SET DUSK
The Part 16
They continued walking until the sun was at its highest point. The heat is not so pronounced, because the cool air from the forest. However, Ida began to fatigue to continue the journey. His legs are starting to swell. The skin around her ankle began to flushed.
"You tired Da?" The voice of the man broke the silence.
"No, Mom" he answered briefly.
"Then why are you so long, we will spend the night in the forest if you walk like a snail so," said mak dang.
"Where's your leg?" shamsyir asked when he saw Ida barefoot, ignoring the awkward atmosphere created between the mammoth and the niece.
"Yesterday when told to flee to the forest, I did not have time to wear it" said Ida slowly while looking down.
Shamsyr deftly tore both of his sleeves.
"You only use this to cover your feet, Da," said Syamsyir handed over both sleeves made of thick cloth.
Ida glanced at the dang mak, there was a sense of hesitation to receive the help of Shamsyr for fear of his master.
"Hurry up you put it on your feet, so we can continue the journey," said the dang mak.
Ida took the two sleeves from Shamsyr's hands, sheathing them to both feet. They continued on again, hoping to reach their destination before the sun set.
"Syir, can we get there before the magrib in Kubang Putiah?" The voice of the mak dang broke the silence again.
"Hopefully it can be Ngku."
"You will stay at my house first. Tomorrow morning you continue your journey to Birugo. We do not know the condition of Bukittinggi how," continued mak dang.
"No need Ngku, I have to quickly convey the message I carry," Syamsyr declined.
Ida just found out, it turns out Syamsyir is also one of the messengers. All this time he only knew Syamshir was bringing logistics supplies for them.
"True yes, too" said the madam who confirmed the words Shamsyr.
"Da, you're rushing the way." Mak Dang looked at Ida.
"Why are your legs?" ask mak dang later, when he realized Ida was walking limping.
"It looks like the leg that got stuck in the tree root yesterday sprained mak dang, now swollen," said Ida began to dare to speak to mak dang.
"Let me see." Mak dang approaching Ida.
Ida pulled the tip of the pants that covered her ankles. The skin around his ankles had already started to turn purple.
"The problem could get worse if we force Ida to walk Ngku." This time it was Rizal who opened his voice.
"Yes, let's rest for a while, I'll find medicinal herbs around here to relieve the swelling" Shamsyir chimed.
Mak dang. A little guilt was on his face.
"Yasudah, we just treat your feet first Da," said mak dang later.
"No need, I'll just get home. I'm still strong" Ida said.
"You don't have to force yourself if you can't, '" Rizal said.
The three men who were in front of Ida just kept quiet, then looked at each other.
"Yes, there's nothing for you to worry about, the guy himself said it's okay. Let's continue the journey. The fog has started to come down" said mak dang.
Mak dang understands very well the character of his nephew, stubborn. Although people around him worried about him, but his niece always refused the attention of others.
" But Ngku.... " Shamsyir tried to put forward his argument.
"Oh yes, this child does not need to be pitied. Do not equate with another weak woman, she is strong" said mak dang.
Ida was stunned to hear the words of mak dang. Either he must be proud because his dang mak think he is not a weak woman, or instead must be discouraged because his dang mak not too care about his condition.
But he later realized that his master was behaving so also because of his attitude that was too stubborn on his family.
The fog in the forest began to thicken, the sunlight that had been so bright began to dim covered with large tree leaves.
"Da, you hold on to this rope. The fog is getting thick," said mak dang handed a rope to Ida's hand.
Ida took the rope given by the dang mak, tied it to the hand, so as not to be released. Recollected by him when he was in the pine forest with fellow PMI volunteers. Instantly the feeling of tightness reappeared. Remembering Maryam whom he could not deliver to his final resting place. Either they've buried Maryam's body or they haven't.
Quickly Ida tried to shake off her sadness. The atmosphere of the forest that began to darken covered with fog made him remember the message of the parents, should not bring a feeling of sadness when in the forest.
"Syir, you're not going the wrong way, are you?" Mak dang looks a little worried.
"God willing is not Ngku, here the fog is usually thick. Later a few meters ahead, the fog will be reduced" said Syamsyir.
"Well," replied the man briefly.
The air that began to get colder pierced the skin, making Ida put her hands on her chest. The sleeves that Shamsyir gave to cover his feet were not very helpful to warm his feet.
The fog that covered the forest made the atmosphere around him seem so faint. Even Rizal who was in the front row was not so visible to Ida. Sometimes he sees his mother looking back. Maybe make sure his niece is still behind him.
Not long after, the road they passed began to climb and slippery. Several times Ida slipped making the pain in her ankle more pronounced.
Then when the road began to be rather flat, he saw Rizal and Shamsyr stopped, in the hands of Shamsyr there are some leaves that Ida not really know what leaves are in the hands of Shamsyr.
"My God, Ida's feet in this love. Let the swelling decrease a little," Syamsyir said to mak dang.
There seemed to be a little bit of a sense of condolence felt Syamsyir.
"Oh! Yep..... You put it on your foot Da." Mak dang repeated Shamsyr's instructions.
This time Ida did not argue, because his legs had made him very uncomfortable. Ida took the leaves Shamshir gave her, squeezed the leaves and poured them at her feet. Instantly his legs that felt pulsating felt a little cold.
Ida was about to stand up, when the madam told her to sit back down. In his hand a rifle pointed at his head. Ida paled. Thinking whether his master would kill his life in the forest.
"You stay there Da!" mak dang command with low voice.
Ida choked. When mak dang cocked his rifle, he realized that his dang mac gaze to the top of his head. Slowly, he looked up, suddenly limp when he found a large snake had gaped a few meters wide above his head. Instantly his body felt stiff. As the snake's mouth drew closer, "Dhuaaar!!!" The sound of a mak dang gun shooting split the silence of the forest followed by the sound of pounding falling objects.
Ida turned her body to look at the snake that had just been killed. His body was almost as big as Ida's. Ida can not imagine if you just did not see the snake on it, maybe he has become a filler snake stomach for the next few months.
