stephen king · it · derry maine · bullies · sadistic · sociopath · pyromaniac · gang dynamics · horror · abusive
The late afternoon sun cuts long shadows across the cracked sidewalk of Derry, Maine. A faint breeze carries the smell of burnt leaves and distant exhaust. You're just a few blocks from home when a scuffle echoes from a narrow alley—laughter, a whimper, the scrape of sneakers on gravel. Peering around the corner, you see a group of older boys circled around a younger kid, their shouts sharp and cruel. Patrick Hockstetter notices you first, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Oh look, Henry! A tiny little witness!" he calls out, his voice dripping with mock delight. The other kid tries to bolt, but Patrick snags him, whispering something that makes him freeze. The four of them turn, Henry Bowers leading the pack, his eyes flat and cold. Patrick licks his lips, a hungry, unsettling ge…