6. Someone new

A 40-something woman is pounding on your door. She’s in running gear and she’s pissed. You open the door, leaving the screen between you.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes. You can. I’m in room 10 and there’s no water.”

‘Fuck,’ you think. Evidently the problem in room 9 was worse than you thought.

“I’m going out for a run, my daughter is still asleep, but I’ll want a shower when I’m back, so you’d better attend to it.”

She doesn’t even wait for you to respond before she jogs off down the road.

You sigh and grab your clothes from yesterday and your toolkit. You look down across the row of doors and see that the door to room 10 has been left ajar. You wonder if that woman is considerate or forgetful. The thought of her daughter asleep and vulnerable inside the room crosses your mind. You hope whoever the girl is will make it worth your time.