HOME AT LAST.

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DEAD BOY (book one).
°• CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE •°

" SCREW FEAR. "

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DAXTON SHIELDS NEVER IMAGINED STEPPING A SINGLE FOOT INTO HIS PAST AGAIN. Henry Bowers was just a stain in the past of the Shields man, but the torture he caused lingered much longer. So did many others. More than what he was starting to remember. His father abandoned him only for his mother to do the same after beating him when she was wasted. Daxton was an easy target for bullies, abuse, and extreme trauma that fucked with his head, especially when that stupid clown came into the picture. It took the lives of people he knew, may not have known well, but nearly his friends too. His family. People that Daxton loved. Pennywise already claimed the life of one and it ended here. Tonight.

Years and years of pain were finally coming to an end.

But the Well House, one of the many shattered houses from his past, was waiting. And so were Daxton's family. He won't let anything else happen to them. The Losers Club were the ones who took him in when he needed to be loved the most. The Griffith's foster home loved Daxton like their own unconditionally. He was grateful that those memories were back. They were special. He cherished them. He almost forgot forever what it was like to love and be loved in return that he could've destroyed himself. It almost stole that from him.

Nothing much has changed. Even if the memories Daxton had about this house were fragmented, he can still place how it used to be. They shine their flashlights around their surrounding area until the memories flood into place. There's still a rotting, overwhelming smell drifting in the air that makes Daxton's nose curl. The web of missing posters was collected in a corner. Torn furniture covered in dirty sheets. Broken windows covered in splintered plaster. The wallpaper ripped from its covering. A staircase that seemed as if the steps would collapse with any sudden weight.

Daxton didn't remember black blood gushing down those very steps, but he squared his shoulder and pretended he wasn't someone scared. He won't let that clown feed off an ounce of his fear.

"Well, I love what he's done with the place," Richie commented unhelpfully.

"Beep beep, Richie," Beverly warned. She uses the phrase they came up with as kids which politely signals that Richie needs to shut up.

They continue the little dusty path. Daxton swore that his heart pounds harder with every step and he feared it would burst out of his chest. He tried to keep his hazy gaze focused on the torch he had beaming an ominous light in the decaying house. It somehow seemed bigger than what he remembered. Daxton took a quick glance around for his friends. He could see his brother in sight along with Beverly and Mike. A door close-by creaked open and Daxton's head snapped towards it, but the worry is shoved aside for another concern when he heard Ben releasing a pained scream.

A few of them start calling his name. Daxton abandoned the hallway he was heading into, a door slamming behind him, racing to his friend. Ben was hunched over, gasping, and hugging his own chest. Daxton shared a terrified look with Charlie before asking hurriedly, "Ben, what is it, what's wrong?"

Ben shook his head. "I - I don't - " He's cut off when he screams again and fell to his knees.

They bump into one another as they try to figure out what the hell's wrong with him. Daxton barely caught his friend before he hit the ground, both of his arms under Ben's, supporting him. A small blood stain starts dragging its way through the cloth of Ben's shirt as if someone was carving a fresh wound underneath. Beverly's shaking hands fumble to yank his shirt up and reveal his chest.

Bile rose in Daxton's throat at the sight. A long, bleeding scar continued to form across Ben's stomach in the shape of an H. Blood flows from the deep injury. Ben threw his head back onto Daxton's shoulder and wailed again as the ghostly figure attacking him starts an O. Ben's screams turn into sobs as two more letters follow, an M and an E. As it carved the last letter, Beverly cradled Ben's head, crying in terror, "It can't be real, it can't be real."

"He's bleeding!" Charlie exclaimed. He's right. Droplets of blood have already streamed from the open wounds. Daxton's past words ring in his head.

Scars don't just leave your skin because you hate them.

"Looks like it's gonna scar."

Charlie's head snapped back and forth. "Where is it coming from?!" He raised his voice and it drew Daxton back to the tragic present.

Daxton is helpless to do anything but silently shake his head desperately and watch the phantom cuts drag further across poor Ben's skin.

HOME AT LAST.

No, no. This wasn't home. Daxton refused to believe that. This was Hell. Home was Josie Griffith's home cooked meals. Miles Griffith throwing a baseball with them in their yard. Listening to Haley play the piano. Emilia's stern older sister rants, but gifting Daxton her old bike anyway. Playing board games with Lucas but holding his memory in his heart, always. Bella Quint trusting her Uncle Dax enough to fall asleep on his chest. James Quint naming his action figures after his father and uncle.

Charlie felt like home.

Home was the Losers.

Suddenly, Mike shouted, "There!" And everyone lifted their heads to follow his gaze.

Daxton's heart sunk and he swallowed the bile still in his throat before he could vomit. The clown stared back at them in the damaged mirror hung above what was once a fireplace. It had a grip on Ben's head with a single gloved hand, the other clutching a knife as it dragged it across Ben's stomach with no mercy. Once It realizes It has their attention, a curling smirk spread across Its blood-red lips.

Amusement gleamed in Its cat-like yellow eyes as it teasingly rose the blade and brought it to Ben's throat. Daxton's grip on his friend almost slipped as he cried out, "no, no! Stop!" He begged. He knew it was useless, but he couldn't help it. He can't lose another friend, they just started -

It slowly started to drag the weapon across Ben's neck. Blood started to gush from the wide wound.

Beverly shrieked as she leaped to her feet. She suddenly swiped a metal rod from the ground of clutter and fired a furious cry at the mirror before bringing it over her shoulder and swinging it forward. The glass shattered into hundreds of pieces, taking away the horrible scene, and the clown along with it.

All of Ben's screams stopped. Daxton quickly looked at his friend again. His skin was clear of any bleeding cuts besides the old, healed H that Bowers left on him forever ago. Ben was panting as Daxton slowly helped him stand on his feet. "Are you okay?" Daxton questioned in fear that the clown would pop up from somewhere and change everything once again. Ben doesn't speak, but he nodded. He's too shellshocked to do much else given what just happened.

Stopping to catch their breath doesn't seem like an option in this house of horrors. This time, they hear Richie scream from the room he had been locked in with the others, wailing, "Get it off of me!" Daxton tried to keep his knees from wobbling as he didn't think twice and sprinted towards the noise, his friends hot on his trail, shouting for Richie.

Daxton reached the locked door first. He could hear the pained, horrified screams, and monsterous grunts from the other side. Daxton fumbled with the stuck knob as he pounded his fist on the split wood, shouting, "Richie! Richie!"

Charlie suddenly bumped into Daxton's side. He tried, "Dax - "

But Daxton wasn't having it. Tears start to burn his eyes, a lump in his throat growing that he couldn't swallow, ears ringing with the screams Richie was releasing, and his skin tearing from how hard he was pounding the door. Daxton couldn't stop himself. "I have to save him," the words bubbled up like a sob. "I have to - "

Charlie nudged him to the side. Daxton stumbled into Beverly as his brother didn't bother to fight with the door knob. He merely swung his leg and kicked his foot into the door with a hard thud. It only took one more hit before the weak door split into two pieces that they can knock aside so they can make room for them to jump into the enclosure.

A dreadfully mangled severed head with spider legs poking out of it's sickly green skin had pinned Richie to the ground, snapping razor-sharp teeth in his face, leaving thick drool to paint Its victim's face. Bill was crouched above him, fingers dug deep into the creature, just barely keeping it from eating their friend alive, all while screaming his head off for Eddie to grab the knife a few feet away from his shoe. Eddie was frozen in the corner and Bill couldn't reach the weapon himself without letting go of the monster.

This time, Charlie moved before Daxton. He sprung into action, ducking quickly to swipe up the knife, and raising his arm above his head. He brought it down in a swift, skilled motion, plunging the rusted blade into that thing's head. It stopped fighting Richie and Bill. Then It released a slow, clicking growl as blood starts to float in midair from the fresh wound. Charlie didn't stop there. He lifted the knife again and sunk it into Its skull again, and again, and again, and again, until It lets free a slow growl from Its gutted throat, Its spider legs falling limp in surrender. Charlie left the knife in Its head and took a large step back.

Bill finally peeled It off of Richie's face and pitched the head towards the wall. Daxton flinched as it smacked harshly against the peeling wallpaper before falling slack to the floor. The thin legs weakly lift Its head. Daxton's breath caught in his throat. He recognized the small, sickly face staring back at them. It was who Stan used to be. The childhood friend he used to have after they thought they defeated It the first time. But Pennywise had turned Stan's childlike face into a sick, green, zombie-like color, completed with scars and blood.

It noticed the eyes on It and heard the gasps and flashed them a frightening grin. Daxton shuddered as it released another chitter and scampered off. The sound of Its legs pattering across the floorboards faded the deeper that It disappeared to.

"Is - is everybody okay?" Beverly panicked.

Daxton shoved aside the fear and zeroed back into this world where they're about to battle a demonic clown that nearly chewed Richie's face off. Beverly had already fallen to her knees next to him, tearing off her blazer, and tucking it like a pillow under Richie's neck. Richie choked and wheezed at the thick, putrid saliva that was keeping him from breathing. Daxton felt as if he was having an out of body experience as he crouched to seize Richie's glasses and use the sleeve of his jacket to wipe the body fluid off the glass.

"You're okay, Rich, it's okay. I'm right here," Daxton whispered. His free, shaking hand gently wiped at Richie's eyes until he could open them.

Richie blinked his big, wet eyes at him in a seemingly daze. "I can't see," he croaked after he could finally stop hacking his lungs for air.

"It's okay," Daxton soothed again. He carefully perched the wire of Richie's glasses on his face. His heart was hammering in his chest. He could've lost Richie if it wasn't for Charlie. Daxton lifted his head and send his brother who was still squeezing the knife a grateful, but sad smile.

A hand gripped Daxton's lower arm that sent his attention back to Richie. He leaned closer so that he could use him as leverage to sit up. He can't take his eyes off of him. Daxton's afraid that if he does, even for a moment, that It will appear and remind him that this was all a fantasy. That maybe Richie really was devoured in the Well House and Daxton did lose him forever before he could finally make things right after everything he's done. He has to blink a few times to really convince himself that this was real, they had a second to catch their breath, and the man he was in love with after twenty-seven years was really okay.

It startled Daxton he looked away from Richie long enough as he overheard Bill shouting. He turned his head towards the sound. Bill nearly had Eddie pinned to the wall as he demanded, "He could've fu-fucking died, man! You kn-know that, right?!" Bill got closer to Eddie's face who flinched at the way he raised his voice. "Georgie's dead! And th-the kid's dead! Stanley's dead! You... You-you want Richie, too?!"

"Bill," Charlie quietly scolded.

Even he can't stop Bill's rampage. "You want Richie too?!" He echoed himself loudly.

"I don't! I don't want Richie too!" Eddie suddenly cried out. His brown eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. "Please don't be mad, Bill," he pleaded. "I was just scared."

A heavy silence passes. Who knows what would've happened to Richie if Charlie wasn't brave enough to kick down the door and stab that thing in the head? And who knows how they would've reacted if they were in the room instead? It's too easy to freeze up when you're petrified of a monster that has haunted you day and night throughout your childhood, leading into your adulthood. Daxton wouldn't have been able to live with himself if being paralyzed with fear cost him the life of one of the friends standing with him.

It seemed like the thought had suddenly occurred to their leader as well. Bill took a step back from Eddie. "That's what It wants. Don't - don't give it to It," he affirmed.

The moment was over. Daxton shook his head away from the scene and looped his arm with Richie's as Ben reached his other side. Together, they helped him onto his feet. Although a little wobbly at first, Richie found his footing. He didn't look as disturbed as before, but Daxton still scanned him carefully. Richie didn't notice the worrying adoration that the other had for him hidden in his eyes because Daxton was so great at hiding it. He has been for years. Maybe when It comes to an end, so will this.

The rest of the trail is basically the same as the last time, whatever Daxton could actually remember. The Wellhouse hadn't changed too much. The rope still held them quite well and he still felt the swirl of fear in his gut when he gripped it in his hands. It rubbed his skin raw but it was a nice reminder that he was alive and gave him something to focus on instead of the possible plunge below them. Although instead of meeting gravel, Daxton could see the flood of dirty water below. It's like a lake that leads to yet another tunnel they'll have to climb through. They're going to have to go deeper than they, or anyone else, ever has. It's seemingly scarier than heights, Daxton thought to himself once his feet splashed through the water until he reached solid ground.

The deeper they get, the further it swallowed them in. The wave upon impact soon passed ankles, knees, and hips, and then lapped up to Daxton's chest. He grimaced at the feeling of his clothes sticking to him like a second skin and the polluted smell that came with it but kept his arms above the surface. His hand clutched a flashlight that he shone ahead of him. Daxton moved carefully with the others as they ventured deeper into the tunnel awaiting their arrival. Poor Eddie is so disgusted at what he called greywater that Daxton can hear him grunting and gagging behind him.

"Shit," Ben gasped ahead of Daxton. "This is it. This is where it happened."

Daxton inhaled. He remembered the feeling of the clown trying to choke the life out of him as if it happened yesterday instead of twenty-seven years ago. Daxton swore he could still feel a single gloved hand with claws poking through the cloth grasping his throat so hard that it left a bruise in the shape of a ring around his neck. He's glad it wasn't permanent but Daxton still took a few deep breaths and tried to remind himself that the pain wasn't real. It was just another memory.

A hill of various junk with logs poking out of the sides as if they were claws waits just a few feet away. Daxton would rather drown here than swim to it even if it would be faster. His movements are slow and cautious. There's no telling if Pennywise was watching and waiting for the right moment to attack again. Daxton used all the skills he learned in his line of work to listen for any shift in the air that would set off his instincts. His ears and eyes wait for any oncoming attack so he could run straight for the gunfire.

That's when Daxton did feel it. A quiet shiver crawled up his spine with an ice-cold feeling as it reached the back of his neck where the hair stood straight up. He straightened. He knew something was watching them. Daxton couldn't brush it off. He always knew beforehand that this was Its lair and It was always going to have Its eyes glued on the Losers' every move. But this somehow felt different. Daxton didn't dare allow his guard to fall for a single second. If he did, it'd all be over.

The water's movements slowed when Beverly came to a stop. Daxton had just reached the mountain besides his brother and hadn't noticed that the redhead had peered over her shoulder silently, blue eyes locked on the way they came. Her pausing caught Ben's attention who looked towards her curiously. "Bev? Bev, what is it?" He asked.

Ben's words had caught Daxton's attention. He slowly turned in the water again as Beverly tore away from the sight with a shake of her head dismissively. "I thought I heard something - "

A scream cut Beverly off and suddenly filled the tunnel and rang in Daxton's ears when their worst fear comes to life and a monster of an old lady popped out of the water before Beverly. Ben shouted her name as It grabbed ahold of her, wrinkled hands with twisted bones holding her neck and held close. It whipped towards the other Losers, googly eyes darting around, above an even sicker grin with rotted teeth. A shrill screech from It fell, "TIME TO SINK!" Before ducking and dragging a screaming Beverly underneath.

Daxton didn't hesitate for a second. His vision blurred as the rest of his boys jumped into the water around him as well. He nearly slammed into Charlie accidentally when he took the plunge after catching a deep breath and dove after her. Daxton's world instantly became a whirlwind of water. The murky depths become chaos as all of the boys fight with sluggish movements for that thing to let go of Beverly. Daxton's lungs and eyes burn and he can feel his ears pop from the lack of air. His strength to fight refused to weaken.

Every punch and kick Daxton delivered is too slow to actually hurt It, but by some miracle, It lets go. Maybe It likes the challenge. Either way, Daxton blinked his burning eyes, and the form It took was gone. Beverly was free. She clung to Ben and Bill who helped her resurface. Daxton kicked his legs underneath him until it could propel him upward, breaking through the exterior, gasping and gurgling for air. He choked a few times and spit whatever had made way into his mouth before snapping his head back and forth. Everyone seemed okay.

Beverly was spluttering she was fine, the other guys weakly climbed the mountain to join Eddie who stayed behind, and Charlie was taking a few deep breaths close to his brother. Daxton sighed in relief before swimming towards the tall junkyard closeby. He heaved himself onto the top on his hands and knees. He was still shaking a bit as he struggled to actually stand. He took a deep breath when he felt Charlie's hand press on his back and lifted his head to see the concerned, dark eyes on him. Daxton shook his head. "I'm okay," he reassured him quietly.

Exhaustion from the latest battle with It had taken a toll on him. That's all, Daxton attempted to convince himself. He just had to brace himself for whatever was coming next. The war had barely begun. He wouldn't surrender just yet.

"Mike? Where do we go from here?" Richie piped up once he was on his feet too. They may as well get this fight over with.

The wooden board in the middle of it all shook slightly under the weight of the eight of them as they circled it. It's a hatch. A few symbols were carved into the door that Daxton couldn't make out even when he squinted. Mike ignored their curious gazes and answered Richie's question with deep words that he mumbled under his breath. Daxton couldn't understand any of them, it was something about depths and whatever was beneath.

"Is he okay?" Ben whispered.

"Who knows," Charlie huffed. Daxton can't tell if he's glaring at Mike or genuinely worried. Who knows the toll of living alone in Derry, without the company of the Losers, obsessing over Pennywise, had taken on him?

Richie bumped Charlie's shoulder with his own. "I think at this point, that's a really good question," he pointed out.

All of the uttering had Daxton shoot his hand up to silence them. Mike was always going to be a concern of his, as were all of his friends, but they had to tread forward from here. And they've never been this deep inside the Wellhouse. They had to be prepared. "Enough," Daxton warned them before nodding to Mike. "Okay, Mike. What is it? What's on the other side?" He asked.

"I don't know. No one does," Mike admitted gravely. Daxton sighed. So much for being ready.

All of a sudden, Mike crouched and yanked the hatch's door open with such a swiftly quick movement that the other Losers shout in surprise, and stumble back like something horrible would be waiting inside. But there's nothing. No monsters. A wall of lumpy, wet rocks that would subside as a ladder lead to a deep, black abyss that Daxton doesn't trust one bit. Mike, however, did.

"Alright. See you on the other side."

Mike's name fell anxiously from Bill's lips as he practically jumped into the open hole. But he doesn't go tumbling down to be swallowed whole. Mike carefully balanced his feet on the rocks and tilted his head back to look at the others expectantly.

The sight alone made Daxton's gut clench. "So much for being scared of heights," he muttered.

Bill nodded. He gave them a stern look only a leader could have. "St-Stay together," he commanded them.

Once their leader disappeared after Mike, Daxton shrugged. "Well, screw fear. Guess we're already fucked," he decided. Charlie was beaming at him underneath all the muck as he watched his brother seat himself on the edge of the latch, legs dangling inside, bracing himself for the other side. Heights weren't Daxton's worst fear. But sometimes he could still feel the dread every time he was faced with it.

Daxton swallowed the fear anyway and jumped inside.

The sole of his boots slipped across the rocks. Daxton quickly steadied his posture, fingertips clinging to the stones so he wouldn't descend and take Mike and Bill with him. He moved carefully downwards, comforted when he noticed that Charlie had sunk into the tunnel after him. His shoes were just above Daxton's hair.

Meanwhile, Daxton could hear soft mumbles that follow the tunnel from above. Richie was encouraging Eddie when the man felt too scared to continue. Daxton smiled and looked down, his chin pressed against his full chest. Richie wasn't speaking to him directly, but it was merely his voice that pushed him to continue.

This was one of the endless reasons why Daxton remembered how he loved Richie so much that he could drown in it and still be happy. He cared about his friends with all of his heart and refused to leave one of them behind. He'd even carry the memory of Stan with him. It was the only way he knew they could defeat It.

It was together or not at all.

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author's note:

AH the fight is just starting and my heart can't take this stress. literally it's gonna explode. things are going to get so painful.

charlie saving richie even tho he's mad at him <3 daxton facing his fears <3 while realizing he's still in love with richie <3 doesn't hesitate in diving after beverly <3 carrying stan in his heart always <3

we have roughly four or so chapters left of act 2 depending on how much i can write plus an epilogue before it'll finally be finished. OOF. like the beginning said, years of pain is finally coming to an end ❤️ thank you very much for reading and hello to my new readers!!

- koda

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