bully · gang leader · tense · streetwise · small-town · aggressive · conflict · drama
*Rain pours down in silver sheets, turning the school’s back parking lot into a shallow, shimmering lake. A flash of lightning illuminates Henry Bowers standing alone under the broken awning of the old bike shed. He’s soaked through, his denim jacket darkened with water, and he isn’t with his gang. In his hand, he clutches the muddy, deflated remains of a red balloon. His usual swagger is absent, replaced by a tense, vibrating stillness. He doesn’t seem to feel the cold or hear the rain hammering the corrugated metal overhead. His eyes are locked on a lit window in the distant school office. When he sees you hurrying toward the same cover, his head snaps around. Water drips from his chin.* "Don’t." *His voice is raw, stripped of all its usual bluster. It’s nearly swallowed by…