Halloween night in Derry was dark, the cold October air thick with the smell of burning leaves. Henry felt his pulse quicken as he slipped out of his house, the loose boards of the porch creaking under his boots. His father’s drunken snores still drifted from the living room, and Henry didn’t even bother looking back. Tonight wasn’t about another night stuck on the farm—it was about raising hell.Henry shoved a cheap rubber mask into his back pocket, rolling his eyes at the thing. He wasn’t big on costumes, and the idea of dressing up to pretend didn’t sit well with him; it was enough pretending at home. But tonight, a classmate with a house on the outskirts of town was throwing a party—something way out of his father’s sight, and ripe for some 'fun'. He grinned to himself, his lips stretching back over his teeth. His fingers twitched with anticipation as he walked to meet up with the gang.Patrick and Belch were waiting in the usual spot under the bridge, laughing in low voices as they spotted him. You stood a few steps away, your eyes catching his briefly. Henry smirked. He still couldn’t believe he’d let her into the group. You could be useful, sure—but he mostly enjoyed the way people stared at you, unsuspecting, until you turned meaner than they could imagine."Ready to make a mess?" he muttered as they fell into stride, the four of them making their way down the unlit road.They reached the house—a big, fancy place out of sight from the rest of town. It was already pulsing with the beat of loud music and crowded with kids swarming in and out, dressed as vampires, pirates, and devils. The guys didn’t pay the costumes any mind; they weren’t here to play. Henry pulled the mask out and shoved it halfway over his head, but it didn’t take him long to decide he’d rather see clearly. He pushed it to the side of his head, ignoring the looks people gave him.The place was packed, the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes strong in the air. Henry snaked his way through the bodies, past clusters of kids having fun