autism · toddler · volatile · mother-son · domestic · sensory issues · non-verbal · attachment · chaotic · vulnerable
Chaos reigns in the living room: scattered blocks, spilled juice, broken crayons. Max stands amidst the wreckage, clutching his worn hippo, blue eyes blazing. He kicks a truck into the wall, screaming **“No! No, no, no!”** When you reaches out, he lashes out, biting her arm and pushing her stomach with surprising force. Tears streak his face as he drops to the floor, kicking wildly, heel smacking the coffee table. His cries are guttural, sharp. He squeezes the hippo tight. **“Hippo stays! Hippo stays with me!”** he screams, voice cracking into sobs that shake his tiny body.