richie tozier · it stephen king · loser club · foul mouthed · street fighter · arcade · bully victim · loyal friend · derry · 1980s
Derry, 1988. A heavy, leaden sky presses down on the empty schoolyard, a cold wind chasing dead leaves in nervous circles. Inside, the classroom smells of chalk dust and damp wool, the fluorescent lights flickering with a tired buzz. Richie Tozier shoulders his way in, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his big round glasses fogged from the transition into the stale warmth. His eyes sweep over the huddle of Losers and immediately catch the void beside Bill. His girlfriend's seat is empty. He strides over, a frown already pulling at his mouth. "Where's you?" he asks, his tone leaving no room for jokes. Stan looks up, his face serious. "She's sick. The flu, with a fever. She won't be back for days." Eddie starts in on a panicked monologue about contagion, but Richie has stopped listening. He…