ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

The Rider

Walking together in the middle of the silence of the city by maintaining a predetermined distance, making the atmosphere awkward. The night wind touched both of their skin. Very cold snuck, pierced to the bone. The atmosphere was even colder, as the two of them did not speak to each other.

Faisal was confused as to what to say, for fear that his words were outrageous. He realized that the last conversation with the girl in front of him was wrong. Better, he thought and designed good words so that they could be accepted by Naya.

As for Naya, there was no specific reason. He just didn't want to talk to the young man behind him.

"Where's the month, huh?" faisal said an insignificant pleasantry while staring at the black sky, making Naya amused herself.

The girl was silent, even though it felt like she wanted to get uprooted. Unexpectedly, Faisal who always looked chaotic, turned out to be able to say so. Disgust and funny to hear it.

Unresponsive, the young man quickly thought again. Looking for a more interesting remark, "the stars on the fall time yes, until there is none in the sky."

Thats enough. The girl couldn't help it. He finally chuckles.

Faisal, who thought his words were poetic, was confused, why did Naya laugh? Finally he laughed awkwardly.

"What the hell lo? Alay!" naya's ridicule as her laughter gradually disappeared.

Faisal smiled bitterly, "I was confused about what to say. Let's look at you."

"By the way, yes, by the way. But that makes sense!" naya then returned to laughing.

Seeing the carefree happy Naya, Faisal now laughed heartily.

"Gue thought, what message did you want? Even sleeping." The atmosphere melts by itself. Naya who from earlier intended not to dabble in the discussion, it turns out even by volunteering to make a topic.

"Emmmmm.. Nothing at all," said the young man relaxed.

Naya already understood the direction of this conversation. Surely the young man will bring out his mainstay. Shew. Finally, he did not ask again.

"Well, is that it?" faisal asked astonished, as the girl seemed to stop talking.

Naya looked at Faisal with a qlis, "if I ask your reason, the answer would be as usual. Tombal. 'Gue just wait lo, I want to nganterin lo go home with sincere intentions, and blah blah blah.' Which, you know I don't have the same problem. Even likes to be disgusted to hear it."

Faisal replied with a laugh, "if that's the reason, what should I say? Time has to lie?"

After taking a short pause, he continued, "go this afternoon to the cafe, and you are not there. I kept asking your coworker who works sif during the day, and he said you take sif at night. As a concerned man, the cave is worried that you're coming home late at night alone, and I'm willing to volunteer to let you go home, keep-on,"

"That's it, you tombal!" cut Naya did not let the young man finish his words.

Faisal smiled. In his heart, he did not expect this moment to happen. Not imagining, he would talk to Naya without a fight, as usual.

Both were silent within a few seconds. Until, Naya's fear spoke when she saw the black shadow that had just come out of one of the house windows that were pitch black, there was no lighting in the slightest.

"Hey. You see that, don't you?" he panicked a little by pointing at the direction of the shadow.

"What?" Faisal narrowed his eyes because his vision was a little unclear.

"That!" Naya is still giving directions with her index finger. "Eh, uh, uh, he's running!" he continued excited when he saw the black shadow turned out to be a person dressed all in black. A thief with his stolen goods.

"Damn, it's a robbery!" faisal said it didn't help.

"Gue tau's. Chase dong!" Naya removed the distance, and hit the young man's shoulder. Then, quickly ran over, trying to catch the thief.

Faisal followed, followed Naya and preceded her. However, late. The thief disappeared instantly. Tub lost in the dark of the night. Disappearance as fast as lightning.

The newly arrived Naya, aligned herself with Faisal, "Where?" ngos-ngosan.

"I don't know, he's missing. It's so dark! I couldn't see clearly, he turned left, right, or straight" Faisal said, breathing in as well.

Seen a disappointed look on Naya's face, because it did not manage to catch the other person's stuff.

"Lo won't let me get here, will you? My house is close, just turn left and-,"

Not even Naya finished her sentence, Faisal immediately denied, "no! I'm anterin to the front of your house. Didn't you just see? This town is not safe!" he involuntarily clasped Naya's wrist.

Naya immediately released the link, "don't hold it!" His attitude turned out to be back again. "OK, come!" He continued walking ahead.

Faisal followed, completing his task with full responsibility. Take Naya to the destination.

"OKAY. I never thought I would say this the same. But, thank you for coming home," said Naya hesitated.

"Either. As a guy-,"

"Don't molly! Come home, it's late!" cut off Naya immediately, and gently exorcise Faisal.

"Okay, I'll see you soon!" Faisal walked backwards away from Naya, and waved with a smile.

Naya quickly entered her house, greeted by her mother who apparently peeked at her through the window from earlier. Understandably, please worry a mother when her only daughter is not home when it is past midnight. Despite knowing and believing, if his son could not have done anything wrong.

"You're finally home too. Why are you taking her with you?" Vienna was relieved, and asked a little dislike. How not? Faisal's father had at least made him suffer. By setting a large interest on the money he borrowed for Naya's treatment when he was ten years old.

Seven years ago, Naya was sick. Critical a few days in the hospital, because it was hit by a car while playing a bicycle.

Vienna was forced to borrow seven million in illegal money, having no money, and no relatives to lend. And until now, the debt was never paid off, because every month, the interest doubled.

"So he nawarin to nganter me. He said he felt sorry if I went home alone," explained Naya in a soft voice, a little hesitant.

Vienna touched his daughter's shoulder, "boy, I don't like it when you're close to her son Hermawan. You know what his father did to us?" she explained gently, trying to make her daughter understand.

And of course, Naya understood.

"Yes already. You take a break! Or do you want to eat first?"

"No ma'am. I want to go straight to sleep, tired, run away," answered Naya to make her mother a little surprised.

"Run?"

"Yes mom. There was a theft just now, I'm the same Faisal tried to pursue, but lost track" explained Naya.

"Ouch. Whose house was robbed?"

"It looks like Rima deh's house," said Naya a little thought.

"Ouch. Your friend's ass, yes!" Vienna is concerned.

Naya nodded. "Udah ma'am. I sleep, I sleep first!" he immediately left his mother to the room, and lay down on the bed. Today was quite exhausting.