Santri Famiglia's

Kiwano Farmer

"Although this is wild nature, it is best not to take anything when not pressed. It could be that this was all deliberately planted by indigenous tribes inland. That's the same as stealing if we're picking it without permission, right? Moreover, I heard from Uncle Fukai that these plants are maintained," explained Abrizar.

Sanubari scowled, sighed disappointedly mixed in annoyance, continuing to follow Abrizar barefoot. Shoes are carried on the right and left hands. The kiwano garden is very large. More than a kilometer from their starting point, the vines were still stretched.

In the next kilometer, nine giant roots greeted them. All three must be careful, treading the braid of roots that cover the ground.

Sanubari and Fukai frowned, staring at the road ahead. However, Abrizar continued to advance with a limp.

"Sister Abri, in front of a dead end" said Sanubari.

He thought Abrizar didn't know because he couldn't see. So, the man kept moving forward. In the direction they were headed, there was nothing. Except, a giant tree trunk that is like a barrier wall. On the right and left they are increasingly higher roots so that they can be made to hide.

One that approached the trunk even reached a height of three meters. The tree is really big. Sanubari until round and round looking up. No sunlight could slip between the gaps of the leaves. That place is very shady.

"We are going in the right direction" replied Abrizar.

As per the navigation on the phone, they are not off the mark at all. That point is getting closer. Less than ten meters away, they would precisely arrive at the destination point.

"We can see it. Does Abri doubt our vision? In front there is only a tree. There's no way anymore. There ain't! Why keep moving forward?"

Sanubari raised the voice. His forehead is shrinking.

Fukai wiped the sweat with his sleeves. Their place is now quite shady. However, the heat still followed as they had just walked under the sunburn.

"Sanu's right, Bri. I'm sure this isn't a mirage because of the heat like that. But, in front of us is completely dead-end."

A few steps passed, they finally stopped. Abrizar felt the texture of the wood in front.

"What I said, dead end, right?" sanubari Cibir.

Abrizar ignored that. He had different thoughts from his two traveling companions. He continued to move to the right and left while palpating the trunk.

Then, the blind man asked, "Is there something here that looks like a door?"

Abrizar let out a rough breath. His fingers could not find what was expected. He then attached the earlobe to the stem.

"Since when can a rod have a door?"

Sanubari raised an eyebrow. That sounds like a fantasy movie. A magical door on a tree in a forest. Then, whoever passes through it will be brought to an unexpected country. The Sanubari imagination moves wildly.

"It's true. Let's go to the other side of the tree! The door may be there," asked Abrizar.

It pulls Sanubari out of the world of imagination. The young man looked at Abrizar who was rotating in direction.

"What's? No way! Not likely. There's no way such a magic door exists in a modern world like this, right?" exclaim Sanubari while trailing behind Abrizar.

The young man smiled widely, enthusiastic at something impossible. He was very noisy near Abrizar, whistling, holding tight to the shoelaces and then turning the shoes around like a windmill.

"Don't tell me this is actually such a tourist spot!"

"Sorry to disappoint your expectations. But, there was no such thing as a magical portal to another world. It's not a movie studio either" replied Abrizar.

He walked while touching the roots. One by one the roots that blocked the view were passed. The sun is moving west.

Sanubari was somewhat disappointed by Abrizar's reply. He followed quietly in the following minutes. It is unfortunate that such a miracle in his delusion failed to become real. In fact, Sanubari had hoped.

Not long after, they reached a cleaner ground. No more roots sticking out. However, the kiwano fields remain visible, surrounding a giant tree.

Sanubari. In the middle of that vast forest, he heard someone humming.

"Are my ears mirroring?" sanubari asked while scraping her ears.

After all, the nature around them seemed deserted and empty. It was strange to hear another human voice.

"Where is there a mirage for hearing? The mirage is an optical hoax" Fukai said, despite hearing the chant.

Looking to the left, the sky had become orange. The sun seems to have reached the horizon. Roma Sanubari fur suddenly stood in alarm.

"I heard it too. It is a human voice" said Abrizar. He kept walking.

Realizing that dusk will soon be replaced by night, Sanubari slightly creeps. Imagining a night in the wild made him shudder in horror. He did not know what other ferocious beasts would be active when the sky was dark and attack them. He would definitely not be able to sleep quietly.

Attacked by a wild animal while sleeping—it was not fun at all. Sanubari immediately turned his attention again.

He ran to the side of Abrizar, then whispered softly, "Wait, Brother Abri! Why approach the source of the sound? What if it's a ghost? The ghosts of the wild must have been fiercer and stronger. Just like that weird animal this afternoon."

"That's just your fantasy" replied Abrizar indifferently.

"I hope this place is safe enough if we have to spend the night here" Fukai said.

His gaze was thrown far to the other end of the expanse of kiwano fields, as long as they walked. The iron fence was not visible. The trees hide it perfectly.

Back now they would reach the middle when the sky was dark. It'll be more dangerous.

"Kiwano, kiwano, kiwano, orange dazzles your cooking skin. Slapped wild in Africa, you're refreshing. Split this orange oval, anybody! And you'll find green cucumbers in it.

"The juicy green fiber, oh, is refreshing. Bananas, lemons, passion fruit, cucumbers, what flavors can the tongue recognize? Kiwano, oh, kiwano, what are you? Melons, cucumbers, bananas, passion fruit, oranges?"

That's the lyrics they hear. The voice sounded clearer. When passing through one more root, Sanubari and Fukai saw a wheeled vehicle like a motor with a cart.

In the middle of the kiwano field, the man in green clothes crouched down. Caps resembling kiwano fruit cover part of the face. Beside him, there was a small pull carriage like a child's toy. Some ripe kiwano piled up there.

"Ah, it's full, huh?" said the man while carrying a freshly picked kiwano.

As he stood up, he saw three strangers not far from him. The twenty-seven-year-old man was unmoved.