The Dusk of the Middle East

Episode 39's

"I had a mission for him to do this morning, Ruben. That's why he came early. If you want to be angry, be mad at me."

Chef Ruben was silent for a moment. How dare he get angry at his boss.

"But he did not do his job. This morning Joseph should have accompanied me out with Mei with two additional men. But because he doesn't exist. Forced, I had to bring ten people to accompany me. You don't scold him too much, Ruben. His strength is equivalent to five adults, so he can be my friend."

"Good sir." Chef Ruben replied obediently, "So, have you been looking for Joseph?"

"I've been looking for him on every floor. Where we usually sit. Not found. I even asked the crew of another ship. No one's seen Joseph all day."

"But how could he possibly just disappear, sir? It's still a ship. The ship's walls limit people." Chef Ruben asked confusedly.

"It's possible that yesterday morning he went down and didn't come back." Saleh called out the worst possibility, started sipping the soup slowly, muttering softly, "Lezat once."

"If that's what the data should be on you on the inspection deck?"

"really so. But knowing that is a little difficult now. Sergeant Heiho did manage to get rid of it, but unfortunately Akio is more troublesome than Heiho. The man keeps the deck security tight."

The table was a moment. Dead end. No one knows where Joseph is.

The two then discussed something else. This time it's about Chef Ruben. The head chef is from a small town in the Netherlands. He has been a chef since the age of twelve, helping out with family-owned restaurants.

At the age of eighteen, he proposed to be the cook of a warship. On his shoulders was the rank of Marine Corporal, which was what brought him to Indonesia. But after a long stay of nearly twenty years, tired of seeing the bloodshed everywhere he decided to stop."

"Thank God, Sir. At that time I met your mother, she was a strong woman. I retired early from the military and decided to become Nyai's guard. Because your mother also I met my wife, lived with her until my children were grown and married."

Saleh smiled. This story he had heard repeatedly, Chef Ruben often told, praising his mother. If not see how Chef Ruben loves his wife so much. Saleh probably thought the old chef was also in love with his mother.

"After the Madam died and soon my wife also died. I'm so sad. The young master then asked me to apply to the Koninklijke Rotterdam Lloyd in Sulawesi, so that I could go to sea. Karel Ambo was the first ship, five years have passed to this day. And now I end up leading useless crews like Joseph and his friends."

No taste of soup bowl and the warm tea in the glass has run out. The light conversation made the quiet atmosphere of the canteen feel warm.

"Thank you very much for the asparagus soup, Ruben." Saleh stood up, about to return to the cabin, "Tomorrow I will visit you often. But don't get your hopes up, you know I can't show people if we know each other.'

Chef Ruben nodded happily, "No problem, whenever you have time please come."

"Let's go back to our cabins."

The Ambo Carrel has entered the waters of the Alasas strait. If there are no obstacles, tomorrow morning, the ship has arrived at the port of San Fernando. Thick clouds still covered the sky. The wind is blowing hard. The long passageways of the ship were silent and dim. Saleh tightened his jacket. Chef Ruben walked next to him without much talking.

As they climbed the stairs, something fell from behind them. Chef Ruben reflexes turned his head. The voice was clearly heard, like the sound of a bucket being kicked.

Someone is following them. Who'sis that? In the middle of the night like this?

"Who's there?" Chef Ruben exclaimed, about to check.

Saleh's move stopped. Now he stood on the stairs, saying quietly, "Let it be Reuben."

"But who is it, sir? Don't be a compiler." Chef Ruben looked back, curious.

"not nobody. Let it go." Saleh.

Chef Ruben was about to ask again, but Saleh had already returned to the stairs. Chef Ruben is still curious. He thought again, whether to check the dimly lit aisle there. Pointing out his intention, perhaps something fell down due to the strong wind. That certainly is not falling because in the arms of a cat. There are no animals on this ship.

Saleh back to the jacket. He knows exactly what it is. From the first day he arrived on this ship, he already knew what sound it was. Something that occasionally followed him, lurking from within the dark.