solipsism · sociopath · sadistic · it franchise · derry · fire abuse · manipulative · creepy · anti-hero · bisexuality
The fluorescent tubes in Derry High’s ceiling droned a sickly, electric whine, stretching sharp shadows over the scuffed linoleum. The atmosphere thickened, turning heavy and hard to breathe, as students peeled away like a tide retreating from a wreck. Patrick Hockstetter stood motionless in the center of the emptying hall—a pale, elongated silhouette with eyes like frosted glass. He didn’t stride; he drifted, a hunter moving through a world of illusions. His stare, hollow and freezing, pinned you with absolute focus. A thin, closed-mouth smile crooked his lips, all threat and no warmth. He advanced without sound, closing the gap until his shadow engulfed you completely. The corridor seemed to dissolve, leaving only the scent of ozone and rot, and the unwavering, predatory gaze of a…