Every morning she left her small room very early. She walked from one street to another looking for work. Most times the answer was the same. No vacancy. Adora once tried to apply for office jobs because she had always dreamed of working in a professional place. But many people asked the same question.
Do you have experience? When she said no, they simply shook their heads. I’m sorry. We need someone with experience. Jobs in the city were already very hard to find. The population of Port Harkort had grown very large. Many people were also looking for job. For someone like Adora, who had no work experience in that field, the chances were very small.
So Adora decided to do whatever small work she could find just to survive. Some days she helped sweep in small roadside shops. Other days she washed plates or cleaned floors for food shop owners. At the end of the day, they paid her a small amount of money. It was not much, but it helped her survive.
One afternoon, Adora arrived at a small shop where she sometimes worked. She picked up the broom and began sweeping. Later, she mopped the floor carefully. When she finished, the shop owner handed her a small amount of money. “Thank you,” the woman said. Adora accepted it politely. “Thank you, Ma.” That was how she lived now, from one small job to another.
As evening came, Adora finished working at the last roadside shop where she worked that day. She began walking back home. As she walked, her mind quickly returned to another problem. Her annual rent was almost due, and she had no idea how she would pay it. The thought made her heart heavy. Slowly, she continued walking until she reached the compound where she lived.
But when Adora got to her door, she suddenly noticed something. A paper notice had been pasted on the wall beside her door. Adora stepped closer and began to read it. Her eyes moved slowly across the words. The notice said the landlord had sold the property. All tenants living in the compound were expected to leave within 2 months. Adora stood still.
For a moment, she could not move. Her hands began to shake. “No, this cannot be happening,” she whispered. She read the notice again. The words did not change. Her heart felt heavy. Adora slowly sat down on the ground beside her door. Tears began to fall from her eyes. Why now? She cried softly.
I’ve already lost so much. Her voice trembled. I lost my job. I’m barely surviving. And now this. Adora covered her face with both hands. She did not know where to start. She did not know where she would go. And as she sat there crying quietly beside the notice on her door, Adora felt like life had pushed her into a corner with no way out.
The notice pasted on Adora’s door filled her heart with heavy worry. From that day, she began searching for another place to stay. Every morning, before going to her small daily jobs, she stopped at different streets asking about empty rooms. One day she spoke to a woman standing in front of a house. Good afternoon, Ma. Please, do you know if there is any room for rent around here.
The woman looked at her and shook her head. Rooms are very hard to find now. Adora sighed. Even a small room will be fine. The woman crossed her arms. If you want a house in this city now, you must be ready to pay a lot of money. Adora thanked her and continued walking. The truth was painful. Houses in the city had become very expensive.
If you did not have a lot of money, it was almost impossible to rent a place. Some of the people in the compound where Adora lived had packed their belongings and left. But some tenants, including Adora, had nowhere to go. Days slowly turned into weeks. Then the two months given in the notice finally ended.
That morning, loud voices filled the compound. Adora stepped outside and saw the landlord standing at the entrance with several rough-l lookinging men. The landlord pointed toward the buildings. “Start removing their things,” he ordered. The men entered the rooms and began throwing out people’s belongings.
Soon they reached Adora’s door. One of the men carried her mattress outside. Another man threw out her small bag of clothes. Adora ran forward. “Please stop,” she cried. She quickly knelt on the ground in front of the landlord. “Please, sir,” she begged. “Just give me a little more time.
I’m still looking for somewhere to go.” But the landlord shook his head. I already gave everyone 2 months. “Please, sir,” Adora continued crying. “Just a few more days.” The landlord waved his hand impatiently. “I cannot delay anymore.” Just then, the sound of cars were heard in the compound. Two black SUVs slowly drove inside.
The loud noise in the compound reduced. Everyone turned to look. The cars stopped and the doors opened. Several men in suits stepped out. Then the back door of one SUV opened. A well-dressed man stepped down. He looked around the compound. “Excuse me,” he said. “What is going on here?” Everyone stopped what they were doing.
The landlord quickly walked toward him with a smile. “Sir, welcome.” Then he turned toward the tenants and spoke loudly. “Everyone, listen. The man standing here is the new owner of this property. His name is Mr. Babau.” Adora slowly lifted her head, her eyes fixed on the man.
There was something familiar about him. She tried to remember where she might have seen that face before. Then suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. She recognized him. It was the same patient she had helped in the hospital months ago. Adora stood up slowly and walked closer. “Good afternoon, sir,” she said. Mr. Babau looked at her.
“Good afternoon.” Adora spoke again. “Sir, how is your health now?” Mr. Barabau looked surprised. “My health?” “Yes,” Adora said gently. Mr. Barau frowned slightly. “How did you know I was sick?” Adora took a deep breath. “Sir, the day you were brought into the hospital,” she said, “was the same day I lost my job.” “Mr.
Babau frowned slightly, confused.” “How? Why? What happened?” he curiously asked. Adora continued. “You were rushed to the hospital that morning and taken straight to the emergency ward. You were unconscious,” she explained. Mr. Barau listened carefully. I was working there as a cleaner, Adora continued softly.
Later that day, when I went to clean the corridor outside the emergency ward, I noticed something. She paused for a moment. Your oxygen mask had slipped away from your nose. You were struggling to breathe. Mr. Barau’s expression changed immediately. Adora swallowed before continuing. At first, I wanted to run and call one of the doctors, she said.
But when I looked at you again, your breathing was becoming weaker. Her voice trembled slightly. I was afraid that if I left to find a doctor, it might be too late before the doctor comes. She lowered her eyes. I knew the hospital rules very well. Cleaners were not allowed to touch any patient.
But in that moment, everything happened so fast. I only thought about one thing. You were struggling to breathe. So I quickly stepped inside, she said. I adjusted the oxygen mask properly. She took a small breath. Almost immediately, your breathing became stable again. For a brief moment, relief crossed her face as she remembered it.
My plan was to adjust it quickly and then go straight to one of the doctor’s offices to inform them, she explained. But the moment I turned around, a doctor was standing right behind me. Mr. Babau leaned forward slightly. He had seen me touching the mask. Adora continued. Her voice dropped. He became very angry.
He said I had broken the hospital rules and that I had no right to touch a patient. I tried to explain, she said. I told him the mask had slipped and you were struggling to breathe. But he refused to listen. He immediately called for the security men. They escorted me out of the hospital that moment.
That was how I lost my job. Mr. Babau stared at her. He had no memory of what she was describing, but as he looked into her eyes, he saw honesty. Mr. Babau turned toward the landlord. “Please stop removing their things,” he said calmly. “The landlord looked confused, but sir, they were given notice.” Mr. Babau nodded.
