[she doesn't really believe that, though. kids around here don't seem to go missing for benign reasons, not ever. but she will try to push those thoughts away.
she will head to the theater. that seems maybe the least likely place he'd go; surely he wouldn't have wandered off, knowing how much del worries him. but at least they'll be able to say they checked, know for sure. so she'll run there, ask to be let in just to look around.]
[She goes to the theatre. It's good timing too, the show hasn't started yet, and there's two familiar faces out front — albeit ones she hasn't talked to since school let out. Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak look up and wave when they see her coming. The former perks up and pops to his feet with a bright grin, as he always does when he sees her, the latter catches better sight of her expression and his face pinches.]
Wot's all this then, wot's all this? Wot 'ave we got 'ere, are you— [Richie starts in a terrible English accent, but Eddie slaps a hand over his mouth.]
Shut up, Richie. Hey, Jen, wassamatter? [He releases his pal, who clues into the mood for once and pushes his glasses back into place.] You look like you've seen a ghost.
[she definitely hesitates. she doesn't know these kids - only vaguely, from that one day of playing, from a few interactions, probably most of them being unpleasant. if richie is happy to see her that seems like a personal problem on his part. the other children in this town don't feel quite as oblivious as everyone else, seem to take the threats seriously at least, but that doesn't mean they're all trustworthy.
on the other hand, maybe she does know them...? or maybe it feels like she does...?
she does tell them.]
We can't find Del's little brother. Have you seen him?
[Whatever personal problems Richie may or may not have are beside the point. He's at attention now. For serious, once she mentions the missing boy.]
Oh shit. Uh. [He looks to Eddie, who meets his eyes with a slight panic. Richie looks back to Jen, suddenly a live-wire.] One sec!
[He darts into the theatre, past the slacking usher who is chatting up the pretty teenage ticket clerk. Eddie shakes his head in the meanwhile.]
The show doesn't start for another twenty minutes, there's barely anyone in there. We were just waiting around because we're waiting on a few extra guys. It's Bax, right? Tall kid?
[Richie reappears in a clumsy flash of knees and elbows, gasping.] It's just that fuck Peter Gordon and his girlfriend in there. No kids. Shit, you think something happened to him?
[Eddie pulls out his aspirator and gives himself a whiff, looking pale already.] Don't fucking panic! We'll take a look around downtown. All right Jen? And if we find him we'll march him up to the diner and we'll order him a grilled cheese, and we'll make him sit there until his brother can come give him shit. If not...
[Richie's rarely looked so serious.]
Then we'll find you. And we'll keep looking after that, until the little joker turns up. Jeeeee-sus Christ. [He looks to her, hesitating.] Just...don't go near the water while you're looking. Okay? Kids can slip and stuff. Drains too.
[He's trying to sound casual, but there's a steely undercurrent to it. A grave warning.]
[she hears that. but also, she famously cannot swim, so even in a 1950s AU, she wouldn't be doing that anyway.]
It's Bax. And... I doubt he would have wandered off to see a movie. He wouldn't want to worry Del. So something bad might have happened.
[so she's not very surprised when they don't find him in there. she's not panicking, because she's choosing not to, but there's something very relieving in the way that they take her seriously, snap to attention, immediately have plans in motion. she'll just nod along.]
I'll look for you at the diner later, just to be sure. I won't go near the water. [she takes a deep breath, thinking about the grave way they're talking. they know.] ...Thank you for helping.
[she feels a little better, knowing they have the others looking after bax, even though she does not watch movies and does not know what richie is going for here.
she will go back to find the others, then, hoping maybe they found him already.]
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holyspirits) wrote2025-03-09 04:46 pm
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[she doesn't really believe that, though. kids around here don't seem to go missing for benign reasons, not ever. but she will try to push those thoughts away.
she will head to the theater. that seems maybe the least likely place he'd go; surely he wouldn't have wandered off, knowing how much del worries him. but at least they'll be able to say they checked, know for sure. so she'll run there, ask to be let in just to look around.]
no subject
Wot's all this then, wot's all this? Wot 'ave we got 'ere, are you— [Richie starts in a terrible English accent, but Eddie slaps a hand over his mouth.]
Shut up, Richie. Hey, Jen, wassamatter? [He releases his pal, who clues into the mood for once and pushes his glasses back into place.] You look like you've seen a ghost.
[Do you tell them about Bax?]
no subject
on the other hand, maybe she does know them...? or maybe it feels like she does...?
she does tell them.]
We can't find Del's little brother. Have you seen him?
no subject
Oh shit. Uh. [He looks to Eddie, who meets his eyes with a slight panic. Richie looks back to Jen, suddenly a live-wire.] One sec!
[He darts into the theatre, past the slacking usher who is chatting up the pretty teenage ticket clerk. Eddie shakes his head in the meanwhile.]
The show doesn't start for another twenty minutes, there's barely anyone in there. We were just waiting around because we're waiting on a few extra guys. It's Bax, right? Tall kid?
[Richie reappears in a clumsy flash of knees and elbows, gasping.] It's just that fuck Peter Gordon and his girlfriend in there. No kids. Shit, you think something happened to him?
[Eddie pulls out his aspirator and gives himself a whiff, looking pale already.] Don't fucking panic! We'll take a look around downtown. All right Jen? And if we find him we'll march him up to the diner and we'll order him a grilled cheese, and we'll make him sit there until his brother can come give him shit. If not...
[Richie's rarely looked so serious.]
Then we'll find you. And we'll keep looking after that, until the little joker turns up. Jeeeee-sus Christ. [He looks to her, hesitating.] Just...don't go near the water while you're looking. Okay? Kids can slip and stuff. Drains too.
[He's trying to sound casual, but there's a steely undercurrent to it. A grave warning.]
no subject
It's Bax. And... I doubt he would have wandered off to see a movie. He wouldn't want to worry Del. So something bad might have happened.
[so she's not very surprised when they don't find him in there. she's not panicking, because she's choosing not to, but there's something very relieving in the way that they take her seriously, snap to attention, immediately have plans in motion. she'll just nod along.]
I'll look for you at the diner later, just to be sure. I won't go near the water. [she takes a deep breath, thinking about the grave way they're talking. they know.] ...Thank you for helping.
no subject
Richie smiles. It's not as dopey or as shit-eating as his usual grins. More earnest now, even in spite of the mounting dread.]
Anytime, schweetheart.
[Eddie punches his arm.]
Stop doing Humphry Bogart, asshole, let's go find that kid.
Right. Bye, Jen.
[Eddie nods.] Later, Jen!
[The pair dart off.]
no subject
she will go back to find the others, then, hoping maybe they found him already.]