SURVIVORS
Chaptre 44. The Significant Findings
Dean, Sunil, Dewi and Nastiti were busy picking and collecting stones that were scattered just like that in the cave hallway that was not up to 3 meters long. They put some light crystals as illumination. Sorted stones will be moved to where they spend the night. Several times they moved it back and forth and collected it near the cave door.
"It feels cooler and humid here. Why don't we just install the fireplace to make it brighter and warmer?" goddess Proposal.
"Can't." Dean forbids.
"Why?" The goddess did not understand.
"Because around us there's a lot of bat shit. We just have to cover our mouths and noses with a cloth to reduce the smell." Sunil replied.
"What connection?" Nastiti also wanted to know.
"Dirt that accumulates for a long time and not enough ventilation like this may contain gas. This cave will probably explode as soon as we start the fire." Dean finally explained.
"Well, there's danger. Then the smell of this pungent dirt, is it not harmful to health?" ask Nastiti again.
"It's risky for the lungs if we're too frequent and too long in here." Obviously Dean's back.
"I'm thinking of a way to remove the dirt that's piled up at the bottom of that cave so the air here can be cleaner" Dean added.
"All right." The goddess understood.
They stopped the work after Dean said the stone taken as a sample was sufficient. They went out of the cave to breathe fresh air.
"Well! It stinks in there. Just make it short of breath," complained Nastiti while sitting leaning on the front rocks of the cave.
"It feels like taking a bath" said Dewi.
"You can take a bath there" pointed Dean to the left side of the cave.
"Is there a river?" The goddess walked towards the left of the cave mouth.
"not river. But the pool water flow in the cave, flowing there and like a small shower because below it is lower. I tried it yesterday. It's pretty covered and can be used as a shower." Dean insists.
"Let's get a change of clothes first," Nastiti asked Dewi. Both of them immediately disappeared in the depths of the cave.
Dean and Sunil further separated the stone containing the iron seeds with a black stone that could be used as a fire stone.
**
Alan and Widuri had gathered quite a lot of fruits and vegetables from the garden. They slightly clean and pluck the grass in the vegetable garden when picking vegetables. The plucked wild clumps are collected for later composting by Widuri.
Now a small patch of vegetable garden is neat enough. Alan helped stick twigs around to fencing them. Widuri was quite satisfied to see the results of their work at that time.
"I think it's over here. So we can continue to look for the water and clay that Dean ordered this morning," Alan asked.
"What is clay for?" ask Widuri while following Alan's steps.
"Dean told me to make a furnace melt iron seeds." Alan continued to walk across the tall grass.
Far enough they walked before they started hearing the sound of water. Both looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Water.." simultaneously the two said and preached to the source of the voice.
"Well?!" The faces of the two were indescribable as they were stunned to find what they were looking for.
"Far from the fire." Widuri grumbling.
"Ppffft.. hahahaa.." both of them laughed.
"Did you think that was the sound of river water?" ask Alan.
"Yes, I thought it was the sound of a rushing river. Don't know it's just a little shower," murmured Widuri.
"Haha.. But at least we've found the source of the water, right," Alan's laughter isn't over.
"Yeah. At least the task of finding a water source has been completed. And I think the main stream of water is right over there, "pointing Widuri to the other side higher.
"You don't want to wash your face in that little waterfall of yours?" ledek Alan nosy.
"What waterfall? It's just a shower that creates a gutter. To wash your face just have to duck," said Widuri keki.
"It's actually a three-pointed waterfall. Look at that first one" pointed Alan up.
"Then that's the second step" Alan pointed again.
"What use? Still the end result is this small spur," pointed Widuri towards the water that continues to pour profusely.
"Actually the height we can try to achieve later. Installed something to hold the water is delayed first or second." Alan began to observe the flow of water.
"Later to be with other friends only. Now we're looking around here is there any soft, clay soil like Dean's wishes." Alan stabbed his spear into the ground.
Widuri followed Alan's steps trying to inspect the soil around the sewer's water stream. They're moving down from where they started.
"Wait Alan. Haven't we gone too far from that shower?" Widuri stopped her footsteps.
Alan stopped walking and looked around.
"Yes, this road is going downhill. We go back first" Alan suggested.
Widuri nodded in agreement and followed Alan from behind. They climbed up following the flow of the previous small gutter.
"Alan, wait a minute. Look at that." Widuri pointed out something that had previously escaped their sight.
"What's that?" ask Alan.
"It's a wheat plant. Wild wheat or maybe also part of the property of gardeners above," Widuri assumed.
"My rock harvested what can still be saved." Widuri then leads a wheat garden that has grown irregular and careless. The thread is small and many have collapsed. But under the haystack appeared new plants that are quite tight.
Alan helped Widuri pluck the wheat stalks with the stone knife they were carrying.
"Alright, now is enough. Tomorrow we'll clean up the rest." Widuri stopped her activities.
"Why stop? It's still very much, "pointing Alan to the wheat.
"It is precisely because it is so much, that it is better to continue tomorrow. Now the sun has crossed our head line." Viduri pointed upwards.
"alright. Let's go back so we don't stay in the woods" Alan stepped back into the gutter. They follow the flow of water as a way back marker so as not to get lost.
**
'Why haven't they come back yet?' Dean is anxious because the sky is turning red but Alan and Widuri are still not out of the forest.
Sunil came out of the cave and found Dean who was still sitting hoeing on the rock while watching the forest.
"Do we need to follow them?" ask Sunil.
"Please get me the light crystal. Let me take it to the woods. You keep Dewi and Nastiti here" Dean can't wait.
Sunil returns to the cave to retrieve the light crystal as Dean's light in the forest.
"It's Dean." Sunil handed the sizable light crystal to Dean who immediately stood up and gulped his body.
Dean snatched the spear and walked towards the path they used to walk into the forest. But Dean had not been able to enter the forest area, he heard the sound of chatter and small laughter. Before long, Alan's figure was faintly visible in the dimness of the forest. The longer it was clear to walk towards him. Dean clenched his jaws and heaved a sigh of relief seeing them back.
"Hey, why are you here? It's Dean's afternoon, "Elan said hello with an innocent look.
Dean smiled, "I thought you were lost, so I meant to find you in the woods." Dean greeted.
"Haha.we're fine. Just walk too far so be late back." Alan patted Dean's shoulder soothingly.
"Let's go. Don't keep getting in my way." - Siduri protested in the back.
"Ah, yes. Let's go back, " Dean wakes up and then it's over.
That night they discussed the findings and things to do tomorrow.
'Quite a lot of significant findings in this place. Would we rather stay here?' thought Widuri gamang.
***