#i know i made this with patrick already SHHHHHH

[aboyisagunasterisk]

can i come over and stare at you like this

[p3nnywrices]

— 001. SUMMER || CHAPTER LIST

a.n — I hope you like the first chapter! Feedback is needed to know what I need to change. please let me know, okay?

words — 1.6k

warnings — none that I know of.

“Hey, do you have a light?” I heard a young voice say behind me, as I turned around, and saw Bev Marsh smiling sheepishly at me. “Hey, wait, you’re…”

“Bill’s older sister, yep.” I gave a lazy salute and handed her a lighter. “…why are you wet?” I frowned.

“Trash soup.” She answered as I winced and nodded. I knew the feeling, and I had already graduated from Derry High School. “You know the feeling?” She caught up to my pace as I heard my brothers’ friends talk behind us. Richie was always the worst.

I smiled down at her, “Well, how about we go get some ice cream to make the first day of summer a lot better?” She glanced over to the side, silently telling me she didn’t want the boys to come. I nodded, then turned around to face the group of boys. “No catcalling friends of my brother allowed.” I looked at Richie as I said the words, and then smiled at Bill.

“Go home, kid. Make sure to take the system down before dad gets home.” I kissed his hair as he gave me a nod. “Be good.”

I got home late. Late enough that it really wouldn’t be worth unlocking the door to face the wrath of my parents. So, I didn’t.

I wandered the eerily silent streets of Derry, watching streetlights flicker here and there as I walked. I frowned as I heard what sounded like growling but knew we didn’t have any wild coyotes until later in the summer. It came from an alleyway that I should’ve probably walked away from very quickly. Did I? No.

I grabbed my pepper spray from my keys, and peeked around the corner, seeing nothing but darkness. The growling had stopped, which made my stomach drop down to my ankles. Well, I’m dead.

I let out a scream and sprayed whoever touched me, backing away as a tall figure groaned in pain, holding their face. “Shit, that burns.” My nonattacker mumbled into their hands, while I clutched my pepper spray and backed against the wall.

“Um.” I tilted my head as the figure got a little better over their eyes burning. “Sorry?” I frowned.

“It’s…okay.” They looked down at me, and smiled. “I didn’t mean to…scare you.” They spoke. “It was my fault anyway, sneaking up on you like that.”

I blinked at him. “Well, um, it’s okay?” I looked back down the alley where I heard the strange growling from. “I heard...something.” I shrugged. “I thought it was an animal or something, I don’t know.”

“I didn’t hear anything…” The tall man mused, wiping his mouth as he seemed to realize something. “I’m sorry. I’m…Paul.” He frowned for a second before nodding. “Paul.” He smiled again.

“I’m Sage.” I gave him a smile back, as I took in his features. He seemed familiar but I couldn’t figure out from where.

“Sage,” He whispered my name, “Like the…herb?” He giggled slightly, as I shrugged.

“I guess? It was my great grandmother's name. But she passed so I can’t ask her why her parents named her that.” I rambled for a moment.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Paul frowned, touching my shoulder. “How long ago did she pass?” He asked, as he lit a cigarette.

I followed suit, and nodded a bench with better-ish lighting. “Like, 27 years ago. I never met her.” I shrugged again. “When did you come to Derry? Usually, everyone knows each other, but…I’ve never seen you.”

Paul thought for a moment while taking a drag. “…Not a people person. They tend to stay away from me and I do the same. I like the night better, less looking over your shoulder.” He chuckled as I did, making sure there’s nothing behind us. My heartbeat was rising again.

“Scared?” He whispered, as he blew out smoke.

“No.” I lied through my teeth. “This town…I want to leave, but…I can’t. There’s something wrong here.” I mumbled. “The town seemed haunted. Kids’ go missing, from ages 4 to 16. Hell, my kid brother…” I frowned. “The poster’s say he’s missing, but I know he’s dead,” I whispered. “Something…took him. My other brother thinks he’s in the sewers with it, as he calls it. He has this whole sewer system set up in the garage, trying to figure out where Georgie could be, but…He’s not comin’ back.” I whispered. “Bill wants to know what happened, and our parents hate it, because they’ve come to terms with it,” I stopped my sentence as the local cops made their way around the town.

“Shit!” I got up, grabbing Paul, and running into the alley, hiding behind some trashcans as the cop car drove by slowly, checking for stragglers that were breaking curfew like I was. “My parents must be freaking out,” I mumbled, realizing that I was still holding onto Paul’s hand. I quickly let go. “Sorry.” I whispered.

He chuckled, his eyes seemed to glow some strange topaz color. “It’s fine, dear. I can…take you home, if you’d like. Explain to your parents why you were out so late…” He trailed off, stepping closer as my heartbeat picked up again. “Scared again?” He seemed to growl for a moment, watching me closely, before straightening back up.

I swallowed my fear and shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll face the wrath alone. My parents don’t scare me.”

We walked back out onto the main street, as Paul looked down at me. “Then what are you scared of?” His eyes glowed again.

“Whatever took my brother,” I whispered. “It’s still here, I know it.” I glanced at Paul, who was listening intently. “Some kid who bullies my brother, Patrick, he went missing just two nights ago. He was in the sewers too.” I whispered.

Paul stopped at a corner, a block away from my house. “It won’t you.” He seemed so sure of his answer. “It…” He frowned, shaking his head. I frowned, as I thought I heard bells. “I promise it won’t hurt you.” He then gave me a big smile. “You’re too old anyway.” He laughed, as I chuckled, even though my gut was telling me to run.

“Thanks, because that’s so helpful.” I smiled. “But the promise doesn’t bring back Georgie, or keep it safe from my brother and his friends.” I frowned, before I felt a hand on my cheek, lifting my face slightly.

Paul seemed confused. “It’s okay.” The words came out as a question. “Go home, Sage. I’ll see you again soon.”

“When?” I whispered.

“How about….how about tomorrow? By the ice cream shop?” Paul smiled again. “Can’t you taste it already?” He cocked his head, eyes glowing again.

I giggled and put my hands over my lips. I could taste the ice cream. “Woah.” I let out another giggle before nodding. “Tomorrow.”

“Around…8?” He gave me a smirk, knowing curfew was at 7.

“I’ll try my best, I might need to sneak out.” I whispered, “But that’s a secret.”

Paul nodded vigorously, “Secret. Shhhhhh!” He placed a finger on his lips as he nodded to my home, “Get some sleep, Sage. Dream happy things.” He whispered.

I nodded, and then turned around, waving without looking back as I made my way home. When I made to my house, I could still taste my favorite ice cream. But the second I opened the door, it was gone, and all the lights turned on in the living room.

Well, shit.

“Sage Marie Anne, it’s 3 AM!” My dad stood up as he yelled at me, “Where on earth have you been?!” My mother didn’t say anything as she looked at me, tears in her eyes.

I could see Bill looking from his room, telling me that he needed to talk to me. He had also been crying. Shit, I really messed it up this time. I turned my attention back to my parents.

“I was just out and about, I stayed on the main street, I sat on the bench and talked to my new friend.” I shrugged.

My mom raised an eyebrow, “What new friend?”

“His name’s Paul.” My stomach dropped again as I realized that his name was the only thing I knew about him, not where he lived in Derry, not his last name, nothing. Not even his age.

My dad mocked my words. “Is that all you know, just his name?! God dammit, Sage. Be an adult!” He got louder and louder.

I decided to risk it all. I yelled back. “I could be if you stopped treating me like a fucking child! I’m 18, a legal adult and then you pull shit like this! I don’t actually need a curfew. If I wanted, I could become brain-dead like all the other adults in this damn town and not blink an eye when another kid goes missing!”

That shut everyone up. I could hear the clock ticking from the kitchen. The water dripping from the faucet that was in the bathroom.

“I’m going to bed.” I finished, heading to Bill’s room as I quietly slipped in the room.

Bill sat up, moving so I could sit next to him. “S-s-s-sage what w-w-was t-t-that?” He asked about my yelling.

“I’m a legal adult. I can do whatever I please.” I shrugged. “Keeping my kid brother safe is on the top of that list.” I smiled, ruffling his hair. “I’m sorry I scared you, buddy. I realized it as I was in that alleyway between the library and the ice cream shop how freaked out everyone was. I’m sorry.”

Bill hugged me tightly. “Are y-y-y-you g-g-going to br-break curfew a-a-a-again?” He whispered.

“Yeah,” I whispered back. “But I’ll be home at 12, on the dot,” I promised. I kissed his head, before I snuck back into my room, easily falling asleep as I thought about ice cream and glowing eyes.