On May 6, 2025, around noon, the usual chaos reigned around the Népliget bus station in Budapest.
After the spring showers, traffic moved slowly, drivers honked impatiently, and tourists dodged puddles while dragging their suitcases.
Pedestrians, umbrellas in hand, tried not to step in the stagnant water or slip on the wet sidewalks. Bus 99 had just arrived at the stop, while, in the distance, a homeless man wiped his face with the sleeve of his coat.
But he wasn’t the one attracting attention that day.
In the middle of the crowd, a thin, pale-faced girl about six years old stood out, tightly clutching a small orange backpack. She was still. And alone. Completely alone.
„Mom?” she whispered. „Dad?”
Hardly anyone paid attention to her. Some glanced at her out of the corner of their eyes, but continued on their way: some in a hurry, others running after the bus. One woman stopped for a moment, then shook her head and hurried away.
The girl wasn’t crying. But her face showed the resignation of someone who no longer expects help from anyone.
That’s when Júlia Tordai appeared, an elegant but somewhat fatigued woman in her fifties. A professor in Zugló, she was returning from a conference outside the city. She was worried: the bus had arrived late, her back hurt, and her cell phone had run out of battery.
As soon as she got out of the vehicle, she saw the girl.
„Hello… are you okay?” she asked sweetly, bending down to look her in the eyes.
The girl nodded, not moving.
„Are you lost? Is anyone looking for you?”
„I think so… I don’t know,” she whispered. „They told me to wait here.”
„Who told you?”
„The man. And the woman who came with him. They said they’d be back.”
„How long have you been here?”
„Since this morning. They said they were going to the bakery.”
Júlia went pale. Since this morning? It had already been half a day! She looked around, but no one seemed to be looking for a girl.
„What’s your name, darling?”
„Matild.”
„Do you know your last name?”
„No… Mom told me, but I forgot.”
„How old are you?”
„Do you have any notes, any papers, a phone number?”
Matild shook her head. She opened her backpack and took out a stuffed bunny and a small bag of moist biscuits.
Júlia sighed. This wasn’t right.
„You know what, Matild? Let’s go inside,” she said, pointing to the police booth at the station. Let’s go ask the police officer for help. What do you think?
„You shouldn’t go out with strangers,” the girl replied very quietly.
„Then you’re in luck,” Júlia said, smiling. „I’m a teacher, not a stranger. And I’m not alone either.” She showed her conference badge, with her business card. „It says who I am here. Let’s go together to find your parents. Is that okay?”
Matild hesitated, but finally nodded.
Thus began a very unusual day in Budapest. A story no one expected, especially not a seven-year-old girl or an exhausted but brave teacher.
The atmosphere in the police booth wasn’t exactly warm. A neon light was buzzing. Sergeant Zoltán Németh was sipping coffee while looking at his computer. Then Júlia and Matild entered.
„Good morning,” Júlia said firmly. „I found this girl alone at the station. She’s been here since this morning.”
Zoltán put down his cup, stood up, and immediately went into operational mode.
„Is it serious?” he asked, taking out his notebook.
„Very serious. It says a man and a woman left her, promising to return. But it’s been several hours.”
Matild remained silent, stroking her stuffed animal’s ears.
„What’s your name, little one?” Zoltán asked gently.
„Matild.”
„And your last name?”
„I don’t know… maybe… Márkus.”
„That’s the first time you’ve said that,” Júlia was surprised.