The Past Winter
Ant Nest
After a debate that occurred a few days ago between Serena and pastor Ortiz, the topic of conversation in the home environment is only about ‘how selfish the narrow-hearted pastor was’. So did the pastor's foster children, they lost their footing in the parlour, and no other children empathized with them.
Serena seems to be a new idol in this orphanage because of her brave attitude to fight gracefully and not use violence to face problems.
Like a celebrity, wherever the woman goes there must be someone who invites her to talk pleasantries or just greet her, whether it's priests, officers, officers, and even the children would be very carefree to meet Serena.
With the exception of the children raised by the priest Ortiz. They are notoriously arrogant, mischievous, and at will. They feel they have power over other children because their foster father was a highly respected head of the home.
Reverend Ortiz always prided himself on being the head of the parlour for his children, he behaved as if he was dropped from the position of chairman of the orphanage because many parties in the orphanage do not like him to be the chairman because he is too good in carrying out his duties.
The pastor constantly choked his foster children with stories of how great he was at that time before he was slandered and denigrated. Be children who are nurtured have a vindictive nature in various things that exist in orphanages. They also often do evil and talk lies about the mischief they have done to others.
...***...
That afternoon Rubi was observing a group of ants marching with fragments of food on their backs and into a hole they had dug on the ground in an orphanage backyard. The ants that walked neatly lined up made Rubi amazed. That was something new to him.
These days, in addition to eating, bathing, sleeping, and learning manners and reading from Serena, seeing ants is an activity that Rubi never miss a day. He was very happy to squat for hours to see the marching ants going all the way into their nest safely.
Once upon a time when the girl was busy staring at the ants doing their daily filial work, but suddenly the rain flushed the periphery. Rubies that saw ants running and drowning made him cry roaring for several hours.
The next morning just after he woke up and the sky was clear again, the girl ran to the backyard and saw the crushed ant nest.
How hurt he was to see the house for the little animal was already ravaged. Rubi cried again and was calmed by his three brothers after they promised to make the ants a new home.
Be the three brothers bulldozed the ground under the roots of a tree not far from the crushed anthill and laid breadcrumbs along the way from their old nest to the new nest.
The location of the nest of the new ants is quite safe from flooding because the terrain is rather high from other soil, and not directly exposed to rainwater because it is protected by large tree roots. How glad Rubi was to know that the ants he had been watching were no longer exposed to danger.
...***...
The sun began to sink in the western horizon, the four friends who had finished making ant nests rushed into the room before the night was absent. The children ran into their rooms before the door closed. The curfew applies to all residents of the home, not least for the officers there.
THE TANG! THE TANG! THE TANG!
The sound of the pole being hit deliberately indicates that the absence of the night will be implemented soon. Allen, Elyn, Olive, and Rubi who had just arrived in their room rushed to change into a nightgown and lined up beside the bed. One by one starting from the rightmost room was ensnared by the parlour attendant.
GECK! GECK!
The knock on the door leaf in the room signaled that one of the children in the room should mention all the members present there.
“Allen, Elyn, Olive, and Rubi! All complete residents!” Said Olive with passion.
But how shocked Serena was when she glanced at Rubi's calf which had a dirt stain. The woman tried to signal Rubi's three older sisters to have them moved to the back, but unfortunately the children did not understand and were instead fixated.
The head of the parlour who was then serving as one of the supervisors looked in wonder at the three children who frowned at the same time. He then felt the strange behavior of Serena next to him. The whisper of Serena heard by the head of the parlour next to her made the chairman glance at Rubi's calf. Now the head of the parlour understands why Serena panicked so much.
The head of the parlour walked into the room the four friends were in. It crouches and wipes clean the small calves of ruby from the soil stains that stick. Her three older sisters who had just learned of Serena's intentions were now misbehaving over their negligence.
“Sweet boy, are you happy to see those ants in the backyard?” Said the head of the parlour smiling at Rubi who made Allen, Elyn, Olive, and Serena hold their breath in surprise.
“Iya.” Rubi replied innocently which made the other four hit their forehead. Another parlour attendant who saw Rubi's innocence chuckled at him.
There is one rule that states that every resident of the home, regardless of who it is, is strictly forbidden to move in the backyard. Because the backyard of the home is located close to the forest that will endanger all residents. Indeed, the entire fence surrounding the parlour has been given a holy spell as a protective shield, but the spell is still weak and will not be able to withstand the attacks of monsters larger than goblins.
“Then, what about their home? Are they okay now?” He said as he drew a smile on his lips.
“My three brothers have made a new home, so they are safe.” Rubi replied, smiling cheerfully as well.
“Good then, I'm glad to hear it.” The leg again while stroking Rubi's face which also has traces of soil stains. “Then can you promise me?”
“What?”
“For the time being don't go to the backyard again.” Said the head of the parlour while holding Rubi's hand.
“Why?”
“Because there are monsters that are roaming in this area.”
The phrase from the head of the sad house made all the residents who heard it scared. Similarly, the officer who helped supervise the course of the attendance with Serena. Because the head of the home has not told this to the officers, and instead leaked this dangerous thing to a small child.
“Monster?”
“True nak. That monster will harm you and will take you with them, do you want to go and leave Miss Serena and your three sisters?”
Rubi looked at Serena and her three sisters in turn then shook her head steadily. He was very unwilling to leave and leave the people who were currently a part of his life.
“Then will you promise, from now onwards will not go to the backyard again? Because all your favorite ants will be fine with their new home so you don't have to worry right?”
The gentle gaze of the head of the parlour made the little girl sure that all her ants would be fine. Then Rubi nodded his head in agreement with his promise to the head of the parlour. After hearing Rubi's reply, the head of the parlour walked out of the room of four friends and said good night. Then he and the other officers continued the night attendance until the whole room was finished.