he looked him up and down, only making Richie even more nervous. I looked over at my mom and nodded my head to get her over here. Benny was making things so bad right now. I looked back at Benny who's expression hadn't cracked. "So you like my sister?"

"I...uh–" Richie looked at me and quickly looked back at Benny. "She's really cool."

"Have you kissed my sister?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. I could feel my face get hot as Richie's eyes widened more. "Do you know what I do with people who mess with my sister?"

"I-I- I don't-" Richie stammered, constantly looking between Benny's duty belt and Benny.

As my mom made her way across the grass with Bev following behind her, Benny smiled and grabbed Richie's hand shaking it. "I'm just messing with you kid," he turned to me and pointed at Richie. "he's got the seal of approval."

"Are you guys hungry? Bev and I were talking about going to the diner to grab some food." My mom smiled.

"I'm starving, I could go for some food." Benny smiled, putting an arm around my mom's shoulder and pulling her into his side. "Especially if a shake comes with it."

"Sounds good to me," I replied.

"Richie, are you hungry sweetheart? Would you want to join us for dinner?"

Richie looked at Benny and then at me before nodding. "Y-Yes Mrs. Merritt, that'd be great."

"Alright, everyone get in the car." She smiled, as she and Benny walked over to the car.

Bev smiled at Richie and me, shaking her head before getting into the backseat of my mom's car. I walked with Richie as we headed towards the front porch to put his bike against it. "Sorry about Benny..."

"I thought he was going to kill me, like stomp me into the ground and shoot me with his gun, kill me." He said, shaking his head. "I mean, he knew my name!"

"That's because I told him about you..." He looked at me with raised eyebrows and I sighed. "The last time he called, I asked him how to know if...if a boy likes you. Then he asked me if I liked you and blah blah blah." I said, waving my hand as we walked towards the car.

"Well, do you? I mean, do you like me?"

I held onto the backseat door handle and looked at him, smiling. "I said yes to going on a date with you, didn't I?"

He smiled and quickly straightened himself up, adjusting his glasses and acting cool. "I mean, I am Richie Tozier, you'd be a fool to turn me down. I've got girls begging me for dates."

"Oh, well then I guess I should cancel ours and give them a shot huh?" I smiled, playing along with his joke.

"No, no, that won't be necessary," he smiled, placing his hand on mine. "none of them can whoop a demonic clowns ass in the middle of a sewer chamber like you can, so I think it's safe to say you're the clear winner."

I looked down at his wrist to see the matching bracelet. I opened the door and tugged on the bracelet, smiling. "Guess that makes me pretty lucky then. Since I can say I beat out so many other girls for a date with you."

"The Luckiest."

_______________________________________________________

the end.

haha just kidding, there's an epilogue...

☺