The next morning, I wake up with Angel leaning over me. I moan.
"It's alright. Your dad's gone. He never came back yesterday. I don't know why. I stayed here to watch over you. You went unconscious again. You were in pain and you just passed out. I had my aunt call the school and say that she was watching us and that we weren't coming to school today. She's sitting in the living room, watching for your dad."
"But he'll go crazy..."
"Don't worry about it. She may seem like the type that wouldn't be able to do anything to anyone, but she can kick his ass."
I giggle. "That's funny."
"No, seriously, she can. My step dad was the strongest man on the police team. He could pick up a 200 kilogram weight with one hand. He started abusing my mother and my aunt kicked his ass. He left, filing a divorce. After he left, my mom found out she was pregnant. I was ten at the time. She got an abortion. She said that he's not my father. She told me that my father was a way nicer man. She then said she didn't want to bear that man's child. Now my aunt helps her raise me."
"Where is your father?"
"My mom said that she doesn't know where he went. I really want to meet him, but I'm not sure I ever will."
"Oh." I sigh.
"What happened yesterday?"
"What do you mean?"
"You said 'It hurts' and pretty much just passed out. What hurt? I don't understand. You're scaring me. You've been acting like this ever since the asteroid hit."
"I couldn't place where the pain was coming from. I just felt it. It was so painful. I thought I was going to die." I sigh again. "To tell the truth, I don't know what's going on. Memories of my childhood also seems to be coming back more vivid than ever. And I mean it feels like I'm witnessing them for a second time. I just don't know."
"Oh. Okay."
"I think I'm gonna see if that clown outfit fits me."
"Oh, please don't."
"But it's the 20th of October already."
"So?"
"It's almost Halloween!"
"And?"
"I'm not going a year without dressing up for Halloween!"
She just looks back at her phone and starts scrolling. She gasps. "Oh my God."
"What? What is it?"
"It's this. It's on the school website."
"What does it say?"
"It says, 'Halloween Day at school, kids are asked to wear clown attire. It doesn't have to be a full clown outfit. It can just be a shirt with a clown on it. You can even wear regular day to day clothes with clown makeup. You are just asked to wear anything a clown wears or anything that has a clown on it.' " She sighs. "It also says that Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the theme and that Bill Skarsgård is going to be at the high school. Also that the winners for the art contest will be announced and the top three people with the best clown attire. And Bill's going to help with picking the top three."
"That sounds nice. So I guess it's just pure luck that I got the clown outfit that I have when I did."
"Yeah, sure."
"Oh, quick being a party pooper."
She makes a funny face and I chase her out of my bedroom. Later, I try my clown outfit on and it fits perfectly. Now I know what I'll be wearing on Halloween.
************
A few days later, I decide to go visit Pennywise. I head to the Neibolt well house. Once there, I drop my bike, grab my softball bat and the short pole I brought, and head up the pathway. I get to the door and push on it. It creaks open and I step inside. I shut the door behind me and use the pole to brush aside the cobwebs as I move through the house.
"Hello? I know you're here! I'm not stupid!"
Silence.
"I also brought some matches and a small bottle of gasoline. I will light this place on fire! And let you burn!"
I hear a giggle.
"Show yourself, you goddamn bastard!"
I hear another giggle, but louder this time.
"I'm not afraid of you! I've told you that once, but I'll keep on saying it until I absolutely know that you know that I'm not afraid of you!"
I hear evil laughing now. "Oh, Penny. Penny, Penny, Penny. You really don't understand what you're doing."
"Show yourself. Or are you too much of a coward to come out?"
Silence.
"I know what you're afraid of! It's the fear of the unknown!"
"Oh, really? Where did you get that information from? 'Cause I'm not scared of anything!" He laughs.
"Everyone's afraid of something! Even you! You may be the eater of worlds. The destruction. The consumption. But you're still afraid of something. The Losers made you feel fear for the first time, didn't they? It's because they weren't afraid anymore. They learned that the only way to get over your fear is to face it."
"Are you even here to try and destroy me? Again? Or are you just playing with me? Trying to make me mad?"
"I'm not here for any of that. I need your help. If you help me, I'll help you."
"But I ruined your childhood. Shouldn't you hate me?"
"No. Things happen. Nobody's life is perfect. Everyone has flaws. Even you do. I'm sure you share the boy's past that you took control over as the entity that you are. You just needed an appearance to lure in kids. So you took over a human boy and took the appearance of a clown. The most well-known thing that kids love. Until recently. When people started dressing up as clowns and going around murdering people. Then it became banned to dress up as a clown. At all. But the clown still dominates over the horror films. No matter what type of clown it is. It could be a 'clown' like the Joker. To tell the truth, I'd say ever since your films came out in 2017 and 2019, you have dominated the internet. You might even be the most famous clown in America. Maybe even in the world. There are just so many different variations of you. Baby Pennywise, cartoon Pennywise, and now there's even a female version of yourself. You've become so famous. Some people may not have enjoyed your movies because they were so gruesome, but they made millions of dollars. And even though fear is the last thing we humans want to feel, we still like the feeling of it. It causes that feeling of the rush of adrenaline. And some people like that feeling. That's why it's been proven that horror, thriller, and suspense movies and books are checked out from libraries around the world. People enjoy that sensation of adrenaline and suspense. But please just help me. I'll help you. For God's sake, I will literally trick kids into coming in here so you can get something to eat. I'll do anything. Just help me."
"What do you need help with?"
"Dressing up for the Halloween thing going on at the high school. I'm going to put on the clown outfit that's in the trunk that you brought to my house with a note and my phone. I need help with the makeup and getting my hair to look like yours."
He steps out from the shadows with a grin on his face. "I'll gladly help you."
I gasp. "What happened to you?"
"The Losers. They visited me lately. I about killed one. But they all got away." He growls. "I want revenge. Something I've always wanted. But I never got it."258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfZktfRKgX
"I'll gladly help you with that. They think I enjoy their company. But what they don't realize is that I absolutely hate them."
He just grins until it seems like his face is tearing in two. "Wonderful."
Suddenly, almost without thinking, I drop the softball bat and pole. I stand on my tippy toes and kiss him on the lips. I back away. His eyes are really wide.
"I have to head back to my house. I'll get my friend and her aunt to leave. See you in a few days."
I leave the well house and go back to my house. I get home and head in the back door. As soon as I get in the house, I collapse in pain. Everything that just happened plays through my mind and I realize I was basically possessed. What is wrong with me? How did I get like this?
"Penny!"
I look up and see Angel. "Angel, please, help me! I don't know what has gotten into me! It feels like someone is controlling me. I just got back from the well house and I just can't believe what I've done. Pennywise is supposed to come over and help me put my clown outfit on. And I don't want him too. Please, what is wrong with me?"258Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV7GJE4HxV
"I don't know what's wrong with you Penny. I found out that we can go to the high school and stay there until the 31st. And we can get dressed in our outfits there too. So you're going to come with me. We'll bring your outfit with. They have clown makeup there that you can wear. Come on."
"Okay. I'm coming."
ns 15.158.61.7da2
