It was me in there( 9-1-1 )

Flashback

The Buckley house hummed with tension and chaos, as it often did. Tonight, it seemed magnified to an unbearable degree. The harsh sound of the vacuum cleaner roared from the hallway as their mother angrily pushed it back and forth, muttering under her breath about "ungrateful children" and "never-ending messes." In the kitchen, Phillip slammed cabinets shut, his loud grumbling and the clinking of glass adding another layer of noise. The television in the living room blared a news report at full volume, though no one seemed to be paying attention to it.

For eight-year-old Evan Buckley, it was too much.

Sitting cross-legged on the carpet, Buck stared at the toys scattered around him. Normally, his action figures were his safe haven, his escape from the confusing and often overwhelming world around him. But not tonight. His chest felt tight, like it was being squeezed by invisible hands, and his stomach churned with a sickening mix of dread and helplessness.

The sounds pressed against his skull, a cacophony of noise that he couldn't escape. His fingers trembled as he covered his ears, but it didn't help. The vibrations of the vacuum seemed to echo inside his bones, the cabinet doors slammed like thunderclaps in his head, and the television's endless droning felt like it was tunneling into his brain.

Buck rocked slightly where he sat, his breaths coming faster and faster, each one more shallow than the last. His vision blurred with tears as the pressure inside him built, threatening to burst.

"Maddie," he whispered hoarsely, though his voice was swallowed by the noise around him. "Maddie, help."

He wasn't sure if she'd heard him, but a moment later, Maddie's voice cut through the chaos like a soothing balm. "Evan? Are you okay?"

Her footsteps were soft but purposeful as she entered the living room, her seventeen-year-old frame still towering over his small one. She stopped in her tracks when she saw him curled up on the floor, his tiny body trembling and his face buried in his knees.

"Evan?" she repeated, her voice softer now, laced with concern. She crouched down beside him, her long hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned closer.

Buck didn't look up. His hands stayed clamped over his ears, his rocking more frantic now. "Too loud," he choked out, his voice barely audible. "It's too loud, Maddie. I can't—I can't breathe."

Maddie's heart clenched at his words. She'd seen Buck upset before—he was a sensitive kid, after all—but this was different. This was raw, uncontrollable, and it terrified her.

"Okay," she said gently, trying to keep her voice calm even though her own chest tightened with worry. "Okay, Evan. I'm here. We're going to figure this out, okay?"

She reached out slowly, her hand hovering just above his shoulder. "Can I touch you?" she asked, knowing how much he hated being touched when he was overwhelmed.

Buck gave a small, jerky nod, his eyes still squeezed shut.

Carefully, Maddie placed her hand on his shoulder, grounding him with her touch. "Let's try something, okay?" she said softly. "I want you to breathe with me. Can you do that?"

He didn't respond, but she continued anyway, exaggerating her breaths so he could hear them over the noise. "Big breath in," she said, inhaling deeply. "And then blow it out, nice and slow. Like you're blowing out birthday candles."

Buck's breaths came in ragged gasps, but Maddie stayed patient. She kept breathing with him, her voice steady and encouraging.

"That's it," she murmured when he finally started to mimic her, his inhales shaky but deliberate. "You're doing so good, Evan. Just keep going, nice and slow."

Minutes passed before Buck's breathing evened out slightly, though his tears still streamed down his flushed cheeks. Maddie shifted to sit fully on the floor beside him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders.

"Let's get you out of here," she said gently. "Your room is quieter. We can go there, okay?"

"No," Buck whimpered, shaking his head. "I can't move. I can't."

Maddie hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "That's okay," she said, staying by his side. "We can stay right here. You're safe, Evan. I've got you."

The noise of the house didn't stop—the vacuum still roared, Phillip's muttering grew louder, and the TV droned on—but Maddie's presence seemed to create a bubble of calm around them. She hummed softly under her breath, a lullaby she used to sing to Buck when he was a baby.

Buck slowly leaned into her, his small frame shaking with silent sobs. Maddie wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "It's okay," she whispered, rocking him gently. "You're okay. I've got you."

After what felt like an eternity, Buck's trembling began to subside, though his face stayed buried in Maddie's chest. His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally spoke.

"Why am I like this, Maddie?" he asked, his words broken by sniffles. "Why can't I just be normal?"

Maddie's heart broke at his question. She pulled back slightly, tilting his chin up so he could see her face.

"Evan, listen to me," she said firmly, her eyes locking with his. "There's nothing wrong with you, okay? You're not broken, and you're not weird. You just feel things differently, and that's okay. It's what makes you... you."

Buck's lip quivered, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. "But it hurts, Maddie. It hurts so much."

"I know," she said softly, brushing his tears away with her thumb. "And I'm sorry it hurts. But you don't have to go through it alone, okay? I'm here. Always."

He nodded slowly, his small hands clutching the fabric of her shirt as he rested his head against her shoulder.