Chapter Text
Richie can't ignore the ringing in his ears. He has strange sensation in his body. It was like feeling everything and nothing at once. His thoughts raced as he tried to open his eyes.
Oh god is he dead?!
Well.. it wasn't off the table. The last thing richie remembered was Max Jägermans rotting face looming over him before drowning. Richie recalls his death, it wasnt quick like he'd hoped. He wanted his death to be cool! Like going out as a hero or something, he wanted to go out fighting. And, well, he tried to fight. It didn't work out though. His death was a game.
Not to him of course! To Max! Max had chased him, made Richie run and wounded him till he was to weak to fight back, and then he felt the buring of water in his lungs. He did do one last act of defience before dying.
"Im not a loser!"
He shivers, he isnt cold though. Its those words. He knew— no. He thought that standing up to bully ment they would lose all there power. So did Pete! But atleast Pete found out it wasn't true before death.
Richie finally cracks open an eye, although he couldn't decide if he really did. He wasn't in hatchetfield high, thats for certain.
It was unlit, darker then when he was closing his eyes. So this was it? No Heaven or Hell? Just darkness.
Then he felt a pair of hands upon his shoulders. He jumped and spun around, only to be greeted by a man with unaturally bright green eyes.
"Didn't mean to scare ya there, kid!" He speaks in a accent Richie hasn't heard before.
"Whats ya name?"
Richie goes to answer but he's cut off before he can even try.
"Wait! Don't answer that Richard. You are one special kid considering your family! I mean ain't they just so boring?"
Richie doesn't want to, but hes inclined to agree. He doesn’t have the greatest relationship with his parents, they had been absent since he was four. So, he was practically raised by his uncle Paul. Uncle Paul wasn't bad, he was, just like the weird man said, boring. He was an office worker for some company.
His other uncles weren't that much better. One of them, Gary, is a lawyer. The only lawyer in hatchetfield (most of the time he just keeps arguing with himself in court cases trying to prove himself wrong.).
His other, other, uncle was called Jerry. He was a camp councillor for an abstinence camp called: Camp Idontwannabang. He stayed there for the summer once, Comming back with one too many wallets and baskets.
Richie nods before trying to speak but he can't, this comes to the realisation that he hasn't been breathing either.
"Kid, are ya gonna speak or what?"
And suddenly Richie could. It was like the place listened to the mans voice and let Richie take a breathe.
"How— How do you know my name?" Richie asks, his voice slightly echoing and distorting.
"Why is that always the first question anyone asks?" The man paused before continuing:
"Seriously! Its always the same question! But anyway, let me ask a question to you!"
"But you didn't answer mine—"
"Where are you from, Richard?"
"Uh. Hatchetfield?" He answers sheepishly.
"No! I mean how'd you wind up in this lovely place outside time and space!"
Richie stares, not quite understanding.
"C'mon! I even rhymed for ya!"
"Well, last I remember, I.. uh I think I died..?"
"Well how'd ya die? Apotheosis? Getting killed by riots on black friday? The honey festival?"
"Uh.. no?"
"Well then how'd ya get here, kid! Your killing me!" The man puts his arms out in vexation. Richie was gonna respond before the man speaks before his again.
"It doesn't matter, let me take you to them!" He says grabbing Richie's arm.
"You can call my Uncle Wiley!"
Richie nods but doesn't respond. He's still taking it all in. Trying to make sense of everything.
He should be dead.
He is dead.
Richie let's himself be dragged across the dark nothing-ness. There is no sound besides his thoughts swimming around in his head. He can't feel the passing of time, nor can he feel a light breeze snaking across his finger tips like how he would feel normally.
Richie takes a look at the man guiding him. He's dresses in all denim, with his jacket displaying a few pins. His greasy is slicked back, highlighting his bioluminescent green eyes. He was stranger then anyone Richie had ever seen, and thats alot considering hatchetfield.
He also couldn't help but think hes kinda.. cool?
_____
Back in hatchetfield highschool it was the day after Richie died. Pete met up with Steph, Ruth and Grace at lunch. They never normally sat together, but neither did the nerds and jocks sit together until Max went 'missing'.
Pete walks up and takes a seat at the table.
"Hey, has anyone seen Rich?" Pete asks, unable to hide that tint of worry in his voice.
Out of all of them he was the closest with Richie, they'd been best friends for half their lives after all.
He looks to steph who simply shakes her head. Grace is turned away, talking to people on a different table (probably about her church.).
Pete turned to Ruth hoping for something. If Richie didn't tell Pete, he told Ruth.
"Awe.. im sorry Pete he hasn't texted me... you think he's alright?"
"I don't know! Im just a little on edge ya know! Considering the stuff with Max.."
That snaps Grace out of her conversation. She turns to Pete, glaring.
"SHHHH! SHHHHH!" Grace shushes Pete. Pete looks slightly offended.
"Do you want us to get caught Pete!?" Grace whisper-yells.
"Of course not!" Pete replies. "I just worry about Rich! He normally tells us when he's staying home!"
"Well it doesn't matter! So what if he didn't come in?! If he wants to flunk school its not my fault!" Grace shoots back.
"Who cares?!" Ruth cuts in.
Steph watches, she knows an argument is about to break out. Steph goes to stay something.
"Guys, maybe—"
"May Grace Chasity, Ruth Flemming, Stephanie Lauter and Peter Spankoffski report to the principals office. The police need a word."
As the school intercom crackles off the group all shares the same thought.
"shittttt!" Steph says.
The walk is silent and the office feels miles away. When they finally get there Peter takes a breathe and opens the door.
"Kids. Take a seat." A women gestures to a row of chairs.
"Im detective Shapiro and this is officer Bailey."
The group nods.
"Now as you know Max Jägerman recently disappeared. Now I know that alot of students weren't the biggest fan of him but we recently found out he didn't leave or run away. He was murdered."
The group tried to act of shocked as they could without looking guilty, luckily Shapiro was focased on something else, like she was trying to find the words for something.
"You see, im telling you this because we found a second body last night. In much, much worse condition."
"What?" Peter thought. Who else could be—
No.
No, not him.
Please. Not him.
"We found your friend. Richard Lipschitz. He was found in the school bathroom."
"Richies dead...?" Ruth asks.
Grace cuts in. "Well we really didn't know him all that—"
Peter stands up out his chair.
"Grace what are you talking about?!" Peter spits out. "I— I need a minute.."
"You can step out for a second if you want Pe–"
Peter has already left before she finishes her sentence. He leans against a wall out side the office. He slides down the wall, hits the floor and takes his glasses off.
His vision blurs but he can’t tell if its from his eyesight or tears. Peter reaches into his pocket and types in Ted's phone number into his cellphone with shaking hands.
_____
Richie and Wiley comes to a stop in the endless void.
Richie looks confuses for a second before he hears a booming voice.
"Wiley! Why have you brought a teenage child to me!"
Richie looks up and freezes. Theres a giant emerald creature looming above him. The creatures tenticals snake near thr area where Richie and Wiley are.
Wiley puts up a hand "Wiggly, he's not just any teenage child!" He pauses, leaving wiggly in antici... pation.
"This is Richard Lipschitz! And ease up! You've petrified the kid!" He says crossing his arms.
"Right..." Wiggly says with an eyeroll before transforming into a somewhat humanoid.
Richie let's out a little gasp of awe at the transformation.
"And why would I care about a 'Richard Lipschitz' Wiley?." Wiggly asks raising an eyebrow. Wiggly continues.
"Why shouldn't I let his soul dissolve in The Black and White, Wiley?" Wiggly says getting close to Wiley.
Wiley backs up from Wiggly with a slight smug look on his face.
"Well, Wiggly. I see potential in this kid!" Wiley pauses before lowering his voice.
"Besides aren't ya doing that shit with Max Jägerman and those nerds? The kids one of them. It could be fun to see those kids squirm when they learn there friend isn't dead! Besides not everyone who dies in hatchetfield goes straight to the black and white, right? Rightttt?"
"Wait what?!" Richies voice cracks
Both Wiggly and Wiley glance at Richie before turning back to each other.
"Fine. But you take care of him! I'll have no part in this!" Wiggly arrogantly replies.
"Fine!"
"Fine!" Wiggly says back to Wileys 'fine'.