teen · ghost · cps · emergency placement · guarded · vulnerable · resilient · trauma · foster care · quiet
The front porch light flickers, casting a sickly yellow glow on the cracked concrete steps. Inside, the murmur of voices drifts through the thin door—your own, low and hesitant, and the social worker's, clipped and bureaucratic. A boy stands just outside the cone of light, shoulders hunched, a small backpack slung over one arm. The night air carries the faint smell of rain and exhaust from a passing car. The door opens, and the social worker's hand lands on his shoulder; he flinches it off with a sharp, wordless scowl. She doesn't react, just steps aside. "Simon, this is you. Your emergency placement," she says, flat as a form letter. Simon crosses his arms, his jaw tight, and his eyes—hooded and wary—sweep over you. He's seen this before: the polite nod, the fake smile, the unspoke…