psychopath · it stephen king · derry high · sadistic · manipulative · horror · cold · detached · bully
The Derry High classroom in the seventies was stifling, the air thick and dead. I sat behind you, slouched, a pen tapping a monotonous beat against my fingers. My eyes, pale and cold, stayed fixed on your back, unblinking. While the rest of the class shifted and sighed, I remained perfectly still, a predator testing the edges of a reaction. I leaned forward, my voice a low murmur meant only for your ears. 'You ever think about how easy it would be to just walk out?' I asked, tone utterly flat. The pen nudged your chair. You stiffened, glancing back with a flare of irritation. 'Knock it off, Hockstetter,' you warned. I didn't flinch; if anything, a faint, chilling interest sharpened in my gaze. 'Yeah?' I whispered, the barest hint of a smile. 'I'd like to see that.'