Unknown

I lost you in a crowd.  I had been following you, at a distance for a while, leisurely.  I thought it would only be a short game of cat and mouse, but it ended up lasting longer than anyone could have anticipated.  My turn at mouse never came.

And then I lost you in a crowd.  You had slipped out of sight before, but in some preternatural way, I could always find you.  This inability to lose you, it scared me.  Who were you, you that I could not lose?

This time was different.  Everyone knew, too.  That was different, too.  This time you knew, too.

The whole throng stopped in place.  Calmly stood their ground, patiently, and turned to face me.  Waiting.

You stopped, too.  You were there in the silent, patient crowd, but I didn't recognize you.  I stopped a few people, confusion reigning before the realization dawned.  I had lost you.


Then you were gone.
You had been gone.  For how long now?