A million-dollar painting

On a sunny Sunday morning, Rico, a 10-year-old boy, took his father Herman to visit an art gallery in Nganjuk city.

"Dad, it's Sunday, let's go there," Rico asked his father.

"Okay, I am, get ready first, son," Herman replied.

They also went to the art gallery by motorbike. Every week, Rico always takes his father to the art gallery, because Rico has fallen in love with art. Even Rico often wins painting competitions at the school level. Likewise, with Herman, Rico's father, the man is also a talented street artist. But Herman is so idealistic, that the 40-year-old man is not famous.

While in the art gallery building, Rico was amazed by the sculpture and carving exhibition there, while Herman's gaze was fixed on a very dark abstract painting. The painting was made by an anonymous artist named "The Gloomy". It is said that after the painting was made, the artist jumped into the abyss and his body was not found.

After seeing many works of art in the art gallery building, the two of them went home, but Herman kept thinking about the abstract painting that the gloomy man had made. After taking Rico home, Herman went to Kukup beach to just relax and feel the sea air while enjoying coconut water picked straight from the tree.

From a distance, precisely on a cliff, Herman saw a cave on the cliff wall and saw someone sitting at the mouth of the cave. "How can there be someone on that cliff?" Herman asked. The person sitting at the mouth of the cave realized that Herman was watching him. Then he entered the cave.

Herman, who was very curious about the cave, immediately started his motorbike and headed to the cave. After reaching the top of a high cliff, Herman was even more confused, "how I can go down to enter the cave?" Herman asked. At the edge of the cliff, there is a large tree with roots that tower down. Then Herman held on to the roots of the big tree and slowly descended. After entering the cave, Herman was amazed by the beauty of the cave.

In the cave, Herman saw many very beautiful and enchanting works of art. There are various sculptures, carvings, and paintings that are very beautiful. Then a man with long hair blended with a mustache and beard stood before Herman. Then Herman said, "Did you make all this?" Herman asked.

"Yes, these are all mine," said the man.

“You are a great artist, what is your name?” Herman asked.

"I'm the gloomy artist," replied the man.

"OMG, I just saw your abstract painting at the art gallery with my son," said Herman.

After much chat with the man, it turned out that Herman had just found out that the abstract painting had been robbed and the robbers had pushed it into a ravine. Then fake news was made and it was said that the gloomy man had committed suicide. Before the incident, the gloomy man told him that he and his girlfriend were fighting. The Gloomy refuses an offer of one million dollars for a painting of his, his girlfriend is furious that The Gloomy refuses the offer. So, his girlfriend pays a group of people to seize abstract paintings and create fake news stories about suicide.

After more than two hours of chatting with the gloomy, Herman said goodbye to go home. The gloomy man gave him a cool wood carving and a painting he had just made for display at Herman's house. The gloomy man gave a message to Herman that these carvings and paintings should not be sold to anyone. One more message from the gloomy to Herman to keep the gloomy person hiding a secret. Herman also promised to take good care of The Gloomy gift and would not tell anyone where The Gloomy secret was hiding.

The end.

The lead image source by Unsplash