
...
“Gia??” This time I heard the voice clearly.
The gia? Yes of course! I remember! That's Gia's voice.
The girl who was with me when we were taken to a village in the woods with a bunch of kids.
As soon as my eyes noticed the pickup, I could now see that there was a small stick coming out on the sidelines of the tarp, and it was twitching as if it was signaling that someone was inside.
I looked around, no one realized there was a girl behind the blue tarp. The people were already far away and the closest position was me standing with this injured girl beside me.
Not that I wanted praise or attention, this feeling of fear of explosions still dominated. I hesitated to check on Gia behind the tarp but another stronger feeling instantly overpowered me.
I couldn't keep quiet when I knew someone was calling me in that scared voice.
So I immediately took off the girl beside me, handed her my suitcase and told her to run away. For a moment he asked me what I was going to do, I just replied, “it looks like someone is in there, I'll check it out. You're fast away!”
Without waiting for the answer, I ran as fast as I could to get close to the pickup car, checked behind the tarp and shouted calling out his name, “GIA!!! YOU INSIDE?”
“Yes!! G—gia's in here! Please brother!” A hoarse voice from crying could be heard answering under the tarp.
My ears could clearly hear my own rhythmic heartbeat ringing very fast. Sweat drenched my palms and my breath was breathless. I'm afraid the car battery could explode at any moment but I have to try to calm down now.
This blue plastic tarpaulin covers a pile of very tight car tires, with a thick rope tying it to six sides. At least I should open this tarp. My brain quickly thought of a sharp object that could be used to remove the tarp.
I didn't have a knife or scissors with me, but my foot took me to the front of the car to check if there was any sharp objects that were useful. But in the driver's seat and dashboard I found nothing, as I was about to turn away, accidentally the corner of my eye found a black toolbox near the gas pedal.
Without waiting, I got into the car. Near the steering wheel all the way down near the gas pedal and the brakes had been dented due to the collision. There was blood dripping around the steering wheel seat which momentarily made me nauseous.
It took more energy to pull the cramped toolbox, but I was finally able to forcefully remove it, ignoring my blood-stained palm. As soon as I ran back to the back of the car, the police were waiting for me there.
“Someone I know seems to be in here. I heard his voice and something moved. We have to unload this load.” I said before he asked.
“Better miss stay away, here dangerous. Let us yang—“
“I want to help.” As I put the black tool box on the asphalt. To be honest I had never held or seen the contents of the toolbox, but my hand moved instinctively to open the city, hoping to find a sharp object to cut the tarp.
“Kak Icha???”
“Ya Gia's. Be patient, we'll get you out.” My shout quickly answered Gia's muffled voice from the pile of tires.
The policeman beside me immediately checked under the tarp as soon as he heard Gia's voice. I immediately cut the rope with the cutter and handed the scissors to the police who accompanied me.
While I was cutting, this cop again contacted his partner with a walkie talkie, asked them to come and he walked to the front of the car to check the hood of the dented and open car.
My heart rate was racing faster as my patience wore out. Cutting one rope too long. The cutter I used wasn't as sharp as I thought.
“It's smoky, car gasoline is leaking. It will soon explode.” Sweat drenched my palms hearing the policeman approaching me again.
I couldn't respond, my heart felt like it had fallen into my stomach, not much time left and I was still trying to cut one rope while there were a total of six ties on each side.
My brain thought fast, choosing to cut the tarp, then I immediately climbed to the top of the cargo desk and rose quickly between the pile of tires in order to easily tear the plastic tarp.
The cop gave me the scissors, no longer forbade me to stay away and I started tearing the tarp with the cutter first carelessly saying, “Gia? You hear me? You okay?”
“A—aku is okay.” Her reply stuttered right below me, “Gia was so scared, sis.” he continued whispering and started sobbing again.
The sunlight was getting higher in the sky and the heat was stinging my skin. Being in the middle of a highway like this adds to the heat felt. My back, temples, and sides of my face were soaked in sweat when I was able to cut the sheeting in half horizontally.
“What is this, police sir? Collision?” The voice of a man behind me sounded curious and somewhat familiar to the ears but I ignored it and was still trying to cut the tarp.
“Yes. Luckily there were no fatalities, only minor injuries.”
“Then why did he climb to the top of this? What the hell is he doing? And why is no one helping? People just watch in the distance.” Ask another man.
“Although the car is smoky and there is an explosion. No one wants to help because they must be afraid the car can explode at any time. Then this lady found her acquaintance who was inside here and tried to open it.” before there was another response from those men, my ears heard the sound of the footsteps of those shoes
running and slowly approaching so I could feel the pressure behind this car a sign of someone riding behind me, coinciding with that I managed to cut the tarp all in half.
The wind blew and the refreshing fragrance of lilac & sandalwood perfume came from the person behind me. Suddenly my heart was beating fast, the scent of this perfume reminded me of the empty perfume that was still on the table in Bayu's room.
“Nona, you better get off. Here dangerous, let us who—Boo?!” Bayu with a short black shirt and moss green cargo pants glared in shock as soon as I turned to look at him.
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