The fruit stand sat at the corner of Clay and Hempstead Road, just like it always did. Maria Garcia was there with her son, Emmanuel, a 15-year-old with high-support needs autism and the cognitive ability of a 4 year old.
She looked away for just a moment.
When she turned back, he was gone. The sound of traffic filled the air, loud and distant, like the world didn’t notice what had just happened. She called his name again and again, her voice cracking under the weight of fear. The fruit stand stood untouched behind her, the place where he had been only seconds before…