Jaka Umbara; The Wind Warrior

A sense of loss and despair

“Dawull..” isak Jaka, . He wiped his tears, hoping for a speck of magic to be seen. “Dawul, I'm sorry! I was wrong to take you to the hills to look for medicinal plants. If ... If only ... If only you hadn't followed my words, you wouldn't be like this,” said Jaka bowed.

The gentle rubbing of a hand made him flinch and as if unable to hold back, he shed his tears more profusely and cried even louder. Crying as his liking for being able to see his only friend and also crying as his sorrow for not being able to do anything to help his friend.

“Dav... L'm... Me...” Jaka began to flutter, not knowing what to do or say. He was only able to bow his head helplessly. “sorry, this is all my fault that invites you to go to the hill. If only I had told you not to leave, it would have been all this ..” His words stopped, his mouth unceasingly repeating the same words.

Dawul spoke with a heavy voice. “Jaka, stop constantly blaming yourself.”

“No! It must be my fault for taking you away.”

“There is nothing wrong with inviting me, anyway I also want to go with you”

“That's the problem. If I hadn't invited you, it would have been ... You must have ..” His words stopped again, Jaka did not dare to say what happened to his friend with his mouth.

“Jaka, look at me!” pinta Dawul's. Jaka was reluctant to look at Dawul's face. Dawul then clasped Jaka's hand to force Jaka to look at his face. “Listen! Stop blaming yourself. This isn't all your fault. This has become the destiny that has been set upon me. So, stop thinking as if this is your fault, yes.”

“But, i..”.

“Tak no words but. Uhukk!” Fresh blood came out of his mouth. Jakas started to look panicked. He immediately rushed off to seek help, but Dawul held him back.

“Dawul, let me go! Let me go find out who can help us, especially you," Jaka said. Dawul shakes a reluctant sign of seeing Jaka leave him. Then he signaled with a small nod so that Jaka brought his head closer. Jaka understood Dawul's intentions, then immediately approached and brought his head closer.

“Please help me..” pinta Dawul with a soft look.

“Please, pull out the wooden branch that stuck in my body.”

Jaka was shocked. “Hah!! What the hell are you thinking? Did you know the risk was huge?”

Jaka looked fixed on Dawul's face, Dawul looked back at Jaka, his eyes did not imply the slightest sense of concern for what would happen next. Jaka scrunched his forehead as if in disbelief.

“I... I don't dare.” said Jaka lirih.

Dawul holds Jaka's hand. The handle is tighter, like a child who is afraid of losing his toys. Dawul's gaze was getting closer to looking at Jaka's face. Her eyes seemed to tell her the pain she was feeling, hoping that Jaka would relieve her pain as soon as possible.

There was no other choice but to obey Dawul's request, Jaka thought. Jaka fostered a speck of courage and confidence in his hands, hoping that nothing would be scary after he pulled out a wooden branch stuck in Dawul's body.

Silence enveloped both. Not a single sound came out of Jaka and Dawul's mouth.

"All right, I'll do it." Jaka finally broke the silence between the two.

Dawul nodded, confidence emanating from his eyes, which meant that he was ready with all the consequences.

The wooden branch immediately pulled Jaka out after a few seconds counting the cue to start. Dawul held it as hard as he could. Uhukk! The wooden branch that had been stuck in Jaka's hand, blood flowing, Dawul grimaced in pain, while Jaka was confused by what to do at that moment.