The Van Til House: STRAF SABBAT
Chapiter 34

"Daddy?" hiss Magisna suffocated.

The man frowned. "Where do you know the name of the cave?"

"Gua—"

The man raised his index finger to his lips, placed a hand on Magisna's shoulder and pushed her into the room, then closed the door slowly.

Magisna screeched restrained, already almost shouting. But again the man raised his index finger to his lips. "Sst," he hissed. "Don't be afraid! The cave won't do you."

Magisna stuttered and glared at him.

"Now answer, where do you know the name of the cave?" repeat Teak while bending to balance the height of Magisna.

"Gua denger temen you call your time angry," explained Magisna whispering.

"Anger?" Jati frowned again.

"Your car is almost bumpy Jeep temen cave, inget?"

"Lu's in the Jeep?"

Magisna.

"Who's your name?" ask Jati suddenly.

"Magishna!"

"Okay, Magisna! Sori's. The cave has no evil intent with you or your friends. But gua saranin's best you same temen-men you hastily unplug from here."

"Why?" Magisna asked in a slightly raised voice.

"Guestshh!" Once again Jati signaled Magisna to speak slowly. He brought his mouth closer to Magishna's ear. "Gabrielle's a little dangerous" he whispered.

"I mean Gabe?"

"Yes!"

Magisna gasped as she smothered her mouth with both hands and staggered back.

Teak spontaneously caught his shoulder and held it. Then let out a short sigh and guided Magisna to the bed. "Sori," he said as he crouched down in front of Magisna who was sitting hunched over the edge of the bed. "Gua didn't mean to nakutin you. There is no evidence yet of how widespread. But Gabrielle allegedly killed people a few years ago. It's been a long time, but the case is still under investigation."

"Kasus murder?" Magisna hissing in horror.

"Lu see the rifle collection below, right?" Jati asked as she raised her eyebrows.

"So it doesn't have twilight?"

"Yes, it used to have Dusk. Hold on—" Jati suddenly interrupted her own words. "Do you know where the rifle collection has Dusk?" tanyanya while frowning her forehead once again.

Magisna frowned back. "Senja himself said," he said hesitantly. "Why?"

"The one who said it himself? When?" Teak widened both of his eyes.

"Then-but!"

"So?"

"I mean the cave this afternoon!"

"Wait—" Teak was stunned and stared fixedly at Magisna's two eyes with eyebrows interlocked. "Senja died ten years ago" he said.

"Huh?" Magisna. "Impossible! The same cave men-temen chatted with him. He's also the one who opened the door when we just got to."

Jati shaking. "Gabrielle was alone from the start" he argued. "The same cavemen were here before you."

"Caves don't see you as your friends," hiss Magisna.

"The same cavemen are in the basement with Gabrielle."

"Barns Gabrielle?" Magisna did not understand. "Lu said he's a little dangerous!"

"The niece of Dusk. Every Saturday the cave is the same as the usual cave management here. Gabrielle won't be suspicious of us. But you're the same temen-temen you're a stranger. Gabrielle usually hates it the most when her secrets are known to strangers."

Magisna stammered, unable to speak.

"The rifle collection, the biggest secret." Teak added. "The death of Dusk is still a mystery."

"So the murder case, the Dusk death case?" ask Magisna.

"Vocational school?"

"Van Til Hogeschool!"

Magisna gulped.

"Many students cross in the school basement" Jati said. "Average casualties of special training class participants. Special training classes are actually a kind of straf for troubled students. But on the day Gabrielle was strafted, all the students in the special training class suddenly disappeared. Gabrielle and one of the male students were found one week later in a state of severe injuries. But the others never met. Alleged murder in a special training class."

Magisna blinked and stared at Jati. But I dare not interrupt.

"After awakening, Gabrielle tells the story of a special training class attacked by a panther. Dusk rose apitam and started hunting until school. So he wakes up this cottage." Teak flicked his shoulder and glanced around the room. "But he died with a gunshot wound. The suspect is Gabrielle. But since there's no evidence, Gabrielle's been released."

"…but a heckuva is harder to see than a hunter."

The story of Dusk instantly flashed in Magisna's mind. He shuddered while holding his neck. Heckuva that is not Michael Isaac, Magisna concluded. But himself!

Then why did he mention Michael Isaac by name?

Does Isa have anything to do with this case?

A glimpse of Magisna recalled the events at the doolhof.

"I still have business here" said Pak Isa.

This is clearly related to Mr. Isa, Magisna concluded.

"What does the death of Dusk have to do with school murder?" ask Magisna.

"One of the male students who was found with Gabrielle was interrogated after a rumination. He didn't admit to panther attacks. He said there was smoke that made everyone faint. He managed to get out before fainting, but someone hit him in the head from behind. He didn't know who, he just said he believed the assailant was a girl."

"Is she Gabrielle?" hiss Magisna.

"That's just a guess of a cave" Jati said with a faint smile. "Eat him every Saturday the cave always comes here spying on him. Before Dusk died, he came here every Saturday to nemenin Dusk. But after Dusk died, he came here every Saturday just to remember the passing of Dusk, he said. And the cave uses the same alesan to convince him when he questions why the cave also always comes here every week."

"Is the male student who was found to be Michael Isaac?" Magisna bowed and whispered very carefully.

Teak squinted his eyes. "So you know the story?"

Magisna shook her head quickly. "Senja called his name when he was talking about this afternoon."

Jati blinked and was stunned for a moment. I don't think I'm sure of Magisna's story. "Senja is dead, Gisna!" repeat half the pervade.

"Lu can ask the cave friends if you don't believe it" hiss Magisna insisted. "From the beginning we came, we were opened the same door at dusk, chatting together, coffee together, talking about rifles, and a little bit of bickering. Two cave men even lift a fallen tree with him. The cave doesn't know if he's a ghost. But he himself said his name was twilight."

Teak fell silent again, staring at Magisna with his eyebrows intertwined.

Magisna just shrug.

"Gabrielle said, you guys broke in!" muttered Jati while bowed and frowned.

Magisna shuddered back. It's really strange, her mind. Did we actually talk to ghosts all night?

Jati and Magisna fell silent and stared at each other for a long time. Both of them were completely dissolved in their minds.

But the creaking sound on the floor of the board jerked both of them.

Someone approached the Magisna's room.

Teak and Magisna stammered with eyes and mouth rounded.

Teak looked towards the door and shook his head.

Magisna listened with squinted eyes.

The footsteps were heard getting closer, then back away and closer again.

Someone was pacing in front of Magisna's room.

Magisna held her breath. Wally, he thought. Anyone out there will find him alone with a man he barely knows.

How'this?

Magisna gulped and glanced at Jati with a worried look on her face.

Jati stared back at him with a flat face.