1 Prologue

In the middle of the market, a little girl in about six years old has been seperated from her parents. She let go from her mother's grip, and now she's lost. But she can't cry. She fears that if she did, someone might kidnap her. She can't trust anyone. Not in her condition. Not in my condition. I know at a young age that I shouldn't, because of my prosopagnosia or face blindness. If anyone would know that I can't recognize anyone, not even my parent's faces, they might take advantage of it, and kidnap me. I'm afraid, I don't know what to do. I want to cry, but I don't want anyone to know I'm lost. I wander the market alone trying to find a clue as to where they are. I don't know how though. My eyes are stinging as my tears want to come out. I wanted to cry but I shouldn't. The reek of fish and meat hangs in the air together with the odor from the crowd which made it smell more unpleasant. Where are they? I keep looking around but there's no way to recognize them. Not in this crowd. I started to run, as fast as I could because I'm scared. I don't know where to find them. I continued to run and bumped into something causing me to fall. I hurt my palms and knees. Someone approached me and gave me a hand. I panicked. I looked at him, he's just a kid, about my age. But someone's with him. It's his mother, I guess. He pulled me up so I can stand.

"Are you lost?" asked the woman.

I didn't respond. I don't know who she is. But the kid smiled at me showing off his missing tooth as he mimicked his mother's words.

"Are you loth?" he asked. Hardly pronouncing the letter S because of the missing incisor.

I nodded. I know I shouldn't have but the fact that he's a child somehow comforts me. Also, I know that it won't be possible to find my parents without an adult. They might help me, I hope.

"My name is Anne, and this is my son Zary. What's your name?" she asked, but I did not respond.

They told me to come with them. As we walk the market, while I limp because my knee still hurts, someone approach us. I'm not sure who she was, but I did recognized her hair.

"Who are you?" the mother asked.

"She's my daughter. Where did you find her? I've been looking everywhere for you." she replied with a hint of joy in her voice and hug me.

"Do you know her?" Anne asked me.

I nodded. I recognized her voice and scent. She is my mother.

"Why did you let go of me?" she scolded me but her eyes are sort of reddish.

My mother and Zary's mother talk for almost an hour about how they found me and converse as if they were old friends. They became close from then on. A week after the incident, Zary and his mother would come to our house. Our mother would do some mom things like cooking and other stuffs while me and Zary play upstairs. Most of the times, we play video games. Sometimes we play outdoors, but only in the garage or in the garden. We were as close as our mothers were. Six years later, my family and I had to move to US for my father's medication.

"Zary, we'll be leaving tomorrow so you better be good alright? They said I'll be back here for college. So until then, be good."

"Yeah, I will be. I'll miss you Mysth."

I smiled at him and hug him. He hug me back. That was the last time I saw him. That is until I come back.