THE MYSTERIOUS LADY

The vehicle was a 2014 red Toyota Camry. It drove down the street to a block with 100 apartments. There are very few residential apartments on the street, and the other buildings are used for business purposes. Standing elegantly on 3-inch red heels, a woman about five feet tall and fifty kilograms in weight emerged from the car wearing a black short-sleeved gown with a black veil around her neck and over her head. She also held a black pouch in her left hand.

The car's boot opened as she approached it, revealing a large red box. The vehicle drove away after she carefully closed it.

After a few moments of standing there and watching the people around her move, she entered the building and made her way directly to the first floor, where her newly moved apartment was located.

As she was leaving the street, there were some rumours and a few words that were thrown into the air about the apartment that had been furnished a few days earlier by a company that arranges apartments for new tenants before they begin living there. She brought a certain vitality to the street that sparked interest.

The following morning, she was all decked out in black and white sneakers, ready to go for a run. She took a few steps to the left side of the building and found herself standing in front of a shop that appeared to be well-structured, with glass covering the front from halfway up. The dusty appearance suggests that it has not been used for a considerable amount of time. After a few moments of staring at the store, she began to run in the opposite direction.

As she sprinted out of sight, the street was filled with people staring at her from their various shops.

When she returned at noon, the people on the street were curious about her energy levels and how she managed to work out for so long.

People were curious about her identity and the reasons behind her daily routine because, after returning from her workout at noon, she does not leave the house until later in the evening to get anything, if necessary, and then until the following morning.

The shop on the left side of the building is the first place she always stops before starting her daily run.

That was something an old man always noticed, but she was not aware.

He approached her and asked, "Are you interested?" as she stopped on a fateful morning.

She turned and silently gazed at him, her eyes so meaningless that no one could decipher what they were saying.

As he approached the store, he kept talking while peering through the glass. "I will advise you to let it go if you are interested in it, as it will only cause you headaches, if not loss." Then he turned and left. In his absence, she smiled and began her daily run.

He is approached by some of the nearby residents as she disappears, asking him what they discussed. "Nothing much," he said, and entered his appliance store.

She came into his store one day to get something and was about to settle the bill. Since he is aware of her interest, he inquired whether she had changed her mind. She opened her mouth to speak for the first time.

In response, she said, "Everything will fall into place when the time is right."

"Then you have to be prepared for a difficult battle," the elderly man says.

"How is business in this area?" Calmly, she asked.

"It is more like a battlefield. Those in front usually die quickly, unless you have what it takes, because those pulling the strings are not merciful in any way. They are only interested in controlling this street and exploiting the people. Sometimes it feels like we are feeding off of what they have left behind."

"It will not be long." She replied sternly as she picked up her package and headed to the door.

"So the one is finally here," the elderly gentleman said with a smile.

Two months have gone by since their conversation, bringing her stay since moving in to three months.

One Monday morning, a cab pulled up and waited by the gate.

She emerged one minute later, dressed very differently from the way she had been the days before. Her appearance was breathtaking, and many were captivated by the rays of her grace. Jaws were dropping. There was a brief period of calm, and every one of their faces seemed to be running out of oxygen. After the cab picked her up and disappeared, everything returned to its usual chaotic state.

In order to find out more about her abrupt transformation, the nearby store owners hurried to meet the elderly man.

"I guess the battle is about to begin," the elderly man remarked, laughing. When he entered his store, he continued to laugh, leaving them perplexed as to what he meant.

Being the al Jazeeras of the street, they were wondering if there was a fire somewhere else that they were unaware of.

She returned later in the evening with the shop's keys. Since it has been impossible for anyone to take over the shop, everyone was staring in disbelief at how that could be.

A few contract cleaners arrived the following day and cleaned the space, even rearranging it to make it more comfortable and traditional. It has two sections: one where she made it so that people could sit and enjoy coffee or tea, and another with books and chairs so that people could sit and read. Her business consists of selling books, renting them out, and selling tea and coffee.

Her selection of colours for the interior design was eye-catching and revitalising.

On the first day of business, the elderly man came along with other street vendors. Her ability to fix the place astounded them all.

Except for the elderly man, everyone else asked, "Why books?" as she welcomed them with tea.

"It is for you and the rest of the people in the street," the elderly man said, taking the floor before she could respond.

"Who has the time to come and sit just to read?" they all murmured. They all laughed aloud when a woman who owns a cosmetics store said, "Except that person lacks work or has too much money." 

"But tell us, who are you, or what connection did you have to get this shop?" one of the women then asked her. "Because it is distinctive and appears to be held for a particular individual."

Without responding, she simply grinned and continued to serve others.

Following the tea and a brief conversation, the elderly man wished her luck before everyone went about their daily lives.

Later that day, two black Mercedes drove by and stopped at her shop. Four people got out of the other car, while two got out of the first. While the two entered her store, the other four went to other stores.

They appeared haughty and uncultured.

She approached them and asked kindly if she could be of any assistance to them.

She was asked for three cups of coffee by the diminutive one.

His partner invited her to join them as she offered it to them. She joined them at the table, composed and graceful.

Then he started talking, stopping occasionally to sip his coffee as the short-statured man listened and nodded in agreement.

He explained to her that the street is run by them, that there must be a return for the community, and that they will get what they ask for.

When he finished speaking, she grinned. The way she reacted confused them.

She then questioned them, "Do you know how I got this exact shop?"

The question conveyed a sense of how they should perceive her.

All they did was get up and leave. "I might not have much knowledge on how you managed to get this place, but that does not change anything around here, so enjoy this victory you manage to obtain before it is taken, and you will be left with nothing," the small-framed man said toward the door.

“Maybe some victories are the beginning of a liberation,” she responded as he turned to go.

They both glanced at her before heading for their cars without saying anything. After the others joined them, they drove away.

The al Jazeeras rushed to ask questions, but she assured them that they should not worry. Everything is fine.

As time passed, her store was doing very well. Books that educate and enlighten the mind and perspective on life are among the fascinating books that can be read. The place was enjoyable for both young and old, and it was not too expensive.

Occasionally, she would leave and return. She was once asked by the street's al Jazeeras where she usually goes during the day on a particular day.

She then told them, "When fighting a war, you do not sit back and wait for the enemy to surrender; you have to make the necessary move to make the enemy surrender."

“And who is fighting a war?” one of the men questioned.

With a smile, she carried on with her activities.

As time passed, the frequency with which those black Mercedes appeared began to deteriorate.

People started to question what was going on.

They eventually stopped coming around.

One morning, she invited all of the shop owners to a meeting. "You will not see those groups of people around here again," she said to them.

They were relieved to hear this because the people had been extorting them of their monthly interest, but they were also perplexed as to how this was possible.

One of the women, who runs a saloon, asked how this could be.

"There are wars that you fight with intellect instead of fists," she added. A lot of things, including things that are already in your possession, can be taken away by ignorance. It is best to fight some battles without using fists, and some battles in silence; let the outcome be the thing that proves a battle was ever fought. Too much noise can attract the wrong kind of attention, which can lead to distractions, and distractions in battle only cause one to lose."

They were all silent and unable to ask any more questions. Their teas and coffees are simply gulped down.

Later, they departed one by one, leaving the lady and the elderly man behind.

"Who are you?" he asked as he approached her. 

“Me?”— She answered.

"Yes, you." While he waits for her answer, the elderly man remarks, "Because there is more than meets the eye."

“I’m just someone who moves a lot and leaves a trace wherever I go,” she said with a sigh. "I take on the challenges that lie ahead of me and try to fix what I can. Building and creating are things that interest me. Simply put, I always leave a piece that can be widely dispersed to add brightness to the area.”

After taking his final sip, he set the cup down on the table and left. He turned to face her at the door and told her, "You have used your knowledge to do a lot. Even when there are alternative strategies to win the fight, it is simple for someone who lacks knowledge to use their fist to win at any cost. You made them vanish in silence without clenching your fist. You dropped a whole you that will be remembered in the history of this street, not just a piece.” Then he left.

It had been seven months since their meeting.

Someone came early on a Monday morning and opened her shop. They were curious as to why he was there. When asked about her whereabouts, all he could say was that she was not present.

After a week, she came by, and they were all delighted to see her. They asked where she went, and she said she had to move, and she is here to tell them about it and say goodbye.

The news that she was leaving dampened their spirits.

She packed out her belongings and departed the following day.

"She never intended to stay long, and besides, she is through with what brought her here," the elderly man told them, despite their wishes for her to stay. "She has accomplished her goal and purpose; nothing remains. Now it is up to you to continue building on what she has left."

Pointing to her shop, “She has even left all the tools you will need to continue building.”

Life went on, and the street continued to thrive as it drew more people, and everyone who came heard her story.