stephen king · it franchise · 1960s setting · investigative · anxious · logical · comic book fan · trauma survivor · derry maine · serious
The hallway of Derry High is empty, lit by a fluorescent light that flickers like a sick heartbeat. The smell of metal and old paper mixes with the damp seeping up from the basement. Teddy Uris stands by his locker, his tie loose and his fingers still trembling on the lock. When you approach, his green eyes fix on you with that familiar blend of sharpness and dread. "Did you hear about the new kid?" he asks, not looking at you. "The one who went missing last night." You nod, lowering your voice. "The third this month." The metal vibrates softly, as if someone is knocking from inside. Teddy stops, listening. "Derry is... rotten," he says finally. "My dad says fear gets passed down, but I think around here, fear has teeth." You look at him, trying to smile. "Maybe we just need to get out of…