SET DUSK
Part 6's
Without waiting for a long time, the small group began to move out of the surau where they were staying. The morning sky was very bright, thin clouds like pieces of cotton flew to decorate the blue sky that morning.
The sunlight seemed unable to give the group a warm feeling. They, especially PMI officers, are still filled with feelings of fear, even the sound of planes pounding the roof of the manau still ringing in their hearing.
Fifteen people walked together into the forest not far from the lake. Leave where they rest. Some of the survival supplies were already neatly slung on the shoulders of the soldiers. Ros looks tired carrying his bag that looks full and quite heavy. Ida offered her help, as she herself carried nothing but a bag strapped to her shoulder.
"Ros, here I bring half your bag. Can anyone put in a long cloth no? Later rolled and tied using this long cloth only," pleaded Ida.
"Ah you didn't bring anything Da? Where's your stuff?" Ros just realized that Ida does not carry any burden like the others.
"I'm just carrying this bag, will I bring half your bag?" reload Ida offering her help to Ros.
"Oh, can you then Da. Looks like our journey will be far away. The contents of my bag are quite heavy as well." Ros deftly took out some of the clothes in his bag, handed them to Ida who deftly also tied them into a long batik cloth and attached them to her back.
"Weight is not Da? If it's heavy, let it be reduced again" asked Ros.
"Ah, no... Let's go for a walk."
Sometimes Ida glanced up at the sky. The blinding sunlight made him squint.
"Still scared, Da?" reprimanded Rashid when he saw Ida several times raising her face to the sky.
"G ... Yes ... I was just thinking, are they not curious because the manau did not collapse, then they back flocked to us," Ida explained what was on his mind.
"Yes, they must have come back. So before they return, we must be in the forest so that it is not very visible if they monitor from above. Yesterday we were lucky. ..."
"God is still protecting us, not that luck!" cut Ida
"Yes.... We are lucky to be protected by God" Rasheed said.
"Isa ... Should you just change your clothes, Da?" suddenly Maryam appears beside Ida.
"Why is this in my clothes?" Ida was astonished by Maryam's question.
"We're going into the woods, you wear a skirt like that, won't it be hard later. Besides, later your legs can be taped pacet."
"It's just my clothes that I deserve to wear. The clothes in my bag only have kebaya encim as cloth. How could I have entered the forest dressed like that" Ida said.
"Ah, you just wear my pants," said Maryam.
Maryam stopped walking, lowered the bag on her back, pulled up a piece of pants made of thick drill material. Maryam thrust her folded pants into Ida's hands.
"Well, you put this on, the more it gets into the woods, the colder it gets, too" continued Maryam.
Ida was stunned holding the pants that were pushed forcibly into her hands by Maryam. He never thought there would be anyone other than the person he thought his family would care about.
"Hey, what are you waiting for. Change it up quickly."
"Hey, you guys in the back, why stop." Suddenly the baritone voice of Zain surprised Ida.
"See, sir, someone wants to change clothes first" said Maryam.
"Hey, this is an emergency situation where you can think of clothes." Mr. Zain's voice began to rile.
"Ah, this is also to maintain the safety of sir. Look, this girl is wearing a skirt. Will it not be difficult." Maryam makes her argument.
"Yes Tuhaan... Hurry up and change your skirt." Mr. Zain also ordered Ida to change her clothes.
Rashid just chuckles to see Maryam and Zain fight an argument. He caught up with the first group walking in front at a fast pace. In addition, he also heard two women arguing over clothes.
Meanwhile, without waiting for the next order, Ida quickly replaced the skirt she was wearing with pants given Maryam. She put her pants behind the skirt she was wearing as she continued walking. After the pants are attached, Ida is confused, the pants given Maryam is too big for her size.
"Haha loose yes, you wear this" Maryam handed him a rope from a blacu cloth.
Deftly Ida took off the skirt she was wearing over Maryam's pants and tied the rope around her waist. Ida was forced to fold the bottom of her pant legs because the pants were too long for her. How not, Maryam estimated Ida has a body height of about one hundred and sixty inches, maybe more. While the height of his body is only as high as Maryam's chest.
"Well, now your legs are pretty well protected, right." Maryam's satisfied smile looked at Ida.
"Thank you, Yam.. You're so good at thinking that up."
"If conditions like this, yes we must take care of each other. Aren't you?" Maryam asked for approval from the other girl.
"Yes ... We're family now, so take care of each other." Zubaedar justifies the word Maryam.
They continued their journey in silence. No one wants to open a conversation. Not long after the sound of the plane was heard again. The group did not stop their steps, nor did anyone intend to start a conversation. They persist in silence, continuing their journey into the depths of the forest, seeking little shelter in the lush and dark shadows of the trees.
No matter how long they walked, Ida began to feel her legs ache. His feet were just sandals skin pinches tied to the ankles were not able to protect him from the thorns of the bushes they went through. He glanced at his toes, there were a few scratches that injured the back of his leg bleeding.
"Why Da?" tanya Ros clasped Ida's hand.
"Eh, this... My legs are starting to sting Ros... It had been thorny," explained Ida.
"Why? Tired?"
"No sir, Ida's feet are bleeding because they were caught in the bush we passed."
Ida remained silent, she did not dare to open her voice. He is not a person who complains about how he feels about others. Although always considered a rebel, but she is not a woman who can express all the feelings she feels. When sick, he prefers to hold it in silence, even when he is happy, he still holds it himself.
"Later, hold on, a little more we reach the army post not far from here."
"Okay sir, it's okay.. Just scratched a little." Finally Ida opened her voice.
"Good, don't lose to small wounds huh. We'll be dealing with something worse than that." Zain smiled at Ida.
Ida simply replied with a nod.
"There is no need to exaggerate Ros. Later I was mistaken for a spoiled child," puckold Ida to Ros.
"Ah yes, I'm sorry Da. I'm afraid you're in even more pain" said Ros in self-defense.
"Hehe thank you, Ros."
The sunlight has begun to dim covered by the leaves of large trees in the forest, the air is getting cold. Ida pulled the shawl Mai gave her, covered her head and draped it to her neck. It gives warmth.
Ida felt her stomach, since last night had not been filled. His stomach started to make a rumble.
"Hungry, huh, da?" The siti behind him poked Ida.
"G ... Haha very tight yes the sound of my stomach," gelak Ida.
"Haha not too, I saw you from earlier holding your stomach."
"Haha, I just realized I'm hungry."
"We really can't break things for a moment huh." This time she started whispering.
"Well, how else, this is also for our salvation." Ida replied in a whisper.
In Ida's count, they walked probably already half a day. Ida could not guess the time, because the sunlight was already faintly visible among the lush trees.
"About in this forest there is this*no huh?" Ida heard Laila whispering to Maryam.
"Ah, don't think weird, La. You're this, there's just something you remember." Maryam was bewildered at Laila's question.
"Ah, I'm just afraid Yam, the longer the forest gets darker." It was obvious that a scared face was on Laila's face. His large round eyes really implied horror.
"Pray that we are safe." Maryam patted Laila on the back, calming her down.
"Yes, hopefully," replied Laila weakly.
A few moments later, the sunlight began to be seen again. The large trees that covered their view began to change with rows of pine trees. The bushes that covered their path were also getting rarer. All of a sudden, in the middle of a row of pine trees, they saw some kind of hut. The hut was set up with some wood tied to a tree whose roof and walls were covered in dry straw.
As they were still focused on observing the cottage, suddenly from behind the last bush they passed, several armed men confronted them.
"Lift hands!" shouted one of the armed men.
The man was wearing clothes from a type of sack dibolongi at the neck and arms, at the waist tied with a hemp rope. His head is covered with caping, so his face is not so visible because it is covered in the shadow of caping.
"We are troops from Banda Buek, here to save ourselves, because yesterday afternoon we were attacked by a Dutch plane." Angku Munir explained quickly.
"Ah angku!" Suddenly the man who was pointing the gun was attractive and embracing Munir's armature.
"Geez Marwan!!" Anggu Munir returned the embrace of the man he called Marwan.
"Already, put down your weapons. It's Munir's armature that used to stand guard in Banda Buek's market." Marwan ordered to his other comrades.
Finished a brief introduction with some of the lascars led by Marwan, they were welcome to rest. Deftly the kitchen attendants prepare supplies to fill the stomachs of those who are no longer negotiable to stop shouting.
Unsolicited, PMI officers, all of them young girls, helped the kitchen staff prepare dishes to prop up their stomachs.
"In there is a sack of Rice, take it to cook," Marwan said to the kitchen officer Saidah.
"Ah, you guys still have rice?" mrs Saidah looked impolite when Marwan offered her rice.
"Sisa's a mistress from last month. It's also not very good."
"Ah well, I just cook a little bit yes. Than the rice gets worse." Saidah asked Marwan for permission.
It did not take long, they finished preparing food to fill the stomach of those who were not able to compromise anymore. Rendang became a luxurious dish that accompanied them to unwind and get to know each other in the pine forest that evening.
*Inyiak \= Tiger. In the past in Sumbar, Tabu said that the Tiger in the forest, because it is believed to be calling the Tiger to come.
