LOVE SONGS OF LOLOBATA

RIVER LONGS

The journey to the river did not take long. It's only about 10 minutes. That flat object called GPS tracking is really sophisticated. It helps to point the way. The distance and time are measured with certainty. Greatable. Modern people have tools that make life easier.

"It's absolutely right, brother." I really admired the accuracy of the tool as well as realizing how many things I did not yet know. I'm still stupid. True said Fifi, rather I was outdated.

Brother Hisy smiled proudly like Arfa who was always proud to tell me a lot of modern things that I did not know. Patiently he reached out and helped me get off the horse.

"I'm gonna take a shower."

"Bring a change of clothes?"

I'm shaking. "But I brought a long cloth. Don't you guys look around."

Brother Hisy laughed loudly. While Bray smiled cynically.

"Watch a little bit there. We'll take a shower and find fish there." Hisy pointed in a different direction. I was asked to walk to find a safe place to bathe upstream, while the two men would move on the river closer to the downstream.

I know that determination was made to protect me. If the amites are drifting away from the current, they may be able to help because of the position of the water flowing towards the location they are moving.

"Be careful there are crocodiles." Bray shouted while chuckling.

"I'm just afraid of land crocodiles." I said loudly.

Both of them laughed louder and louder at my voice.

It is true that when bathing in the river we must be aware of river crocodiles, as well as ripples and whirlpools that can secretly drag us drifting carried away by the swift flow of the river.

"Nih, take a shower with soap to make it clean and not smell. Put that shirt on for a change." Bray threw a shirt made of jeans and a small sara bottle that he said contained soap. It's Natural soap. It seems that he uses a type of soap made from natural without detergent. This type of soap does not pollute river water, as the leaves I usually use for bathing.

I secretly admired him even more, because he seemed to care about nature and was reluctant to pollute the environment.

"Sister Bray?"

"I do not need soap, because from birth it is clean and fragrant" he replied with a smile.

Puih, cocky. Where there is a baby born already clean and fragrant. Everywhere the baby is born it must smell fishy because it is still covered in blood and amniotic fluid.

Strange to be arrogant Bray still looks charming. Judging from his looks, attitude and appearance, he does fit in a cute and arrogant style.

"Thank you."

Bray chuckles. I don't know what's funny. Maybe laugh at my stupidity.

I confidently called him Bray's sister when he never introduced himself. Later I learned from Arfa that his real name was not Bray, but Firdaus Sanjaya. He is not an indiscriminate person, but the son of the owner of PT XY - the place where Arfa and sister Hisham work. Uh, I'm a minder. I know and admire from a distance. Although he looks arrogant but at first glance I see his heart is good. The proof is that he gives soap and a long shirt to replace. If his pants are not going to be overstuffed, maybe he will also give his trousers to me.

Hihihi. Afifa, what satan you got? Let's do a lot of dhikr let the forest demons that control you run away.

I took a bath long enough to remember my body had not been exposed to water for a long time. It feels fresh to linger in the water. I also like to breathe in the fragrant soap that makes me like addicted to the smell. I want to spend the liquid soap to rinse my body so that the smell sticks longer. But I soon realized not to be greedy to use other people's belongings. Use just enough.

I reappeared where the horse was tethered with more confidence because my body was clean and smelly. Bray's shirt is oversized but very comfortable to wear. The shirt also added to my confidence many times.

The two men were a little surprised to see me clean. It may look more fashionable with jeans, trousers and a short pasmina that I tie in the back. My appearance doesn't look shabby, dirty and smelly anymore.

"It turns out that clean like this you're beautiful, Fifa. Arfa's crazy about you."

Ow? Why is Hisy's comment so?

"Obsolutely normal. Don't say pretty, she'll be big-headed." Bray responded quickly by commenting cynically.

Oops. I saw his eyes were stunned, his mouth was not in line.

Stop, Fifa. Let it. Don't mind him commenting anything. It is better to help Hisham prepare food.

The grilled fish that Hashim had prepared tempted my taste. Cooked with seasoning and not burned directly over the fire, but using a kind of ebonite-handled bowl of stainles smeared with butter. Many cookware brought them into the forest. Includes rice cooker pans, small stoves and gas in mini tubes. That's how modern city people take a vacation in the forest. Ribet.

They also carry drinking water filters. They do not dare to drink river water directly, but must be put into a tool they call a new filtration put into the bottles of water their drinking supplies. Really troublesome.

"This is called "filtration. Its function is to ensure the condition of hygienic water and worth drinking." said Hisham when I helped him put the filtered water into the bottles of their drinking water supply.

Bray's brother did not help Hisham's activities at all. He's busy practicing archery. I don't know what the target is. I saw that there was fruit falling because of the arrows he laughed proudly. I thought the target was fruit archery.

"Sister Hisham is good at cooking."

"Yes, the grilled fish is delicious."

"My family has a restaurant in Ternate. When did Bray stop by there."

"Surely." Bray gave his thumbs up.

Oh, Brother Hisham is real Ternate. I summed up the identities of my two new friends through conversation alone. Dare not to wonder directly.

"Week ahead Bray is still here or has he returned to Jakarta?"

"I went back to Jakarta. The business here is done."

"When do you want to dive on Kei Island? Sa is ready to accompany Bray."

"Wait for the news." Bray replied lightly.

I dare not join the chatter of the two men. Better to be busy enjoying the cooked grilled fish Hisham. A full stomach is more important than anything else.

Their schedules are still tight. They plan to walk into the forest to goa Melisa to explore the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites and natural cave ecosystems in the cave whose name is taken from the name of the American Botanist who researches the forest ecosystem in the forest the TNAL area.

So not feeling good. I want to go home soon so as not to trouble my new friends. How could I have seen Brother Hisham running to lead a horse like that. Moreover, I wanted to immediately meet mama to ask why the tomb of Baba was moved without my consent. There are many things in your head that need to be resolved immediately.

"No need to drive home. Brother Hisham just show the way home. Sa can go home alone. Sa sure this su close. By walking down the river will reach home. Sa just needs a definite direction upstream or downstream."

Actually if allowed I want to borrow GPS tracking that's all. But of course it's impossible. They need the tool more because their travel route is longer and must enter the forest area. I just stay down the river.

"Why do you think you can go home by yourself?"

"Related."

"Where are you healthy?"

"certain. Thank you for helping and feeding and drinking so much." I said shyly.

Hisyam's sister took GPS tracking out of her pants pocket.

"Rumah ngana about 4 kilometers from here. Down the river upstream."

True allegations. My house is not too far from here.

"Thank you for everything. I'm sure I can go home by myself."

"Sa told Arfa yes. Sorry, I can't take ngana now. Sa has to accompany Bray to goa Melisa first."

"What's wrong. Sa who is confused how to repay the kindness of Hisham. A debt of life."

"We're friends. No need to feel that."

I said goodbye by waving at Brother Bray who returned engrossed in practicing arrows. He also replied with a wave of hands from a considerable distance. His smile still contains caffeine, makes the spirit and heart pounding fast. Akh.