She covered her ears because she was tired of the security guard's endless rants. "You, if you're a witch and you catch someone, it'll be hard to find a cure," he spat. 

"I told you, Hajiya is not here. You come here every day; are you heartless or what? Young girl, so stubborn, with your big eyes like an owl's, looking at people without shame. You're such a nuisance!" 

She slowly lifted her head and looked at him, feeling the sting of his insults. Her eyes filled with tears, and her small lips began to quiver, her expression changing immediately. He expected her to talk back because he knew children these days wouldn't stay silent if you scolded them. But he watched her closely and saw her step back. He thought she was going to leave, but instead, she found a spot against the wall, crouched down, and buried her head in her knees, crying sorrowfully.

He stood there, watching her, feeling a pang of regret. He felt remorse deep in his heart, realizing he hadn't treated her fairly. Despite being a Muslim, he had failed to understand the young girl who roamed by the gate daily. He had never asked himself why she kept coming back, despite all his attempts to chase her away.

Feeling ashamed, he moved closer to her and crouched down. "Alright, that's enough crying. Lift your head and tell me what's wrong. Why do you keep coming here every day looking for Hajiya?"

She lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes red and nose running. In between sobs, she said, "I come to see Hajiya because I heard she helps girls find jobs as housemaids, and they get paid."

He paused, watching her before he said, "Why do you need a job? You're just a child. Don't you have adults at home?"

She shook her head. "No, there's no one. It's just me and my siblings, and they are sick in the hospital. The doctor said they need surgery, but I don't have the money because it's a lot. I want to work so I can save money for their surgery, so they don't die and leave me all alone!" She finished and lowered her head, crying again.

Now he understood why she was so determined to see Hajiya. He thought to himself, "This poor girl is burdened with such heavy worries at a young age. But she has a strong spirit!"

He took her hand and said, "That's enough crying. I'll help you see Hajiya. Come, let's go sit on the bench."

She stood up and followed him, and they sat together on the bench. They were silent for a moment before he said, "Stop crying and be calm. Allah is the guardian of His servants. Even if a person has no one, if they believe in Allah, He will be their protector. Keep praying, and your siblings will recover, and you'll be able to play with them again."

She smiled, feeling comforted by his words. He reached over and picked up the pot he was using to boil tea. There were two small cups he used for pouring the tea. She watched him intently, fascinated by the small metal pot. He poured tea into one of the cups and handed it to her. She took it with both hands, grateful, as she hadn't eaten since yesterday. He poured himself a cup and sipped it while telling her a story about a spider and a lizard.