A Night In Neibolt House
It was a normal sunny day in October of 1989. 14 year old Mary Snow was in a daze looking outside, not paying attention to her history class in Derry Middle High School.
She wanted to be outside walking in the sunshine and enjoying the leaves falling around the houses and onto the green lawns. She was always an outdoor person anyway. And autumn was her favorite time of the year.
"Miss Snow?" asked the history teacher.
"Huh?" answered Mary jumping in her seat, being a bit frightened from her name being called.
Mary heard giggling from around the room from her classmates.
She ignored them as she always did.
The teacher had scared her a bit by calling out her name.
"Sorry," said Mary dropping her head a bit and putting her hands on her lap.
She adjusted her eyes to focus on the question the teacher had just asked her.
"Can you answer the question?" asked the teacher, Miss Hutchinson.
Mary groaned.
"What was the question again?" asked Mary, flicking her waist length strawberry blonde hair behind her back, out of her face.
"Someone isn't paying attention today is she?" asked Miss Hutchinson.
She had put Mary on the spot right in front of the twenty five student class.
Mary let herself slide down in her chair, obviously, embarrassed from not paying attention.
Mary stared ahead at the blackboard past the teachers angry eyes.
"I'll ask again, what was the result of the Bradley gang shootout?" asked Miss Hutchinson.
Mary shrugged her skinny shoulders up and down, in an 'I don't know' gesture.
"In blood and death?" asked Mary hoping that was somewhat of an answer.
The entire class laughed at her answer.
"That's not an answer Mary. Please see me after class," said Miss Hutchinson. She sounded mad and disappointed.
The entire class giggled and some of them "oohed" knowing she was trouble.
"Okay," said Mary looking down at her open history book.
The bell rang and Mary was gathering her belongings slowly, knowing she was in trouble once again at school for dozing off. She couldn't help it. The outside cool fall air was beckoning her to come out. It was if the autumn air was calling to her.
It was Halloween after all. Today was the day when the veil between the living and death was at its weakest link.
"Mary we have talked about this over and over again," said Miss Hutchinson. She shook her head in disappointment.
"I know and I'm sorry but I'm trying really hard," said Mary in a sad tone.
"Trying isn't cutting it. You'll have to do some major extra credit to catch up and get your grades up from where they are," said Miss Hutchison.
"I understand and I'll do whatever it takes to get them back up," said Mary.
Her heart was pounding because she didn't want to fail the class.
"So far what you have is a 'D' so I expect a report on some history of our town," said Miss Hutchison.
She adjusted her huge square framed glasses and walked behind her desk to take a seat in her black suede seat.
Mary stood in front of the desk glancing down at the middle aged woman.
"A history or Derry?" asked Mary.
"Exactly," said Miss Hutchinson.
Mary crossed her arms over her chest.
"When is it due?" asked Mary.
"I expect it done by Christmas," said Miss Hutchison.
"Okay fine, that's doable. Can I please go now?" asked Mary.
"Get out of here," said Miss Hutchison as she nodded her towards the closed door.
Mary nodded understanding it was time to go home.
"And Mary?" asked Miss Hutchison.
"Yes?" asked Mary turning back to look at the teacher.
"Happy Halloween," said Miss Hutchinson with a smile.
"Yeah, Happy Halloween to you too," said Mary with a gracious fake smile.
Halloween just happened to fall within Mary's favorite time of the year, but Mary wasn't big into Halloween.
Mary turned away from the teacher, took the door handle, opened the door, and left the room.
Mary was greeted by the younger kids who wore their Halloween costumes to school. She smiled at some of the younger ones, who dodged around her, headed towards the door, eager to get home and to go out with their friends trick or treating.
Mary only wore a short white sleeved shirt with some skinny jeans and a pair of sneakers.
She was planning on going for an afternoon walk into the night to watch the sunset. She wouldn't be trick or treating this year, no.
She was 14 and she knew that she was too old for that now. She was growing up so fast, maybe too fast.
"Hey Scary Mary!" someone yelled from behind her, sending Mary screaming into the lockers.
She turned around, her heart beating fast in her chest.
It was a 16 year old classmate of hers; Marc Newbern. He was a little taller than her, had messy black hair with emerald eyes. He wore a grotesque scary clown mask. It really frightened Mary.
Marc had always pranked Mary and scared her since kindergarten, despite it being Halloween or not.
One time he glued her jeans to a chair, the next time he poured itching powder in her gym clothes, but the vilest thing he did was dump a bucket of worms on her at recess, sending her screaming around hollering about the creepy crawlies.
That's how she gained her nickname around school as "Scary Mary."
Anytime she thought Marc had had enough torturing her, he'd up the ante and do something even more humiliating. It was now bordering on harassment.
Mary grunted in disgust, ignoring the clown mask that gazed back at her.
"Why do you always scare me?" asked Mary.
"Because you're so easily scared," said Marc, pulling off the grotesque clown mask.
"You know I don't like clowns," whispered Mary.
"That's why it's so fun!" teased Marc.
Mary rolled her eyes and turned around from Marc, and headed to her locker to get her jean jacket.
Marc walked beside her, skipping along giggling and waving the mask in her face. The other students laughed at Mary and Marc.
Mary felt so embarrassed.
"No one invited you to tag along," she said.
Marc draped his arm around her shoulders, but Mary shrugged it off.
"Don't touch me, Just leave me alone," said Mary as she contented to walk to her locker.
"I can't! You're so much fun!" yelled Marc, dangling the mask in front of her face.
Mary tried to grab the clown mask, but Marc lifted it beyond her reach.
"Aww just out of your reach Scary Mary," teased Marc lifting it higher and higher so Mary couldn't grab it.
"You had your fun, now please leave," growled Mary.
She was getting frustrated with this kid.
"Is something going on here?" asked a familiar voice.
Fuck, Mary thought. This was just what she needed.
Mary turned and was glancing right up into the face of the main school bully himself, 17 year old Henry Bowers.
Marc immediately took off the way he came, dropping the clown mask at Mary's feet.
Even Marc knew better that when Bowers was around, you'd scamper away for fear he would turn his torment onto you.
Mary rolled her eyes while glancing up into the menacing eyes the one she hated the most.
"What do YOU want?" asked Mary in an angry tone.
"I just wanted to know if you're going tonight," asked Henry innocently. He leaned up against the locker Mary had her back to.
Mary sniffed Bowers and almost gagged.
The teen smelled of sweat and hints of BO as well.
Mary held her breath a bit at Henry's personal hygiene choice.
The other members of Henry's gang came up and leaned in, entrapping Mary against the lockers.
Mary felt uncomfortable being so close to these guys. They were dangerous, this she knew. And they were also bullies. She saw the way he treated the younger kids. It wasn't right. It shouldn't even had been legal.
"Going where?" asked Mary snapping out of her thoughts.
"The Barrens. There is a game of Manhunt tonight and most of the school is going. Ages 14 to 18 that is. I'd love to hunt YOU down," said Henry.
He took a stray piece of Mary's hair and started playing with it in his hands, while his other hand stroked against Mary's pale white skin.
"Not on your life, excuse me," said Mary.
She yanked her hair out of his grasp and made to make a move to push past the boys, but Patrick grabbed her by the throat and pinned her up against the locker.
Mary put her hand on top of his to try and pry the sociopath off her.
"We're not through with you Scary Mary," Patrick drawled out in a whisper tone of voice.
"Get off me or I'll scream," threatened Mary.
She saw some of the younger kids run by the scene, without even acknowledging Mary or her predicament.
She didn't blame them. If the going was good, you take it.
"You have two choices Scary Mary. Either you show up, or we will come and hunt you down nonetheless. Tonight is Halloween. Who knows what monsters lay in the darkness waiting to strike down a poor innocent little girl like you?" asked Henry.
Mary kept her eyes locked on Henry's.
"What will your dad have to say about this?" asked Mary.
"Daddy doesn't give a shit what I do, and let me tell you what I plan on doing to you," said Henry. He went in closer, his mouth on her ear to whisper.
"Henry," came Victor's voice, breaking him away from Mary.
"What?" asked Henry madly?
Victor pointed to where the principal was coming down the hall and saw Mary was in need of help.
Henry was so close to Mary's face, his lips could have stolen a kiss right then and there.
"Remember what I said you little shit. Tonight the hunt is on," said henry.
Then he released her and he and his gang walked swiftly towards the exit.
Mary was let go so suddenly she fell the tile floor, her hands clutching her neck. She was surely going to have a bruise.
"Miss Snow, are you alright?" asked Principle Armitage.
"Yes I'm okay," said Mary.
Mary let Mr. Armitage help her up.
"I saw what those boys did. Rest assured the right punishment will be inflicted upon those troublemakers," said Mr. Armitage.
"Thank you," said Mary.
"Do you want me to call your mom?" asked Mr. Armitage.
"No I'll be okay. It's a short walk home," said Mary.
"Have her call me first thing in the morning okay?" asked Mr. Armitage.
"Count on it. To be honest those guys belong in Juniper Hill Sanitarium," said Mary. She gave a weak smile.
Mr. Armitage gave her a weak smile and pat her on the head.
"You just get home safely okay?" asked Mr. Armitage.
"I will Mr. Armitage. Thank you," said Mary. She smiled but saw the open door and ran towards it. She wanted to get home as soon as possible.
She ditched her jean jacket and decided to walk home with what she had on.
She threw on her backpack and went outside into the cool autumn air.
She didn't hesitate to walk a bit faster then she normally did because this Halloween, she had a feeling was going to be anything but normal.
She now was now truly Scary Mary, for she feared of what Henry had said.
"What monsters really lay in the dark?" she asked as she walked past a storm drain, unaware of a pair of glowing yellow eyes followed her every step.
AN: Well guys and girls what do you think? With IT Chapter 2 being filmed right now I felt inspired to write an IT Halloween tale.
This story will continue and I hope you all enjoy what has come and what lies ahead
-Meghan