I knelt down to her level, trying to make sense of her abrupt change in demeanor. Rex sat beside me, his tail wagging gently, radiating a reassuring presence. The girl looked at him with wide eyes, then back at me. Her silence was unsettling, and I wondered if she was in shock.
“Do you need help finding someone?” I asked, trying to sound as comforting as possible.
She tilted her head slightly, studying me with an intensity that seemed far beyond her years. Then, unexpectedly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, worn-out toy— a teddy bear missing an eye. She held it up to me, as if offering it or using it as a form of communication.
