Short Story (Cerpen)

The Mystery of a Village in the Mountains (Part 1)

Category: Fiction Fantasy Short stories

Title: The Mystery of a Village in the Mountains (Part 1)

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I was standing in front of a room near the park behind my campus. I felt so excited that day, sure my spirit came to me. The room was still tightly locked, my seniors and friends had not come. Hmmm. Maybe they're still on their way here. I put my backpack that was on this shoulder. I sat next to a fairly large backpack, I checked all the equipment and groceries that I would bring later. It feels good, after a long wait finally my parents let me enter into nature lovers activities after I finished from SMU. These are the moments that I will look forward to my entire life, I and my nature-loving friends will climb the highest mountain in West Java.

Not long after my friends one by one came into the room where I waited aka the headquarters of nature-loving children. After all we had a meeting for a while, then prayed together before leaving. Our group consists of fifteen students, five of whom are seniors who have experience going up and down the mountain. We took the train to the last station.

The cold and cool air was already felt when I got off the train. Then my friends and I continued on until we reached the foot of the mountain. One of my seniors named Lingga reported and asked for permission to go up to the top of the mountain to the postal waiter who was not far from the trek to the top. Not until fifteen minutes later we were all allowed by the post guard to climb to the top of the mountain. The weather was very clear, I walked while looking to the right and left to see the beautiful scenery around the mountain. I remembered Mama's message not to talk carelessly, behave politely and do not damage anything that was there. I walked with a happy heart and eagerly followed the steps of my friends who were in front to the first post.

After we walked for many miles, before dusk I and my friends decided to build a tent not far from the spring and spend the night there. The atmosphere that night was very pleasant, we made a bonfire to warm the body. Some of my friends were assigned to cook for dinner, even though we only ate instant noodles and a little rice that had to be shared equally, but all that filled my stomach and I finally fell asleep in the tent to gather energy to continue the journey tomorrow.

The next day I woke up, I was satisfied to breathe the virgin mountain air that had not been touched by the named pollution, after breakfast we were all getting ready to continue the journey to the top of the mountain. After a few hours we walked down the path, suddenly the situation around the area where we were descending a very thick fog, he said, the distance of my vision and friends was very short because it was blocked by the white fog like cotton. We formed three groups and dispersed to seek shelter from the storm that seemed to be coming down soon. After the storm subsided we agreed to meet with other friends in the next post.

I walked with my friend named Adit at the very back. Nature has returned to friendship as before. With passionate enthusiasm I set foot on this next post to meet with my other friends.

'Wait for Dave first, I want to put my shoelaces together?' Adit said to me.

'Quick Dit, later we are left far from Bang Lingga', Ucok and Pepi said me while watching Adit who was tying his shoelaces.

And sure enough there wasn't five minutes I waited for Adit, we both lost senior and two of my friends. I looked at Adit who looked panicked because we were both novice climbers who had no experience of climbing.

'Sorry.. Dave, because of me we missed Bang Lingga and others' Adit said pensively.

'Nothing Dit, hopefully we can catch up with them' I replied while encouraging Adit. 'Yuk.. we walk again' invite me while embracing Adit.

Adit and I set foot along the path according to the tracks on the map. It seems like I walked alone with Adit for a long time, but I did not find Bang Lingga, Ucok and Pepi. It seemed like Adit and I were just walking around in circles in the area around where we were which looked the same as the lush trees. I stared intently at Adit's face with a breath that was panting from tired walking.

'How about Dave, it looks like we've lost our way' Adit said as he sipped his water.

'We'll rest here for a while, Dit' I said.

'We can not rest Dave, later we can miss even further from Bang Lingga, soon it is getting dark?' answer Adit.

I nodded my head, then we both walked back down the path. Suddenly I saw a crowd just across from where Me and Adit were walking. I sharpened my vision…? the crowd place seemed to be a market that was inside the village.

'Look Dit, there's a market there I whispered while pointing my right finger'.

'The time is right, said Adit while staring in the direction I pointed'.

'We better just ask the people who are there, who knows they can tell us the right direction I said while staring at Adit'.

Adit nodded his head. Then we both walked towards the center of the crowd.

Adit and I set foot in the middle of the market. I saw the view around the market. I felt an era very different from my present life. It looks like I was thrown into the age of hundreds of years ago. People in the market still wear cloth and kebaya for girls, black pants sebetis black and tied big waist and black clothes for men hmm… like the dress of the titung I like to see on TV.

There were a bunch of girls looking at the two of us then they smiled while whispering. I don't know what they're talking about, could they be gossiping about my clothes and Adit's looking weird like an Alien to them. Merchants sell their merchandise on the ground, they still use barter by exchanging goods with one another as a means of transaction.

I took a deep breath as I glanced at Adit who was still confused to see the crowd of the market, just like me.

'Hmm... Where are we Dit, now?' many confused.

'Gue also does not know Dave, why they are other with our current situation' whispered Adit.

'Maybe.' whispered Adit back.

Adit and I walked slowly to the end of the market. Suddenly a mother offered us food.

'You want to eat…? Looks like you're starving for running out of distance he said as he offered me and Adit food that was wrapped neatly by teak leaves'.

Adit and I looked at each other.

'Come on. Please take the words of the mothers while offering their food back'.

Adit nodded his head and he took the food out of the hands of smiling mothers looking at us both.

I hesitantly took the food and thanked the kind mother. I slowly opened the teak leaves that were wrapping the food. Wow.. It seems like it is very good I said in my heart when I found out that in the package is nasi uduk, tempe orek and salted fish. Hmmm.no, the food was delicious. It seems like all my life I've never tasted such a delicious saturating rice. I smiled at Adit who looked greedy eating his food. It looks like Adit is very hungry I said in my heart.

'Where are you two going' asked the mother while pouring water into our glass which was still made from old bamboo stems.

'We are lost Mom, we are both climbers separated from the group, I am again looking for the nearest climbing post from here', I explained with a smile.

'That's so far away, son, far away? said the mother who wears the purple flowers kebaya'.

'You'll tell us the way to get there' Tanya Adit.

The mother nodded her head.

'You should spend the night in my house, because soon the sun will be sinking. It is very dangerous if you walk at night' explained the mother with a smile.

'Mom doesn't mind if we both stay at Mom', I asked.

'No.. spend the night at my house. You can also stay in my house as long as you want, said the mother again.

Me and Adit smiled while nodding their heads.

Finally I can sleep in the houses of the people around here seem to have to build a tent and withstand the sharp night wind that pierces this body I said in my heart. After she finished selling, she took Adit and I to walk south. In the middle of the road the mother stopped her steps as the three of us were walking among the rice fields. The mother we did not know her name was suddenly waving her hand towards an old man who was hoeing in the rice field. The old man soon approached the three of us.

'Father... Is there a town boy who is lost? I told them to stay in our hut. You don't mind, ' asked the mother.

The old man smiled as he shook his head.

'Stay at our house, tomorrow you can continue your journey to the top of the mountain. Later you can deliver you, if you want, ' explained the Father.

Hearing the father's explanation, For the time being Adit and I nodded their heads in agreement with his words.

My heart began to be relieved that the Father was going to take us both to the top of the mountain tomorrow. That means Adit and I no longer have to bother looking for a way to get there. Adit and I occupied a room near the kitchen. Mother and Father's house is very simple, all the walls are still made of bamboo cubicles. The distance between one house and another is also quite far. The village seems very beautiful. They entertained us both very well, finished cleaning myself I was sitting around in the front bale with Adit. Not long after, Mom came to bring us a plate of boiled cassava and warm tea. The smell of boiled cassava is very tempting, it looks pleasantries I immediately eat it. I feel so comfortable being there? Especially when I heard the sound of the flute you played, the peaceful atmosphere that night I had never felt before.

We chatted together until late at night, you tell me a lot about the philosophy of life. A lot of advice I got from Father and Mother, but strangely, why do they always switch the conversation when I ask for their names?

Oaahhhmmm.I yawned, for a long time these eyes could not resist the drowsiness anymore. Finally Adit and I entered the room to rest. I began to fall asleep, only a few moments when my eyes closed suddenly I woke up again, it seems I heard something that his voice came from out there. I looked at Adit who was sleeping very well. I slowly got up from the bed, and then I carefully set my foot in the bamboo room. This curiosity grew so much, I heard the sound of horse-shaking and the ringing of small bells, there seemed to be a group of people walking out there. Curiously I peeked out from behind the room to see something that was going on outside.

God, suddenly my breath was breathless, this heart was like it was going to be dislodged? I immediately shut my mouth tightly so that my screams would not be heard until they came out. I saw four horsemen walking slowly, behind them was a group of women who seemed to be servants in the kingdom, the women were just wearing change and wearing cloth. The half-old women walking seemed to be wearing footwear, one of them ringing a small bell that sounded to make the atmosphere in the middle of the night even more gripping. I saw a horse-drawn carriage right behind the servants, a very beautiful princess was in the carriage. He wore a crown, his hair was jet black in let the length unravel. The princess held a stick in her right hand and held a cat in her left. Behind the horse-drawn carriage were men whose hands were bound, they were walking about like a bunch of exhausted prisoners, the clothes they were wearing were the same as the clothes I was wearing, clothes in modern times are like today. The prisoner appeared to be kept very tight by some of the soldiers who were walking behind in the entourage. Who are they, I ask in my heart.

I was sitting limp on the floor, this heart still beating so fast. Who're they? What era am I in now? Ask again. Then I lay this body beside Adit who was still sleeping very soundly. I tried to calm myself down, I quickly closed my eyes. There was a feeling of relief in my heart, because tomorrow I will leave this village, I also hope that the sun will rise soon, so that I can escape from this village.