To Rachel, the world felt as if it had stopped as she dropped to her knees so fast that the gravel bit into her skin without her noticing.
Her eyes locked on the small figure that was lying on the road, limp and quiet. Fear gripped her chest like a fist, and her hands trembled as she reached out.
Her fingers hovered in the air—two of them, stiff and pale—ready to press against the child's nostrils to check for breath, but before she could touch her, the girl's eyes suddenly opened wide, and then the girl yelled, "MUMMY!!!"
The cry split the air.
Rachel's heart jumped to her throat, and she stumbled back a little with her breath catching in her throat.
She steadied herself quickly while forcing her voice to be low and gentle as she said, "It's alright, sweetheart… I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you... Are you hurt? Do you feel pain anywhere? Should I take you to the hospital? Why were you out here all alone? Where are your parents?"
The girl said nothing at first.
