SURVIVORS
Chapters 78. Armed Group
The forest quickly darkened. Now it is the turn of the fireflies to show the beauty of their light in place of butterflies.
While the women were preparing dinner, the others sat around the fireplace talking.
"So how's tonight?" ask Gilang.
"We take turns to keep it as usual. But this time it's gotta be up until morning." Robert decides.
"We stand guard in a team. If anyone is asleep, wake up immediately."
"Good." The others agreed.
"What is that in your hand?" ask doctor Chandra.
"Oh, this is a mushroom that grows on birch trees. I heard it's good for health, but I've never tried."
Robert showed the brown mushroom to Chandra's doctor.
"You're sure this mushroom isn't poisonous?"
Doctor Chandra noticed the brown object in his hand.
'Its shape is not at all similar to mushrooms in general. Why did Robert say it was a mushroom?' inner doctor Chandra.
"There have been many tried, and sold as herbal teas. But I've never tried and don't really understand the benefits. Obviously, it's non-toxic" Robert replied.
"All right, let's keep this. Maybe it'll come in handy" says Dr. Chandra.
After dinner, they rest and leave Indra and Liam on guard first.
The night passed quietly without the disturbance of the beast. Indra and Liam sat bored in front of the fireplace. Until the change of watch was almost here, they were still trying to open their heavy eyes.
"Say, Leon, wake up. Now it's your turn to take care of it." Indra shook the bodies of his two sleeping friends.
"Ahh? What?", Gilang answered in a daze overpowered drowsiness.
"Dragon! I'm so fucking sleepy." Indra nagged and immediately looked for a comfortable position to lie down.
"Leon, wakeup! Change his sleep." Liam pulled Leon's hand to straighten his body.
"Dragon! Don't sleep on. Open your eyes!" Liam patted Leon's back a little strongly and made his eyes open.
"Ah, yes. Take care. Take care," Leon turned his head towards Gilang whose head was bowed while sitting down.
"Dragon! Don't sleep anymore." Leon hits Gilang's arm which makes him re-stretch his head.
"What's wrong?" Gilang's eyes were glaring at Leon blurry..
"Dragon." Leon took a teapot, poured warm tea and drank the contents until they ran out. That was enough to restore his consciousness.
"Drink first, let's not sleepy." A cup of warm tea is brought to Gilang's mouth.
Forced to drink, making Gilang's eyes open again. He stood flexing his body for a while, then sat back down and stared at the fireplace. The place was completely quiet without the disturbance of a single large beast. There are only fireflies and crickets that fill the night.
*
Drap. drape..
The sound of horse-foot running rang out in the distance. There was an entourage riding into the forest at high speed. Suddenly the leading horse raised its legs high and neighed, making its rider fall tumble on the flowering bush. All the other horses simultaneously pulled the reins of each horse.
"Murghh."
The horseman, who had fallen in shock from his horse, tried to sit down.
"You all right?" ask a masked man with blue eyes from a horse.
"My back hurts" complained the rider. Someone else approached and checked.
"Sir, look at this" shouted someone from behind a tree.
The others approached without getting off the horse. They saw 10 humans and 10 horses sleeping. They did not even wake up hearing the horse's neighing or the sound of screaming.
The masked man frowned then shook his head faintly. He got off the horse, followed by the others. He seems to be the leader of the group.
The man gave the code. They surrounded the sleeping people, holding spears and swords in their hands.
The masked man moved his hand while muttering faintly. Then came a white light from his palm that was directed at those sleeping people. The light surrounded them all the way around. Then he moved his two hands around while lifting them up and stopped in a position higher than the head. The dew points of the glowing area all swirled and were pulled up and floated, gathering above the sleeping people.
After muttering words that no one else could understand, the masked man threw both his hands down swiftly. Along with that, all the floating water points earlier instantly fell like rain soaked everything below.
"Ahhh. raining.." They try to wake up in panic. But it was even more frantic when the sharp pointed spear and sword tips were directed before their eyes.
"Aahhhh," they sat down with fear looking at the armed group.
\*\*\*\*\*
"Dean, today 2 sheep are lost. It's been 3 days like this. Long time our pets can run out," the Goddess fights with annoyance.
"Well, tomorrow morning we check if there's a broken fence" Dean replied.
Widuri and Nastiti share dinner. They ate in the courtyard of the hut, under the moonlight.
"Yes, I think our abilities are already very good." Sunil.
Dean nodded then swept his gaze at everyone.
"So where do we go?"
"There's just black fog all around us, are you sure the area is safe?" ask Nastiti.
All humped. It was also what had troubled them a long time ago. The place they lived in was surrounded by fog and rock hills where the cave was located.
"A, were you able to reopen the cave passage where your protector left back then?" Widuri looked at Dean.
Dean nodded.
"I was actually also planning to briefly examine the circumstances behind it." replied Dean.
"You want to find the whereabouts of those two protectors?" ask Alan.
"Yes." Yeah." Dean nodded.
"But tomorrow we better check the fence around first. Or we won't have any more milk." Goddess reminded.
"Yes, we'll check tomorrow," Sunil replied quickly. The goddess was satisfied.
"What is our food supply for travel?" Dean shifted the subject.
"The preservation of lamb as you taught us we've been doing since last month. Tomorrow we check the results" replied Widuri.
"Good."
"I can ask you one important question Dean?"
Sally said nervously. Although it had been quite a while that the spirit occupying Dean and Dean's own body looked compact and fused, he was still unfamiliar.
"What's that?" ask Dean back.
"You told us to prepare a lot of supplies for the trip. You tau? We have 2 rooms full of supplies in the cave. Not to mention what we keep in the kitchen. Then how do we carry that much stuff?" Widuri was curious.
"Put it in here."
Dean pulled out his usual necklace behind his shirt. The necklace is silvery white and shiny. There hang a simple green rectangular stone.
"Look, here still stored all my clothes. Some of my favorite weapons, my savings, and.. Bi image?"
Dean who was removing the contents of his necklace pendant was immediately stunned to see the blue light that intertwined to form the figure of a woman. That 3-dimensional blue light figure floated in front of the six people.
"Bi.."
Dean's hand stretched out toward that light. His face was sad, implying the meaning of sadness and longing.
"A very beautiful woman" whispered the Goddess to Nastiti.
"Maybe it's A's lover" Nastiti guessed after seeing Dean's expression.
"But take it easy. A is gone, however. So you still have a chance with Dean" Nastiti whispered to Widuri.
Widuri glared resentfully at Nastiti who pretended not to see her. His hands guerrilla and perched on Nastiti's thigh and twisted it.
"Abauuu..!"
Nastiti's screeches surprised everyone. A glance immediately shifted to him that hissed the spiciness.
"Why?" ask Alan to worry.
"Widuri. Sick tau. Let me give it back to you." Nastiti immediately chased after Widuri who ran into the cottage.
"No mauu.. Don'tdon't.. Ahhe.. Hahaha. geliiii. stop.. Ampuunn. enggakaii.." there was a shout mixed with laughter Widuri who succeeded followed Nastiti.
The four friends shook their heads. They were already used to seeing the two of them even being able to tickle each other and roll on the prairie.
Dean put everything he showed back in his necklace.
"Is your necklace room enough to keep all our supplies?" Sunil returned to their discussion.
"Very enough," replied Dean confidently.
"Then, the problem has been resolved." added Alan relieved.
"So, when are we going to check out that cave passage you closed?" Sunil asked again.
"After we find out the cause of the disappearance of the sheep belonging to the Goddess. We get that done first" replied Dean.
"Thank you Dean." The goddess smiled sincerely. Dean nodded.
"We're gonna rest now." Dean got up followed by Alan and Sunil. They helped Dewi clean up the dinnerware.
***