Secret Denis
Nineteen

Alex rolled up the tip of his pants with sparkling eyes staring at the clear river water. For the first time he was in the middle of a completely natural realm. Clear river water flows on the sidelines of large rocks along the flow. The roar of the water was so melodious that it was heard in the midst of the natural sunyinya from the hustle of vehicles that he used to hear everyday.

This morning he forced Darman to take him and Denis to the river to see how Darman raised the bubu, which is a tool to trap fish made of woven bamboo. The object will be stored on the sidelines of rocks that are believed to be where fish move against the current. So that the object will be placed with the mouth part facing the direction of the flow of water and the fish will move in the opposite direction. So that he'll get inside that bubble and get stuck in it.

The object will be left overnight and will be lifted the next day. If you are lucky, Darman will lift a bubu full of river fish that is very liked by the surrounding population because it is different from the fish commonly cultivated by residents. No matter how much he got, it would usually be sold out in residential areas.

Darman is very grateful because he was able to meet the needs of his life during his seclusion. All this time he also felt safe because no citizen asked his origin. He can answer just that if anyone asks and no one has disturbed his life so far.

Away from the river, precisely under the banyan tree that grows on the edge, Denis sits on a large rock looking at Darman who is busy installing the bubble tool. He's still sleepy actually. Plus the very cold air throughout the night makes him lazy to follow Alex's wishes that force want to see the way Darman catches fish.

While Alex just pay attention not far from where Darman is. He just went down in a place that wasn't too deep. Only half his calf. It seemed that he was not so bold as to enter into the rushing river water.

The day is getting brighter even though the sun has not shown its light when Darman finished moving the fish he got into another container. He gets on the ground and signals Alex to follow him.

"It's over?" Ask Alex.

"It has. I'm going straight up to sell this fish. You guys go straight home. You remember the way, right?" Darman draped the rope where the fish caught on his shoulders. The fishy odor emanates from the fresh fish in the container.

"We're going home together." Alex glanced at Denis who was still sitting in his place while hugging the body with both hands. The cold is very painful on the skin. The fog was still very dense at the bottom of the valley but it was enough to see each other.

"You don't want to take a river bath first? This is so big."

"It's cold sir. We'll be back here in the afternoon." Alex grimacing. Just now that his feet were getting into the water it felt like his entire body was shivering. Especially if the whole body hit the river water. Maybe he'll freeze in the cold.

"Didn't you just get cold in the water?"

"In the water it feels warm. Out of this water just got cold."

"What time?"

"You try it if you don't believe it." Darman chuckles. He kept his fish on the rock. He took out a backpack and took out a change of clothes from inside. He then went behind a boulder to change his wet clothes.

He returned shortly afterwards with the clothes that had been replaced with the clothes he had brought earlier. While his clothes were wet, he spread it on a large rock.

"It will be dry by noon if you return from the village. On top of this stone quickly dry when exposed to heat." he explained without being asked. Alex just beards while continuing to pay attention to what Darman did.

"Yes already. Let's go back to the cottage."

Darman walked first. Alex and Denis behind him. They walked down the path that Darman used to walk every day.

They go hand in hand as Alex occasionally asks questions about Darman's daily routine. Darman answered Alex's questions with pleasure. Denis did not make a sound. He just listened to Alex and Darman talk without interrupting.

"You keep going. I'll take another path to go upstairs." Darman stopped at a crossroads. He showed me the way Alex and Denis had to go.

"We're not gonna get lost, are we?" ask Alex to doubt.

"will not. This is the only road to the cottage. Did you forget that you were on this road?"

Alex scratched his nape while grimacing. He had forgotten. All places look the same. After all, this was the first time he had come out of Darman's cabin.

After convincing the two men to return to his lodge, Darman passes using a different path.

Alex and Denis walk down the path Darman shows. They walk up an uphill road and are rather slippery because of the fog that carries the dew grains.

Denis followed Alex in silence. This was not the first time he had walked in the forest. In the past, when he was in school, he often participated in cross-country activities with his fellow nature lovers. He also learned how to survive in the wild.

Denis walked with his head down because he noticed the road he was going through. Suddenly Alex who was walking in front of him jumped back while screaming in shock. Denis who was focused with his footsteps jerked. But too late, his body was hit by Alex's burly body. Denis fell backwards followed by Alex's body that lost balance and could not hold himself from hitting Denis' body.

"Aww!" Denis grimaced shutting his eyes withstanding the pain behind him hitting the ground. Plus the front of his body was overstressed by Alex's body which was larger than him.

For a moment Alex was silent looking at Denis who was closed to endure the pain of a sudden fall. Alex's face on Denis' chest makes Alex feel something different. But before he realizes it, Denis immediately pushes Alex's body. But his encouragement was held in Alex's chest because the man was still silent and looked at Denis.

Realizing the man's gaze was still nailing his face, Denis seemed a little nervous.

"Alex." Denis pushed back Alex's body. The man was stunned from his mind that went nowhere.

"Sorry." Alex immediately raised his body so aware of his half-overlapping position Denis. Ringisan still appears on Denis's face.

"You're okay, right? Denis?" Denis got up. "I was shocked earlier." Alex turned his body to look at the thing that made him half-dead.

"What's wrong?" Denis was still grimacingly rubbing his elbow that he had just used to hold his body weight.

"Sttt!" Alex signals Denis to shut up.

"What's wrong?" denis whispered behind Alex's back. His eyes peeked out at the front of Alex's body. His eyes widened when he saw something in front of Alex. A python as big as Alex's burly arm appears to be crossing the path they are about to cross.

The two were speechless staring at the huge flat beast as it dragged its body into the thickets. It took quite a long time until the beast that was over four meters long completely disappeared from sight.

Alex breathed the breath he had been holding.

"Crazy. It's huge." Seriously slow. He continued his steps towards Darman's cottage.

"Aren't you scared, Den?"

"Ngapain's afraid. The snake just passed through, right?" Sahut Denis flat. "Snakes are closer to you."

Alex laughed softly. Not to be surprised by the cold and flat attitude of his fellow soldier.

Not long after walking, Darman's hut was visible from a distance. Alex was relieved. It turns out they weren't lost. After all, Darman said they would not get lost because the road they were on was the only way to the cottage.

They sat in bamboo bales resting their bodies that had just walked through an uphill and quite steep road. Fortunately it was still very early morning and the fog that was still down made their body temperature not too hot. Just try if they walk during the day, of course, sweat will pour because of the energy they expend.

Alex steals a glance at Denis' face. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask but only stuck in his heart. Alex even hit his own head to get rid of the thing that crossed his mind.

"Why lo?" Denis, who was aware of Alex's attitude, narrowed his eyes to look at Alex.

"There's nothing. Just a little dizzy."

"Lo must have exhausted the long way just now. You're not one hundred percent healthy." Denis noticed Alex's face was met with red. It was probably due to exhaustion after walking uphill from the river that her white face turned red.

"I'm feeling very well now, Den. We can get out of here as soon as we can."

"Lo sure you want to get out of here as soon as possible? Shouldn't we just stay here to see the situation outside?"

"I have to see my family soon. They have to know the truth."

"About what?"

"The man who shot me. He was my papa's confidant. He was also very close to my family. I never thought he was the man behind all this."

"Oh yeah? Why is he doing it the same way?"

"I don't know. He's been nice to me all along. I never had a problem with him. He's my papa's assistant, papa's right hand. As long as papa's sick, he's the one who's taken care of everything that's dealt with the company." Said Alex bitterly.His eyes looked far away towards the valley that was getting clearer because the sunlight had fully illuminated the place. The fog that had been thick now increasingly faded replaced with the flag of sunlight. The warm rays began to get rid of the cold that had wrapped the skin.

"So he who tried to kill you by throwing your body into the abyss first?"

"I'm sure he did." Alex thins his lips. He was furious to learn that it was his confidant who had tried to kill him. But the reason why he doesn't know yet.

"I need to get out of here. I have to make sure my family is okay. I was very worried about my father and my mother" he said slowly.

"But we don't know what's safe if we get out of here right now." Sahut Denis's. "My phone doesn't exist either. So we can't connect bang Theo or anyone."

"Ah, yes. Bang Theo's. How is he doing now? I have to apologize to him for getting him involved in my problem." Alex breathed a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry about you too, because of me, you're in this place right now."

"Don't apologize. This isn't all your fault."

"You too almost died because of my howling Den."

Denis smiled miris. Recalling again the last time the ravine was lipped when he saw Alex's body fall first with a gunshot wound to his chest. He thought Alex died then and there. But it turns out that God wants something else. They still live to this day.

"Lo is more fortunate, has been shot in the chest but is still alive" he said.

"We're both lucky and owe Darman our lives."

Both were silent for a moment. Enjoying the whirring of the wind that began to feel, spread the fog that began to glow and thin. Moreover, the sunlight was getting brighter illuminating the wet and cold valley floor.

"How about we make Mr. Darman our spy before we get out of here?" Denis floated his idea after a long time they were silent.

"Will Mr Darman?"

"We ask him later. I'm sure Mr. Darman will help us. Right now our only hope is Mr. Darman. We can't risk the safety of bang Theo and his family either."

"We don't even know the circumstances of Theo bang after that incident. I hope they are okay." Alex took a breath. It was unexpected that it would happen like this. Because of his help, the family bang Theo became involved in danger.

He also recalled the face of the man who had shot him. The man grinned hatefully as he pointed a firearm at his chest. There were not many words that the person said, only the triumphant smile that he showed.

Alex doesn't know what the reason was that he tried to kill her. All this time his attitude was pretty good to him. And now he just found out that the man was a wolf in sheep's clothing. At least, now Alex knows his real enemy.

"We have to make a plan if we want to get out of this place." murmured Denis. Alex agrees with Denis.

*****

Darman came home from selling his fish before noon. Sweat drenched the clothes he wore. He sat down on a bamboo tree and took the drinking water that was in the butut backpack he was carrying.

Sipping the drinking water until it makes a sound in the throat. It seems that he is very thirsty.

"Sir Darman just got home?" Alex got out of the cabin.

"Yes." Yeah."

" It's over, sir?"

"Alhamdulillah, everything is finished. So you can buy rice for us to eat in the next few days." Mr. Darman smiled happily. It showed a small sack of rice that he had placed not far from where he was sitting.

"Thank God sir, then. I am happy, it turns out that the journey of the father is not in vain."

"Nothing is in vain if we try. Oya, where's Denis?" Mr. Darman's question made Alex aware that he hadn't seen Denis since.

"So he was here. Where ya?" Alex asked himself. He spread his eyes around the place. Denis was still in this dibale when Alex walked into the cabin. He felt tired and laid his body inside waiting for Mr. Darman to come home. Denis was still sitting in the box at the time. Without realizing it, he fell asleep. So he didn't know Denis wasn't around the cottage.

Mr. Darman took something out of his carry bag. A piece of old newspaper that was worn he thrust in front of Alex.

"Let's see this."

"What is this sir?"

"I accidentally read the news. Read the top news." Darman pointed to the news in question.

"Young Entrepreneur Dies Tragically In A Single Accident."

Alex looked up at Darman for a moment. As if asking through his eyes. Darman nodded with Alex's gaze. Alex then continued reading the news under that headline.

"..A car with the police number X650XX allegedly experienced brake blong into a ravine as deep as twenty meters in an area far from residential areas. The car allegedly driven by Alex Vinn Dinatta was found by a passerby in the area in a state of concern. The driver was found dead in the car in an unrecognizable condition. However, the family believes that the driver of the car is a member of their family who is the son of a famous businessman, Arga Dinatta..."

Alex's eyes widened to read the news written on the paper. The newspaper's date was three days after the shooting.

"Is that news about you?" darman asked when he saw Alex glued to staring at the shabby newspaper sheet.

Alex's hand shook. The newspaper was filled with emotion. His roaring breath showed his uncertain feelings. Alex raised his gaze. His eyes were reddened with anger. His jaw hardened causing a rumbling sound on his teeth.

"Yes. This is my name listed here. So, I'm dead, Mr. Darman." Alex growling. His eyes were staring with vengeance. "And I'm gonna haunt the man who made me die!"

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*****