Strangers At The Door

Ariel opened the door of her own hut that made a creaking sound as she stepped inside. 

It was a hut made of concrete walls but the roof was made of tin. When it rained sometimes the ceiling leaked. At such times, Ariel and her grandmother put buckets under holes so that their house won't be flooded. 

"Ariel, are you back?"

A soft exhausted voice called out Ariel as soon as she stepped inside the hut.

"Yes, Grandma. I am back. Why did you not sleep?"

An old lady was lying on the bed that was placed in one corner of the house. A table fan was placed on the nearby table but it was not enough. 

The heat of Torris was too high. 

Ariel walked towards the water pot and filled a glass of water. As she drank water, she heard her grandma speaking

"How could I sleep with you outside so late at night? Why don't you look for some other job which won't require you to work so late?"

Ariel wiped her lips as she put down the glass in her hands. She didn't look towards her grandmother as she spoke

"I will. A few more months. After gathering the money for your treatment, I will find some other job."

The old lady sighed in despair when she heard these words. 

"Ariel, my dear. It's of no use. Why don't you understand me?"

Ignoring what the old lady was saying, Ariel searched her bag and took out some medicines. 

"Did you have dinner?"

The old lady seemed to be angry that Ariel ignored her words and hence not replied to Ariel. The latter could only sigh and look at the utensils in their small kitchen which was in the other corner of the hut. 

Before going outside, she usually prepared two time meals for her grandmother. She was relieved to see that the portion of the soup was less now. The rest of the soup must have been left for her by her grandmother. 

Although she told the old lady that she didn't need to leave the meals for her, the old lady never listened to Ariel so Ariel simply prepared the more portion so that the old lady would have her fill. 

It was more than midnight. In two-three hours, the sun will start to rise. 

"Here! Let me give you medicine. Go to sleep then."

Ariel said as she walked towards the bed where her grandmother was lying down. The old lady didn't turn to face her making Ariel release a sigh. 

"Grandma, please... It's easy for you to say that I should not do anything while you are sick but have you ever thought about me? Who else do I have except you in this world?"

It was true. 

Since the age of ten when she was taken inside this hut by the old lady, Ariel stopped believing that she could rely on others. When everyone else had refused to take her inside, it was the old lady who had selflessly taken care of her. 

Now when the old lady had a life threatening disease, how could she just watch from the side?

If it required money, she would gather it. Doesn't matter how!

Ariel's eyes were emotionless as she thought all this. She came out of her trance when she finally sensed some movement on the bed. 

Relieved, she helped the old lady in sitting up. 

After making her rest against the headrest of the bed, Ariel looked at her face. Her face full of wrinkles has started to show the signs of her age especially after she had been identified with the disease. 

Every single day Ariel noticed the change, her heart sank down. 

Putting aside her thoughts, she gave the medicine to the old lady and then made her lie down on the bed again. 

They didn't say a single word to each other. 

It was only when Ariel switched off the light, changed her clothes and laid down the mattress near the bed to sleep that the old lady asked 

"Did you have your dinner?"

Ariel smiled lightly in the darkness of the room and answered softly 

"Yes, Grandma."

.

.

.

Knock! 

Knock! Knock!

At five in the morning, the door of the hut was knocked loudly by someone. 

Ariel who woke up because of the noise frowned and looked towards the door and then towards the bed where her grandmother was sleeping. 

Rest was very important for the old lady. Remembering that she slept late last night, Ariel didn't wish that the old lady would wake up early.

So Ariel hurriedly got up and went to open the door. 

Ariel frowned when the noise increased in a few seconds. She opened the door with a cold face to scold whosoever was not patient enough to wait properly after knocking the door once or twice. 

However, her eyes were filled with confusion when she saw three men standing in front of her door with a woman. 

Looking at their clothes, Ariel could immediately guess that they were not from these slums. They looked from decent families. 

Thinking something, Ariel got alert and closed the door of hut before stepping outside. 

"Who are you?"

Looking at the people who appeared on the door so early in the morning, Ariel asked.

Ignoring her question, the woman instead asked her 

"Are you Ariel Mintz?"

Ariel didn't have any expression on her face when she heard the question. 

It sounded quite foreign to her own ears. Perhaps because it has been quite long since someone said her full name.

The woman frowned when she saw that she didn't answer the question and said rudely.

"Can't you hear me? I asked you something."

"I also asked you something. Should I assume that you suffer from selective dumbness as well deafness?"

Ariel said calmly.

Ariel had just woken up. Her hair were messy. She usually wore baggy t-shirt with loose pants. Yet when she folded her hands on her chest, she looked so beautiful and confident that the woman couldn't help but stare at her for a few seconds. 

But when she composed herself, the woman was angry. 

She was the head of the maids in Mintz Mansion. No one dared to talk to her like that. But this girl....she was so unkempt, came from slums but she didn't know how to talk to people above her. 

However, when she was about to open her mouth to argue, one of the man stepped forward and said politely 

"Miss, we have come from Mintz Mansion. We are looking for Miss Ariel MIntz."

Ariel was silent for some time before she said 

"I am Ariel."

The man looked relieved on hearing the answer and continued 

"Miss Mintz..."

"Ariel!"

Ariel interrupted the man amidst his words, startling him.

"Pardon?"

"My name is Ariel. Only Ariel."

There was silence everywhere for a minute. It was early morning and people has not yet started coming out of their hut. That's why Ariel wanted all this to finish soon. 

"What do you want?"

She asked them calmly. 

"Miss Ariel, Mr. Mintz has called for you. He wants you to come back to MIntz Mansion."