FLOWER WARS
Chapters 19. Shelter Place.
"They came" Asih said to the women; five men, who were wrapping spices in the middle room. The woman just appeared from behind the door. There was Bu Galuh, and also Bunga and Ningrum there.
"Take the train straight to the back, Asih," said Galuh.
"Current, Ma'am." Faded behind the door. Moments later, there were horse footsteps coming from beside the store.
Flowers notice, Miss Galuh's face is a little tense. The look in his eyes followed the movement of Bu Galuh's body stepping into the back door. At the doorway, the woman with the earthy face turned to look towards Bunga and the others.
"You can come with Mom?" pinta Bu Galuh's.
The five girls in the room moved from their seats and followed Galuh towards the backyard. The back yard is connected by a street next to a store lined with high walls separating the building with the building next door.
There, a horse-drawn carriage was waiting. A freight train carrying a large wooden box. The coachman, a middle-aged man tied head from a cloth, approached Galuh Bu.
"Ki Mangun, how's the trip going?" ask Miss Galuh.
"Currently, Mom." The coachman called Ki Mangun replied. He asked Galuh to look at the contents of the box. His muscular hand opened the lock.
Miss Galuh put the cover cloth in the box. There are three other boxes, each containing turmeric, nutmeg and cinnamon. The spices were brought by Ki Mangun from Batavia.
"Sobbly, you're here" asked Bu Galuh to the four girls behind him.
Bunga and Ningrum stepped first followed by the other two girls. Meanwhile, Bu Galuh asked Ki Mangun to move the box from the top of the horse carriage to the floor.
Ki Mangun then took down the other small boxes from inside the big box. Bu Galuh pulled up another cover cloth and saw several long barrel firearms loosened there.
Flowers surprise. Apparently the shipment of spices from Batavia was just camouflage to smuggle the weapons.
"Thank you, Ki Mangun. Panjenengan has done a good job," said Bu Galuh while shaking the man's hand.
Ki Mangun crossed one hand on the chest and said, "Decide!"
"Decide!" sahut Bu Galuh with the same hand gesture as Ki Mangun, followed by Ningrum and the two other girls, except for Bunga, who did not understand anything.
Ma'am Galuh asked Bunga and the others to take the weapons to the basement whose door was covered in straw. No one thought there was a door there.
The basement is quite large. And what makes the Flower flabbergasted is, the number of long barrel weapons and other types of weapons neatly arranged on the shelves that are lined up lengthwise.
"The place that the enemy cannot smell the most is, the place closest to them," Bu Galuh told the four girls, especially Bunga, as a new member.
"This is where we're holding the weapons for a while. Later it will be carried gradually by our fighters to the foot of Mount Telomoyo" said Bu Galuh.
"Why should it be housed here first? Because KNIL forces in the past year have carried out many operations to the corners of Semarang." Bu Galuh answered the question of Flowers that had not been spoken by the girl.
"They're very strict now that there's a rumor going around." Ma'am Galuh stared at the Flower. He covered his smile. "You must have heard that rumor, right, Nduk?"
The flowers nodded slowly. Chest rippling. His throat feels dry.
"You are the hopeful girls of this country."
"I know you've been discriminated against a lot since childhood. Here in our own homeland. The invaders are treating us. Calling us an jing, degrading our women, dredging our natural resources!" said Mrs Galuh fiery.
"You want in the future you can breathe the air of freedom, right? Without fear to do whatever you want?"
"When the time comes to reclaim our rights, you will take up arms ...." Bu Galuh pointed towards the shelves lined up behind him. "And drive the invaders out of our land."
Flowers nod. The short speech of Mrs Galuh was able to shake her heart. The woman's spirit was burning and contagious to her.
***
"Many things I have to do" said Bunga beside her.
"What exactly are you doing, Bunga?" jacob asked, looking at his friend.
Flowers thaw. "Just a lot."
"Now you like secret games, huh?"
"It's not secret. It's just, I don't need to tell you. It's a woman's business," chortled Flower.
The two friends had made up yesterday, after their quarrel at school. Bunga apologizes for being rude to Jacob, and Jacob has no problem with it.
"Flower, I heard a rumor about your father."
"Hm. Then?" Flowers throw pebbles in the middle of the river. The pebble did not go right into the water, but hit a small rock. The girl snorted.
"I hope the rumors are not true" Jacob said.
"If it turns out to be true?"
"I just hope it's not true. I'm so worried about you."
Flowers chuckling. "I'll be fine. So is my family."
The young man nodded. "Hopefully" he said.
"Why, Jacob?" ask Flowers. He saw the young man beside him breathing deeply.
The young man changed his seat. Now it faces the flower. "Could there be a revolt of the natives someday?" tanyakanya.
Flowers raise their eyebrows. He was quite surprised to hear Jacob ask that question. "Why? You scared?"
"I like this country. But I want to live a normal life. I want to coexist with the Inlanders."
"Don't call us by that name!" the Flower snapped while hitting Jacob's shoulder.
"Pardon me. I mean, side by side with the natives."
Flowers reveal a thin smile. "If all Dutch people thought like you, Jacob. But, the truth is not."
"I know." Jacob lowered his head.
"About your question, will you someday rebel?" The flower pulled the corner of her lips. "Have you ever read Albert Van Der Berg? It's in the library."
"Jsa ..."
"The Eighty Years War." The flower mentions the title of the book in question. "The Dutch revolt against the Spanish empire."
Back Flower pulled the corner of her lips. "I think you already know the answer."
Jacob swallowed his saliva heavily. Chest thumping. Fear began to envelop his heart. The flash of fire in the eyes of the Flower made his fear of a major change increase.
He just wants a normal life. Happy, with the girl in front of him.
***
