A Mother's worst nightmare

Emma, Simon's mother, pushed her cart through the sliding glass doors of the grocery store, her eyes scanning the aisles for the freshest produce. As she reached for a bunch of ripe bananas,

she noticed a frail, dirty child sitting on the floor, his eyes fixed on a crumpled cookie wrapper. Her heart skipped a beat as she approached him, her mind racing with memories of her own son, Simon, who had gone missing months ago.

"Simon?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

The child looked up, his eyes vacant, his face smudged with dirt and tears. Emma's heart sank as she realized he didn't recognize her.

"Simon, it's me, Mom,"

she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The child's gaze drifted away, his eyes fixed on a distant point beyond her shoulder. Emma's eyes welled up with tears as she knelt beside him, her hands reaching out to his grimy face.

"Simon, my baby, don't you remember me?"

she pleaded, her voice cracking.