[ text - @s.uris ]

[stantheman]

Hello,

My name is Stan.

I'm just wondering what it is that you miss most about home?

Comments

[nobasisinfact]

Perhaps the uncurable virus that is apparently running rampant.

The Strand Institute is something I founded that's purpose is to bring logic and reason to the unexplained.
There are far more interesting and beautiful things in this world to be explaining everything away as miracles or demons. And there's always a rational explanation.

[stantheman]

Maybe. But I'm 13. There's not much that I can do about that and it seems like a waste of energy to worry about something like that. I'm just focused on not getting sick and a bit of distraction never hurt anyone really...

That's really cool. I like to think like that but sometimes I think the demons are real, but probably not the miracles. The world doesn't work like that.

[nobasisinfact]

Have you thought of reading a book? I have a few you could borrow if you're interested in philosophy.

The only demons that are real are those created by man. Ghosts, demons, the supernatural, none of it has found any traction in the real world. They only exist in antiquated superstition.

[stantheman]

I've read some books but I've mostly been reading stuff my dad would have had in his office. I could be interested in philosophy. It's probably more interesting than theology.

What if you've had tangible experiences with something like that, that it's not superstition?

[ He's, of course, expecting to be dismissed because where he comes from adults never believe, never notice anything is wrong. They don't give a shit. Stan is kind of looking forward to growing up and not giving a shit too. ]

[nobasisinfact]

I have some theology and mythology books as well, if you'd prefer those.

I've always found that there's a rational explanation for anything that seems supernatural. If you'd like, you can tell me what happened.

[stantheman]

No. Philosophy would be a good change.

It is hard to explain...I tried to tell my friends we were just imagining it but we all saw It.

[nobasisinfact]

If you stop by my office you can borrow some introductory books, and we can move from there.

If you don't tell me what happened, I won't be able to accurately analyze it.

[stantheman]

Where is your office?

I guess that's true.

My friends and I, this past summer we all started seeing things... the things that we were afraid of the most I guess. And then when we were together It was a clown. It kept trying to get us. It killed my friend Bill's brother. We ended up going into the sewers to try and beat him...

My friend Ben did a lot of research because he's weird like that... he ended up seeing that there was a pattern where these bad things happen every 20 something years, kids just start disappearing and bad things happen in Derry.

[nobasisinfact]

Riverview University philosophy department. Office 42.

I can see how that would be disturbing, but not outside of the realm of logic.

Do you happen to know what the cause of death of Billy's brother was?

[stantheman]

Okay. When is a good time to come?

It killed Georgie.

[nobasisinfact]

I should be in my office more readily toward the middle of the week.

Did you see it kill him?

[stantheman]

Okay.

No, not exactly...

[nobasisinfact]

Could you elaborate?

[stantheman]

We saw him later...

[ Sort of. ]

[nobasisinfact]

The boy?

[stantheman]

Yes but... it was It making Bill see what he most feared.

[nobasisinfact]

The creature made the boy's brother see it killing the boy?

[stantheman]

No, Georgie was already dead. He was missing an arm. But It looks like the thing you're most afraid of.

I think Bill was afraid that Georgie dying was his fault and that's why It was Georgie to him.

[nobasisinfact]

So you didn't see the creature kill your friend, but you know that it did because of the fact that his brother saw him later?

[stantheman]

Yes.

[ It's a little bit more complicated than that but everything is hard to explain. ]

[nobasisinfact]

Had the boy already been found and pronounced dead?

[stantheman]

No, he'd been missing for weeks... Bill didn't give up searching for him.

[nobasisinfact]

Isn't it concievable that he just found his brother?

[stantheman]

No...

[nobasisinfact]

What is your evidence?