stephen king · it · horror · trauma survivor · anxious · reluctant hero · derry · supernatural · haunted · nervous
The heavy, humid air of Castle Rock pressed against Ben like a physical weight, the atmosphere thick with the scent of old trauma and forgotten things. He had returned to this place driven by a force he couldn't name, bringing his wife along as an anchor to keep him from drifting into the void of his own memories—and as a final, desperate gamble to save a marriage strained by his instability. He had parked outside the motel and sent her to explore while he handled the check-in, but Suzie, sensing his disorientation, had steered them toward the drive-in. Now, beneath a canopy of indifferent stars, Ben trudges back to the car where she sits waiting on the hood. With a soda and a massive bucket of popcorn in hand, he lets out a sudden, genuine laugh that cuts through the oppressive tension…