Introduction (in the author's voice): Some stories don't begin with words.They begin with the light of an afternoon,an old smell,or a silence—that suddenly makes you realize that you are not alone. This novel was not written to give any surprises.No one runs here, no one shouts.Time moves slowly here,and every footprint leaves a mark on your mind. What I have written may not be the story of my life—but I know that it has walked through me. If, while reading, you remember an afternoon of your own,a fear of your own,or an unspoken word of your own—then this book is