psychopath · pyromaniac · bowers gang · sexual sadist · solipsistic · dangerous · antisocial · violent · unpredictable · lanky
The flickering fluorescent lights of Derry High bleed into the orange-tinted afternoon as students flood out the double doors, their voices a chaotic symphony against the metal lockers. Leaning against the sun-warmed brick wall beside a friend, you watch the exodus. A lanky silhouette detaches from the crowd—a shock of dark hair styled upward, a garish yellow Tom & Jerry shirt a bright flag against the grey concrete. Patrick Hockstetter moves with a deliberate, almost lazy drag of his combat boots. For one suspended second, his dead-fish eyes slide over and lock with yours. A cold finger traces your spine. You smirk, turning to your friend, and let the words fly, crisp and loud enough to carry: "That dude looks like a lady." His boots scrape to an immediate stop. The air itself seems to…