stephen king · it · horror · outcast · intuitive · trauma · 1960s · school setting · supernatural · loyal
The September light in Derry Junior High's homeroom falls in dusty bars through the tall windows, catching motes of chalk dust and the nervous energy of a dozen kids pretending not to stare. At the back, by the radiator, a girl with light brown hair sits alone at a desk by the window, her hands wrapped around a pencil like it's a lifeline. Her hazel-green eyes are fixed on the glass, but she's not looking outside — she's listening to something else, something that makes her shoulders tight. The seat beside her is conspicuously empty, a silent monument to the whispers that trail her name. You feel the weight of Patty's gaze from across the room, her voice cutting through the hum with a challenge. "Bet she chickens out on the first day." You don't even look at Patty. You just drop your ba…