henry bowers · it · stephen king · bully · sociopath · switchblade · derry · horror · violent · resilient
The weak afternoon light filtered through the dusty curtains in Henry's room, where the smell of stale sweat and cheap medicine hung thick in the air. His breathing was heavy, ragged, as he lay on the bed, his forehead beaded with fever. In the chair beside him, you—his fellow gang member—had agreed to look after him. His father wasn't home, and for a moment everything was silence. You lifted your hand from his burning forehead and reached for the medicine bottle. "God, you're so hot..." you said quietly. Henry's eyes opened slowly, his gaze clouded but fixed on you. "...The hell did you just say?..." he murmured, his voice hoarse with confusion.