C9 The Mysterious Old Lady

"Mr. Daniel!" the faint voice came closer and closer, accompanied by the clomping of feet.

Emily was surprised to see Daniel sitting on the floor. She immediately approached him with deep concern.

"Mr. Daniel, are you okay?" Emily's voice sounded panicked and full of worry.

"Sir, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Emily repeated her question because she didn't hear any answer from Daniel.

Just as Emily was about to shout for help, Daniel's hand suddenly stopped her. "I'm fine," he replied weakly.

"Sir, are you okay?" asked Emily with worry still on her face.

Daniel nodded weakly in response.

"Thank God, I was so scared," Emily said in a relieved voice and helped Daniel to stand up.

Emily was about to guide Daniel to walk, but Daniel stopped her. "I can do it myself."

They finally headed to a nearby seat so they could rest for a while.

"Wait here for a moment, sir. I'll be right back," Emily said, smiling at Daniel.

After a while, Emily returned with her breath caught in her throat. She ran a little because she didn't want to keep her boss waiting too long.

"Here you go, sir. Please drink it," she said with her breath still heavy, handing Daniel a drink.

"Thank you," Daniel said as he accepted the drink.

"I'm sorry for disappearing so suddenly earlier," Emily said, realizing her own mistake.

Daniel looked at Emily, then sighed deeply before asking, "I'm tired. Can we go home now?"

"Of course, sir. We'd better go home because it's getting late," Emily replied.

They both walked to the car to go home. Daniel felt tired, so he closed his eyes and laid his head down on the car seat, trying to rest his mind. The car drove on the busy streets, with the sound of vehicles and lights flashing around them. Honking and the hustle and bustle of city life filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere around them.

Suddenly, halfway down the road, the car they were traveling in almost hit a grandmother who was about to cross the street. Emily, who was sitting next to the driver, closed her eyes and reflexively cried out in surprise. Meanwhile, Daniel, who was resting his mind while closing his eyes, gasped in shock at Emily's scream.

"What happened?" asked Daniel, still a little surprised.

"I-it's... Please wait a moment, sir," said the driver with a trembling voice, then immediately got out of the car to see how the grandmother was doing.

Daniel, who was curious about what was happening outside, got out of the car with cautious steps. Emily, who saw Daniel get out, immediately followed with worry in her heart. The two of them approached the grandmother, who was still in shock, her face pale from the near miss.

The grandmother looked fragile, her body slightly bent. Her hair was completely white, and the wrinkles on her face told of the long journey she had gone through in her life. She wore shabby clothes that looked like they had been used for a long time, and a small bag on her shoulder added to the impression that she was a frequent traveler.

"Is grandma okay?" asked Emily worriedly, but the grandma didn't answer Emily's question.

She continued to stare at Daniel and Emily with an expectant gaze, while her hands trembled slightly, holding the hem of her crumpled skirt. Daniel and Emily looked at each other for a moment.

"Is she originally Thai? She doesn't seem to understand my language," Emily whispered to Daniel.

"I asked her in Thai but she didn't answer either," the driver interrupted Emily's hesitation.

The old lady suddenly had a soft smile on her face. Daniel felt a strange tremor run through his body. He looked at her carefully, trying to figure out what had made her feel wary.

"I'm fine," the old lady replied in fluent English.

"You speak English?" asked Emily incredulously.

She nodded weakly before continuing, "Can you take me home? I missed the last bus. My house is far from here." she looked at them with shining eyes, pleading for help in a soft voice.

Daniel felt uncomfortable with her gaze, like something wasn't right. However, Emily seemed to be focused only on the grandmother without feeling the same tremor that Daniel felt.

"Can we help take her home, sir?" asked Emily, a worried look on her face.

"We can't give rides to just anyone, Emily. Especially not in our own country," Daniel whispered.

"I'm not a bad person, young man," said the old lady, guessing from Daniel's expression that he was a little hesitant.

The old lady then took something out of the small bag on her shoulder. She took out a leaflet of money and, with trembling hands, she handed it to Daniel.

"Please accept this money. Please help me," she said in a hopeful voice.

Emily continued to stare at Daniel with a hopeful and worried look in her eyes. Meanwhile, Daniel massaged the middle of his furrowed eyebrows.

Daniel finally took a deep breath before deciding. "Just keep the money. Come with us," he told her before getting into his car.

After getting Daniel's approval, Emily carefully helped the grandmother into the car, got her to sit beside the driver, and then closed the car again.

The journey to her house took a long time. The car drove slowly along the winding road, while she explained her home to Daniel and Emily.

"My house is in the middle of a forest surrounded by tall trees," she said with a small smile on her face. "There is a path hidden amongst the bushes. When you walk through the small path, you will see my house made of wood."

The driver followed her directions. They crossed a winding road surrounded by dense trees. The towering branches created eerie shadows in their path. However, the driver skillfully drove the car through the dark natural passages, following the directions given by the grandmother.

Emily felt uneasy about the increasingly gloomy surroundings. The roads they traveled seemed to get narrower and more secluded, and the trees were getting thicker. Her goosebumps rose, but she tried to hold back her fear.

Meanwhile, Daniel remained vigilant. He had a feeling that something wasn't right about this situation. The grandmother looked weak and fragile, but there was strength and intelligence radiating from her eyes.

Suddenly, the driver slowed down the car. They arrived at an old house hidden in the trees. In front of them, the house stood in the middle of a silent forest, with darkened windows and an age-worn wooden door. The house looked a little mystical. Although the grandmother looked so simple, she owned a big old house. It wasn't even suitable for just one person to live in.

Emily got out of the car to see her off. The grandmother smiled warmly as she looked at Emily, her eyes filled with gratitude for the help they had given her. While the grandmother looked at Emily, Emily could only stare at the old building that lay before her. Her face looked pale, and she swallowed awkwardly, feeling stiff in the discomfort that came over her.

The old lady walked slowly towards the door of her house with trembling steps. When she arrived at the door, she turned around and looked at Emily.

"Please stop by my house for a moment and have a drink as a token of my gratitude for your help," she said in a hopeful voice.