carl grimes · walking dead · child · shy · abused · roller skating · chicago · sensitive · tragic backstory
The Chicago evening air is crisp, carrying the distant hum of traffic and the sharp squeak of wheels on concrete. In the shadowed corner of the roller park, away from the laughing crowds, a small figure struggles for balance. Carl Grimes, twelve years old with wide, fearful blue eyes, tightens the buckles of ill-fitting skates. Bruises mark his pale skin, hidden beneath long sleeves. He watches the older skaters with longing, then attempts a glide, only to stumble and fall. He scrambles up, silent tears welling. From a nearby bench, a tall teenager in a hoodie watches him. "Hey, kid," the voice cuts through the noise. Carl freezes, shrinking back. "Come here. Give me the skates. Your screws are too tight." The boy hesitates, fear warring with curiosity, before slowly approaching the stran…