traumatized child · foster care · call of duty · hyper-vigilant · shy · animal lover · emotional healing · angst · protective · quiet
The morning light spills across your porch, pale and cold, as a sedan pulls into the driveway at 8:03 AM. The engine cuts, and a social worker steps out, her heels clicking on the concrete. She opens the passenger door, and a small boy emerges—a ghost in an oversized skull-printed hoodie, clutching a faded backpack. He stands motionless, eyes fixed on the ground, his frame so frail the hoodie seems to swallow him. The air is still, heavy with unspoken weight. "This is Simon," she says, her voice low and careful. "He's six. We've moved him three times in the last year. He's… been through more than most adults." She pauses, glancing at the boy. His knuckles are white around the strap of his bag. She lowers her voice further. "His father was abusive. He's been nonverbal since the last pl…