Chapter Text
“Eddie?”
Richie stares at the wounded boy who was limp almost unconscious. With shaky hands he places his hand on the side of the boy’s face.
“E-Eddie?” Richie chokes.
Beverly trembles and sobs quietly shaking her head “Richie…” the others keep their eyes on the scene face expression broken.
Bill looks at the girls expression then turns to Richie, he breathes worried and spoke in a stutter “R-R-Rich H-He’s gone.”
Richie quickly turns to look at Bill “No, It’s alright h-he’s just hurt! We just gotta get him out of here!” he raised his voice “Bev he’s okay we just gotta get him out of here, Bev.” He rephrases turning to Beverly.
Beverly shuts her eyes letting her tears out “Richie.” She whispers.
“What?” he spoke softly looking at the girl with sad tired eyes.
“H-Honey, he’s dead, he’s dying.”
Richie looks down feeling himself sink “H-He’s still alive! He’s breathing!” he cries.
“No, no Rich we have to go come on!”
“We can still save him!” he chokes into a sob “He’s okay! He’s okay! Please!” he wraps his arms around Eddie and hugs him tight “He’s alive! We can still help him!” The others try to pull him away from Eddie “I-I’m not leaving!” his words broke up as he continued to sob. “I’m not leaving without him!”
Bill sighs heavily and gulps he feels himself shiver listening to Richie’s cries.
Mike turns to Bill for guidance, they have not much time left and the caves were already starting to collapse. The stuttering boy walks to Richie. He spoke calmly and pulled Eddie up carrying him on his shoulders.
“We’re saving him Rich. We’re gonna save him.”
Ben has his eyes wide “But Bill-“
“Eddie is still breathing. We are going to save him.” He paused before continuing “I’m not losing another.” He whispers. Ben’s face calms and nods his head, he quickly assisted Bill shouldering Eddie.
“Come on Rich, let’s go.” Beverly hushes Richie comforting him, her hands were still trembling as she pulled Richie up.
“Quick before we get stuck here!” Mike yells leading the way.
All of them ran quickly but cautiously. They made sure Eddie was okay and that they’d avoid the falling rocks. Through the danger they managed to safely escape through the old well. Finally seeing the light they watch as the mad house falls to the ground smoke scattering and trees rumbling. The Losers Club stood firm watching the house turn into dust and slowly disintegrate into nothing. Richie pulls both Bill and Eddie into a hug. “Thank you Bill…” he breathes full of relief. Mike, Ben and Beverly soon get drawn into the hug and they drop to the ground sinking into each other’s arms. Beverly shut her eyes tearing up muttering an apology as Ben kisses her on the forehead.
It’s been 3 days since the fall of Pennywise, there wasn’t much of a reaction from the town, and they didn’t even remember the old ‘haunted’ well house was there but the people were horrified to see them bloodied and covered in muck. Trying to cover up their heroic acts in saving the ungrateful town they told the doctors that Eddie fell in the sewers and got stabbed by a large branch. The doctors were not happy with the brutal injury and scolded them for taking out the branch on their own, it would’ve risked his life and died right there from blood loss but luckily they saved Eddie, he was still unconscious but he was alive and breathing which was more than enough for Richie.
The others decision was to run the hell out of there and never come back but Mike and Bill stayed for a bit to ensure Eddie’s safety and talk to the town about any other clues or details of what caused the sudden memory loss. Was it because of ‘It’? Or was it because ‘It’ never happened? Ben and Beverly were already ready to leave but promised they would wait until their friend is awake before they go.
Richie sat on a chair next to the bed Eddie was currently rested in. He never left Eddie’s side ever since the fall. He almost felt bad for the others as they were only allowed two or three visitor at a time and only one would be allowed to stay in the room with the patient. Richie was selfish. They understood though and he was glad they did.
He runs his hand on his face cursing. Looking at the Risk Analysis he sighs shivering, trying to shake away the memory of Eddie’s bloodied stomach and the thin gelatinous red blood sheeting down and out of his mouth. Eddie’s left cheek was properly bandaged up and was no longer seeping with blood like last time.
Gently placing his head on the cold mattress he begged the boy to wake up holding his hand and squeezing it gently. Eddie’s breathing was the only thing comforting Richie in his distress. It was quiet, too quiet that Richie thought he was the only one in the room. His heart aches seeing Eddie in the state he was in.
KNOCK KNOCK
The door opens revealing Mike and Bill “Hey Rich, how’s it’s going?” Mike walks quietly to Richie and pats his back. Bill closed the door “You haven’t moved from your seat ever since last evening.” He frowns, Richie sits up fixing his glasses.
“Eddie hasn’t moved since the last 3 days why’re you looking at me?” Richie scoffs jokingly.
Mike sits at the edge of the bed laughing while Bill shakes his head smiling to himself “Are you kidding me? You were bawling your eyes out over Eddie and now you’re making a joke about it.” Bill let out a chuckle.
The comedian shrugs and stares back at the boy in bed. Bill sighs “You know the other people in town blamed the recent murders on Bowers even after they found his body, they thought someone killed him because of self-defense.”
“It was of self-defense.” Mike states and glanced briefly at his injured arm.
“Yeah but I can’t believe they are this clueless to just accept that.” Bill responds, “What? Are you feeling bad for Bowers now?” Richie rose a brow resting his chin on his hand.
“No, he made our lives a living hell even before we met the f-fucking clown.” He spat “Just saying that it’s unfair to just speculate and point fingers to a dead dude.”
“Let’s not forget the fact that he hurt us and attempted to murder us Bill.” Richie looks away glaring “and if you’re saying it like that then I might as well rot in jail. I murdered him.” He mumbled into his hand.
Bill opens his mouth to speak but closed it right back not knowing what to say. Right, Richie killed Bowers which was still a crime. “It doesn’t matter anymore, Bower’s dying was bound to happen anyway.” Mike speaks up, he taps his leg “No need to cry over spilled milk.” Mike looks over to Bill, Bill gives him a stoic look.
“You almost forgot that Bev killed a man.” Mike chuckles.
Richie smirks remembering the time Beverly told them of her crime “She is stronger than any of us, seriously.”
The boy standing folds his arms to his chest “Yeah, I guess we could brush this off, but still doesn’t change the fact that we murdered someone.”
“We killed It who cares.” Richie boos. ”Why’d you bring it up like that anyways?”
Bill shakes his head “Sorry just a lot in my mind.”
Richie blows a raspberry and sinks into the mattress again and puts his hand over Eddie’s body. The room falls into silence for a brief moment before Mike and Bill started talking again. Richie didn’t pay attention as all he can hear is muffled voices. Feeling himself shrink away he drowns in the dizzy feeling of sleep. His eyes fluttered before he finally shut them close.
“Hey Richie! Listen! I think I got him man! I think I killed It for rea-“
SQUELCH
SPLATTER
COUGH
“E-Eddie?”
It was suffocating.
“R-Richie.”
“Eddie.”
Frozen like that. Stiff as a board.
THUD
“EDDIE!!”
Seeing Eddie die in front of me.
“It’s okay! You’re okay! You’re gonna be okay!”
That was my fear.
Richie gasped and jolted awake. Blinking his eyes he looks around paranoid and confused but with each breathe he slowly calms down. It was only him and Eddie alone in the room again. The heart monitor was still beeping with the same pattern, calm, indicating that he was indeed alive.
He groans suddenly being reminded by the nightmare he had.
Looking up to the white room ceiling he distracts himself with good memories from the past. It all came back to him, the adventures and stupid bullshit they used to do as children. The way Richie would always mess around and drop random unnecessary comments about literally everything. Mike and Stanley would patiently wait for Bill to finish his sentence trying not to stutter. Ben would show all his research and studies during that summer, Beverly admiring each information and when they would go explore Eddie and Stan would always scold them for being reckless.
Running around hiding from the bullies is one of the best and worse experiences for the Losers Club. They bonded from the horrible schemes of Bower’s and his gang. Without it they never would’ve met.
Richie looked across the room and placed his attention to the sight outside. It was dark out, and the weak lighting of the hospital room made the scenery even more breathtaking, he watches as the moonlit trees dance gently, the cold breeze meeting with the leaves swaying almost like waves in the ocean. “Losers stick together.” Richie mutters to himself voice still raspy from the rest.
“That’s why you gotta wake up Eds.” He swallows mouth dry.
It’s the same every day. He’s unconscious. Motionless. Quiet.
“Y-You just gotta.” He stammers a bit tired from constantly repeating the words ‘wake up’ because he just won’t wake up.
Richie sighs shaking as he wipes away another tear escaping his eyes. Hunching his shoulders, he breathes heavily, ready to sob onto the bed again, but before he could, he suddenly heard a voice, almost breathless, from in front of him “I know.” And he went numb.
Richie held his breathe staring on the ground frozen still. His heart stopped and he has his eyes wide open in shock. He hears the mattress move. His mouth open but nothing could be said. He sat in silence refusing to look at where the sound came from.
“Hey Richie.” Eddie whispered softly looking at the boy fondly.
Richie continued staying silent for a while, not sure what to say but he was quick to gaze to Eddie. “E-Ed-“ he chokes.
The previously unconscious boy sits up weakly. He’s awake. He’s alive. He’s okay.
“Hey man.” Richie managed to let out voice raspy and low face still unmoving.
Eddie smiles exhaling still pretty lost.
“Can’t believe you even considered a ‘your mom joke as your last words.” Richie laughs slightly tearing up “Idiot.” He falls into silence.
Eddie chuckles looking at Richie stay still, shuffling through the blankets he sits up even further to give the muttering boy a hug but Richie stood up before him and held onto him tightly.
“You’re okay.”
That’s what Richie wanted to say but he was too breathless to say anything else so what comes out is “Eds.”
“I’m okay.”
That’s what Eddie wanted to say back but he was weak in Richie’s grip so what comes out is “Rich.”