Hidden In The Mist
Chapter 29 The Joglo House

Herly and Bagus arrive in the courtyard of a large wooden house, they descend to find out if, indeed, the house belongs to the Herly family.

"That once, how can we be sure this house belongs to your ancestor Her?"

Herly did not reply, the young man was amazed, seeing the carved wooden building, which looked still very sturdy, unfettered in the swallow of the times.

Herly swiftly took down her backpack, she took out an old album from inside the bag, and opened it sheet by sheet in the photo album.

"True, this is my great-grandfather Gus' house. Let's go up to Gus' porch."

With Herly's spirit carrying their luggage. Nice still silent, looking at the beautiful and sturdy building in front of his eyes with a suspicious look.

"If it's true that this old building belongs to Herly's ancestors, who took care of it?"

"Didn't Herly's grandfather and father have left this village long ago?"

"Don't be confused, this house is our responsibility. Go upstairs, the door's not in the lock."

"The house is always clean, because we always take care of it. The Mbah both know, the descendants of the kanjeng duke, one day will definitely go home, so we always make this house clean and tidy.

Nice to be surprised, there arrived an old man with grandpa grandpa standing right behind him. Nice feathers bristled, the young man's neck felt cold.

A pair of grandparents in black clothes made his heart almost jump out of his chest.

He scanned the pair of grandparents in front of him closely. But Good could not feel the aura of bad aura on the two.

They both look ordinary like friendly old people welcoming their guests. It was good not to have the slightest proof that he could make up an excuse to suspect them.

"What's wrong with you, does this granny look weird?"

"Oh no, it's not that, I'm just shocked, understandably the two of these mbahs appeared suddenly greeting behind me."

"So I'm surprised, sorry if my attitude seems disrespectful and offensive both."

"No matter what good, this village always managed to make foreigners surprised, even afraid to come again here."

The old man who had been silent since then, finally opened his mouth. But Bagus felt there was a cynical tone in the old grandfather's words, which to him was very mysterious.

Not wanting to dissolve in prejudice, Bagus then climbed the stairs, and when he looked back again, the two old couples had disappeared.

"Where did the old man go so quickly, did the ancients actually walk as fast as the wind?"

"I can't let my guard down here, they could be both demonic figures, or the incarnation of a woman named Darsih."

"You're why Gus, let's go inside, the door's not locked. We can rest for a while here, later in the day I'll look for the cave where the blood covenant ritual is."

"Hopefully I may seek the blessing of the creator of the universe."

The two of them entered the house, and were amazed by the ancient objects inside. For the first time Herly saw the real faces of his ancestors.

The ancestral paintings lined up on the walls looked so lifelike. Herly touched one of the paintings, then entered the main room which was right in the middle room. The fragrance of the flowers instantly burst open as soon as the door was opened.

It is good that you do not dare to go far from the living room. His feelings said, they could not stay any longer in the house.

"Her, it's ten o'clock now, you better find the hill where the cave is before afternoon."

"I don't think we can stay here very long. Don't be confused with nostalgia. Remember the words of Mbah Anom, this village is cursed."

"Yes I also know it's Gus, but we must prepare all the ritual needs first, otherwise all will be in vain."

"Okay Her, I helped bring down the ritual tool, you prepare the sajen. We'll take this afternoon, too."

Nicely walking into the living room, he intended to be preparing the tools Herly needed for the ritual.

Just about to open the door, from the living room window, he saw something above their car tub. After being noticed again, it turns out that she was a black-bred grandmother who had greeted Good in the yard.

"What do you want with that cemani chicken?"

Nice voice made the old grandmother stop doing the action, the woman retreated and jumped from the top of the car tub.

"Skakal there is a big celebration to, Ngger, nek needs the mbah, mike do not set to."

The granny who was caught, arranged an alibi, she wondered if they would hold a celebration. He even offered to help arrange the dishes.

"This granny is suspicious, obviously, flowers, market snacks, eggs, and two cemani chickens that we brought were ritual requirements."

"But he even thought this was for a dish. Does he not know about this kind of thing?"

"I have to be careful with these people, somehow my gut feeling is that they're not good people."

Nice to rush to carry the container of two cemani chickens that are still alive into the house, then gradually, carrying ritual tools until nothing else is left behind.

Inside Herly kept praying, for his efforts to succeed. The three main objects that are the main requirements are prepared, while casting a spell written on a sheet of goat skin.

Meanwhile, Angga and his comrades, had reached the stone gate. The weather was clear outside the gate, looking different from the area inside the gate area.

"We have reached the gate of Ngga village, from here you must be more vigilant. That kris don't get out of your hands."

"There are many tricks in this village, and illusions of this size can only be done by old demons."

Hearing him Yono tremble, the village boy looked frightened, as om Bandi asked them heart. On the back bench Ryo and Jaka are not ready to enter the village that was cursed Darsih.

The sightings of cloudy clouds that contrasted with where they stopped now, made their guts faint. Yono even bluntly said he did not want to go to the village.

"Om, if I may just wait outside here, same mas Ryo and mas Jaka, panjenenengan alone who entered the village, we will wait here."

"This is the car key mas Angga, I'll open the tent in sebrang alone."

Om Bandi laughed at Yono who looked trembling, the man then glanced at the rearview mirror, and saw the two Angga friends look agitated, but afraid to talk.

"You didn't go into the village either?"

"If so, we'll both go inside, you go back to the city, let me and Angga walk to Herly's ancestral village."

Angga gave Yono the car keys and opened the trunk of the car and took the belongings of both of them.

"You guys just turn around, let me and Bandi take care of Herly's problem."

"Oh yes, be careful with the forest we pass. The forest is dangerous, there are creatures that can make you lost."

"Much praying. This map I give to you, just follow the map instructions as your guide. Don't believe too much in what you see, because it could be a devil's trap for you to fall into."

After finishing his speech, Angga and Om Bandi walked into the village. While Yono, Ryo, and Jaka chose to turn around.

"It's Jak's fault, we should go with them, the risks we face are the same, there's no guarantee to survive the illusion forest."

"Then how Yo, don't make me confused friend, if you want to go back, then now we have to go back there, before too far bro."

"Yon, sorry bro, I ask you this once, take us back, we can't leave a friend in danger. Yes, even if there is and is not there we do not give effect to them, but we are there to help."

"Based on the plinplan people, if you want to die the same, why not just decide, just troublesome."

Yono grumbled, in a low tone of voice, barely audible. With the forced young man of the village turned back, and drove his master friend to the stone archway.

Taka a long time later they arrived at the last place, as they left Angga and om Bandi.

Ryo and Jaka took down their personal belongings, then gave the map to Yono, they shook hands and thanked Yono, then stepped inside the village that had been cursed by Darsih.

Yono did not leave immediately, the young man of the village, saw Ryo and Jaka who were on foot following Angga. But something strange happened all of a sudden. Yono saw the sight before his eyes turn red.

He hurried down to warn them, but it was too late. The village was covered in a thin, red mist that made Yono no longer able to pass through the gate.

"I've been trying to remind you, but this fog seems to block anything from getting inside."

"I'm sorry mas Ryo, mas Jaka, mas Angga, and om Bandi. Not unfaithful friend, but I'm the only son in the family. May you all be safe and forgive my cowardice."

With a heavy heart Yono turned the direction of his car. He looked again at the thin, red mist, then drove his car forward, albeit with regret in his heart.