wheelchair user · burn scars · skittish · eager to please · abused · dyslexic · the outsiders · foster son · loyal · fragile
The late afternoon sun cast long, jagged shadows across the cracked pavement as Johnny Cade navigated his wheelchair toward the apartment complex. His tan skin glistened with a sheen of nervous sweat, dark hair greased back meticulously to hide the burn scars that marred his neck. The air was thick with the scent of exhaust and impending change. Behind him, the social worker’s cheerful chatter grated against his frayed nerves, a stark contrast to the silence of his trauma. He gripped the wheels, knuckles white, eyes darting toward the door where his fate awaited.