10. Shadow Passing

Finally, the sun they had been waiting for appeared when the clock showed 2 pm. Grateful that the weather is sunny, so they don't worry about rain.

At this time the youths seemed to be splitting up into two groups to find a safe area as a place to set up tents around the forest later.

Don't know why, but Hardi always feels as if he is given the opportunity to always be alone with fierce uncle. Although the fear has disappeared in the man but still the reluctance is always present.

"Ever heard of the rumors of Mount Obal?" Suddenly, Pradit opened a question that made Hardi's hair boil.

While rubbing his neck, Hardi replied, "Not yet, Uncle. Don't tell me that, Uncle, Hardi is afraid." He looked around the forest. Who knows if a ghost has appeared in one of the trees?

"I see... Aren't you curious?"

Hardi shook his head quickly, "No, Uncle hehehe... Don't tell the story here, later someone will hear Uncle" he said grinning horse. Pradit nodded his head. It was funny to see the teenager who was only a few centimeters shorter than him turned out to be a coward.

They continued through the woods hoping to find a place that was at least not too crooked.

Fierce uncle said to Hardi, "Is that okay?" Following the direction of fierce uncle's index finger, Hardi was taken aback. Since when was there such a flat place in the forest like this? When excavated, it seems impossible because there are no landslides or excavations there.

"Yes, yes, but it's strange, isn't it, Uncle? how come there is such a flat place in the forest like this?" Hardi say it to fierce uncle.

Pradit nodded in agreement, "You're right"

"Forget it, it's not important, now we have to tell the other, maybe they haven't found anything like this" Hardi muttered taking the whistle hanging from his neck and ringing it repeatedly. Using cell phones is useless because previously Rahmat has confirmed that there is no network in this forest.

Luckily his friends weren't far away so they quickly responded by sounding the whistle from different directions. And not long after that, the group of Ummu and Ibnu came to Hardi and fierce uncle.

Ibnu and Ummu were the first to immediately ask, "Why did you call, Di? Have you found it yet?" asked Ibnu.

Saying a proud smile, Hardi pointed to a flat place above him, "See for yourself, my group is great, right?"

Two friends were also surprised, just like Hardi before, "Yes, yes, it's very flat, then it's also wide"

A few minutes later the other team came together at their place and were just as surprised to see the place.

"This place makes me wonder, Yusman and I have been looking for it, how come we can't see it? Even though the place is really big" Vera was surprised.

"That's why uncle and I are also surprised, but never mind, we'd better hurry up and build a tent" added Hardi to his friends.

***

Start the six men set up tents with a certain distance per tent.

"Rahmat asked to be thrown away, it seems. He's been standing there all this time. What are you doing!" Says Okta annoyed.

"I'm the leader, so you guys are the ones working, I just want to see if your work is good or not"

Hardi sneered, "Who said! Ver! Mu! No need to make Mamat food later, there's a lot of grass!" Ummu also appreciates Vera laughing amusedly and nodding in understanding.

"Eh, don't do it! Yes, I'll help." The teenager stuttered and immediately helped Hardi set up the tent.

"Keep an eye on Di, Or he'll run away again" Ibnu ordered.

Hardi swiftly showed an obedient salute, "Ay ay captain!" who was rewarded with laughter from his friends and Pradit who gave his trademark thin smile.

Relying on mutual cooperation, In just a few hours their entire tent was firmly established at 4 o'clock.

Ummu and Vera have also finished cooking the food. Now all gathered on the tarpaulin that was spread on the ground. Sitting in a circle, in the midst of them was a dish made by Vera and Umm. They eat voraciously.

"In a moment I want to sleep with Ummu" Vera said in between eating.

"You can't, I sleep with my darling!" Ibn denied that he did not accept Vera's words.

In total, they only built 4 tents. Those who brought only Hardi, Pradit, Yusman and Rahmat.

Then suddenly fierce uncle said, "You're a man, not a muhrim" Ibnu immediately looked down annoyed, He couldn't fight back if that man had spoken. Because his uncle is scarier when angry than his own father.

Hardi added, "What Uncle Pradit said is true, Nu, you are not muhrim, just sleep with me" he suggested.

"Or don't sleep with me, Nu, just let the girls sleep together, then if you're married, you can," said Rahmat, coaxing the teenager.

"Don't worry, Vera is not a lesbian, your darling will be safe with Vera" Yusman joked, followed by another laugh.

Resigned, Ibnu nodded, "Yeah, I'll just sleep with Yusman," the final answer.

"Then I sleep with Okta" said Rahmat, Okta nodded.

Now it's Hardi's turn to object, "Can I just sleep with you guys...?" He would be more embarrassed if he had to share a tent with fierce uncle again.

"Why again? It's just like this, you protest again" said Ummu.

"Ah! Or are you afraid of being caught..." Vera teased. Hardy stutters.

"My uncle doesn't mind it, you're just exaggerating" Ibn mocked.

The adult man who had been silent all this time smiled a little so that the teenagers didn't notice, Even Hardi.

Night falls...

In the tent, Hardi looks busy playing his cellphone on the small mat he brought. The teenager really wanted to play online games, but what could he do if he didn't have network access in this forest. As a result, what he does now is just playing offline games which he intentionally keeps in memory just in case the quota runs out.

"Huh... I can't contact my mother if this is the way" The teenager was disappointed at who knows who.

"Go to sleep, it's almost 9pm"

He turned to the side where fierce uncle was also lying, "Not sleepy, Uncle"

"Want to hear the story of Mount Obal?"

Hardi turned his sleep on his stomach and nodded, "Ok uncle, Hardi isn't sleepy anyways." It's rare for fierce uncle to ask him to tell a long story like this, Hardi is curious.

"This mountain is haunted" Fierce uncle's story was suddenly frightening.

Hardi was taken aback and sat up immediately, "U-uncle what did you say?"

"This mountain is haunted" Pradit repeated. The corners of his lips lifted faintly as the teenager in a very slow motion began to approach him.

"Uncle, don't make it up, it's not funny uncle" Hardi denied.

Pradit pointed at his face, "Did I ever joke?" Hardy shook his head innocently.

"B-but is it really, Uncle? How do you know?"

"Head of the Police"

"That's so scary, isn't it?" Hardy is getting closer. Pradit bit his lip in exasperation.

Pradit nodded, "Many climbers are lost here"

The teenager widened his eyes, gulping his saliva roughly. And tried to deny it again, "Aah… Uncle, maybe your men lied to you" Then laughed a little.

Fierce uncle's next answer made him freeze, "He's from here"

He swallowed back the saliva that was stuck in his throat. Examining the surroundings of the tent, Hardi breathed a sigh of relief. There wasn't anything scary. Then he innocently shifted his mattress so that it stuck to fierce uncle's mattress.

"Are you scared?" Uncle fiercely asked curtly.

Hardi scratched his head "Y-yes uncle, Regret coming here, Hardi better stay at home" he regretted as he turned to pull the zipper before a white shadow flashed swiftly outside the tent.

Deg!

Surprised, Hardi fell silent. His eyes were straight outwards. Not far from his tent there was only a stove and a tarp that was still left laying outside. He pulled the zipper quickly then turned around then pulled the blanket around his body.

His hand stretched out, pointing at fierce uncle's solar lamp, "uncle, don't turn off the light, okay?" he asked from the blanket.

"Why?"

"Th-that's uncle, Hardi saw a shadow passing by earlier, Hiiii scary! Hardi wants to sleep first, Bye uncle!" He exclaimed, followed by his hand which went back into the cloth covering his body. Reviewing a smile, Pradit shook his head before continuing to sleep.