Hidden In The Mist
Chapter 3 Signs

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Angga and a friend arrive at the destination city station. All the passengers had disembarked, except for an old lady wearing a black kebaya. Unintentionally Angga's eyes met the sharp look of the grandmother.

"Muleh...!"

The word was clearly heard in Angga's ears. The muscular slender man quickly lowered his face, avoiding the granny's sharp gaze which made him disinclined.

"Come on, we'll have to wait for Herly's invitation."

Ryo's loud voice sounded deafening. Angga raised his face and the old woman was no longer in her seat. Angga bristles, the nape feels cold. The word muleh which means to go home is still recorded in his brain.

In the middle of the crowd at the station, Angga felt silent, he no longer saw people passing by around him. The station was completely empty, leaving only Angga alone.

"Ndang muleh, yen cake want to selamet!"

The hoarse voice of the old woman sounded again in Angga's ears. The young man immediately circulated his gaze around, but there was no one there, except him.

"What else is there now, out of this unrelenting strangeness of our terrorizing minister, a crazy me, or something in this city is deceiving my five senses, this weirdness, this weirdness, what is all this, why is this station so suddenly deserted?"

"I'm actually why, ever since I got on that train, everything feels weird. It can't be a jinn distraction, right?"

Suddenly Ryo came to approach Angga. The young man immediately pulled the arm of his friend, who was still silently pecking on the spot.

Angga felt his hand on someone's drag, and everything turned back to normal as it was.

"Heh, let's go... Even dumb?"

Angga just realized, he could see again the frenzy of station activities. He hurriedly tote his small suitcase, then followed Ryo out of the station.

In front of Jaka is seen conversing with a skinny man wearing a dark blue safari suit. The man could instantly recognize Angga and Ryo.

"We leave now mas, so that later it will not be too late to reach the village. I've been waiting for you at home."

"We haven't eaten Yon yet, you take us to a stall near here first. We'll eat, then we'll go to Herly's village."

Yono nodded in agreement. Herly's driver immediately opened the trunk of the car, then helped to enter the luggage of Angga and friends.

After fifteen minutes out of the station, Yono's car parked in the courtyard of a restaurant that was quite crowded with visitors.

Yono guided his three guests to order food. The distinctive sound of street musicians coloring their lunch breaks. After having a chance to urinate, and worship at the restaurant mushhola, Angga went out first to the car.

"You'd better go home now, son, the place you're going to, not the house you deserve to go to."

A shabby-looking grandfather stood with a wooden stick blocking Angga's steps. The old man suggested that Angga should not continue their journey to Herly village.

Angga observed the shabby look of the beggar-like old man before him. He took ten thousand rupiahs from his wallet, and then gave the money to the old man.

Without looking again, Angga hurriedly continued his footsteps towards the car. He immediately went in and waited inside. But suddenly the old man shouted loudly, Angga had a glance at him through the window, but he did not want to take a dizzy, Angga just sat back and ignored the old man just like that.

"Heart young man, the house you are going to is not the house you should visit!"

Angga looked back from the car window. He did not understand what the old man said. But the strangeness happened again, the old beggar man who had been given money by Angga suddenly disappeared. He was no longer where he stood.

Ten thousand rupiahs of money given by Angga, lying on the ground swept by the wind. The money continued to float far away until it lay near Jaka's feet.

"It's Ngga, I saw you drop ten thousand of this money over there. Do not neglect even if the nominal is small. This money still has great value for people in need."

Angga quietly did not answer, his hand received the money that Jaka offered, but his mind continued to wander far away, digesting every event they had passed.

"Grandmother at the station, Jaka who was lost on the train, and the old grandfather, is this a sign or just a coincidence?"

Angga rubbed his face. He was eager to ask this strange thing to Yono. But somehow his lips are too heavy to say. He was afraid that Yono would take offense and thought he was looking for trouble.

Since time immemorial, the city is famous for being thick with something mystical. Angga thought, what he was going through right now, was part of it all.

But then again, Angga did not want to have any problems with others. He chose to keep it to himself in his heart.

Cars are getting further out of town. The mood of the village began to feel. Beautiful scenery of rice fields and small river presented in front of the eyes. They start to enjoy the journey. Everyone can forget the strange events they have experienced.

The streets of the village began to narrow, the green landscape of the protected forest spread wide before their eyes. The sun dimmed, the cold air felt through the skin. Angga is still sedated, amazed by the amazing landscape.

In a big city like Jakarta, he would never get a beautiful view like this. Although the road began to break down, they could still enjoy the trip.

"Kreack...!"

After twice circling the body of the car, Yono made sure the mini bus jury is safe, without any scratch stains. The bored Ryo waited, then got off, and went to check.

"You stop why Yon, this car is safe, no one is scuffed at all. Stone, wood, or any other thing is not there either."

"Yes, everything is safe, but I believe it has hit something. It can't be just a hallucination, because I hear the voice of that thing."

Ryo did not refute Yono's words, because he who was sitting next to Yono, also heard the exact same voice as what Yono said.

Like Yono, he was also astonished by the circumstances. Ryo re-entered the car, with a sense of wonder mixed with was he was watching their surroundings.

The car Yono drove back. The evening sky is golden orange. The night was about to arrive, Yono looked agitated, and accelerated the speed of his car.

"Slowly swallow Yon, be careful, lest we all woe, just because you want to rush to get home."

Jaka reminded Yono who started driving the car at high speed. Yono did not want to pay attention to it. The skinny young man, like saving something, that he did not want to share with his master's guest.

Angga felt the situation began to be uncomfortable, there was no lighting on the road they passed. Yono silently glanced at the rearview mirror, and cold sweat began to flood his face.

"God the sun will sink, they have appeared.I must quickly get to the village before the creatures make us all as their victims."

Yono increased the speed of the car, the face of the village youth looked even more tense, staring straight ahead. Ryo who saw the strange gurgle of Yono's gestures, was made curious. Many times he glanced at the rearview mirror, but he saw nothing but the dense color of the night that began to fog.

"This kid is why, I suspect he's hiding something. What's in the woods?"

Ryo kept the puzzle in his mind. He only focused on paying attention to the road, so that Yono would not make them wretched.

"We finally arrived at the village!"

Yono sighed, while exclaiming. He was relieved that his car had reached the village boundary in time. Ryo who was still confused by Yono's attitude also felt happy, because they began to be able to see the houses of the residents, even though the distance between the houses was far apart.

"Thank God we finally escaped the lurking danger."

Yono muttered softly, he started to lower the speed of his car while occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror, like he was making sure, if they were really safe, and nothing followed to the village.

"How long is Yon going to be, we've been driving for six hours, but Herly's house isn't visible yet?"

Jaka was getting tired, he wanted to quickly get to Herly's house and rest. Agreeing with Ryo's idea, was Jaka's biggest mistake. The magical experience on the train today could not be forgotten just like that.

"My waist hurts so much, this body stiffens all the way. Let's just hope Herly's house is comfortable for a break tonight. I can't wait to lie on a soft bed."

Jaka continued to rummage while stretching his hand muscles that felt stiff. The car that Yono drove slowly entered the courtyard of a large gothic house, far from the impression of luxury.

The yard of the house was very spacious with some neatly arranged trees. But somehow Angga saw the house seemed gloomy and haunted.

"We have arrived, this is the house of Herly's father, he must have been waiting inside."

Yono opened the trunk of the car and lowered the luggage of his guests. Angga stood glued to raise his face towards the second floor of the house that seemed haunted.

"Brand..!"

The door of the living room was wide open, the figure of a man like Angga emerged from the living room. The skinny, teary-eyed man walked over while commenting on the smile on his lips. He immediately shook Ryo's hand and invited him inside.

Behind Angga and Jaka walked up the stairs, carrying their luggage.

"How are you all, long time no see, I pangling see your handsome face. Come.. Come on in, my wife has prepared a delicious dinner for you."

"Well, it's good inside, he came earlier than you."

The man was Herly the owner of the house who invited Angga and a friend friend for a reunion. Herly guided her guest to the dining table.

The spacious Gothic-style building with a collection of antiques, making Angga, Ryo, and Jaka goosebumps. The three of them looked at each other. The magical aura in the room caused a feeling that was difficult to describe.

"Let's sit down, don't hesitate. All the dishes here are specially cooked to entertain you."

"Enjoy the dishes, I'll meet romo for a while, and come back soon."

Ryo, Jaka, and Angga exchanged glances. They felt something was wrong with the house.

"We should not stay here long, I don't know why I don't like the aura of this house."

Jaka whispered to Ryo, she expressed an uncomfortable feeling since entering the house.