I run around my room, throwing dirty clothes in my basket, random papers in my desk drawers and my "toys" in a little orange plastic basket decorated with IT and Pennywise the Dancing Clown. I shut my closet door, spot a Pennywise figurine on the floor, pick it up and throw it in the orange basket just as mom appears in the doorway.

"What are you racing around for?"

"Uh...cleaning my room?"

She walks toward me and pulls me close, kissing my forehead. "You know I don't worry about that."

"Yeah...but what about dad?"

"Don't worry about him." She kneels down to look me straight in the face. "Sweetie, I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"No matter what happens, when you are in a bad situation, think of me. It will bring you peace. I promise."

"Mom, please don't do that. It's not like you're going to die tomorrow. And plus, I'll be fine. I have you. You are my, um...." I laugh nervously. I sigh and say, "I really don't know, but you help me. You're there for me. Always."

She smiles sweetly. "Oh, thank you, sweetie. That's so sweet."

"Hey, mom?"

"Yes?"

"People at school make fun of me saying I'm retarded and I look stupid with my orange hair. They also say that I'm a mistake and I don't belong on earth. And sometimes they say you're stupid for keeping me."

"Oh, sweetie, just ignore them, okay? None of that's true."

"I still don't belong here, right? You only had me because dad made you?"

"Oh, sweetie, no! That's not true. I did want you sweetie. Your father and I couldn't make a baby, so I had you implanted in me after samples were took out and put together. You are my everything."

I hug her and she whispers in my ear, "You are a very special child, sweetie. VERY special. You deserve to be on this earth."

I pull back and look deep into her eyes and know that she means it.

But, little did I know, it was only weeks before I saw her dead right in front of my very eyes.

*****

Two weeks pass, and I end up having the best time of my life with my mom. As we pull in the driveway, mom says five words I will never forget,

"Revenge is in your bloodline."

I look up at her confused and she smiles at me reassuringly. I smile back and kiss her cheek. I jump out of the car and run inside to show dad my new doll, but I can't find him. I go back to my room and introduce my new doll to the rest of my toys.

"His name is Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Do not upset him." I put him in my basket as mom hollers for me to come eat dinner.

After dinner, I go back to my room and get ready for bed. I grab my Pennywise stuffy and wait for mom to come put me to bed. I know I'm twelve almost thirteen, but we always do this. Suddenly, I hear a loud crash. I jump and whimper.

"Mom? Dad? Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

Mom's piercing scream. Me running down the hall and standing in the doorway as I watch a large, shiny, sharp knife slam down on my mom's chest. She screams, sees me and falls to the floor, limp. I scream and race over to her. She's not breathing.

"Mom! Mom! Please!" I scream as tears stream down my cheeks. "Mommy!!"

She smiles ever so slightly and her eyes go blank.

"MOMMY!!!!" I get up and race at dad. I punch him in the crotch, screaming, "I HATE YOU!!!!" I run back to my room and slam the door shut. I lock the door and fall to the floor, sobbing. "Please, I want mom!"

I look up and see a ghostly figure in front of me. I gasp. "Mommy?" I whisper.

She disappears and I run to my bed. I fall asleep sobbing into my pillow.

*****

Years pass and the last five words that she told me before her death still haunt me and I don't know what they mean.

I scream at the top of my lungs until my throat hurts. My friend bursts into my room.

"Are you okay?" She asks.

"I'm fine." I plop onto my bed. "Oh, are we going to the Derry canal days this year?"

"No. Not after what happened last year."

"Oh my God, Rosaline. It was just the frickin' fun house."

"Yeah, with a darned creepy clown stalking us. And what you did. You took a kid he was going to eat. You basically took his food. Now he's probably going to be after you." She shoves her hands in her pants pockets. "Why don't we just go to the mall or something."

"No, I'll be fine. We can stay here."

"Okay. Whatever."

We just hang out and talk. Then, she gets up and goes to the bathroom, leaving her keys. Idiot. I grab the keys and check the living room. Oh, yeah. Dad's at work. I sneak out the door and get in her car. I start the engine and put on the seat belt. I back out onto the road and put the car in drive.

"Derry, Maine here I come."