- We want to study the history of the city," Bill explained as they climbed the steps of the library. - To find out if there were similar cases before.
- It's logical, - Alexander agreed, although he already knew what they would find.
The library inside turned out to be typical for a provincial town - high ceilings, rows of wooden racks, the smell of old books and dust. At the help desk sat an elderly librarian with gray hair gathered in a tight bun.
- We need archives of local newspapers, - Ben turned to her. - For the last... let's say, a hundred years.
The woman carefully examined the trio of teenagers:
- What do you need it for? School project?
- Yes, yes, - Bill nodded. - We're studying the history of Derry.
The librarian took them to the basement, where newspaper filings and old documents were stored. The racks stretched to the ceiling, filled with dusty folders and boxes.
- Here's everything we have," she said. - Just be careful with the documents. Some have been around for more than a century.
When the woman left, the guys got to work. Alexander pretended to help in the search, but in fact he watched his friends and sometimes carefully directed them in the right direction.
- But this is interesting, - said Ben, unfolding the yellowed newspaper. - "Derry Daly", 1935. "Explosion at a metallurgical plant. One hundred and two people died."
"The explosion could have happened by itself," Alexander added mentally, but was silent out loud.
- P-look at the date, - Bill asked.
- Explosion, 1935, - Ben read.
They kept digging in the archives. Alexander occasionally suggested which years to pay attention to, referring to intuition.
- Damn it, - Ben exhaled after an hour of searching. - Look at this.
He laid out several newspaper clippings of different years on the table:
- 1876 - mass massacre of immigrants. Seventy people were killed. 1906 - circus fire, sixty victims. 1935 - explosion at the factory. 1962 - attack on a group of children, eleven dead...
- And all at equal intervals, - Bill remarked. - Every twenty-seven years.
"Well done," Alexander thought. "We came to the right conclusion ourselves."
- It can't be a coincidence, - said Ben. - Something happens in this city every twenty-seven years.
- And the last tragedy was in 1962, - Bill added. - So, the next one should be... in 1989.
- That is, now, - Alexander said gloomily.
The guys looked at each other. Their faces were horrified by the awareness of the scale of what was happening.
- N-need to know more, - Bill decided. - Let's go to the wasteland. Sometimes they find the things of missing children there.
They left the library and headed to the outskirts of the city. The wasteland was an abandoned area between residential quarters and a forest - a weed-overgrown wasteland dotted with garbage and rusty scrap metal.
"And now they'll find Betty Rips' sneakers," Alexander foresaw, watching Ben and Bill comb the thickets.
- Hey, look! - Ben shouted, picking up something from the ground.
Pink children's size sneakers. The initials were barely read on the tongue: "B.R."
- Betty Ripsom, - Bill whispered. - She disappeared three weeks ago.
Alexander carefully examined the surroundings. There should have been an entrance to the sewer somewhere...
"There's something there," he pointed to a barely noticeable hatch among the tall grass.
Bill and Ben came closer. The hatch was really ajar, the crack was pulling with musty air and something unpleasantly sweet.
- Sewerage, - said Ben. - Maybe we should go down and...
- No, - Alexander interrupted sharply. - It's too early.
The guys looked at him in surprise.
- Why? - Bill asked.
- We don't have enough information, - Alexander explained. - And there are not enough people. You need to find the rest of your friends first. And it's better to prepare.
"Or else this fucking clown will devour you all in five minutes," he added mentally.
While Alexander was thinking about the upcoming battle with Pennywise. Conventional weapons will not be enough - a clown creature is an ancient and powerful. Electricity can help, but it's unlikely to kill completely. Sword of the Elder Gods... yes, it can work. But it will be necessary to force the clown to take physical shape.
"And the main thing is not to let him separate the children," Alexander thought. - "They are helpless alone. Together they have a chance."
- Okay, - Bill agreed after a pause. - Then let's go have a snack. And then we'll think about what to do next.
They found a small cafe in the city center - a typical American eatery with red plastic seats and shiny chrome tables. Behind the counter stood a fat middle-aged woman who frankly looked at the teenagers who came in.
Alexander especially attracted her attention. She literally devoured him with her eyes, licking her lips.
- What a handsome boy, - she whispered loudly to her colleague. - Just an angel.
"Fuck," Alexander thought. "They're not embarrassed that I'm 15."
But what was worse was that not only women threw lustful glances. The man at the next table frankly stared at him, and the older teenager by the window did not hide his interest at all.
"Maybe I should just burn this fucking city?" Alexander thought gloomily. "And all these perverts at the same time."
They sat down at the table in the corner. A waitress - a girl in her twenties with obviously obscene intentions - brought the menu.
- What are you going to order, boys? - she purred, especially holding her gaze at Alexandra.
"Hamburger and coke," Bill said.
"I'm the same," Ben added.
- What do you need, sweetie? - the waitress turned to Alexander.
"So that you die," he answered mentally, but said out loud:
- Coffee. Black.
- Just coffee? - the girl was surprised. - Maybe something else? I can offer something special...
"Coffee," Alexander repeated in an ice tone.
The girl understood the hint and left. When the order was delivered, it turned out that Alexander, as usual, had no money.
- N-no problem," Bill said, tacking out crumpled bills from his pocket. - I'll pay.
"Thank you," Alexander nodded.
At that moment, the door of the cafe opened, and a fourteen-year-old girl with red hair came in. She was wearing worn jeans and a checkered shirt, a fresh bruise was visible on her face.
"Beverly Marsh," Alexander recognized her right away.
The girl looked around the cafe and held him on their table for a moment. She looked at Alexander especially carefully - his unusual appearance clearly caught her attention.
Beverly sat down at the next table and ordered a coke. But it was obvious that she was listening to their conversation.
- So, - said Ben, lowering his voice, - what do we know? Every twenty-seven years, mass disappearances of children occur in Derry. Now is just such a period. And all the traces lead to the sewer.
- We need to find the others, - Bill added. - Richie, and Eddie. And go down together.
- What if it's not a person? - Alexander asked quietly. - What if what kills children is... something else?
The guys looked at each other.
- Do you have any? - Bill asked.
- Well, think for yourself, - Alexander continued. - What can live twenty-seven years and attack with such regularity? An ordinary maniac would have died of old age long ago.
"Althowe I can't tell them directly that this is an ancient cosmic clown-man-eater," he thought. - "They'll decide that I'm a coo-coo."
At that moment, Beverly got up from her seat and approached their table:
- I'm sorry I overheard," she said. - But are you talking about the missing children?
Ben and Bill blushed embarrassedly. Alexander remained indifferent.
- Who are you? - he asked.
- Beverly Marsh, - the girl introduced herself. - And me too... Lately, things seem creepy. I think it's due to the disappearances.
- What kind of things? - Bill was interested.
- Voices from the gutter," Beverly replied. - Blood in the bathroom. And... a clown. I saw a clown.
Alexander tensed up. So, Pennywise has already started hunting for it.
- You can sit down, - Bill suggested.
Beverly sat next to Alexander. Ben and Bill were obviously nervous in the presence of the girl, but tried not to show it.
- What do you know about... creatures that kidnap children? - she asked.
- For now, n-a little, - Bill admitted. - But we're going to find out.
- Then take me with you, - Beverly asked. - I'm not afraid. And I've already seen it... whatever it is.
Alexander studied her face. Determination, courage, but also fear. She was scared, but ready to fight.
"Okay," he thought. "So far, everything is going like a movie."
Although he saw the movie only once.
- D-I think, it's worth agreeing, - said Bill. - There are too few of us.
Beverly smiled:
- Thank you. I won't let you down.
Alexander nodded. The group of "Fakers" began to gather. It remains to find the others and prepare for the battle with ancient evil.