Bebegigs
Chapter 4's

Orange knocked on the door. "Hello?"

There's no answer.

"Freak," Orange muttered. Then he tried to open the door. He pushed it slowly.

I shouldn't have done anything, he thought. But it's already over.

Door opens.

Orange is greeted by a warm air.

"Is anyone here?" The orange calls again. He peeked inside.

Turned dark.

"Hello?" Orang-orang stepped in. I just want to look around, he thought.

The expanse of acacia flowers outside is so dazzling. The orange took a while until his eyes got used to the dim atmosphere inside the hut.

But before he could focus his eyes, he saw a white shadow flashing.

The white shadow that snarled loudly. The shadow was now crashing towards him.

A puff of hot breath hit the face of Orange. And the girl fell down when the white figure just now lunged at her body while growling and roaring loudly.

"ENOUGH! Gardapati, stop!"

The growling creature stopped gripping the body of the Orange.

He retreated a little.

"Sit, Guard!" a male voice commanded decisively.

Orange Gasps, he wipes the saliva attached to his face due to the attack of the animal earlier.

Only now did the girl realize that she was facing a white-haired wolf.

The wolf was also panting. His mouth was wide open and his tongue was stretched almost to the floor. The wolf lowered its head, as if it was about to attack again. His round, dark brown eyes looked at Orange suspiciously.

"Sit, Guard. Sit down!"

The orange rolled to the side, then tried to get up.

A pair of hands grabbed his hand, and pulled the girl to her feet.

"Are you okay?" A middle-aged man observes an orange with his silvery-brown eyes. He was thin and tall, and wore loose black pants only legs and long-sleeved tops with a color tied around the waist of cloth, such as pencak silat uniforms or typical Baduy tribal clothing. His long gray shoulder-length hair was partially pigtailed like a typical samurai swordsman style, he also wore a headband of black cloth batik blue color. His chin was covered in a thick, white beard.

His eyes seemed to be burning.

Orange nodded with a serious face. His eyes did not blink.

The gaze of the middle-aged man was like burning an orange. "He won't hug you" he said. "Gardapati is well trained!"

"But he.." Orange gulped with difficulty, his mouth suddenly dry, until he had difficulty speaking.

"You are the one who ngusik first" said the man. He stared at the orange sharply, without blinking. "I was again in the back," he moved his chin towards the door on the back wall of the cottage.

"Sorry," muttered the regretful orange. "I didn't know there were people here. I guess…"

"Who are you?" the middle-aged man asked curiously, cutting off the words Orange. He looked at the girl while squinting his eyes. His face was red with anger. "Who's your name?"

"Sorry-I don't mean…"

"Who's your name?" the middle-aged man asked once more.

"I went for a walk again" Jingga tried to explain. If only his heart hadn't been beating so fast. If only his mouth wasn't too dry.

The white wolf before him growled softly. His attitude looks tense. With his head lowered, the wolf stared at Orange, as if waiting for the order to attack.

"Why do you want to go into people's homes?" ask the man again. He took a step forward.

Watch out, he looks dangerous, thought Orange. There was something strange about him. And he seems very angry. "I don't mean to be evil, " he stammered. "I just..."

"You go in without excuse" the man insisted. "Aren't you aware that it's dangerous? Gardapati has been trained to attack every unknown person."

"Ma—maaf... ! " Orang stammering.

Orange chest felt tight due to panic.

What is that man going to do?

Frankly, the orange won't wait any longer. He took a deep breath. Then turn around and throw out the door.

Did I manage to escape? Orange wonders.

The cabin door slammed hard behind the orange. He looked back and saw the man running out to chase after him.

"Where are you going, huh?" the middle-aged man exclaimed loudly. "Hei—stop! Where are you going?"

The orange pointed upwards. "To the top!" saith.

The middle-aged man was flabbergasted. "Oh, I can't!" lantang. "Can't! Don't go up there!"

He's not sane! think Orange. That guy has no right to yell at me like that! I am free to go anywhere! He's not sane. Freak!

The rain is starting to fall again. The wind is still blowing.

The bearded man started chasing the orange. With long steps he broke through the mud puddle. "Cade, Bebegig!" he exclaimed.

"Huh?" The orange turned towards him. "What did you say?"

For the second time on that day Jingga remembered an old rhyme that her grandmother loved to read.

Rainy seagrass ngagelebug, komo wanci sambekala…

Kade Bebegig, Anaking!

Kade Bebegig's!

Bebegig mawa dodo.

Oh, geez! think Orange. That rhyme I haven't heard since I was five. But now in a day I remember twice!

They-orange and white-bearded men, standing by the side of the road, crossed and looking.

The middle-aged man looked shivering with coldness. He was wearing nothing but silat clothes, without a coat. Drizzled grains stuck to her gray hair and on her shoulders.

"What did you say?" ask Orange.

"Jurig Bebegig lives in the cave" cried the man. He put his hands around his mouth so that his voice could be heard in the middle of the wind.

"What's? Jurig Bebegig?"

He's totally nuts! think Orange. Then why am I still standing here and listening to that lunatic? The man lived alone in the hut on the top of the mountain, accompanied only by a white wolf! And now he's blabbering about the ghost of a scarecrow!

"Jurig Bebegig lives in a cave!" the man repeated. "Don't go to the top! Just don't!"

"Why?" ask Orange. Outside of the calculation his voice shrill high.

"Let's not see Jurig Bebegig!" the man exclaimed. Misting grains began to fill his beard. His silvery eyes seemed to glow. "If you meet Jurig Bebegig," he shouted, "you will never be able to return again!"

Basic crazy, thought Orange. He should have lived alone on the top of the mountain.

Orange turned. He's been here too long.

Shuffling, the girl ran through the mud puddle.

He ran as fast as he could. Her face was hot with cold drizzling grains. His heart is beating fast.

He ran down the road. Down the descending and winding road.

Breathing violently.

Am I really that breathless? Orange asked in his heart, suddenly feeling strange.

Is it really my steps that sound thumping?

Apparently not.

He glanced back and saw the white wolf chasing after him. The beast approached quickly.