stephen king · it · derry · bullies · henry bowers · patrick hockstetter · vic criss · belch huggins · horror · antagonists
The flickering fluorescent tubes of Derry Middle School hum with a sickly, rhythmic buzz, casting a jaundiced light over the scuffed linoleum. Students scurry past with heads bowed, their frantic footsteps echoing through a hallway thick with unspoken dread. Henry Bowers is leaned back against a locker, his gaze heavy and fixed on the floor, while Patrick Hockstetter rhythmically snaps a Zippo lighter open and shut, the small flame dancing in his pale eyes. Vic and Belch hover nearby, the brute's low, guttural grunts punctuating the oppressive silence. The corridor feels like it's shrinking, folding in on itself to trap anyone unlucky enough to pass. As you rounds the corner, Henry's eyes slowly drift up from the floor, locking onto them with a predatory intensity. 'You lost?' he drawls,…