Chapter 48

"What is that?"

Carrie was a bit panicked. She could sense that a strange energy had invaded her home.

The red balloons, it must be Pennywise.

"You should know about it. You mentioned it a few days ago," Randy reminded her, seeing Carrie's confused look.

"The forest… it's just the two of us."

"That clown who eats kids?"

Carrie immediately remembered and her expression turned to shock, followed by fear spreading from her.

"So it's real. I thought it was just a legend."

Her fear fueled the clown's arrogance.

Pennywise became more impatient, with red balloons appearing outside the window in a dense, overwhelming mass, creating a shocking and eerie scene.

It was like the balloons in "Up," continuously banging and slamming against the front wall.

"Mom will wake up!"

Carrie was even more terrified. To her, nothing was as frightening as Margaret's anger.

"Don't worry. Adults can't see this thing. It can only scare children," Randy said, as he got out of bed and moved to the window.

The cross, which Margaret had high hopes for, was now not showing any effect.

Randy casually moved it aside and opened the window.

"Whoosh!"

The dense red balloons immediately surged into the room.

Unlike that night, the red balloons not only surrounded Randy but also began to push against him.

"Randy, what are you doing here? Didn't we agree that I would bring friends to find you today? I've been searching for you for so long, hee hee hee hee."

A terrifying, hoarse voice came closer, with bloodied claws scraping the window. Then a pale clown face emerged, nearly filling the entire window.

Pennywise had become a giant in just one day, towering two stories high.

Randy was surprised by its growth rate.

"Randy, hee hee hee, what's wrong with you? No changes at all in two days?"

The clown's voice made strange noises as it extended its finger provocatively towards Randy's face.

But Randy showed no fear at all, which made the clown even more displeased, its expression growing darker.

"Why are you still like this? It's making me lose my appetite. Where's your knife? Didn't you say you would help me show a smile? Come help me!"

Randy merely looked at it coldly, indicating that he wasn't the focus of the night.

"Randy!"

At that moment, Carrie's voice came from behind him.

Randy felt a breeze and the red balloons around him parted, allowing him to turn and see Carrie.

At the same time, Carrie saw Pennywise outside the window.

"A monster?"

Carrie's fear surged again.

Pennywise immediately picked up on this, and its mouth began to drool.

"That familiar scent. You look delicious."

Randy sneered.

"You're such a greedy thing, a snake struggling in the mud, yet you want to devour an elephant?"

After saying this, Randy quickly moved away from the bed and looked at Carrie behind him.

"Carrie?"

Carrie looked up, still not understanding where the monster came from. The barrier of balloons had prevented her from hearing Randy and Pennywise's conversation.

She even wondered if the demon had come because she hadn't prayed tonight and thus lost her protection.

"Don't be nervous, Carrie. Can you feel it? This guy is actually quite weak."

Randy put his arm around Carrie and lifted her head to face Pennywise.

This slightly alleviated Carrie's fear, and another emotion began to spread.

Yes, she was no longer the oddball in her classmates' eyes; she had awakened a strange power.

"Now use your magic."

"Now?"

Carrie remained nervous.

"Yes, use your magic to fight this monster. I believe you can do it."

At this moment, Pennywise couldn't wait any longer. It extended its arm through the window.

"Dear children, let's float together!"

Its monstrous hand rapidly approached, but it was like being trapped in quicksand when it came near the bed, unable to advance any further.

Its expression turned to confusion.

Randy felt an itch on his neck. Looking down, he saw Carrie's hair beginning to move on its own without wind. His brows furrowed in concern, though his eyes showed some apprehension, he was ready to resist.

Pennywise's expression shifted from confusion to shock, and then it increased its efforts. The air was filled with the sound of metallic clashes as they silently battled.

Carrie raised one hand, and Randy immediately sensed the agitation in the air. Like silk, the energy waves wrapped around them, forming a visible shield that slowly pushed the clown's claws away.

This made Pennywise sense impending doom.

Under normal circumstances, it might have continued taunting, but now it had to focus all its efforts on the fight, not daring to be distracted.

The encounter 27 years ago had already left a deep shadow in its heart, and it couldn't afford a second or third defeat!

Moreover, Pennywise was extremely frustrated!

What was wrong with this town? Had it fallen behind in just 27 years?

It used to be the ruler of the town, how could it now be surrounded by similar beings and be butchered by a junior?

So Pennywise intensified its attack, channeling all its energy into its right hand, causing its left arm to wither.

But even so, it couldn't advance an inch further.

Carrie seemed unsatisfied with this progress and prepared to raise the other hand.

Randy quickly put his hand on her shoulder. "Wait, save some of your magic. Your home can't withstand your devastation."

The skin-to-skin contact made Carrie blush slightly, and her fear diminished a bit. Pennywise's claws also shrank to some extent.

"I… I understand."

Carrie said softly, and then raised her other hand, aiming the palm at Pennywise's head.

This made the clown feel a hint of danger, just like it did the first time it faced Randy's lightning.

Although Pennywise felt the threat, it couldn't stop now and had to endure.

Its bulging eyes became fierce, staring intensely at Carrie. Its mouth stretched open, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and its voice noticeably changed.

"Carrie, you have betrayed the doctrine. You are a disgrace to me!"

This was Margaret's voice, targeting Carrie's weakness.

Carrie's heart raced, but then her expression became firm, and her gaze more piercing.

Though she was scared inside, Carrie didn't lose her composure. She feared Margaret's motherly identity, not the clown pretending to be Margaret.

In the Bible, this was the devil's way of corrupting the soul.

She continued to aim her hand at Pennywise's head, and her palm began to spin.

In response, Pennywise's head also began to twist.

Its beastly gaze became anxious.