SALOKA RESIDENCE
CHAPTRE 003

As Jack continued to step down the hallway of the room,

“Hoi, Young man! Did you call earlier?”

A short, stocky middle-aged woman greeted Jack from behind.

Her name was Eli. Eli seems to be the keeper of that boarding house. He emerges from behind the reception door and greets Jack, as he watches him walk by.

“Yes, Madam,” replied Jack who turned his head and walked back closer to the woman.

“Gosh. It must have been pretty hard when you got up here. Likewise, the location is in a fairly high plateau,” said Eli.

“I'm sorry, Madam. Maybe I was a little late earlier.”

“Not a problem, Son. This place is remote, if you first come here, you will definitely be confused with this place.”

Eli went back into his room and got Jack a drink.

“Gosh. Take this,” Eli gave Jack a bottled drink. “Your voice on the phone sounds really good, it turns out you're very handsome. Haha. Are you tired? You look so sweaty.”

Eli mince words and praises the handsome face that Jack has.

“Omong-by the way, when I got up here, I saw many shophouses that seemed to have been unused for a long time,” said Jack.

“Hmmm, that's right. This building has been abandoned for a long time, only me and some boarding children who inhabit this place.”

“Good.” Jack looked around Eli's room.

Eli's room was very small and unkempt. Only 5 meters in size, with the mattress and reception room made into one.

It's not worth it to be used for a room and a bed, especially Eli is a woman.

“This place used to be an orphanage, son. About 20 years ago. Maybe you were a kid back then, and I was guarding the orphanage back then.”

“An orphanage? So, how can the story become kos?” ask Jack.

“The story is long, Nak.” Eli confirmed his sitting position, then began to tell stories.

***

20 Years ago. When I was in my early 30s, I got enough inheritance from my parents to keep the orphanage myself.

At that time I had to keep the orphanage alone. No one helped me or became my employee. I have to bear all the burdens and problems that happened in the orphanage alone.

I looked for proposals and donations to help the richest donors, when the funds I had were depleted.

Even though I was always in trouble, I was still happy and airy while taking care of those abandoned children.

I can give him shelter, food, drink, and medical care, even if that's not much.

About a thousand heads of children who lived in my orphanage at that time, ranging from the age of 10 years to 20 years. For about ten years they lived in my orphanage.

Some of them were abandoned by their parents, and some of them were taken off the streets at the time.

Since the children were over 20 years old, most of them left the orphanage. They have started to think that they are already big and have to have their own job.

A lot of kids came and left. Some of them still remember me, and others don't go anywhere.

Those who remember me always call me and ask me. In fact, those who are already successful and rich, give a lot of help to the orphanage, even though I did not ask for it.

A few years later, there was a teenage man who offered to help me, take care of the orphanage, and that was when my burden began to diminish.

His name is Rocky. He was also one of the children who lived in my orphanage. I don't know what made him want to help me take care of the orphanage.

However, I was very happy that someone helped me at that time, and since then, my burden has begun to decrease.

He helped me a lot in solving the problems that were happening.

Long story short, my orphanage suffered a terrible tragedy. The entire building burned, leaving some children with severe burns.

About 10 children were not saved at the time. Just as they were about to escape across the flames, his body was struck by wood and they died from burning.

That is one of the most terrible tragedies. I will never forget that terrible tragedy. And that was the beginning of me turning the orphanage into a boarding house.

With some of the remaining money I had, I went back to repair the building and turned one of the floors into a boarding house.

And because the money I have is very limited, then the cost that is built is also not quite luxurious, even for some people, this cost is not worth to be occupied.

Guilt and regret haunt me every night. I always thought of the faces of the ten children who took their lives in that incident.

When I fall asleep, daydream, and even on the move, I always think about them.

Several times the ten children also came in my dreams. They joined hands, waving hands at me. Like they asked me for help.

A very tragic tragedy.

***

Back to the present day. In Eli's room. Jack listened carefully to Eli's story, although he did not fully believe in Eli's story.

Jack took a long breath.

“So, that's more or less the story, how I started to set up this cost.”

Jack nodded small.

Eli got out of his chair and took an iced tea drink and gave it to Jack.