by Rama Nugraha
Is it dead?
Datan decided to come out of his hiding spot. He broke into a small run, slipping here and there. His blood whirred in the suspense. Datan lifted his finger and put it in front of his lips, hissing at the woman who seemed unable to believe her eyes seeing him.
◆◆◆
Datan bent his knees in front of the woman.
The woman was just startled seeing him. Her mouth opened slightly. There was a trace of tears on her bright, flushed skin. Her bewildered expression resembled a little girl’s. She looked innocent and modest.
Datan remembered Ana…
This woman is a Marra. The first clan. The oldest. The ruler of the Surface in the past. Datan assumed they were the same age. He scanned her from head to toe with his eyes.
Even in such a messy condition, drenched in sweat, unabashed beauty radiated from her face. Her upper arm and shin were badly scuffed. There was an awful tear in her left thigh that blood stained her outfit. She was wearing a blue house dress which had seagrass plant drawing on it. It had some lace in the neck and the sleeve, which was torn and dirty like she had been rolling around in the ground. Her wide eyes were in the color of copper. They were wet and hazy in her long, pale, face, which was wrinkly due to shock. Her hair was even messier. She was a brunette, though there was a gradation in her hair, in which it turned red from the midst to the end of the hair.
And Datan could smell it… the peculiarity. It kept making him wonder. As far as he could remember, there were only two people who had that scent. It was not from perfume, but it was a natural scent of their sweat. It was just like Father’s and Ana’s.
She smelt like vanilla. How was that possible?
Datan was curious. Even so, he knew that it was not the time to ask her about her scent. “You look like you’re having a heartbreak,” he commented.
The woman closed his eyes as she stared at Datan, swallowing hard. Then, as if he was reminded of something painful. She started sobbing again. “Elina,” she whimpered, then wiped the sides of her eyes with her sleeves. “Elina… she collapsed. I think she’s…”
Datan looked around them. “Elina? Is there anyone else here?”
The woman silenced, looking at the sprawled Ludaj.
Datan winced. “Your Elina?” he questioned. “The wild with the horn?”
The woman glared at Datan. “Elina is my friend,” she yelped. “She’s tamed.”
Datan was reminded of Erry when she was pouting.
He stood up, approaching Elina. The Ludaj had a red bracelet made of sheep’s skin in its left elbow as an identifier as well as yellow velvet ribbon in her neck. It wore a lacey garment, ornamented with colorful beads all over its shoulder and part of its chest. A pair of silver earrings dangled on its pointy, hairy earlobes.
Datan turned about, showing a complete unabashed astonishment. “You are the very first Ludaj dresser I’ve seen. Your taste is amazing!”
The woman grimaced, displaying her neat porcelain white teeth. Datan had a hard time guessing if she was flattered or offended. Because for him, it was bizarre to have a Ludaj as a pet. Datan pinched his nose to avoid the rancid smell, then carried on with his journey.
Datan found Elina’s hair fell out and darkened. He could see dull wrinkly skin which seemed damp. The creature was nearly hairless, naked, looking scarier than ever—if it were not for the beautiful clothing.
“Is she still breathing?”
Datan felt curious gaze in his back, hopeful, expecting an answer. He shook his head. “Did you two fight?” he asked.
The woman told him that Elina got mad all of sudden and was trying to attack her. “She didn’t want me around her,” she muttered, sighed heavily, sobbed as her cheek damp with tears. “Elina thought I was an enemy. She attacked me. She didn’t recognize me! I can’t fight back—it’s impossible! I don’t want to hurt her. I want to embrace her! It’s been three days since the last time I saw her!”
Datan turned around completely, stunned. He scratched his eyelids.
“What is it?”
Datan put both of his hands in his pocket as he shook his head, “Nothing.”
“Your gaze mocks me.”
Datan smiled slightly. “You’re just like a child, with the exaggeration and all.”
She frowned, wiping her snort with her dirty hand.
“Elina looked sick,” Datan continued.
The woman fixed her sitting position, supported by both of her hands. As she slightly straightened her posture, her face tensed like she was holding back pain. She said that ten days ago “Aunt Muri” checked on Elina, saying that Elina had a mild disease which was common for Ludaj. Elina might have eaten something bad.
“Like a young Yeklip root, for instance. The sap gives them diarrhea.”
Datan crouched down, examining the gaping mouth of the Ludaj. There was some mucus in between its teeth covered with black dots. He smelt something He had realized the fact that as an Ingra he had stronger senses compared to others.
Father said that Datan’s smelling sense was two times sharper than any other bloodline. It might be true. Also, Datan could choose what he wanted to smell.
“Chocolate Yeklip root? Or did you give her chocolate?”
“Elina doesn’t eat chocolate, Boy. I have never eaten Yeklip root but I am sure it doesn’t have a chocolate flavor. Did you find something odd?”
Datan stood up straight, turned around yet again. “No,” he lied as he walked away leaving Elina. He approached the woman and sat cross-legged in front of her. “I’m sorry about Elina,” he crossed his arms also. “Now what are you going to do?”
The woman frowned, her face turned blue. She bowed her head, she stayed silent as she stared at the ground. Then she looked at Elina once again.
“She’s dead. You must let her go. You can’t sit here forever.”
The woman closed her eyes and looked up to the sky, inhaling. “I know. It’s my leg,” she squeaked. Her eyes stared at her left limp left foot. “I think it was sprained, I don’t know. One thing for sure, it hurts badly and I cannot move it.”
Datan expected this, “Let me see.”
Datan took off her leather shoe carefully. He swallowed nervously seeing her swollen bruised ankle. Datan felt sorry. He speculated that she experience an ankle dislocation due to weak muscle. She claimed to have fallen as she chased after Elina in this stoop ground.
“I thought it was alright,” she added. “Then my head was suddenly turned about, I fell and then I am no longer able to stand up. It’s infuriating,” she looked at her foot. “My disorder really troubled me.”
The ground shook all of sudden, dropping tension onto the two.
The woman stood up straight. She held back her breath. Both of her hand was on her thigh, squeezing her dirty dress. Her eye looked at Datan’s green ones in fear.
Datan caught a small pebble which rattled around them. His eyes assessed his surroundings. Dry leaves were falling and the bushes quivered restlessly. Both of them were aware of what was coming. Terror crept upon their blood, tightening every inch of their nerves.
“You should go!” the woman shouted. “They’re coming! We’ve talked too long. I’ve made too much noise in my fight with Elina, and they will be furious to find one of their kind dead here with us.”
“How about you?”
“I’ll stay. I’ll be alright.”
“How will you be alright?”
She looked up. “He will come and help me,” she uttered, gazing at the cloudy night sky as if she expected a prince to appear from up there and carry her in his arms.
“No one’s going to help you here,” Datan exclaimed.
She finally looked down, grunting but not denying him. Datan stood up, inhaling heavily and walked back and forth with eyes to the ground. His left hand was on his head while his right hand was on his hips.
“What are you doing?”
“Thinking.”
“But—“
“Quiet,” Datan hissed, “give me a moment.”
She closed her mouth, acting obedience. All the while, heavy footstep rattled the ground even harder along with roars of call amongst the Ludajs. The Yeklip trees wiggled twitchily, their leaves made a crackling sound. The hanging orb up above might be too scared to stare for it dimmed its light, hiding behind fog and cloud.
There was no looking back. Datan shrugged as he decided. He kneeled before the woman. “What’s your name?
“Irirana, you?”
“Call me Datan.”
“Alright, Datan. What’s your plan?”
Datan glared sharply at her. “I will take you running with me,” he said, feeling stupid hearing his own words.
Her mouth was slightly open. “Oh, I am touched,” she said, then laughed cynically. “Have you lost your mind?”
“I will carry you until we can find someone who can help you.”
Irirana shook her head, frightened. “No one lives here!” she shouted. “This place is a Ludaj hen! There is no resting hut, unless—“
“Then I will take you out of this place.”
Irirana’s eyes widened, she paled. She shook her head strongly. “No. No. It is too risky!”
“Do you still want to live?”
Her cheek reddened—eyes looking at Datan. Then she turned away. Humiliation and hopelessness were apparent in her face. She wavered.
“Let me try it.”
Irirana took several deep breaths, trying to put away the lump of fear clogging her chest, “Alright.”
“Great, first thing first,” Datan’s eyes looking at Irirana’s left foot.
Irirana spryly tore the rim of her torn up dress and gave it to Datan. It was like she had been thinking about that for a while. Datan understood. He wrapped her injured left foot carefully. When he ran out of fabric, he tore some out of Irirana’s dress by himself. Irirana had to approve of Datan’s bulky, messy, and loose wrapping.
“Your left thigh?”
Irirana wiped her hair which was covering her eyes. “I don’t think it’s necessary,” she tidied her grubby hair, tying it up somehow that her damp white neck was exposed. Once, the back of her hand wiped drops of sweat in her chin. “This is nothing.”
Datan nodded. “Let’s go,” he said. “Left the torch.”
“How about Elina?”
“You want me to carry her too? It’s impossible to bury her body at this point,” he stated. “Or do you want me to set her on fire?”
Irirana paled. “No! Just leave her be. Let her friends take care of her.”
Datan carried his bag in his front. He reached out to Irirana and carefully supported her so she could stand. Datan carried her in his back. He let the woman put her chin on his shoulder. They approached Elina’s corpse. Every now and then Irirana whimpered in pain when her injured foot was moved. While Datan felt grateful that Father had drilled him to get used to moving with extra weight, and fortunately, Irirana was relatively light.
“Can I hug her for the last time?”
Datan laughed dryly. “How do you want me to help you with that?” he tried to be patient. “Just putting you on her chest?”
Irirana frowned, “Why not?”
Datan shrugged in disgust. “That’s sickening,” he said. “We don’t have time.”
Irirana pursed her lips, sulking.
Chapter 8
The Red Ludaj
The roar of the Ludaj troops echoed for the second time. It sounded closer than ever. The creatures were calling out to each other. Their footsteps shook the ground. Then, Datan noticed the change of aroma around him. The scent of damp soil and rocks were now engulfed in a horrible acidic smell of vinegar. It made him nauseous.
Datan braced himself. Heavily, he ran towards the higher surface with Irirana on his back. They had just got to the summit when a hoard of Ludajs came, bursting in through the gap between Yeklip trees.
A great number of the giant blue creature charged like a furious army, coming for them as they roar madly. Pure rage graced their face, with eyes widened and flaring in the dark. They smashed the Yeklip branches on their way, as they sniffed Datan from afar.
Among them was a larger Ludaj with red hair. It stood out the most. It wore a necklace with a yellow pendant and an iron chain. Instantly, Datan knew it was the Leader Kanas once spoke of. The Leader’s face was ferocious, intense starvation was evident on their face. The Leader shrieked, acknowledging them, and all the leaves were blown away by the force of its voice.
Datan could already feel the warm, horrible-smelling air hitting his face. It felt as though a carcass-eater who never brushes teeth were blowing his face. The hair on his body stood. His blood whizzed towards his head. He took a deep breath as the scent of leaves came back. He blinked, broadened his vision. He sharpened his sight as they pierce through the darkness.
Tension weighed every bit of his muscle.
“They’re going to kill us,” Irirana whispered hoarsely in his ear. “I can feel it.”
“They won’t.”
Datan’s face tensed and his lips were thinned. He would not quiver. He was as ready as he would ever be. Even so, Datan realized that for the time being he had only one option: to run. He could never let the Ludajs got to him, let alone hit him—not even once. The ideas impaled his brain, remind his entire body to increase his reflexes. Because once he was hit, both Irirana and he would be blown to the ground. It would not end well.
Datan should put Irirana to safety first, before dealing with the leader.
“You don’t have to do this, Datan,” Irirana’s voice quivered, almost begging.
“Yeah, I think this is idiotic,” Datan felt Irirana’s entire body trembled on his back. “But I have to follow my moral compass, Irirana.”
Irirana wiped her flushed cheek.
Datan took another deep breath, braced his legs and ran. He went through bushes, jumped over roots, bolting towards the north. Both of his calves tightened, his thighs hardened and his breath was ragged. At the same time, he needed to focus on running and supporting Irirana so that she would not fall off his back, which would make this chase even more troublesome. Even more so, he had to dodge Yeklip roots.
A Ludaj suddenly blocked their way, jumping out of the dark between Yeklip trees—demonstrating its hiding capability. Its high body temperature heated its surroundings. It swung a hairy hammer-like fist towards them. But Datan was agile enough to dodge. He put his weigh on his legs as he swung to the left. Behind him, Yeklip branches thumped as it was broken by the Ludaj’s fist.
Datan reminded himself that he would kill it if he had to.
It turned out that the other Ludajs had planned to surround him from the very beginning. One by one, they appeared from the dark, attacking him with their fists whilst shrieking like there was no tomorrow. Datan almost stumbled upon stones and roots, or his own feet when avoiding Ludaj’s attack. His eyes shifted to every direction, watching the Ludajs’ every move. Yeklip trees yelped under him, and every several times he could hear a wild owl hooted—it was bizarre and unhelpful.
Yeklip branches were shattered in the ground and the leaves were falling out. It felt like there was an earthquake in the jungle. The ground shook horribly and the trees were broken by the sheer force of the angry Ludajs. Datan received a piercing glare from every direction. Daunting roars haunted the air. Gigantic footsteps traced every meter of the ground. Some volcanic stones were even shattered.
Datan could feel the most piercing glare in his back. The Leader chased him still, leading his army towards him. In its right hand was a broken Yeklip stump, which was flattened here and there to make it into a club. The red Ludaj was unhesitant to run in the very front.
Datan ran, fueled by the fear of being chewed alive. Not even once did he want to look back. His jaw tightened and he whimpered as he forced his legs to keep on running. Soon, he was struck by hunger. His energy was drained fast. The muscles in his legs were on fire. Whereas on his back, I
rirana held him even tighter, placing her closed mouth on Datan’s shoulder.
Datan kept his eyes wide open. His iris glowed green in the dark. The pupils moved around swiftly, looking into every object in the jungle before him. He concentrated to find a route they ought to take. He counted every chance he got to dodge an attack and to pinpoint which bushes or trunks he should whip next.
Datan hoped nothing got on his way again, whether it was fallen trees or slanted ground. He was busy contemplating those things when his left leg stumbled upon a stone covered in branches and dried leaves.
Datan fell forward.
Datan tumbled like a ball and Irirana fell off his hold. Datan could hear Irirana yelped as the world around him spun. Datan felt his entire back and his toes in his shoes ached. He hastily ignored the pain and got back up, crawling towards Irirana. She was trying to reach him with her hand when the ground rattled and the Leader jumped in between them, hissing at Irirana.
“Irirana!”
Datan widened his eyes. Spontaneously, his left hand pulled out his dagger and pounced on the Leader. He was so exhausted and stressed that he got irritated. Still, the red Ludaj was unlike the others. It swung the Yeklip club the moment Datan jumped out.
The sound of cracking wood filled the air. The Yeklip club was wrecked into tiny pieces.
Datan was flung away to the ground, writhing in pain. He cursed silently. The pain was excruciating. It felt like his right shoulder and his back was on fire. He screamed to let out some frustration and anger. Taking the fallen dagger, he got back to his feet. He had not the time to dwell on the pain.
The Leader towered over him, it growled hysterically. It was challenging Datan with both of his balled fists. His red hair stretched to let out some hot air. Under it, he could see how strong the muscle of the creature. Its horn glowed in the center of its forehead. It might have been angry over two things: Datan infiltrated its home and killed one of its kind.
The Leader threw away the remaining pieces of Yeklip club in its hand. Growling, hitting its own chest, glaring at Datan. The yellow pendant in his necklace glowed under its thick chest hair. Its tail whipped the ground violently.
