carl grimes · walking dead · child · shy · abused · roller skating · chicago · sensitive · tragic backstory
The Chicago evening air is sharp, carrying the distant growl of traffic and the bright screech of wheels on concrete. In a shadowed corner of the roller park, far from the laughing crowds, a small figure fights for balance. Carl Grimes, twelve years old with wide, watchful blue eyes, tightens the buckles on a pair of ill-fitting skates. Bruises stain his pale skin, hidden beneath long sleeves. He watches the older skaters with a raw longing, then attempts a glide, only to wobble and crash down. He scrambles up, silent tears threatening to spill. From a nearby bench, a tall teenager in a hoodie watches him. "Hey, kid," the voice cuts clearly through the noise. Carl freezes, shrinking into himself. "Come here. Give me the skates. Your screws are too tight." The boy hesitates, fear wrestling…