SURVIVORS
Chapters 33. Bermuda Triangle?
Robert, Indra and Chandra leave Dean after telling him about Alex. Dean only suggests strengthening the place they are holding Alex to avoid bad things from happening.
Dean thinks about Alex. Is it possible that he turned into a wolf after being bitten?
"What a weird thing, how could a human be turned into a wolf by a bite?" Dean talked to himself.
"What's so weird? Aren't we getting stranded here already so weird? Eugene who sailed in the bay in France can also get here. Less strange what else try?" chirps Widuri.
Dean turned his gaze from the fireplace towards Widuri while nodding slowly.
"You're right. This place is weird. Have you ever heard of the Bermuda Triangle?" ask Dean.
"A strange place that can drag a sailing ship there or drop a plane that flies across it?" Widuri guessed.
"It turns out you've heard something like that." Dean smiles.
"Yes, but it's just like gossip. Issues that have never been proven." Widuri.
"Supernatural things are hard to prove with common sense." Dean confirmed.
"What we and Eugene are natural is also inexplicable by reason, but that doesn't mean there isn't, right? We're experiencing it right now."
Dean laid himself down and made his arm a pillow. He stared at the sky through the cave hole that was right above him.
"Well, you're right. Until now I was still trying to accept with common sense everything that happened. But if it's true what Robert said about Alex, then it's true that this place isn't a place where humans are used to. Could it be that we are in a demon world?" Widuri immediately covered her small strangled mouth from imagining such things.
Dean admires Widuri's wild imagination. Laughing at his smile he thought, 'maybe the stories in the comics or novels are true? Are those films produced about werewolves or vampires the real thing in this world?' Dean thought hard.
"What would we do if we turned out to be in a world like that Dean?" Widuri's getting anxious.
Without taking his eyes off the sky, Dean replied:
"The most important thing we do is survive. Wherever we are, the most important thing is to survive. Just adjust to the situation and conditions." Dean answered lightly.
"I don't know what you mean. How do we survive in this demon world?" ask Widuri.
"All our abilities. If the wolves attack, face them. If they don't bother us, we'll continue to find a way out of this forest."
"Hmmm.." Widuri muttered hearing Dean's explanation.
"But Dean, if it's really a demon world, do you think there's going to be humans in this world?" Widuri finally said the thing that had disturbed his mind.
Dean wails. Also true! If this place was a world of beasts and demons, would there be any living humans? 'Well..why is it so complicated?' thought Dean.
"Dean, what's your answer?" urged Widuri who never heard the answer to her question.
"I don't know. Aren't we both stuck here? I don't have any vacation experience or a visit to the demon world either." Dean answered lazily, shutting his tired eyes from reading the opaque writing in Eugene's notebook.
Widuri was dissatisfied. But he can't force Dean to answer if he doesn't know anything either. The room was quiet again. Only their wild-roaming minds followed their individual imaginations.
*
In the afternoon Robert and Gilang delivered supplies and ropes to be used as aids up and down in the cave room with the luminous door. They then covered the mouth of the hole with wood before returning to the shelter.
"Widuri, let's go to that cave. You brought a light crystal to light the way." Dean wanted to immediately inspect the cave room below.
Widuri nodded then followed Dean's steps. They carried the light crystals in each other's hands. Walking along the cave hallway with a dim light long enough until finally Dean felt the floor of the cave began to decline.
"Look at your steps, the streets here are starting to go down." Dean reminded Widuri who was behind him.
Dean lowered his hands that were holding the crystal so that their path could be seen more clearly. Widuri also followed. Before long Dean began to see the light at the end there. A bright white light that was the mouth of the cave just as Eugene had written. Before long they arrived at the entrance boundary that could not be passed anymore because of the downhill and steep road.
"We're here," Dean said. He stopped and observed towards the inside of the room by directing the purple light crystal inside.
The white light from the door across there gave a faint light bias into the cave below. Dean heard the sound of water droplets falling flat but did not sound as swift as a waterfall. Dean felt the air of the cave room was warmer as his head long enough gawked into the cave chamber to check.
"Can I see?"Widuri is impatient. The cave passage is not too big. If Dean hadn't shifted a little, they would've stuck together at that door.
"Be careful not to go too far, fall." Dean shifted his body letting Widuri satisfy his curiosity.
Dean looked around and found like a wooden pole in a crack. Only the outer frame of the log was left which was instantly shattered the moment Dean held it. 'Maybe here Eugene put the wood to hold the rope' Dean's inner.
Dean made a few knots along the rope as a support for his handrails. Then he made another knot and tied it to the wooden rod he was carrying earlier. The wood was thrust deep enough into the crevices of the stone. Dean tried to shake the wood and pull the rope to test its strength. Feeling strong enough, Dean turned to Widuri who had not spoken since.
"What's wrong?" dean asked while throwing the end of the rope that had been tied with a stone down. The sound of the stone stopped from falling in a matter of six after being thrown by Dean. 'Not too far' he thought.
"Aren't you surprised by the white light?" Widuri pointed at the door of the cave across.
"Why?" Dean asked back.
"I don't think it's sunlight. It should be dark outside. How did that cave door still emit such a bright white light?" Widuri expressed her thoughts.
Dean fell silent and watched the mouth of the cave. He swapped the smaller purple crystal in Widuri's hand for hers then stuffed it in the bag behind her back.
"All right, I'll check it out. You wait here, don't go anywhere." Dean began to turn around, holding tightly to the rope and began to descend the cliff. Dean stepped on the stone steps carefully just by relying on the dim white light bias.
Taps!
Dean felt he had reached the floor of the cave. He took out a purple crystal from the bag and observed the surroundings. Looking up, Widuri still stuck out her head illuminated by the purple light in her hands.
"I've arrived. The distance from here to the top is about 2 to 3 meters. So if you want to keep sticking your head out like that, make sure your hand grip is strong so you don't fall."
"Yes. yeah, I know." Widuri grumbled at Dean's words. He pulled his head, choosing to sit while watching Dean who started walking away from the cliff he was descending on.
"I heard Dean's water," Widuri's voice echoed. Dean who was also walking towards the sound of water was silent.
"Yes, I found it. Not a waterfall, just seepage and water droplets from stalactites," Dean pointed the crystal towards the dripping water so that Widuri could also see it.
"There's a little steam coming out of this pool of water." Dean crouched down by the pool, then dipped his finger in the water. The water feels warm.
"The water of this pool is warm. I want to take a warm bath." Dean sounded happy. Widuri's face beamed to hear it. Since they arrived here, they have never had a shower or washed their faces. Widuri smiled wryly imagining the thickness of the legs on her body.
"I'm gonna take a hot bath, too, Dean. Hahaa.we can finally take a shower." Widuri was very happy.
***