We All Float Down Here || CHAPTER 1

Derry, Maine, is a town built on secrets, silence, and a shifting, ancient malice. For the self-proclaimed 'Losers' Club,' the summer of 1989 was already bound to be a brutal battle against the cruelties of junior high and the vicious torment of Henry Bowers' gang. But in the shadows of the Barrens, something far worse is waking up.

Enter Arthur 'Artie' Pendalon. At fourteen, Artie is the older brother the Losers never knew they needed. With his battered red Converse, oversized band tees, and a walkman permanently blasting 80s punk, he looks every bit the defiant skater boy. He's the only eighth grader in a circle of seventh graders, but his real shield isn't his age-it's his humor. Unlike his best friend Richie Tozier, whose rapid-fire jokes mask a fragile armor of insecurities, Artie cracks jokes to heal. He laughs to lighten the dark, heavy air of Derry, bringing a rare maturity and warmth to a group desperate for safe harbor.

But standing out in Derry comes with a heavy price. Artie is unapologetically himself, out and proud in a town that weaponizes differences. To Henry Bowers, Artie is a prime target for the most vulgar, cruel slurs the town can spit out. Artie channels that pain into dark, evocative poetry and striking paintings, capturing the invisible rot eating away at their town.

Beyond the canvas, Artie carries the weight of secrets. He is the sole keeper of Richie's biggest truth-his hidden identity and his unspoken feelings for Eddie Kaspbrak. As an unwavering ally, Artie keeps Richie anchored while the world tries to tear them down.

When Derry's children begin to vanish, the Losers realize they aren't just fighting teenage bullies. A shape-shifting terror feeding on fear is hunting them from the sewers. To survive the entity known as Pennywise, the Losers will need more than just weapons; they will need Artie's fierce loyalty, his protective courage, and the unbreakable bond of a brotherhood that refuses to be silenced.