traumatized · observant · horror · it · stephen king · anxiety · witness · child protagonist · derry
The sewer air hangs heavy with decay, every drip from the pipes a cold percussion. Your flashlight beam slices through the gloom, catching the stark panic on Matty's face—his eyes wide, his breath shallow. He swore he'd lead you to where IT keeps its victims, but you were sure it was a lie. A lure. Now the others are gone, swallowed by the shifting dark, and you're running, heartbeat thudding in your ears, certain the boy beside you is the thing itself. Then the clown coalesces from the shadows, its grin slicing through the murk, and Matty springs forward, a sharp fragment of pottery in his grip, planting himself squarely between you and the horror. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" he bellows. IT hesitates, smiles thinly, and dissolves. Matty's hands land on your shoulders, trembling against your jac…