ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

Disguise Failed

Ulfa sat in the living room chair while reading Jatiya's book. He had to shift his focus away from bad thoughts about Hilfa. Otherwise, he would just keep crying all day.

So, the fat girl prefers to learn new things that she has not mastered at all. Many spells are very difficult to pronounce, let alone practice.

"I'm glad you're doing all you can."

Ulfa had gotten used to the voice that had always suddenly appeared in his mind. Jatiya hasn't left there yet. Maybe the figure of his ancestor wanted to make sure he mastered things that are very beyond reason.

"Thank you Jatiya. You also played a big part in my journey" replied Ulfa.

"But, it's actually okay if you want to cry once in a while because you remember your sister. Just release! Tear down your defense, so that your heart feels more spacious," said Jatiya who is sure to know everything that is being felt or thought by Ulfa. Because technically, they both share the same body.

Ulfa shook her head quickly. "I don't want to, Jatiya. I'm afraid, if I start crying, I don't know how to stop."

"alright. Whatever makes you better, Ulfa!" jatiya Tukas.

"Igcalculius!" As Ulfa chanted the spell, suddenly the paper before him gave off fire.

"Good!" said Jatiya who was proud to see Ulfa more adept at chanting the spark maker. "Enter now!"

Ulfa nodded. He pointed at the burning paper by reciting a slightly different spell. "Dimcalculius!"

In the blink of an eye, the fire on the paper went back out. Leave some of the paper that is still white, while some of it has turned into ash.

"You're getting better every day. You'll be stronger when your family comes, and help you" Jatiya said.

Ulfa frowned in wonder. "You mean, you're gonna help me? Help me with what?"

"Not your mother!"

"Then who? Daddy's? You said, only mothers have a witch bloodline. Don't tell me, I have it now!" tanya Ulfa still did not understand.

"Not your father! This figure is a family that has no blood relationship with you. He will arrive soon," continued Jatiya still make this ambiguity happen.

"Don't make me curious! Who is that guy?" ask Ulfa who is starting to be impatient.

"You should ask one of your friends! Has he ever had a strange dream? Which is beyond reason lately," said Jatiya.

Ulfa tapped his index finger to his chin several times. He recalled, his friends had told him some random dreams.

"You still confuse me, Jatiya. My friends have been having weird dreams lately. Like Intan, she dreams of becoming a nun, for her sometimes outrageous nature, that dream seems very strange. Then Annisa, she told me about her dream of becoming a queen bee. And also the strangest Renaldi. He had a dream of turning into the head of an HP charger three days ago" Ulfa said at length.

"You're so silly, Ulfa! Not that kind of dream. I mean, a dream that's weird but has meaning" Jatiya said.

Ulfa exhales. "I guess, dreams are just sleeping flowers, which have no meaning" he said, raising his shoulders.

"For some people, sometimes the dream has meaning. Ask your friend, Naya. I have a good feeling about him. That girl is probably your family. Our family!" Jatiya.

"Huh? He's my friend, not my family!" singal Ulfa's.

"You're! I told you, family doesn't have to be with people who share blood with you. Anyway, try asking Naya later!"

"All right!" Ulfa understood. He will obey what Jatiya says later.

***

"Hi! I'm Olivia!" Annisa reached out to a foreign girl of her age. Of course, still using his pseudonym.

The tomboyish-looking girl stared lazily. He did not even welcome a helping hand from Annisa. "New lo here?"

"Yes, I just want to hitchhike for a day or two" replied Annisa.

"Oh!" Just like that. The girl who was not known by her name by Annisa immediately waltzed away. He seems to have no interest in getting to know new people.

"Where can we look for clues, if already the three people we are acquainted with are really funny," complained Annisa to Ikbal who stood faithfully beside her. He did intend to ask the residents of this halfway house, whether there was any irregularities that occurred.

"Gue was also astonished, Nis. Should be, in a place like gini made for nyari friends as much. But, residents here seem like all ansos," said Ikbal. "But you are calm. There is still a fourth person who might want to be asked!" He pointed to a young man sitting on the front steps.

"Come on, we're samperin!" Annisa precedes Renaldi's steps, and approaches the young man who is engrossed in smoking.

"Hi! I'm Olivia!" Annisa reintroduced herself. This time, he coughed natively, no longer pretending. It was all because the cigarette smoke soaring in the air came from the young man, successfully affecting his throat. He was still wearing his green mask.

"Not smoking banned in this house, huh? I saw the sign below" said Ikbal, who was a little upset. Because that young man had made Annisa cough.

The young man stood up. "Gue never follows the rules. I make the rules," he said with a pushy face while dropping his cigarette butt down, then stepped on it using his shoes until it went out.

"So, you make the rules prohibited smoking, but you also violate it? How, anyway? I don't understand" said Annisa with her watery eyes, because her coughs just now were quite severe. Now, he understood that if he coughed outside, it might have been his hope that was granted at this moment. Really sucks.

Ikbal touched Annisa's shoulder. "Not that, Annisa. He's the kind of rebellious young man who doesn't want to be set up. So, he did as he pleased. That's what he meant," he whispered in front of Annisa's ear so as not to be heard by the young man.

"Gue dreaded it all times!" ketus the young man was still with a cynical face. However, the next second, laughter suddenly emerged from his mouth.

Ikbal and Annisa were throwing eyes at each other, and were shaking their heads. They think something is wrong with the guy, because it can change facial expressions as fast as lightning without any obvious cause.

"Lo all right? You don't consume anything anymore, do you? What's your cigarette just now?" ask Ikbal tiled with a snarl.

The young man stopped his laughter. Then, he placed his left palm on Ikbal's shoulder. "Gue is fine. I know, at first you thought I was the kind of rough teenager who uses muscles to show power."

Ikbal was astonished. Annisa too.

"This guy's not right. Come on, let's find the fifth man!" take Annisa while whispering.

"Why do you keep whispering about the person in front of you? You can do it on his face!" obviously the young man was smiling. "Known, I'm Candra. And, I'm not a teen rebel like you talkin. I mean, not really rebel-rebel." He extended his hand to the two people in front of him.

Annisa finally nodded and returned Candra's hand. "Olivia!"

So did Ikbal who welcomed the introduction by mentioning his fake name. "Rama!"

"So, what made you come here?" ask Candra curiously.

"We're pickpocketed, and we don't have any money to go home. So, while thinking of ways, we hitchhiked here first for a while," Ikbal explained still based on his lies.

Candra again laughed after hearing the answer from Ikbal.

This left Annisa and Ikbal astonished again. Why is Candra laughing so much for no reason? Does he have a mental disorder?

"How much of your money is lost to that crookedness? Especially you, Annisa! Uh, I mean Olivia!" ask Candra when she managed to stop her laughter.

Annisa and Ikbal return to throw eyes at each other. They are surprised because Candra turns out to know the figure of Annisa.