SURVIVORS
Chapters 57. Mungil Cottage
The dinner was still filled with anger and sadness for what happened to Toni, Marianne and Michael. Robert regretted leaving his team so easily. He also felt he had 2 times neglected to choose a good place for them to build a shelter. The cliffs are right on the beach and are very easy to find if any pirate ship comes.
Robert was very sad and worried about Marianne and Michael in the hands of pirates. But he really doesn't know what to do. Robert explained the unsatisfactory results of their trip. That makes the team temporarily have to defend there.
"Robert, why don't we walk every day together like we do in a snow forest?" ask Angel.
"Because it's hard to find a water source here. It's even harder to build a shelter every day, because the trees here are different." Robert gives understanding.
Angel nodded, though not very understanding. All he knew was that he was afraid of being there. Fear of the fate of Marianne and Michael who were kidnapped, or killed like Toni.
"rest. Tomorrow we have to work hard again to build a shelter" Dr Chandra advised.
The women entered the emergency shelter, while the men were still continuing their discussions.
"I think it's better to build a more adequate hut than clay soils to be safer" Robert suggested.
"Land of clay or bricks? ask Indra not understand the difference.
"The brick if we print and burn it first just arranged into a wall. If that clay I mean, we make a frame out of wood, add a willow twig or another tree just cover it directly with clay soil." explained Robert.
"Is it strong?" ask doctor Chandra.
"If it's thick enough, it'll be strong. But this way, we can quickly build a decent shelter. If using bricks, then we have to print and dry them and then burn, then it can be used. To build a brick wall, we need cement. It takes a longer process." Leon also explained what he knew.
"Ohhh we don't have cement here" said Gilang.
"We can make it too. But right, the process is long. While we'll soon have shelter." Robert explains the reason.
"Can we really make cement?" ask Indra not to believe it.
"Yeahh, maybe the name is not cement and does not look like a cement factory, but the function is still the same, both to glue stone or brick." Robert confirmed.
"Teach me" Indra hoped.
"Hmm, I'll teach you. Maybe we'll need it one day too." Robert agreed.
"Thank you" Indra was excited. 'It's a new science, he thought gladly.
"alright. So tomorrow we build a hut with clay soil. Now rest. Gather power," advises Dr. Chandra.
They rested in leaves by the fireplace. A bright night dotted with stars ushered their strands of hope into the sky.
*
Laras and Silvia took the basket to the flowering field to pick some flowers and herbs. They remembered the flowers and plants Marianne had picked before. They also want to find shells on the beach.
Angelina and Niken had to collect fish and make salt again because the previous ones were scattered on the ground due to the actions of the foreigners.
Robert and Liam took willow branches across the river. They almost made a bald 2 willow stems that grow not far from the river bank. Several times they went back and forth to carry a pile of willows to the area of the cottage they were going to build.
Indra and Leon were in charge of cutting down the trees for the posts and roofs of the huts. While doctors Chandra and Gilang dug and collected clay from the river bank, printing quite a lot of bricks first, because the clay wall was only done when the hut frame was finished.
They work diligently and only rest when the sun is at the top of the head.
"Do you want young coconut water?" ask Gilang.
"Yaaa." answered the women quickly.
"So hot like this is delicious to drink young coconut water." Indra agrees.
"Let's pick up," he asked Gilang to pull his hand towards their previous shelter. There grew 2 coconut trees.
*
Over the course of 4 days Robert and his team completed 2 small huts for them to occupy.
"Now we have a tiny villa" said Niken happily.
"Yes, this is very adequate and healthy. Have doors, windows and plenty of ventilation" point Angel to a roof that can still be penetrated by sunlight.
Haha.. They laugh in a crack. Happiness filled their hearts as they could finally live in a better place.
The area around the hut has also been lined with willow braid so as not to be easily penetrated by wild animals.
Angel and Niken even have a small garden filled with various plants that they collect every time they go out exploring. There's cherry tomatoes, there's chili peppers that are round-round funny colorful. There are a variety of vegetables kale, spinach, butternut, sunflower, basil, dill and even ginger that all grow wild. They even moved some young corn and potato crops. Even some types of beautiful flowers in the field of flowers they move to plant in the yard of the cottage that makes the environment beautiful.
Women learned to preserve herbs and flowers to keep them for longer. So they do not need to go to the flower fields often just to make a fragrant tea.
*
"Robert, look at that," whispered Liam pointing to the riverbank as the two of them went out to check further.
"Horse!" robert is happy.
The two of them came closer to observe.
"No saddle and bridle. There doesn't seem to be any owner" Robert said.
"Can you catch it and tame it?" ask Liam to know.
"don't know. I can ride a horse, but never tame a wild horse." Robert answered honestly.
"Wanna try? It would be great if we had a horse, right" Liam persuaded.
"That's 4 horses drinking. Let's just try it. Can't get a single one?" Robert challenged.
He took out the rope he made from rabbit skin and wolf skin. Taught him Liam made a knot with a large hole that had to be inserted into the horse's head.
"Taming horses, can be very dangerous, so be careful. If it's really urgent, let go. Our lives are more important." Robert reminded.
They split up to surround the four beautiful horses that were drinking. Once within adequate distance, they gave each other the hand codes to move at the same time.
"Hup!" Robert threw the leather rope he was holding towards the head of the golden brown horse nearby. Liam did the same to the black horse but to no avail. The horse ran across the river while Liam fell in the riverbank mud.
The brown horse that Robert snared was no less surprised. He jumped nimbly and then ran to follow the running direction of his friends. But his neck was already entangled and Robert held him tight. The horse tried its hardest to keep running with Robert dragged behind him.
"Robert!" liam shouted worriedly.
Robert continues to be dragged by the horse.
"Robert, danger. Let go!" shouted Liam who ran after.
Robert tightened the rope in his hand to keep it from coming off. He felt that the speed of the horse was starting to decrease.
"Sshhh.h. calm down.." said Robert along the way to calm the horse down.
The horse began to slow down its run, so it was similar to walking, only a little faster. His head was moved up and down because he began to have difficulty breathing due to suffocating the rope that was held by Robert.
He finally stopped too. Robert quickly loosened the rope slightly so that the horse could breathe a sigh of relief. The head of the horse was rubbed while continuing to say..
"Sshhh.h. calm down. I don't want to hurt you.." - Robert.
The horse was still trying to escape but Robert again tightened his restraint which made the horse again suffocated and then silent. Several times like that until the horse understood that he could not escape again. He just whined out a protest. Still not willing to obey easily.
Liam who was observing silently at the back finally smiled widely.
"Hehehe.. We already have a handsome horse. The journey will be easier if you have a few more tails" he said excitedly.
"I remember old American movies. We'll look like cowboys riding horses and living in the wild. It's cool. Hahaha," Liam started fantasizing.
Robert smiled broadly.
"Let's go back."
Robert pulled the horse's bridle towards the direction they had come earlier.
"Why come back now? We might be able to find her herd if it follows her running," Liam disagreed.
"We've gone a long way from the usual path. We'll be lost if this trail just disappeared" Robert said.
"How about tomorrow we go back here. Now let's make a clear sign and trail to be easily found again" Robert suggested.
"OKAY. That's better." Liam agrees.
They return while leading the horse that is still occasionally aloof and needs to be pulled over to obey.
***