Firefields
Call for Peace

The next day, Sabran almost fled when he learned that three of Yudha's men had come to his house.

The sound of the door slapping sounded loud. Several times his name was called. However, Sabran did not dare to come out. He felt his mind to find a way to save himself.

Room windows, back doors, roofs, even under the bed became an uproar in Sabran's mind. He was confused between wanting to escape or hiding in the house.

The events that befell the Wijan family a few days ago have given enough reason for him to be chosen as the target of Yudha. Their arrival must have wanted to ask me to stay away from Jauhari, guess Sabran was terrified.

 “We count to three, otherwise out your door we will break!” threatening people from outside the house further shrinks Sabran's guts.

From the corner of the room wall, Sabran slumped. Although his knees were limp, he tried to peek from some secret holes deliberately made after the event of a cow robbery he experienced.

The hole was exactly on the wooden wall of the house. It's only small, about the size of a broomstick. However, there are many. When needed, Sabran only needed to pull the cover.

During this time, through the small hole that Sabran felt could be more alert even while lying in the room.

He saw one man waiting for him at the door. The other two people walked back and forth towards the side. Sabran's eyeballs followed their movements by relying on all the holes in his room. Free to run, thought Sabran. He's been surrounded.

 “Our arrival just wants to send a message to Jauhari. So hurry out!” the scream of someone from the side of the house sounded impatient.

The fear that had hit Sabran suddenly reduced after hearing the intent of their arrival. The tiptoed Sabran approached the door of the room still hesitantly.

“We mean well. But if you don't get out soon, your house will burn.”

The threat sounds very clear. Sabran's mind was overwhelmed with a sense of radiating heat. He knew that Yudha's temples liked to be reckless. He was horrified to imagine that the threat had actually occurred.

Imagining his body going to burn alive inside the house makes Sabran immediately open the door.

“Plakkk.!”

One slap on the left cheek landed on Sabran's face while dealing with someone at the doorstep.

Sabran grimaced in pain.

“That's a punishment for not opening the door immediately, her hardened” made the other two people immediately come following.

Sabran stroked his cheeks and lowered his face to avoid their eyes. He listened carefully to the message to be delivered to Jauhari.

“Do you remember everything? Be careful if you forget!” threaten one of them while giving another slap on Sabran's right cheek.

“Plakkk.!”

“That's so you don't forget! Ha...haa..haaa..” Their laughter immediately left Sabran grimacing in pain.

***

Sabran had thought his job helping Jauhari gather information was as light as work.

Just enough to capitalize on the fatigue back and forth staking Wijan's house and after that circling the village to be the subject of a report to Jauhari. Apparently the assumption is wrong. Being an informant is also high risk.

In front of Jauhari, Sabran recounted all the messages from Yudha without telling her what had happened. Although many times Jauhari responded to the good news he had just received, Sabran only fell silent while feeling the rest of the pain in the cheeks.

Sabran blinked his eyelids and was eager to express his opinion. Jauhari could say that because he had never been targeted by Yudha's men. What if he is the one who gets the torment, is he still able to keep silent? bathin Sabran's.

“Not all problems should be solved with muscles,” firmly Jauhari with a smile adds twinkle in her eyes.

Although the message he carried was happy news, still Sabran harbored a sense of worry. “Means you'll meet her invitation tonight?”

“This is a good opportunity. If I don't come, Yudha could be offended and be a loss to us. It's just that I wonder why it should be on the beach?”

Awayari take off the peci and put it on the table. After fixing her hair with her fingers, she put it back on.

“They said, the beach is a neutral place to have a meeting,” replied Sabran remembering all the messages of Yudha's men.

“Means you're coming with me tonight.”

Sabran had guessed that Jauhari would definitely invite him. However, he was still difficult to believe that Yudha seriously wanted to make peace. “Didn't you feel anything strange?” ask Sabran.

Eyebrows Jauhari wrinkled. His eyes looked at Sabran without blinking. “Actually what do you want to say?”

Sabran was nervous, especially in the face with such sharp eyes. Sabran knew exactly that Yudha was a man of discernment.

Although embarrassed to say what was on his mind, Sabran was forced to be straightforward. He did not care to be said to be a timid man, he had heard it often.

“What if Yudha just wants to frame you?

 “Sounds like there's a tinge of fear from your voice?”

 “Ya!” asserted Sabran without having to cover up again his feelings. “It's best to involve Mat Yusi. Think of it as a bluff if they dare to do things.”

Jauhari leaned her back on the wicker chair. Four meters above his head, a wall clock hangs under the wood carving of the Garuda Bird. On the right-left, a picture of President Suharto and his deputy smiling in a slightly slanted frame position.

Jauhari was still thinking about the truth of Sabran's words. He considered Yudha's cunning all along. He still remembers when Yudha dared to make sure in his hands the price of cloves would remain high.

"Any business in Indonesia, all controlled by Jakarta," said Yudha asked that Jauhari not give clove rations to other middlemen.

In just a matter of months, Yudha managed to control the clove market owned by residents. Jauhari has not yet realized the ruse behind the high purchase price cloves offered.

However, it only lasted for one year. After that, Yudha often used the Jakarta excuse to lower the price of cloves.

“If you agree, let me tell Mat Yusi now!” Sabran can't wait for Jauhari's decision.

“E...seventually,” Jauhari twisted her body, watching the wall clock. “You rang this bell out there. After that you bring it again here,” command Jauhari realize the time of school home hours is three minutes late.

Sabran was astonished to notice the cow bells that Jauhari had given him. “Since when were school bells replaced with cow bells?” asked Sabran curiously.

“Later I'll tell you. I can't figure out what it's important to steal the school bells.”

Sabran took the cow bell from Jauhari's hand and took it out of the room. As the bell rang, there was a sad feeling scratching his heart. The longing to return to raising cows just came.