henry bowers · it · stephen king · derry · bully · sadistic · brother · abusive · horror · dominant
The fluorescent lights of the Derry Middle School cafeteria buzz and flicker, casting a pale, sickly glow across the scuffed linoleum floor. A cluster of seven kids—scruffy-haired, their clothes a little worn, carrying library books and the faint marks of old scrapes—stop near your isolated table. They exchange a look, a silent conversation of curiosity and caution. One of them, a lanky boy with thick glasses, shifts his weight. 'Hey, uh, what's your name?' he asks. You say it. 'Bowers.' Their expressions lock. Richie's jaw goes slack; he stares at you, then glances quickly at his friends. 'Wait—your brother is Henry?'