ᴅᴀʏʟɪɢʜᴛ || ʀɪᴄʜɪᴇ ᴛᴏᴢɪᴇʀ

~ Injuries ~

Elaine stood shakily against Richie, her head hanging low. They had just brought Eddie home and Mrs. Kasprak had nearly lost it when she'd seen the state of his arm. While the bigger woman screamed at them for getting her Eddie hurt like this, the kids stood quietly as they took in her harsh words. She shoved her flimsy son into the car, slamming the door shut.

"You know how fragile he is!" "Mrs. K, w-we were attacked!" Bill tried, hoping maybe she'd believe him. The woman shrieked at his response, "No, don't try to blame anyone else!" Ready to leave, Mrs. Kasprak grabbed her keys but dropped them on the pavement by Beverly. She kindly picked them up, passing them to the woman who jumped away from her."Get back! I've heard about you, Miss Marsh!"

Beverly looked down, the rumours getting the best of the women. "And I don't want a dirty girl like you anywhere near my son!" Bill crossed his arms, "Mrs. K-K-" He tried again but she was not having it. "No, you're all monsters!" She exaggerated. Elaine looked down, feeling guilty for her friend's injury. "Eddie's done with you, you hear? Done!" Before she left, Mrs. Kasprak turned to the smallest girl, rolling her eyes at Richie's arm tucked around her waist.

"I thought you were better than this," Elaine's eyes pooled with tears, her throat burning from holding them in. "I had better hopes for a girl like you. You should focus on finding some better friends," The woman scoffed as she walked into her car and drove off. In the car, Eddie put his head down embarrassed of his mother's actions towards his friends.

He didn't want to be done with them as she had said. The kids watched the car drive away, each one of them walking down the street with their heads down. "I want to go home, Rich." Elaine murmured, slightly ashamed of herself. "I know, we're leaving," He pulled her towards his bike, Bill stopping them, "Wait, where are you going?" "Leaving," Richie sassed as he stomped away. "N-No you can't leave!" "Yes, we can."

"L-Listen, I saw it!" Richie shook his head. Bill was losing his mind. "I saw it, the w-well house, next time we just need to come b-better prepared." Stanley groaned, annoyed that Bill would want to put them all in danger again. "No next time Bill, you're insane!" Elaine couldn't remember Bill ever acting like this before.

Bill however continued to nag, Beverly joining in.  "Why, we all know no one else is going to do anything." The tall girl crossed her arms. "Eddie was nearly killed! Elaine wasn't even conscious during half of it! And look at this guy, he's leaking hamburger helper!" Richie yelled, pointing to the gash on Ben's stomach. Elaine covered her ears, her head pounding from the screaming match with Mrs. Kasprak.

"We can't pretend it's just going to go away!" Beverly stated, taking Bill's side. "Ben, you said it yourself, it comes back every twenty-seven years." Ben shook his head, not in the mood to deal with any of this. Half of his body weight had practically been scooped out onto the floor at Neibolt. He ignored the stinging in his abdomen and threw his arms up, "Fine, I'll be forty and far away from here! I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town too?"

Beverly frowned, not believing the boy was siding with Richie and not Bill. "Because I want to run toward something. Not away." Richie looked around at the group of kids, "I'm sorry, who invited Molly Ringwald into the group?" Beverly flipped him off. "I'm just saying, let's face the facts." Richie sneered, "Georgie is dead, stop trying to get us all killed too!" "Richie-" Stanley's eyes widened.

Nobody had ever had the gut to tell Bill Georgie was likely dead by now. But Richie had enough of his egocentric bullshit. He wasn't about to die for a kid that was already dead. "G-Georgie's not dead," Bill whispered, his words barely audible. "You couldn't save him, but you can still save yourself," Richie explained, trying to walk past the stuttering boy.

Bill pushed the boy back, the two glaring at each other. "T-Take it back! You're scared, w-we all are!" Richie shoved Bill in, the boy suddenly punching him in the face. Richie tumbled down to the cement, his glasses beside him. Elaine gasped, not expecting Bill to do such a thing. "What the fuck Bill?" She exclaimed, helping Richie back to his feet. Letting go of Elaine's hand, Richie caught his breath.

"You're just a bunch of Losers, Fuck off!" He strode back over to Bill, Stanley and Mike going to hold Richie back while Ben and Beverly kept Bill from lunging at him. Richie kicked and pulled but Stanley and Mike were just too strong. "You're just a bunch of Losers and you're going to get yourself killed trying to kill that stupid clown!" Richie spat. Elaine stood worried in the middle, not sure what she should do.

Beverly finally snapped, "Stop!" She yelled, letting go of Bill and walking to stand beside Elaine. "This is what it wants, to divide us! We were all together when we hurt it, that's why we're still alive!" She exclaimed, hope in her words. Richie only scoffed at her, shaking himself out of Mike and Stanley's grip. He grabbed Elaine's hand and pulled her towards his bike away from Beverly. "Yeah, and I plan to keep it that way."

Elaine sent a sad smile to the rest of the kids. "Richie's right... I don't want to die, Bill." The hurt boy shook his head, "L-Laine, please," He begged. "I don't want to die, Bill!" He only shook his head, betrayed. "I'm sorry," She choked. "You said you understood!" He yelled at the girl, making her flinch at his sudden outburst. "I do, Bill, I do, it's just-" "You're a fucking liar!" He hissed, disgust laced in his words.

"Oh fuck off, don't yell at her! She didn't do anything wrong!" Richie growled. "S-She lied to me!" Bill pointed, Elaine shrinking behind Richie. "She didn't do shit! Keep her out of it!" "But-" "It's over Bill," Mike stated, shaking his head disappointed. Bill sniffled, standing on the pavement by Beverly. Stanley, Mike, Ben, Elaine and Richie all stood on the opposite side.

"Guys, I-I'm sorry please, just come back!" "No Bill, it's over," Elaine spoke softly, repeating Mike's words. She spoke for all of the kids. Bill shook his head, not wanting to accept the fact that Georgie was truly gone like Richie claimed. "Get help!" Richie scorned, biking off down the street with Elaine.