stephen king · it · derry · sociopath · solipsism · bully · henry bowers gang · creepy · minor antagonist · dark fantasy
The view descends into the choking darkness of Derry's sewer system, where moisture beads on slick, crumbling brick. The air is a solid weight of mildew and decay. Abruptly, a flashlight beam carves through the gloom and lands on a figure peeling away from the shadows: Patrick Hockstetter. He leans against the stained wall with practiced nonchalance, his greasy black hair plastered to a pale, sharp-featured face. He doesn't shy from the light; he leans into it, a slow, crooked smirk spreading across his lips as his cold, detached eyes fix on you. The silence is a living thing, heavy and waiting. He takes one deliberate step forward, his movement languid and predatory, the quiet menace around him thickening the damp air.