THE MYSTERY OF THE FOREST

#01

Morning atmosphere in a small village in the middle of a protected forest, located on the left and right side of the road. The forest is called rarangan forest. The distance from the subdistrict is about thirty kilos. The nearest village to the area is approximately twenty-five kilos.

The road leading to the forest is a cricular road leftover asphalt road that was built during the colonial era. The vehicles passing by were only one or two. Only the patrol cars of the forest service and forest guards are often seen occasionally.

Later the young men who had finished their studies in the city began to realize to rebuild the forest. One by one they returned home after they had finished their education. They formed a group whose goal, wanted to make the land tourism potential so that it could be a new livelihood for the community. That is also so that protected forests in the area are maintained.

There are about ten houses that are far from each other. One building in the form of a small mushalla deliberately developed by the government in the middle of the village. Before, it was an uninhabited place. But for the ease of data collection programs from the government and population recording, the local village government finally gathered the farmers who scattered in the forest to live in the settlement.

But only ten families were willing to stay, others were still reluctant on the grounds of the farm's distance away from the new settlement. People who live in forest areas are allowed to grow crops in forest areas with the status of rights of cultivation. Communities who grow crops must also participate in maintaining the trees planted in their fields by the Forest Service.

But there are frequent clashes between the government and the farmers every time the rainy season arrives. The government even sent a fully armed TNI truck to supervise workers assigned to plant trees in the forest area. Farmers insist on refusing their fields planted with trees because they will hinder the growth of their crops. On the other hand, the Forest Service remains determined to plant because the land where they are planted is included in government-protected forest areas. Many of them were arrested and imprisoned. Some NGOs and community organizations are not uncommon to protest in defense of the rights of farmers.

Lately there has been good communication between the farming community and the government, in this case the forest service in managing the forest without having to block the farmers' crops. Both spacing and type of trees planted. The government also provides costs so that people are eager to participate in greening the forest rarangan.

This morning the air was so cold. The thick fog still looks like a white blanket that covers the forest canopy. Several villagers began to look out into their fields. Others appeared to be warming themselves in the roadside fireplace. Next to her, several women and little girls were busy picking the seeds of the growing singon tree lined up on the side of the road.

Two middle-aged people were seen chatting coolly on a long bench, in a street-side coffee shop. The two cups of coffee that were in front of them had already started to cool. Cigarette smoke billowing from their mouths, flew and fused together with the fog.

Two weeks ago one of the girls in the village was reported missing by her mother. Name's Mayni. She is one of the beautiful girls in the village. Many young men fought physically for the fight over the girl. But baby, the girl's temperament does not match her charming face. Although he was born in a forest area very far from the city, but he was among the wildest. He had often left home with the town men who often came to pick him up. So the disappearance of him from the village, not a thing that shocked the citizens even though this is the longest.

"There has been news of the Mayni" said one curly-haired man, tilting his mouth at Mayni's mother's hut. After that alternately he sipped his cold coffee with long cigarette suction. Occasionally, the cigarette smoke that he collects in his mouth and then remove it in various forms. The other man did not look so happy when the cigarette smoke that was spewed by his chatter made it difficult to breathe. He is seen holding his breath so that cigarette smoke does not enter his nose.

"A girl like her is nothing to worry about. Most of the time he was having fun with the bule at the inn next door. His mother was too panicked. If I were his father, I would have thrown him away. It's just troublesome and embarrassing for the old man" he said, dispelling the cigarette smoke that was approaching his face.

The man in front of him nodded in agreement. Black packaging where to store dry tobacco he put in a roll of gloves that he uses. He rises. Two thousand pieces of paper he took out of his pocket and tucked under the glass.

"I'll go first. If not quickly guarded, the monkeys will finish off the coconut seedlings that I planted yesterday,"

"Go first, I want to wait for someone to deliver me fertilizer from the village" said the other man while smoking his cigarette. Stay in his sitting position.

The atmosphere in the village looks quiet. Most of the inhabitants have gone to their fields. Only occasionally can be seen the motorbikes of anglers speeding on cobbled roads.

A man was seen coming out of one of the huts that was aloof and hidden from the other huts. His steps look lame. Looking closer, people who just watched it would be shocked and afraid of the man who estimated his age of about twenty-five years. How not, all over his body look black bumps wrinkled, like a Brazilian vine when fruiting. On his face even more. She looks shy. Many times he lowered his head and turned his face away if anyone happened to pass in front of him. But even so, the people in his village liked him a lot. He never mingled if there were activities held in the village. Not that he did not want to, but he did not want people to feel disgusted when they saw him. Instead, he always left some money in lieu of his absence at various village activities.

The illness, which he called himself a curse, was originally just one small black spot on his face, but over time, the bumps had already spread all over his skin. He had heard from an angler who happened to rest at a coffee shop in Sarmi, that the disease he suffered was skin cancer. He also advised the shop owner to tell him that he should go to a specialist to check for his illness. But he had nothing to go to town for. Part of the proceeds of his field will be paid debts for his capital to grow. The rest is to meet their daily eating needs. It's just a kara. There was nothing he could rely on to help him out of his troubles. And he resigned if he had to bring the disease to death.

The man picked up a shabby black jacket hanging on the fence of his house. Not to forget he installed a head covering made of woven lontar leaves. A long scythe stuck between the fence he pulled out and tucked it under his shirt. His entire body had to be covered when passing through the place where there was a person. He didn't want people to notice him or feel sorry for him. That's what he hates most.

The field planted by his late father was located behind a hill, about twenty kilos from the village. Very long distance. The road is slightly uphill and must go down the hill to find the field. The field is not so wide. Compared to other residents' land, his property is among the least. Only thirty acres. People said, the land owned by his late father covered about five hectares, but it was Jumerin sir who had taken it.

Mr. Jumerin is one of the feared in the forest area. His connections with the officials in the city were numerous. It can easily manipulate land data and the use of land rights. That's why he became a very powerful figure in that place. He had a group of peasants that he formed with his confidants. But the group he formed was nothing more than a vessel for his fraudulent deeds.

During his life, he was also the most hated figure in the forest area. But the residents are afraid because Jumerin sir is a ruthless figure, who does not hesitate to kill people who oppose him. Mr. Jumerin is only afraid of Mr. Marwi, the village leader next door. And the public cheered cheerfully when they found out that Mr. Jumerin was killed by a tree. A terrible death.

After his father died, he was just a kara. Mr. Jumerin steadfastly took most of his land on the grounds that he would take care of it. Later, if he has grown up, Mr. Jumerin promises to return it.

But then Jumarin reneged on his promise. When Mr. Marwi told him to ask for his rights to Mr. Jumerin, Mr. Jumerin refused. Mr. Marwi was very angry and asked Mr. Jumerin immediately return the land he took to Fadli. Mr. Marwi, who was one of the respected figures in the forest area, made Mr. Jumerin a little afraid. In front of Mr. Marwi, he promised to give Fadli all his rights.

But later it is known that Mr. Jumerin only gave thirty acres to Fadli. Mr. Jumerin said Fadli's late father owed him a lot. A very large debt that cannot be paid by his entire estate. Mr. Jumerin also said that he gave the land of thirty acres to Fadli because he felt sorry for Fadli as an orphan.

Previously, Mr. Marwi had always warned Fadli to reject any reason Mr. Jumerin related to the land. Mr. Marwi has understood very well the reason for Mr. Jumerin. He always used the debt excuse to smooth out his plan. And he always offered the names of the dead as a witness.

Mr. Marwi promised to continue to help Fadli get his rights. But unfortunately, Mr. Marwi experienced very terrible events in his life. He was hanged and his house burned. Farhan's son, a little friend of Fadli's, may have caught fire in the incident.

Since then, Fadli felt he had no one left. Mr. Marwi whom he had considered his own father had died. A person who truly cares about his needs. During his life, he always set aside a little of his reserves every month to meet his needs. Every time he met him, Mr. Marwi always said, if later he managed to sell his father's inheritance, he would wake Fadli a house close to his home.

"So that you can know your situation, son," said Mr. Marwi who he always remembered until now.

Sometimes he has to stay for weeks in his field if the strawberry plants he planted have begun to bear fruit. It should also keep its mango and Alpukadnya trees if it has started to bear fruit. He felt more comfortable spending his time in the fields. There was no frenzy and no one would notice it. He could calm down in that place. He will only go home to buy medicine and kitchen necessities.