PONDEROUSLY
Leaving the Village

One Day Later...

In the wilderness surrounding the village, a yerim figure was walking down the forest path filled with fallen leaves. There are other wild plants that spread beautifully along the path that are touched by the two feet of the yerim.

It had been since morning that Jerim had left his village. He was determined to set foot in a place called Kota.

There was actually a heavy feeling lingering in his heart. Like not willing to go to leave his mother alone in their home. But because of the curiosity that is so great that Jerim was forced to go to vent his heart's desire.

It might sound a little selfish. But he asked permission from his mother. And his mother allowed jerim. Although actually christine is heavy to release yerim. Jerim is an adult. There's no way Christine's always holding him back from staying home. He was afraid that the child would think of running away. They left themselves and their homes.

Jerim still clearly remembered the mother's message to him before leaving. That Jerim shouldn't be there too long. His mother wanted yerim to quickly return to their village when the yerim business was finished in the City later. Jerim should always be careful. You cannot trust others too easily.

Christine supplies some food wrapped in banana leaves. And water that is placed in the bamboo. And some clothes. Everything is wrapped using a cloth that already looks shabby.

The sun's rays were so blazing that they made the jerim feel so tired. He wanted to stop his footsteps. Want to rest for a while to fill his stomach with food that has been provided by his mother. The thirst that made his throat so dry really made the jerim stop his steps. He leaned against a large tree that looked very old but still remained firmly planted on the surface of the earth.

Jerim sat on the ground. He deftly opened the cover over bamboo where drinking water was brought from home since this morning. Jerim drank from the bamboo. Then he opened a bag wrapped in banana leaves.

Nahas for yerim. Luck is not on his side. Yerim's eyes immediately widened to see the contents of the provisions wrapped with banana leaves for him. He seemed surprised by what he saw. Not the food inside the banana. But the large number of maggots mixed with earthworms that were moving on the banana leaves that had been opened.

Spontaneous yerim dumped the banana leaves that were in his hands. He shuddered in horror at the many maggots and earthworms that were on top of the banana leaves. The real jerim does not know what a creature it is. Since childhood, he had never seen the two creatures. All he knows is fish. Jerim did not know that these creatures were animals. He doesn't know what an animal is.

Yerim looked confused. He doesn't understand why it could be like that. Never in his life did Jerim experience anything as strange as it is today. The amused that had spread throughout his body made him reflexively stand up to take the cloth that wrapped his clothes and the bamboo that contained drinking water for him.

Yerim quickly ran away from where he was sitting. The fear that was starting to haunt him was now rampant in his mind. Yerim really looks very upset right now. The panic that hit his brain made him unable to think normally. To the point that a truck on the road almost hit his body. Yerim yelled hysterically. And the truck stopped suddenly.

A man around the age of 40 soon got down from the truck in his vehicle. His face still looked deathly pale from being shocked by the incident he had just experienced.

His sense of vision caught the yerim figure sitting in front of his truck.

A sense of wonder enveloped this man's brain. How could there be such a young girl in the wilderness like this? Where the residents are very far from this forest. It takes two hours to get to a residential area if the weather looks good. It takes about three hours if it rains. Because there are some roads that are rather difficult to pass by foot or vehicle.

There was doubt and a hint of fear seeping in the heart of this man. Was it true that a young girl he saw right now was a human? Or is this girl a subtle creature like 'dedemit' or his countrymen?

But it is impossible during broad daylight like this that there are delicate creatures roaming around? Don't these subtle creatures usually roam around at night? That's what always comes to mind in that man. For a moment he dismissed his negative thoughts. Couldn't he have left this girl in the wilderness alone? He could not bear to let this young girl in the forest.

"Son, are you okay?". Ask the man to Jerim.

"Son, did you hear uncle?". Ask the man again.

There is no answer from Jerim.

The man breathed. He helped Jerim to stand up. But Yerim spontaneously refused the help of the man.

"Don't be afraid, son. Uncle's not a bad guy.". Said the man.

Yerim was able to capture the white aura of the man's body that was before him at this moment. It was not a dark aura like the shady guests he had seen in his house a while ago.

His feelings now began to calm down and the jerim tried to get up on their feet.

Now he stood right in front of the man.

"Where are you going, son?". Ask the man again.

"I'm going to town." Answer yerim at last.

The man squinted his forehead. Slightly confused to hear the sentence coming out from within the mouth of Jerim.

"City?". Asked the man a little.

Jerim nodded his head quickly.

Again, the man took a long breath.

"Son, the distance from this place to get to the City is very far. Takes all day. It could even be more. That is if you use a vehicle. But if the walk may be months - new months will get to the City. That too without pause. No time for rest." Light up the man.

Jerim did not understand the man's words. He just kept listening to the chatter from the man in front of him right now.

"If you want to go to the city, go with uncle. It just so happens that uncle wants to go back to the city too." Bargain the man.

Yerim was still staring at the man expressionlessly. No offer from the man in front of him.