CHAPTER TEN
let's go kill this fucking clown.

...

It hadn't changed one bit since that day. Nicole noted that as the group of seven pulled up to the front of the house, sliding to slow stops. She wasn't terribly surprised that they wouldn't leave a friend behind, but she couldn't help but feel that twinge of wonder... they hadn't exactly parted on good terms.

"How's your hand?" Mike, who had been the one who took over nursing her hand last time, gently grabbed her wrist and turned it over. The bandage was new and pristine white, which she knew for a fact that that would change quickly. In her other hand, her hand nervously clutched the handle of her baseball bat.

"Getting better. Probably won't be too good after running around in some sewers, but no broken and bitten hand is going to stop me." Her eyes crinkled when she smiled and Bill looked away with parted lips, like the words on his tongue were holding on for dear life.

Their bikes hit the ground, except Stanley's. He always kicked out the stand when everyone else was so rough with their bikes. Nicole couldn't help but smile at that, despite the situation.

Bill stopped at the door and looked back at them, an almost-perfect copy of the last time they were here. This time, though, they were going in prepared. "Any last words?" He looked around the group, then all eyes turned to Richie.

For a split second it seemed as though he'd gotten stage fright, but he cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah. Uh, let's go kill this fucking clown."

Nicole felt the corners of her lips curl upwards.

"Couldn't have said it better myself. We're ready." Mike nodded to Bill. Nicole gave him two thumbs up and a brilliant smile.

The door creaked open and the Losers-on-a-mission crossed the threshold slowly.

Then Nicole looked behind them. Stanley was standing at the door, hesitant to enter. She frowned.

"Hey, Stanley. Come on." She called quietly, tapping Bill's shoulder. The others stopped and turned to Stan. He stayed quiet, wildly looking around with wide eyes. She felt pretty sorry for him, but they needed all the help they could get.

"Beverly was right, Stanley. I-if we split up l-like last time, then that clown will kill all of us o-one b-by-- one by one." Bill said, gently coaxing his friend to be less fearful of the house.

With a tiny nod, Stanley wrung his hands together and stepped inside.

Bill lead the way through the house, right into the basement. Nicole closed her eyes as they passed through the kitchen, using only the hand on Bill's shoulder to guide her. It was like she could feel the bite all over again.

And she bet her vomit was still splayed across the garden outside, or what's left of a garden.

"Here. This is it."

"He could've decorated, at least." Nicole murmured. Her eyes were locked on to the well, which gaped with darkness. It sent a shiver up her spine.

"Okay, there's a rope... we have to climb down one at a time with enough people at the bottom to help Eddie and Nic, since they've both only got one hand each." Mike tossed the rope to Bill, who made sure it was secured to the top of the well.

"Hey, I'll be okay. No need to fret over me." Nicole put her hands on her hips, then chuckled.

Eddie wasn't taking it as well. The poor boy ran his hands through his hair in a mixture of fear and anxiety. "Holy fucking shit, why did you guys get me into this?" He fretted and Richie snorted.

"Eds, you'll be fine... just don't get bit or eaten." Nicole snickered, waving her bandaged hand in the air. The smaller boy stuck his tongue out and tossed a rock, which Nicole dodged with a laugh. She thought it was good to see the group smiling in the face of danger, as long they stayed smart about it.

Just like Bill had said, he went down first. Richie followed him down, then Eddie went. She could hear Eddie cursing out Richie as they pulled him into the opening. "You guys head down." She gestured for Stan and Bill to go. Mike was adjusting the strange gun-thing and the belt around his waist.

"You're going before me no matter what, Nic. Even if I have to throw you down." Mike stated, looking up for a split second. She cracked a smile, shrugging. Leaning her bat against the side of the well, she raised her hands in surrender.

"Sure, sure. Don't fancy becoming a football any time soon." She successfully made Mike snort at that and beamed proudly. "Just grab my bat on your way down. Stan, you head on down, then Ben. I know you'd probably be more comfortable with the others." She waved the boys towards the well.

In truth, she wanted to avoid those sewers at all cost, but she knew she couldn't really do that... but she could accept staying out for as long as possible.

"Stan and Ben are coming down, Bill. You'll have more luck catching me with more people!" She called. The boys were quick and, all too soon, Nicole found herself grabbing on to the rope and readying herself to go down. Mike was behind her, reassuring her that she wouldn't fall.

Nicole paused, looking out behind him. She could've sworn she saw a shadow move back there. Oh, great. I'm already losing it.

She shook her head and tightened her grip on the rope. The descent was agonizingly slow, inch by inch and wincing the whole time. About half-way down, Nicole pulled her hand away from the rope and saw a slash of red staining the bandage. Of course she'd opened the wound again.

Then, from above, she heard a cry of surprise and pain. "Mike!" Her head jerked upwards, horror dawning on her face when she didn't see Mike's face, but Henry Bowers' blood-drenched skin. "Fuck, Bowers. Shit-- no!" Nicole panicked as the rope began rising. He was pulling it up-- closer to him.

Nic screamed and looked to Bill for help. "Take my h-hand!" He didn't let his panic show, ordering the others to hold on to him as he hung over the edge and reached for Nicole's hand. Their fingertips brushed, a heartbeat of warmth, but then the rope swung her backwards.

"Come on, Nicky! Don't be scared... I only want to kill you." Bowers' voice was broken, shattered and destroyed. He was a shell now, bowing to whatever greater will his mind could conjure up.

And Nicole was getting too far away from Bill's hand. "Shit, I can't reach!" She yelped.

Bill met her gaze. "Y-yes, you can. Swing towards me, Nic..." His voice was soft, steady. Nicole sighed with a nod and swung out towards his hand. She hung further down the rope, bandaged hand outstretched like a horizon line. Their fingertips touched, then his fingers were constricting hers.

"Holy shit. Don't you dare let go, Denbourgh." Nicole breathed. Another cry came from above them and they looked up. Bowers was gone and, suddenly, the slack he'd had from pulling Nicole upwards wasn't being held. The rope fell and Nicole's stomach dropped, then the rope hit it's end abruptly. She was jerked off centre and her good hand flew out wildly as she screamed.

"Nicole! Take Ri-richie's hand with your good one!" Bill's grip on her hand made it numb with a dull pain, but she had to bite it back and reach out for Richie. She found his hand on the first try and controlled her breathing as the two boys, aided by the others behind them, pulled her up into the sewer.

Nicole felt weak, like all her muscles were screaming. Once she was on solid ground, she slumped against the wall and closed her eyes. "Holy fucking hell. I almost died." Voice breathy, she cracked an eye open. "You're such a fucking ditz, Denbourgh."

Bill was weak with relief and pulled the girl into his arms.

Then, without warning, a body slammed into the wall of the well, broke through the wooden boards further down and cascaded down the seemingly endless well-- screaming the whole way.

"Fuck. Mike?" Nicole pulled away from Bill and peered up to the top of the well. Mike appeared and Nic felt all the tension leave her shoulders. "Oh, thank god..."

"I'm okay." He assured them, nodding. Then he set to reloading the gun. He set the ammunition belt of the edge of the well, but the weight was distributed wrong and it went spinning over the edge. Nicole moved to grab it, but it was just out of her reach.

Shit. They had one bullet.

"We had better make this one count."