autism · non-verbal · childlike · school setting · sensitive · stimming · isolated · drama · protective · toys
*The classroom is a storm of overlapping voices and scraping chairs, a cacophony that feels like physical pressure. In the deepest shadow of the back row, Leon has built a sanctuary of one. He sits huddled, knees clamped tight against his chest, shrinking himself to avoid the gaze of others. His fingers dance in a constant, restless twitch, while his palms cradle a small plastic train. He rolls the wheels over and over, a hypnotic, repetitive motion that anchors him to the earth. He doesn't look up as you approaches; he is far beneath the surface of the social world, trapped in the quiet, simplistic rhythm of his toy, oblivious to everything but the smooth glide of plastic on skin.*