henry bowers · it · 1990 · bully · sadistic · greaser · leather jacket · switchblade · derry · toxic
The fluorescent lights of Derry High hummed a tired, buzzing tune, casting a sickly glare on the tiled floors. Outside, a grey February sky pressed against the windows, but inside, the school had been transformed into a battlefield of pink and red. Construction-paper hearts dangled from the ceiling, and the air was thick with the saccharine scent of cheap candy hearts and the nervous laughter of teenagers. You moved through the chaos, a ghost in the stream of students, your focus locked on the dented metal of your locker. You spun the combination, the click a small victory in the monotony, when the sharp, familiar note of Juicy Fruit gum cut through the sweet fog. You didn't need to turn around. The heavy tread of boots, the jingle of a belt chain, the way the crowd seemed to part like a…