This place, I always miss it all year round, every holiday like this I take the time to stop by at my grandmother's house because it is interesting that behind the village there is a pine forest that always anesthetizes my eyes.
A row of beautiful pine trees, the air as clean as the dew, and the fairies' air that sometimes gave me chills. Mom always understands that I like this place. I'm happy to linger in a place like this.
"Risaa ... come down for a while, I have hot tea and your favorite bowl of noodles." Mother expels my reverie (again).
"Okay, mom ... I'm down" I shouted, rubbing my stomach.
"Okay, come down in 3 minutes." Mother said while looking at her leather watch.
"Hmmm ..." I muttered with a mouth full of noodles.
"Risa .." Mother's voice softened as she looked at me.
"Yes, mom? ..." I think there is something I thought.
"You know Saturday night you're 17 years old?"
"Hmmm .." I just nodded
The 17th birthday celebration doesn't really matter to me. I just need prayers from the people I care about, no need for big celebrations, lavish gifts like most teenagers like me because I think it's a waste of energy and money for sure.
"When you were your age, my grandmother was strictly prohibited from going to the forest, she said there were many evil spirits in this forest." Mother told a little.
"then..?" I replied casually.
"I know .. you like this place but can you not go up to the pine forest until the end of this week?"
"Cough, huk .." I choked, how could it be this big I'm still forbidden to go to a place that I like I thought.
Mother immediately fetched me a glass of water then patted my shoulder.
"At least you have to believe the word mother!" Mother left me alone at the dinner table.
I walked slowly through my bedroom, trying to think ignorant of the mother's restrictions. Arriving at the room, I immediately lay down on the bed. My eyes were fixed on the bedroom window which was like a beautiful three-dimensional pine forest painting.
"How could there be many evil spirits in this forest?" I muttered to myself, I'm more curious. Not long, I fell fast asleep.
"Risaa .." the voice was very soft like the wind in the pine field.
"Yes .." I reflexively looked back, there was no one, only me and dozens of pine trees lined up around the lake.
I woke up. I saw the clock ticking balanced on the wall, it was already 6 in the afternoon it was fitting that my dream was very strange, I walked unsteadily to the bathroom to clean myself.
Here I have a friend named Tiar who is 15 years old. Mom says we're distant cousins. Tiar once told me that in this pine forest there was a lake with a view like in heaven. Again, as if he had been to heaven alone. After cleaning myself I walked casually to the dining table and was a little surprised by the appearance of Tiar next to my dining chair.
"Hi, Sis, let's eat together." Invite the girl with a chuckle.
I tried to smile sweetly, immediately sat down and ate a meal at the dinner table. Mother did not continue the conversation this afternoon about my age and the spirits I did not understand. After eating, Tiar and I went to sit in the back garden.
"Sis, remember the story about the lake that I talked about at that time?" Tiar tried to start the conversation.
"Remember, how the story continued?" I'm a little curious.
"The sequel is, on Friday I will explore this pine forest with my cousin Kris, will you want to come?" her tone began to whisper as if this was a secret mission.
I was silent and thought for a moment remembering what mother said this afternoon.
"OK, okay, I'll come." I showed the sweetest smile.
"Yeaahh .." she gave a high five and I immediately greeted her.
---
I looked at my backpack again, "everything has been packaged, I also got permission to stay at Tiar's house tonight even though I lied a little to my mother on the grounds that I was going to Kris's house in the next-door village." I muttered to myself.
---
"Risa, we have to go to bed soon so that tomorrow morning we won't be late through the pine forest." Whispered Tiar in his style like a spy agent "
I nodded mockingly
"Hahaha ..." we laughed loudly and then hurried to sleep.
---
"Are you two ready? We will pass dozens of pine trees in front later. " Kris said who acted like a nature lover group leader.
"Hmm .." We both nodded confidently.
Kris is actually a mountain boy member on his campus, no wonder his backpack is the largest of the three of us. His strong and strong body made me believe that Kris could protect me and Tiar if something happened that we didn't want.
On the first step into the forest we passed two old pine trees whose leaves were rarely seen. It really looked like a gate with the words "WELCOME". The path that was obscured by falling pine tree leaves plus the damp soil structure made us have to be careful not to slip. Not long after we walked, from a distance there was a sound of water gurgling.
"It must be the river flow," said Kris who walked behind us.
"That means we are pretty close to the lake huh, sis?" Asked Tiar.
"Yep !!!" we accelerated each step and arrived at the river
"We better rest for a moment here," said Kris, washing his face with river water.
"Okay" I sat under a pine tree which is approximately 25 meters high.
"Ah, I'm very tired, you have a lot of energy, I'm still a kid," Tiar then collapsed lying on the ground.
"Be careful if lying here there can be lots of snakes." Kris tried to advise Tiar
I looked around, this land is so beautiful, the river water is so clear it gently descends to the foot of the hill, for a moment I remembered what my mother said at that time.
"How could there be an evil spirit here." I thought
Kris approached me slowly sat on my left "you know Risa? They like you. "
"What?" I turned my head in surprise.
Kris just smiled and then stood up "let's continue our journey, hey Tiar !!! do you want to sleep here till night? Fast wake!"
"Ah, Kris ..." let out a little whining
We walked uphill on a hill lined with pine trees suddenly there was a sound like water flowing from the top of the hill, oddly the sound was getting closer.
"What's the sound of water?" I asked Kris.
"No, it's the wind, be ready they will pass you," he said with a grin
"Kreeesssss ..." the wind hit the body of the pine tree around me, it was true that the wind was coming down from the top of the hill and past us.
"Hahaha that's so fun" Tiar was excited.
"Once again, they like you Risa" whispered Kris for the second time.
"What do you mean exactly?" I asked curiously.
Again Kris just smiled and walked ahead of me.
---
"Here it is ..." Kris presented a giant bowl of freshwater that was clear green shiny under the sunshine,
I with a running breath trying to calm myself to see the beautiful reflection of the pine trees in the calm mirror, the wind occasionally shakes the image without damaging the mirror.
Suddenly there was a wind blowing from the end of the lake, he passed us this wind feels cold and lonely but I don't really pay attention to that feeling.
I was so tired that the trip I lay down on the green grass without a rock, Kris came to sit beside me. My eyes closed, this place is so quiet too lazy to start greeting Kris.
"Risa .." there was a soft voice greeted me
"Yes .." I woke up and opened my eyes.
“You like this place, right? We also like you to stay longer here you can imagine all night and run running after the wind along with the light. Isn't that fun? " her voice soft and several others smiled warmly behind her
"You... who ... who?" I asked haltingly.
"There are no evil spirits here Risa, we are only helping you get peace, you like this place right? We also like you to stay longer! ”
"I ... I can't. I promised to go home to mother."
"Mother is different from you Risa. She doesn't understand. You like this place right?" We also like you. Stay longer! " she began to hold my hand with her warm fingers, it smelled like rain.
"Sis, let's go home, it's your birthday tomorrow" a very familiar voice, "Tiar? Where is she?" I was looking for.
“You don't like Tiar that much either, you like this place right? Stay a little longer! " her voice grew heavier.
"Risa, don't listen to her!" Kris came from behind hugging me tightly.
"You like this place, don't you, stay longer!" Her hands gripped tightly, her voice grew heavier and her face blackened, some of the others behind drooled from their mouths, others had their stomachs bulging with red faces.
I was scared to death but she grabbed my hand so tightly, my God I should have listened to my mother's advice, I wanted to go home.
"I want to go home, I don't like you and I don't want to stay !!" I shouted with all my might.
My eyes are open, my breath is stifled and cold sweat is streaming down my clothes,
"Kris .." I called him he was still sitting beside me just like when I was closed.
"Did I say they like you" Kris stared at me simply?
"Come on, let's go home in a little while dusk!" Kris stood up and stretched out his hand to help me get up.
"Okay, next time we come here again, OK?" said Tiar as she ran towards us.
My breath is still gasping. For a second I looked back "stay much longer!" they waved a call.
