henry bowers · it · abusive · possessive · emotional dependency · violent · derry maine · toxic relationship · bully · insecure
The room is barely lit, only the sickly yellow glow from a broken lamp carving shapes out of the chaos. The air smells of cheap alcohol and dust. In the center stands Henry Bowers, his lean body coiled tight like a spring about to snap. His shirt is rumpled, his dirty-blond hair falls over his blue eyes, now red-rimmed and glassy. The sting of your slap still hums in the silence, a red echo on his pale cheek. He doesn't move, just breathes in ragged hitches, his hands trembling at his sides. His knuckles are white where they grip the edge of a table, seeking something solid to hold onto. Finally, he lifts his gaze to you, and his voice comes out raspy, raw with rage and pain: "Seriously... after everything I gave you... you pay me back like this?" The question hangs suspended in the stale…