The Van Til House: STRAF SABBAT
Chapiter 42

"Everyone, raise your hand! No one moves." The heavy voice of a man echoed behind Hendra and Magisna.

Both turned around.

A number of police officers have surrounded the entire place. Two of them approached Gabe and Miss Pinkan. Then secure both.

"Agis!" the screams of a woman shocked Magisna. No one has ever called her Agis except…

A middle-aged woman with gray brown thistles was walking towards the half-running Magisna, crossing the side grounds of the hut in a row. Her face looked pale under her brown veil.

"Mama!" Magisna burst into the middle-aged woman's arms and sucked her face, shedding a long-simmering cry.

"Thank God you are well" said his mother, rubbing Magisna's back.

Magisna was still buzzing in her mother's arms, when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, clucking on the muddy ground. Then a pair of sturdy hands pressed gently on both of his shoulders.

It must be my father, he thought. The touch felt familiar and reassured him. His father never spoke unless necessary. But her gentle touch strengthened Magisna.

Magisna pulled her face from her mother's chest and turned towards her father. Grab the man's hand and kiss him.

Hendra joined them shortly afterwards.

Along with that, four policemen came out of the cottage, herding six teenagers. Ais and Agustin, Teak and his friends.

They're all held in the hut?

It is obvious already that it is not them who are pushing the car into the abyss.

So who?

Miss Pinkan said they were four.

Could it be Miss Pinkan's story?

But why should he make up a story?

Magisna glanced at Miss Pinkan who was passing near them by flanked by two officers. Two other officers flanking Gabe followed behind him.

"See you on Monday" said Miss Pinkan, winking one eye at Magisna.

Magisna blinked and forced a smile. Then glanced at Gabe.

Gabe glanced back at him with a flat look. Blood seeped on his left shoulder, creating a dark red circle on his striped jacket.

Ais and Agustin approached Hendra.

Ais and Hendra were high-five and threw jokes at each other. A moment later, the two boys were already laughing, as if nothing had ever happened to them. Agustin remains flat and serious.

Teak approached towards Magisna. Seemed hesitant and a little clumsy under the supervision of his parents. "Lu's fine, right?" 

Magisna smiled and nodded. "Cave not pa-pa. You all right?" He asked back.

"The main character's cave," joked Jati while smiling thinly.

Magisna chuckled and shook her head.

Hendra glanced at them with a sour face. But don't say anything.

Teak bowed at a glance towards Magisna's father and mother, then twisted his body while waving one hand at Magisna, joining his friends, then hurriedly following the officers.

One of the officers approached Magisna and her family. "Sisters. Sir, Mom!" sapanya manners. "The sisters all had to come with us to the police station to be questioned. Your vehicle problem, we have contacted the tow truck service. Tomorrow you can pick it up at the police station."

Magisna looked at her father and mother. His mother nodded and smiled. His father patted his shoulder.

"Can we deliver it?" Magisna's mother asked the officer.

The officer smiled and cheered.

.

.

.

TEEEEEEEEEEE...!

Monday morning, all students were gathered in the school grounds to receive the announcement.

Hendra and Magisna stood side by side while staring at the school porch with a grim look. They suspect the announcement is related to the disappearance of the principal and also their friend.

Magisna glanced at him with an expression of imperviousness. Almost crying.

Hendra placed one of his hands on Magisna's shoulder, trying to calm her down. Then close his body as they began to jostle with the other newly joined disciples.

Hendra suspected someone had run him over. He drew Magisna closer. She held her arms around Magisna's neck.

But Magisna rebelled, making Hendra immediately look down at Magisna.

He pointed at someone with a dark-colored sweater hoodie. Before long another disciple joined beside her as well by wearing a similar sweater hoodie.

Hendra followed the direction of Magisna and gasped.

The two disciples wearing hoodie sweaters turned to them with flat faces.

Both are wearing glasses. But Hendra and Magisna recognized their faces.

Dika Alisyah and Novi Articasari.

They survived, Magisna thought in amazement. Papa Tibi saved them. Then jump towards them with a face sparkling with pleasure mixed.

Out of his expectations, the two friends turned their faces expressionless, as if they did not know each other.

"Novi!" call Magisna among the hustle and bustle of the voices of the other disciples.

Novi did not react. He looked up and tiptoed to see who would make the announcement.

The foyer of the school - the place where supposedly one of their teachers stood to give the announcement - was still empty.

"Belk!" Magisna snatched the sleeve of Dika's sweater.

Dika turned to him with her eyebrows linked. His facial expression showed that he was not happy that his sweater arm was snatched away.

Hendra tried to touch Dika's shoulder. But the boy pressed his shoulders away from Hendra and Magisna.

Making Hendra and Magisna stammer and exchange views.

Angry them? Magisna wondered.

"Belk!" peekik Hendra slightly choked.

Dika turned his head once again towards them with a reproachful look. Novi followed him. The look of both is the same. They both look foreign. After that the two moved away from Hendra and Magisna.

Magisna gulped with great difficulty. They were really angry, he thought. But because of what?

Hendra looked around them. Probably looking for Alexza, Magisna thought. Then he checked the crowd around him.

Dika and Novi survived, he thought. Alexza too, right?

Then the two exchanged glances again with grim expressions. 

"Please pay attention, kids!" The voice sounded from the porch, not so loud. But Hendra and Magisna gasped at it. They recognize that voice.

Sir Isa—Their head of school.

He survived too, Magisna thought. And he also wears glasses. The same glasses that Novi and Dika wore.

What the hell's going on? Magisna gulped. Is it just my feelings? Why did they change uniforms?

"I'm really sorry I had to deliver this bad news" the principal announced, "But one of your friends is missing and the school has to be shut down today."

Sudden boisterous atmosphere. Some disciples cheered happily, some chuckled in surprise at the sight of a disciple gone missing, some began to be busy talking about it with anyone who was near them at the time.

Hendra and Magisna exchanged glances with murky facial expressions.

"There will be demolition in some parts of the school building" continued Mr. Isa. "And the teaching-learning activities will be moved for a while. So from tomorrow, you will all leave for school as usual, just over noon. We'll hitchhike in the SMU building after their lesson is over."

All the children were now groaning at the same time.

"Why not take a holiday, anyway?" some disciples were grumbling, but only whispering.

"Specifically for today, you can all go home." Mr. Isa ended the announcement, then left the foyer.

Magisna looked back at Hendra.

The guy was still busy researching the crowd. The crowd was gradually dispersed.

Hendra stopped looking. His gaze was now focused on a single point. Both of his eyes were twitching.

Magisna followed his direction.

Then it freezes at the same point.

He saw Dika and Novi talking to Pak Isa. Then the three of them walked together towards the principal's office.