CUTS
HEART OR LOGIC???

We did not return today as Abu Pinta did. I don't know what happened until my brother looked agitated. I saw Abu sitting on a dead log. From the look on his face, I could see disappointment and sadness.

While Umiku seemed happy to play with his granddaughter. Carrying the baby made Umi smile happily. A mother's heart is different. Angry at a child but if he comes to bring a grandson must be devastated too. It seems my brother knows the trick.

"May you sit here?" My daydream was broken when a man's question sounded beside me.

I nodded my head glancing at him. Yeah.he's the guy. Muhammad Khalid, the man I rejected. "Why can't we go home today?" I asked to look at him.

"There's a problem downstairs, a lot of officers combing the village around after you guys don't come back."

I can already guess what the situation is like right now there. "Daddy," He called me.

"Yes." Yeah." My answer was short and I saw it again.

"Do you want to marry your brother?"

"Don't know the answer."

"Do you like that soldier?" This time I looked at him. "Don't know any soldiers like you."

"So you want to kill me like Miftah? If so, do it now while Abu and Umi are here. So I can be corrupted by them before I die." I answered boldly while looking into her eyes filled with anger.

"Abang didn't kill Miftah."

"No need to explain. I've understood enough. Even if I don't graduate from Elementary School, I'm not a fool to be fooled.

"Sir, I like you."

I smiled cynically, keep her wishing what? I reciprocate his feelings? It was just wishful thinking. I hate them too much because of Miftah.

"I didn't get married before my brother came home!" I said and went to see Umi and Sister-in-law.

Apparently, my sister-in-law is busy cooking. I approached him, there was no hatred for him. She's just a woman who follows her heart and uses logic.

"Older Brother is still there?" My toot.

He smiled, "Mother's death is the same as the other sister's death."

I looked at him, wanting to ask more but hesitatingly afraid of making him sad. He smiled again, "Dad Brother was brought by security forces for being accused of being a spy. Brother's sister was shot during a gun fight in Kak's village."

"Where can I meet Bang Ilham?"

"Familiar with Daddy Brother before he died."

I nodded in understanding it turned out that his parents were indeed in contact with the rebels like my brother.

"Is Brother happy living here?"

"Where is the same, Dek. It depends on us who are doing. As long as it can be close to Brother, Brother is already happy."

"I'm not married to someone I don't know."

"Don't like soldiers, Cut. They're not as good as you think."

I smiled cynically, "The rebels aren't as good as you think. They can even kill a girl who loves their enemies."

"Repid? He's a spy apparatus, Dek. The officers deliberately approached the village girls to get information."

"Is there any evidence that Miftah is a spy? All the information that the rebels get also from their spies is not necessarily clear truth. I could see how Miftah's future husband was crying over the passing of his future wife. And it's out of the feeling not the fabrication."

"Here you go, brother, I'm out first." I walked away leaving my brother-in-law who still wanted to defend the rebels.

I couldn't hear any of his defense because the evidence I saw didn't match what my sister-in-law said.

"If you don't deliver, Abu will go home alone." Apparently Abu was again arguing with my brother outside.

As a result, that day we were led only to the foot of the hill and they gave directions to Abu. The three of us walked in a jungle that was either right or wrong on the path we were taking. Our only goal is home.

If we were not the family of one of the rebels, our fate would now be a dead body. I can't imagine our fate after arriving at the village. The one thing I believe once we reach our village will definitely be interrogated all out.

I heard Abu arguing with my brother that forbade us to return to the village. "Mother, they will take Abu to headquarters and torture Abu if they do not say what they ask." My brother tried to persuade Abu to come back before we left but his efforts were in vain.

"You shoot us now, let's calm down!" Abu's speech made my brother go silent as he sighed. It seems, Abu has resigned to what he will face later.

The ashes kept going slowly but we didn't stop. Abu has been used to farm so the jungle path like this is not too burdensome as well as Umi who is used to following Abu or his parents used to garden in the foothills.

I am tired and so are my parents. But they don't complain. We stopped for a while to find a river. Wash your face and gulp the water to relieve thirst. "Mother, we're like travelers now." Selorohku to break the atmosphere. Doesn't talking to each other make the journey feel fast? I'm trying to make our trip feel less.

"Quick take ablution, we pray together!" Abu's Order. We take ablution and then use mukena for prayer. We always bring mukena when going down to the sub-district. Just in case the train leaves late.

We pray together solemnly. Which favor does your Lord want you to deny? There is no blessing we can deny. Even when we were in the no-man's jungle, God still gave His mercy by bringing us together with the clear tributaries.

Qibla affairs and the time to enter the prayer of the Zuhr need not be asked again. Abu and Umi were well versed in the guidance that God gave through nature. Abu saw the sun and then took a branch then from the shadow of the twig Abu can know if this has entered the time of the sublime or not. Likewise with the direction of the Qibla.

As a person who was born from the village and grew up with daily exploring the forest as a child, of course it is no longer a big thing for Abu and Umi.

Abu prayed for a long time, and Umi looked at each other in the back. It's not usually like this. After waiting for Abu for a while, we tidied up the prayer tool and put it in the burlap bag that Umi used to bring if to the market.

Kreek....

"Lift hands!!!"

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