Baneful | H. Bowers

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     Joellen Denbrough walked down the streets of Derry with her two brothers Bill and Georgie. Bill was a bit ahead of them on his bike while Georgie followed behind him trying to keep up with his beloved brother. Joellen took pictures of them on the expensive camera she got for Christmas from her parents. The beautiful shades of color from the spring season is her muse of the day along with her two brothers and their shared smiles.
     The book bag she holds on her back is quite heavy due to the copious amounts of homework that is held within. The strain on her back is what causes her to lag behind her brothers. This is what causes her to not see her eldest brother get knocked off his bike by the town bullies, and little Georgie taunted by them.
     The 'Bowers gang' passes by her as picks up her pace to catch up to her brothers that are now out of site. As they cross paths her and the 'leader,' Henry Bowers, make eye contact. Sky blue meets golden brown, and in that split second Joellen feels a blush creep up her neck.
     Breaking eye contact she rushes forward towards her brothers, cursing herself along the way. When she catches up to her brothers it's to see Bill picking up his bike and Georgie with slight tears stains on his cheeks. Rushing forward Joellen helps Bill pick up his bike.
  "What happened?" She asks him.
  "Bowers," is his simple reply.
  Grabbing Georgie's hand the trio walks the rest of the way home, "Just try to ignore them, they're pricks anyway."
  "What's a prick?" Her youngest brother asks.
  Bill laughs and Joellen blushes, "It's a bad word, so don't even think about repeating it."
     The Denbrough siblings enter their house and go to their respective rooms. Bill and Georgie go to their rooms right next to each other. Joellen goes to her room in the renovated attic.
     Dark mahogany hard wood floors, pale yellow walls, and white furniture make up Joellen's room. Though, her favorite aspect of her room is the giant circular window that takes up most of her wall giving her a perfect view Derry. No matter how many times her mother asks her to put a curtain up she refuses, knowing no one can see her up there anyway unless she stands directly in front of the window.
      Joellen sets her book bag on her bed. She looks at the many photos scattering her walls, some are of her family while others of Derry. Her favorite thing to photograph is people, mainly when they are unawares. She believes that when people believe they are alone they show their true selves.
     Golden rays from the Sun illuminate her room casting a golden glow all over her room. Seeing the perfect photo opportunity Joellen sits in a ways from her full length mirror. She rarely takes pictures of herself, and when she does they're only see by her.
     After taking a couple of shoots her mother's voices echos from the stairwell leading up to her room announcing that dinner is ready.
     Joellen takes her place next to Georgie just as her mother sets dinner on the table. Tonight they're having liver and onions with a side of mashed potatoes.
     Joellen mixes everything with her potatoes in a way of getting rid of the terrible taste of liver. Her parents try to make small talk but as the teenagers her and Bill are they just simply give one syllable answers. It was Joellen's turn to do the dishes which in turn means it's her turn to take out the garbage.
     It's dark out when Joellen takes the garbage to the curb. For a moment she just stands there, head upturned towards the sky looking at the beautiful stars. She closes her eyes and blocks out all thoughts and just feels. The slight spring breeze running it's fingers through her hair. The songs of the crickets flow into her ears and relax her. She takes a deep breath and slowly releases it, opening her eyes she is met with the sight of Henry Bowers.
     In the dark it's hard to make him out, but his face is illuminated by the embers of the cigarette hanging from his lips. Joellen stares at him for a moment and he stares back. She thinks about turning back to her house, and she does after she says four simple words to him.
  "Those will kill you."
  He takes a deep drag and the embers burn brighter, smoke leaves his mouth as he answers, "Good."
     Both of them stand there for a moment before the porch light to Joellen's house turns on. Georgie exits the house and calls to his sister,
  "Josie are you going to tell me a bedtime story?"
  Turning to her brother she answers him, "Go pick one out all be there in a second."
     He returns back into the house. Joellen turns back around to see Henry Bowers already have way down the street. She furrows her eyebrows and turns to enter the house. Once she makes it to the door she turns once more in the direction of Henry Bowers and is greeted with his silhouette. Joellen enters her house and forgets all about Henry Bowers.
     But Henry Bowers doesn't forget about her. For the rest of the night he thinks about the sister of Stuttering Bill, one of the kids he bullies. He's heard from around school that she is weird and keeps to herself, having no friends besides the losers her brother hangs out with.
     Questions fill his head and he now determined to figure out the story of Joellen Denbrough.