On that day, May 6, 2025, around noon, the usual chaos reigned around the Népliget bus and train station in Budapest. Traffic slowed after the spring rains, drivers chattered impatiently, and tourists stumbled through puddles with their luggage.
Pedestrians, umbrellas in hand, dodged puddles and tried not to slip on the rain-soaked sidewalk. Bus 99 was just approaching its stop, and in the distance, a homeless man was trying to wipe the rain from his face with his sleeve.
But he wasn’t the one who caught everyone’s attention that day.
The center of attention was a thin, pale-faced man of about 15. A six-year-old girl stood in the middle of the crowd, clutching an orange backpack. He was alone. All alone.
“Mom?” he whispered softly, barely audible. “Dad?”
Most of the passersby ignored him. Some glanced at him, but they moved on—some went about their business, others hurried after the bus. One lady paused briefly, but then shook her head and hurried away.
The little girl didn’t cry. But his face… his face was that of someone who had long since stopped being surprised when someone didn’t help.
Then Júlia Tordai, an elegant but slightly worn-out woman in her fifties, appeared on the scene. He worked as a teacher in Zug and had just returned to the Budapest bus station from a conference in the countryside. He was a little nervous because the bus was late, his back hurt, and his phone didn’t work.
But as soon as he got out of the vehicle, he noticed the girl almost immediately.
“Hello… are you okay?” he asked cautiously, leaning down to look her in the eye.
The little girl just nodded. He didn’t move.
– Did you lose it? Is someone waiting?
“I think… I don’t know,” the little girl whispered. “I was told to wait here.”
“Who said that?”
“Uncle. And the woman who was with him. They said they would be back.
“How long have you been here?”
“Since morning. They said they were going to the bakery.”
Julia turned pale. Since morning?! That was at least four hours ago. He looked around, but no one seemed to be looking for the child.
“What’s your name, little one?”
“Matilda.”
“Do you know your last name?”
“No… Mom just told me, but I forgot.”
“How old are you, Matilda?”
“Do you have any papers? A note? A phone number? Anything?”
Matilda shook her head, but then she took out her small backpack and dug out a stuffed bunny and a half-soaked bag of cookies.
Julia sighed. This won’t be good.
“You know what, Matilda?” “Go in there,” he gestured to the small police booth at the station. “We’ll ask the policeman to help you, okay?”
“I can’t go with strangers,” the little girl said quietly.
“Then you’re in luck,” Julia smiled. “I’m a teacher.” I’m not a stranger. And I’m not alone.” Then he pulled out his business card, which he still had under his conference badge. “Here, it’s me. Now we’re going to go together and find out where your parents might be. Is that okay?”
Matilda hesitated, then nodded.
Thus began a very unusual day in the center of Budapest, a story that no one expected – especially not a seven-year-old girl and a tired but courageous teacher.
The atmosphere in the police booth was not very friendly. The neon lights were on, and Sergeant Zoltán Németh, standing behind the counter, was sipping his coffee and looking at the monitor when Julia and Matilda entered.
“Good morning,” Julia said firmly. “I found the girl at the train station, she’s been here all morning alone.”
Zoltán put down his cup, stood up, and immediately went into official mode.
“Is this serious?” he asked, taking out his notebook.
“Very well,” Julia nodded. “He says a man and a woman left him here, promising to come back, but that must have been four or five hours ago.”
The little girl stood there silently, twisting her fingers around her stuffed bunny ears.
“What’s your name, baby?” Zoltán asked kindly.
“Matilda.”
“And your last name?”
“I don’t know… maybe… maybe Mark?”
Julia raised her head. “You just said it for the first time.”
“I just remembered,” the little girl replied quietly. “Mommy always says, ‘Markus Matilda, come here!’”
Zoltán nodded and began to write.
– Okay. I’ll check the database for missing or wanted people. Sit him down here while I get him some tea.
A few minutes later he returned with a cup of lemon tea. Matilde thanked him politely and began to sip.
Meanwhile, Julia watched him with concern.
– Have you ever heard of such a thing? – Zoltan asked gently. “How can someone just abandon a child?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” the policeman nodded. – But it’s also possible that something went wrong. An accident. The parents were kidnapped. Or…” he shook his head. “I’d rather not have time.”
– I have relatives in the city center, – Matilde said suddenly. – My grandmother, Aunt Maria. But I don’t know where he lives. Only that she has a black cat and she always says: “Don’t run at me suddenly, Matilde!”
Zoltan smiled faintly.
“That’s something. Let’s try this. I’ll call child protection, but in the meantime it would be nice if he didn’t have to sit here for hours.”
“Can I take him with me?” Julia asked. “Just for a few hours, until someone figures it out.” I’m a teacher, I have a certificate of good moral character.
Zoltán hesitated, but finally nodded.
“Okay. I’ll write down your details and ask for a temporary guardianship certificate. But if anything suspicious happens, call me immediately.”
An hour later, Julia and Matilda were already sitting in the apartment in Zugló. The spring sun was shining again, and cocoa, toast, and half an orange were waiting for the little girl on the kitchen table.
“What will happen to me now?” Matilda asked, rocking in her chair.
“We’ll figure it out together,” Julia answered. – We’ll stop by the school tomorrow, let them look at you. Maybe someone will show up then.
– And if not?
Julia smiled.
– Then we’ll look. And we won’t give up.
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Matilda nodded. For the first time, something shone in his eyes: trust.
But then the phone rang.
– Hello? Yes, Julia Tord. Here you go? Eh… What?! What did the woman who came to the police station say?
Julia turned pale and looked at Matilda.
“Matilda, someone claims to be your mother.”
The little girl’s eyes narrowed. He spoke in a completely different voice than before:
– She’s not my mother. She’s… she’s the girlfriend of the guy who brought me here. Don’t leave him alone with her. Please.
Julia hung up the phone. His heart was beating fast.
“Matilda, are you sure about what you’re saying?” he asked cautiously. “The woman claimed you were her daughter and that you disappeared yesterday afternoon.”
The little girl shook her head.
“She’s not my mother! Uncle and the woman… they were always shouting. Uncle said they just had to go somewhere for one night and then never came back.”
“And your real mother? What do you know about him?”
“I only heard his voice on the phone once. He told me to take care of myself. But then the woman took the phone away and I couldn’t talk to her anymore.”
A lump grew in Julia’s throat. It was obvious: something dark was going on. He immediately called Zoltán Németh back to the police station.
“Hello, Zoltan? Have you spoken to the woman who is said to be Matilda’s mother?”
“Yes, we have him inside. But something is wrong. We searched the central database, and there are no children registered with him. He mentions a former partner who is already wanted for fraud.
– Then please don’t let me go! Matilda is afraid of him.
– Don’t worry. We have already started the procedure, and the guardian ad litem is on the way. However, there is a development… a woman has contacted the 17th. from the district. She claims to be Matilda’s grandmother. And he has a photo, an old vaccination book and a file.
– Is her name Márkus Mária by chance?
– Of course. How do you know?
Julia smiled. – Matilda remembered. And the black cat too.
An hour later there was a knock on Julia’s door. A short woman in her fifties stood on the threshold, holding an old album and a couple of stuffed rabbits.
“Good day.” I am Márkus Mária. Matilda… Matilda is my granddaughter. His voice broke off. “My daughter… her mother… disappeared two years ago. According to the police, he went abroad. Since then, I have been trying to find the little one, but all traces have been lost.”
Julia stepped back.
— Come in, please. Matilda is drawing.
Maria entered. In the living room, Matilda was coloring a drawing, but as soon as she saw the woman, she looked up. They only looked at each other for a moment. Maria knelt down in front of him and carried the rabbit out.
— Do you remember him? There were two of them. We always left one with you.
Matilda ran up and hugged the woman.
— You are my real grandmother. Aunt Maria.
The next few days, events moved quickly. The guardianship authority appointed Márkų Márias as Matilda’s temporary guardian. Julia assisted in the process as a witness and checked on the little girl every day.
A week later, on Sunday, May 17 afternoon, Julia received a call.
«Hello, it’s Matilda!» I would like to ask… can I come to your school tomorrow? I still want to learn from you!
Julia smiled and answered with tears in her eyes:
— Of course, Matilda. There will always be a place for you in my class.
Or maybe in his heart.
