Soul Riders
Chapter 2 - Travel
One week later, just after dawn, Miranti's little family had already left Jakarta. The black car driven by the mother of two children was speeding along the road to the city of Jogja by choosing the southern route as an alternative to shortening the distance. No one makes a sound, they are silent to each other. Aurora, who is sitting next to the steering wheel, is seen busy with her gadget, while Tara is fast asleep in the back seat. Miranti also chose to focus entirely on the streets she passed, while playing old songs connected from the USB port, to ensure she was free from sleepiness, and occasionally pulled over her car to rest.
As he returns to track down his hometown, Miranti's mind flies, carried away in nostalgic shades. The magical atmosphere that still feels thick typical of the land of Java, has not faded even though a dozen years ago left it. Now he returns home, hoping to reorganize his life with Aurora and Tara, and try to forget what has passed. In the midst of the crowded thoughts, the sound of the horn of another car driver from the back shocked daydream, his eyes glanced at the traffic lights that had changed color to green, he immediately continued to play the steering wheel, he immediately continued to play the steering wheel, drive him to the middle of the city right in the afternoon.
The watch on Miranti's wrist leads to the number five. His car turned off the main road and entered a middle-class residential area. From inside the car glass, a tall man with a proportional weight, standing in front of the courtyard of a simple terrace house. The smile that transverse from the surface of his face confirmed the friendly impression. The man was handsome with his tanned skin. His black hair in a neat trim, not least the area of his face that is also clean of whiskers and jambang—his appearance reflects an office employee. Miranti then turns off the music and also the car engine at the same time when Aurora shrieks her body from tired of the trip, Tara awakens lazy to realize if the car has just stopped.
“We've arrived Ma?” ask Aurora curiously.
“Not yet, we met om Dito first yes,” Miranti index point to the figure of the man earlier, “dia who will take us home. Let's go down for a minute, Tara... come on baby.” Tara blinked, gathering awareness and yawning for the umpteenth time before coming down, sweat accumulating around her face making her skin look greasy.
They also received a warm welcome from a man of Miranti's age.
“Miranti... for a long time, we finally meet again.” said Dito, his tone accented medok sounded happy, then experienced by Miranti's soft hands.
“You must be impatient to wait for my arrival, Dit.” ledek Miranti who invited the laughter of her old friend.
“Yes, so cruel, I have to wait a dozen years to see you again.” Dito looked at Aurora and Tara. “hm... Your son is beautiful and handsome Mir.”.
“Ah yes, I have not introduced them yet,” Miranti pointed towards Aurora and Tara alternately, “the first one is called Aurora, and this adorable little one is called Tara. Kids let's share Om Dito first.”
Both obey Miranti's orders, “Hai om, greetings know, I'm Aurora.” Dito welcomed Aurora's hand, and rubbed her crown to create closeness. He also did the same to Aurora's only sister.
“Dit, can we walk now? Look, it's getting late.” Miranti pointed her index finger towards the sky.
“Sure, let's go.” Dito receives the car keys that Miranti handed over. The four of them entered and occupied their respective seats, only, now Aurora moved to the back seat accompanying Tara, and Miranti
sitting in front of him. From where she is, Aurora can observe Dito who is comfortable holding the round-shaped steering wheel, preparing to start the journey.
“All ready? Wear your seat belt, huh?”
“Siap” answers the three simultaneously while obeying Dito's instructions.
A second later, the car again drove under the control of the man in a neat style and began to move away from the city. The long journey was still not finished, because the location of Miranti's new house is located near the countryside. The road they passed, although paved, but mostly flanked by rice fields and forests full of bushes and trees on the left right.
Aurora still chose silence during the trip, in contrast to before, this time she tried to enjoy the rest of the trip by spreading her gaze out the window, while occasionally stealing the chatter of two adult humans who have not met for a long time. There was a moment when he felt sad to have left the city that had given him space to live, there was also a moment where the longing for his father suddenly appeared, but when he remembered what he was doing, he said, anger filled Aurora's heart. While Tara regained her desire to sleep, her face was tucked between the windowpanes and the headrests, occasionally bowing, leading Aurora to step in and correct her position.
“Still Far Dit?”
“If you have entered this road means it is near Mir.” Dito's view can not be separated from the street lane. “once it reaches home, your fatigue will definitely pay off.”
“you can't wait to see him Dit.” said Miranti was more interested, while Dito laughed from his chair while turning the gear. Seeing the cheerful face of his friend, suddenly something in his mind, “hm...Well by the way do you have a girlfriend now?” he hesitated a little.
“I'm a matchmaker, if you want to work alone. I'm afraid the one I chose didn't meet your type standard.” Miranti turned around to tease Dito. When both of them dissolve in jokes after jokes, suddenly something passes very quickly, making Dito surprised and then stepped on the brake pedal suddenly. The body of everyone in the car slammed forward, even the heads of Aurora and Miranti had a mild impact, not least Tara who was finally forced to wake up from her slumber.
“What's up om?” Aurora panics, her question simultaneously representing the minds of Miranti and Tara.
“It looks like Om hit something,” answered Dito no less panic, “Om check first for a moment,” he replied as he hurriedly pulled the door handle then rushed down as soon as the car door opened, followed by Miranti, Aurora, and Tara who are also curious.
Aurora felt a strange feeling, the streets were too quiet and no other riders passed by. They also still did not come out of the path full of trees flanking their left right, while the sky displayed sunlight that turned into twilight luminescence, the sign that soon dark night would welcome them.
The girl tried to ignore the atmosphere and was with the troupe to find out what happened. However, as soon as the cheeks approached the asphalt skin, something he saw under the car made nausea all at once
horrified. Miranti could not even hold back, and hurriedly vomited out some of the contents from her stomach, while Tara was pale from fear.
“sial!” Dito squealing. A black cat with a crushed head and partially decomposed entrails was under their vehicle. The blood and flesh of the ill-fated animal were spurting everywhere.
“arrgghh... Mama.” shouted Tara, not yet complete the nausea, Miranti buried Tara's head into his embrace.
“how is this om?” Aurora could not cover up the horror, and an unpleasant air came to ponder her.
Dito put his two hands to the head, rubbing his hair hard, a sign he was thinking before deciding, “you guys calm yes, this is just a stray cat, we just leave the carcass.”
“Do not!” exclaim Miranti, “we must bury it.”
“after another night comes, is it okay for you?” bargain Dito.
Miranti looked at the sky, feeling uncomfortable. But even so, he still believes the bad myth that circulates if he does not bury the carcass of a dead cat hit, even though he has lived for a long time in Jakarta. “Let's just bury it, fear shit if left alone.” Miranti.
“iya Om, just bury the carcass.” Aurora secretly worried, if the death of the black cat brings bad omens. The wind that was present added a strange feeling to him.
Losing the voice, Dito finally nodded in agreement, “ya already Mir, let me just bury it, please you back the car, I will take the carcass. Aurora, take care of your sister for a while yes.” Dito's orders are directly carried out both. Dito's athletic hand immediately pulled the disgusting cat's carcass onto the shoulder of the road. His eyes combed around to find anything that could be used to hoe the soil. Miranti is anxious, waiting around the car with the kids. Dito finally saw a log in the distance, he ran and soon returned after taking it.
The day turned dark, the fog that came out of nowhere suddenly came down to the road, while not a single vehicle passed. Dito quickly dug the ground by removing some wild bushes. He weighed the depth of the soil, and stopped when he felt enough. Unwrapped in any cloth, Dito put down the black cat's shattered body, then with a lightning motion heaped it with the ground before he stepped on. Finished with his work, Dito approached his small entourage. Aurora had initiated two bottles of mineral water to wash her dirty hands without being ordered.
“already done,” said Dito as he poured water into his hands until there was nothing left on the two bottles, he made the three people waiting for him breathe a sigh of relief.
“then, let's continue the journey.” invite Miranti, she wants to get to her new residence soon.
“oke, let's get in the car.”
Once all have occupied the position, Dito then stepped on the gas pedal and increase the speed of the car to pass the rest of the journey. This time, he sharpened his eyesight even more, because the street lights were somehow dead. They had only come out of the wooded road area about fifteen minutes later and could already see some settlements even though there were not many. The GPS in Miranti's car has given a signal, if the destination location is getting closer, then after spending the last twenty minutes, they finally arrived at the destination.