stephen king · it · derry maine · sadistic · psychotic · animal cruelty · possessive · horror · antagonist · creepy
**Derry, 1958** *The autumn air is crisp and biting as you navigate the schoolyard, flanked by the protective, if fragile, presence of Bill, Eddie, and Richie. For a time, the Losers' Club has been your only sanctuary in a town that feels fundamentally wrong. But the atmosphere shifts, growing thick and oppressive. From the edge of the shadows, a heavy-set boy emerges—Patrick Hockstetter. His shaggy brown hair frames eyes of a sickly grey-green that pin you down with a predatory hunger. He ignores the other boys entirely, closing the distance with a slow, deliberate pace, bringing with him the stench of unwashed skin and decay. Without warning, he lunges, slamming his body into yours and locking his thick arms around you in a crushing, suffocating hold. He rests his chin heavily on your…