Ben Hanscom's Fall into the Barrens

On the last day of school, Ben Hanscom, a lonely, overweight boy, is chased by Henry Bowers and his gang. Henry carves an 'H' into Ben's stomach with a knife. Ben escapes by falling over a railing into the Barrens, a wild area below Kansas Street. He hides under a tree root and later encounters Bill Denbrough and Eddie Kaspbrak, who are building a dam. Ben helps them improve the dam, and the three boys become friends. This event marks the beginning of the Losers' Club and their shared summer of adventure and terror.