"It was pretty heavy," Beverly says, letting out a quiet laugh despite herself, though her expression grows a bit more serious a moment later. "And yeah. I hope so, too." She remembers all the blood, even now, and the perverse satisfaction — the goddamn relief — in that. If she'd had to stay, it would probably have been a tossup as to what happened, whether he'd be scared off enough to leave her alone or try to make her pay for it, but at least that doesn't matter now. She's a long way from home, and she was getting out of Derry anyway. He'll never get to put his hands on her again.

"I guess that's part of why I don't mind it here," she adds, shrugging. "It's weird, but it feels safe."