ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

(Tick-Tok) The More Time Chased

"Day! The deadline is nine days away," whispered Sandi to Naya who was seen drowning in daydreams.

Naya was stunned, all the jelimet that was in her head just now, as if disappearing for a moment. He is unable to answer Sandi's questions, which are confused with the task of a mysterious message that has been terrorizing her for some time.

"If I had the power to be a child, maybe I would give myself to be kidnapped pretending to be Sandi," said Naya. The irrationality that occurred in his life made his mind branch, running around everywhere.

"Friend you're coming, tuh!" Sandi pointed towards the door of the cafe that had just opened, while taking a deep breath. He understood the attitude of Naya who refused to answer his statement. The girl must be very dizzy also looking for a way.

Naya immediately approached Annisa who was sitting on the seat of one of the deserted tables. "What's the latest?" he asked to put aside the tension and disagreement that was going on between the two of them.

"Gue guess, my father was the mastermind of the kidnapping," said Annisa who was more determined by her assumption.

Naya widened her eyes for a moment. Not because of the shock, but because he had thought that this would come. He had suspected Aji Atmaja for a long time.

"And we already know where the hiding place is," said Naya as she put her hands in front of her chest.

Annisa nodded her head. However, he felt that something was troubling. "If it's true that my father's base is in the Alpenian jungle, then what does he use to protect his rottenness? You remember that time, we couldn't all go inside to investigate."

Naya shook her head. "Not everything. I, Ulfa is just as Iswanti is unaffected, right?"

"Yes. Lo's right. But it's still weird."

"Lo has magical powers?" ask Naya suddenly.

Annisa frowned, "do you mean?"

Naya thinks that the shield that protects Aji Atmaja's evil is not something ordinary. There might be foreign powers or energies at play in that. Therefore, he asked Annisa if she had a miraculous power beyond reason, who knows is a descendant of her father?

"Of my words" Naya ralat shook her head. He's really confused. The problem seems to come in a row, without a definite solution.

Annisa nodded her head. "Keep, how's your progress? Have you found out how to avoid the problem of Sandi bang?" he asked while looking at Sandi who was standing behind the cashier's desk. He also waved his hand while smiling warmly.

"Gue's so dead-end, Nis. Maybe from the beginning, my step was wrong, because he told me to go too deep. I should've prevented him from meeting that mysterious person. But, I pushed him instead," Naya explained with a great sense of regret.

"It's all happening, Nay. There is no point in blaming yourself. Now, you just have to be sure, that the way out you'll meet later," Annisa suggested.

"But how? I'm afraid of ruining other people's lives, Nis! When I have to find a child who is willing to be kidnapped pretending to be Sandi? Besides being cruel, it's also dangerous." Naya held onto her forehead which felt very hot. It might explode soon.

"Yes. That's risky, Nay." Annisa nodded in agreement to Naya's words.

"Especially bang Sandi even said an even crazier idea. When she wants to make her own sister a decoy?" Naya again could only shake her head. He felt like the most stupid and evil person in the world.

Annisa patted the shoulder of Naya who was sitting in front of her. "Prophe Nay!" Suddenly an idea popped into his head. He realized that the idea was as crazy as all of Naya's explanations. However, indeed all things related to this matter would feel very crazy and dangerous.

"Gue, I think I found an idea, Nay!"

Naya who was bowing her head, then immediately looked up with her eyes widened. "What?"

"But I'm not sure!" answer Annisa.

"Say me!" naya urged.

Naya nodded. "So, you want us to deceive the mysterious person by taking the adults as children, not the real children as they want?"

Annisa was breathing out violently. "Gue doesn't know. Only, Eksa is a very good person. I don't want to be the bad guy who seems to take advantage of his kindness."

Naya nodded in understanding. He saw the worry on Annisa's face. "Lo's right! I've been wondering how much regret I've endured, for dragging a good man into this. Do not repeat the mistakes I made, Nis," said Naya as she turned her head to look at Sandi who gave her a faint smile.

"But, you said, if Sandi's bang doesn't qualify, she's both in danger. Do we want to waste the possibilities that could help them?" Annisa was really confused right now. On the one hand, he felt sorry for Sandi, but he also could not sacrifice Eksa who would not necessarily want to be asked for help.

Naya finally could only shut up, no more comments to respond to Annisa's remarks just now. Hence, he chose to move the topic. "There's one more concern for me. Are we really capable of fighting your father? I'm afraid, when we've sacrificed Sandi bang, we still lose."

Annisa widened her eyes. "Hey! Lo it's Naya! The bravest girl among me and my friends. Why is your guts even ciut gini now?"

Naya also doesn't understand what happened to her. After his strength was revealed, instead of getting bolder, he seemed to turn into a coward.

"Lo calm down. Let's see, will my father hurt me—his own daughter?" it was clearly Annisa who hoped her words would ease Naya's anxiety.

"But, you really don't have magic powers, do you?"

Annisa was astonished. He knitted his eyebrows more and more tightly. "Why are you nanyain doing that again? I'm a regular human, Nay! Or maybe you have super powers?"

Naya nodded her head slowly. He looked at Annisa seriously.

"Huh? Really?"

Naya circulates her gaze around, making sure things are safe enough to prove her point to Annisa. Because only a few people know the strangeness that happens in him.

This afternoon, cafe visitors are very quiet. There were only two tables in the corner filled. Meanwhile, another one is filled by Naya and Annisa. The situation was quite favorable for Naya.

"Look under the table!" tell Naya to Annisa.

Annisa's eyes became more bully after following Naya's request. He saw his friend's palm emitting a white light. Curious, he touched his friend's arm, though with trembling hands.

"It's cold!" Annisa immediately pulled her hand back, after finding her hand turning ice-cold after coming into contact with the light.

Naya turned her shoulders. "It's cold sometimes it's hot" he explained. He realized the tinge from his hand was at high temperature when attacking the thugs who attacked Faisal on his way here not long ago. And while treating Renaldi's injuries at school, as well as Faisal's falling off the bike, the light felt very cold.

"Lo scared?" annisa asked to make sure, after seeing Naya's facial expression that turned moody.

"Lo's scared of me, isn't he?" Naya turned the question around.

Annisa shook her head. "Gue had experienced something even more frightening. You forget, if I ever attacked the same Iswanti who possessed the spirit of his ancestor Ulfa fit in the library at that time?" clearly accompanied by laughter.

"So, I'm not afraid of that power at all. Lo should be happy. That power came definitely with a certain intent!"

"What if that meant something evil?" ask Naya. In fact, that was what he feared the most from the strange power he possessed.

"Then you yourself have made your mind evil, Nay. You have to be sure, it all comes with good intentions. Believe that!" annisa.

Naya found her conversation with Annisa this time very useful. He can even judge the attitude of the girl who turned out to have a high sense of care. In fact, he could forget his frustration with Annisa who did not have any faults in her.