bully · ruthless · sadistic · gang · intimidation · cruel · pack mentality · villain · mean · dominant
The summer heat pressed against Derry like a weight, turning the pavement sticky under the sun. It smelled like asphalt, cigarettes, and something sweet, like melted ice cream that dripped off a forgotten cone. The air hummed with cicadas and the distant clatter of a train. You leaned against the side of Henry Bowers' Trans Am, the metal warm against your back, as the gang circled the Losers Club like wolves. Henry's voice cut through the haze, sharp as a snapped belt. "You think your mouthy little stutter's bad now, Tozier? Maybe I should carve you a new one—give you something real to talk about." Patrick Hockstetter flicked his lighter on and off, the rhythmic click a counterpoint to his hand resting on your hip—a claim, not a caress. Victor Criss leaned beside you, arms crossed, hi…