Creative Writing - The Girl and The Forest Guard (English Version)

This story was uploaded to fulfill an Creative Writing Mid Test Assignments

Nama: Siti Rinita Mahrarani

NIM: 2330911002

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The sound of leaves rustling in the wind made me shudder. Aside from the sound of my footsteps stepping on dry leaves, I occasionally heard the howls of dogs—which I hoped were far away from me. I took a breath trying to calm my racing heartbeat. However, it feels useless.

Damn it.

I cursed my stupidity. I should have stayed home and waited for Dad, not followed him into the forest. Dad said he was going to meet some of his colleagues there, but instead of finding Dad, I got even more lost in the forest. I could only hope that I hadn't accidentally entered The Forbidden Forest area.

It seemed like today was my bad luck day. I had been walking for almost an hour looking for a way out of this forest. Unfortunately, instead of finding my way back to the village, I had to deal with a dog that suddenly blocked my way.

The dog was skinny, in contrast to its body that was almost half my size. It growled, its lustful eyes tearing into my body. Its tongue sticking out, as saliva continued to drip from the corner of its mouth. Step by step, the animal walked closer to me.

I swallowed hard. I took a step back every time the dog kept walking closer. If I ran, I'm sure the dog could chase me easily. After all, my body wasn't cooperating right now. My body was drenched in sweat and my heart was beating so hard, it felt like I could collapse just from a gust of wind.

It seemed that the dog really didn't want to let me go. Fortunately, before the dog could really get to me, there was a voice that managed to distract it.

 “Indit.”

The dog's lustful gaze suddenly evaporated, disappearing into thin air. The dog that had been growling at me now lowered its head with a trembling body. With just that one word, it managed to change its attitude 180 degrees.

Not long after, the dog turned to leave, running as fast as it could until it was lost behind the trees. Now my body literally fell to the ground. I exhale, good fortune was still on my side apparently. Slowly, relief washed away the anxiety that had originally enveloped my body.

The sound of dry leaves being stepped on again made me alert. That's right, there was someone helping me earlier. I didn't really understand what that person said, but thanks to him I managed to escape from that dog. I cast a glance at the source of the sound, wanting to thank whoever helped me just now.

“Thank y—”

My thanks hung in the air. I really couldn't believe what I was seeing. My heart started beating fast again as if it was going to explode. My breath caught in my throat. My body was stiff, unable to move at all.

Just a few steps away from me, there was an adult man standing proudly behind me. At first glance, the man looked as normal as anyone else. However, that person's appearance was far from normal. Instead of a human head, that person had a dog's head with human body proportions.

 “Are you lost, little one?”

***

***

Skyscrapers are gradually being replaced by more modest buildings. Roads that used to be passable by two or three vehicles at a time are now only passable by one vehicle. The sloping asphalt road gradually turned into a rocky dirt road with big tall trees along the sides of the road.

As far as the eye could see, I could only see big trees and one or two houses made of woven bamboo. The road was empty, and there was only the vehicle I was traveling in. My body jiggled in the car due to the uneven road, successfully shaking my stomach which I had only filled with bread and milk before leaving.

“Dad, is it still far?”

My voice broke the silence in the car that was only occupied by two people, me and my dad. Dad briefly glanced at me sitting on the passenger seat before refocusing on the road.

Dad adjusted the position of his glasses, “We'll be there soon.”

I sighed. Dad had said the same thing 30 minutes ago. I looked away, staring out the window. Damn, why did we have to move to a place like this?

Dad told me that he was transferred to another location by his boss. My father works in the government sector, so this is nothing new to me. We did move around a lot to suit the demands of Dad's job. However, this was the first time we moved to a neighbourhood that was located far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Wait, not just far from the city center, the location of our new residence was in the middle of the forest.

I had protested strongly to Dad, which of course ended in vain. Dad said we would only stay here for a month. After that, we would return to our original home.

The car, which had been shaking, now drove quietly. The rocky road was replaced by a dirt road that was flat and blew away the dust. There were no more tall trees, only houses on stilts lining the right and left sides of the road. My Dad continued to drive the car until we reached a place labelled “Damai Village Hall”.

Unlike other houses modelled on stilts, the village hall stood directly on the ground, like any other building. We were greeted by several well-dressed people in front of the village hall. Dad parked the car and turned off the engine before getting out and greeting the people.

“Welcome to our village, Mr. Wirawan.”

A middle-aged man in a neat shirt was the first to greet Dad. Dad shook hands with the man, followed by the people next to him. I just smiled at the people and kept my distance, not shaking hands with them like Father. It was a wasted effort because Dad signaled me to come closer and shake their hands.

“Your daughter, Mr. Wirawan?” asked one of them.

Dad nodded, “My only daughter, her name is Kinanti. She turns 17 this year.”

“Very beautiful.”

I smiled awkwardly as I shook hands with the men. I rushed over to Dad as soon as I finished shaking hands, hiding myself behind his body.

“My name is Subagyo, the village head of Damai village.” The middle-aged man was well-built with a slightly protruding belly, he embraced the middle-aged woman standing next to him, “This is my wife, Nimas.”

Mr. Subagyo continued to introduce the people who welcomed us. However, my eyes were only glued to one person who looked the most unique among them. An old man with long, graying hair and beard. He wore a batik cloth headdress and dark-colored clothes. There was a keris tied around his waist and he was barefoot.

Mr. Subagyo introduced him as Grandpa Darmo, a traditional elder in Desa Damai. Mr. Subagyo explained that there is still a strong tradition in this village. Damai Village often holds traditional ceremonies led by Grandpa Darmo and Mr. Subagyo hopes we can participate during our stay.

I accidentally made eye contact with Grandpa Darmo. I smiled awkwardly while Grandpa Darmo looked away, not returning my smile. Anyway, at least I've tried to have some manners as a newcomer here.

After the simple welcome ceremony, Mr. Subagyo took me and Dad to a house located right next to the Village Hall. It was the same as the other houses in the village, only smaller. The stilted house stood at least 1.5m above the ground, leaving an empty lot underneath the house.

“You can occupy this house while living in our village. This house is intended to be occupied by guests who visit here. I hope you is pleased with the space we have provided.”

I looked at the stilt house while listening to Mr. Subagyo's explanation. The stilt house was made of wood with a roof made of roof tiles. At the front and right and left of the house there were large windows for ventilation and natural lighting. There is a small terrace at the front that is directly connected to the stairs to go up and down.

“Thank you very much, sir. Of course, we are very pleased with the place you have provided.” Dad said.

“You're welcome,” replied Mr. Subagyo. “Let me help you with your luggage.”

Dad returned to the Village Hall to collect our luggage from the car. Mr. Subagyo and some residents who were still around the Village Hall also helped Dad. Meanwhile, I wasn't allowed to help. Dad told me to stay near the house and I could only obey him.

I swept my eyes around the house. The houses here weren't too far apart, they tended to be close together. The other houses look bigger than the one I'm in. I sighed. I couldn't complain about that.

Suddenly a boy came out of one of the houses. We accidentally made eye contact then the boy came down the stairs of his house in a hurry. He ran quickly towards me. As soon as he arrived, he bowed down with his hands on his knees and his breath caught.

“Hah...hah...you must be a guest from that town, right?”

I didn't expect him to dart towards me just to confirm that. I just nodded, too surprised to reply due to his sudden presence already in front of me.

The boy was busy catching his breath and I was just wordlessly silent. He had long black hair, even his bangs managed to cover his eyes. His body was well-built with a tan skin. He was slightly taller than me. It seemed that our ages were not far apart.

The boy stood up straight after catching his breath. He brushed his hair back so that I could now see his face clearly. He had brown eyes that looked bright in the sunlight. He extended his hand while smiling at me, “I'm Adya.”

I paused for a moment before shaking Adya's hand, “My name is Kinanti, nice to meet you.”

Not long after. My Dad and Mr. Subagyo along with some other residents returned to the house with the luggage taken from the car. Adya waved at them and helped carry the luggage into the house. Dad approached me after he finished transporting all the goods.

“It looks like you already made a friend, isn't it?”

I sighed, “Well, you can say so.”

“We will stay here for a while, you need a friend so you won't get bored,” Dad put his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder.

Dad always said that every time we moved to a new place. I was tired of being forced to adjust constantly in a new place. By the time I'd managed to adjust and feel comfortable, Dad would be reassigned to another place. That's how I never really made any friends. I was sick of dealing with the same cycle over and over again.

“Have you met my son, Kinanti?”

Mr. Subagyo approached me and Dad while putting his arm around Adya. My eyebrows shot up as soon as I heard the information. Dad was the first to respond, “Your son, Mr. Subagyo?”

Mr. Subagyo nodded, and Adya smiled brightly. Dad glanced at me, the corners of his lips lifting. “Then, would you like to take Kinanti for a walk around the village?”

My eyes bulged and I quickly tugged at the hem of Dad's shirt. Dad looked straight at Adya, not glancing at me. Adya nodded, smiling so brightly that her eyes looked like lines. I pinched Dad's waist and managed to make him grimace. But Dad pushed me gently towards Adya.

“Come on, Kinanti!”

Adya immediately pulled my hand without bothering to wait for my answer. He ran with me away from the yard. I looked back, Dad was waving at me with a smile, and so was Mr. Subagyo. Duh, these old men...

After running far enough away from my house, Adya let go of my hand. He took a breath before glancing at me. “Sorry, I was too excited, wasn't I?”

“I guess so,” I replied shortly.

Adya led me to a large empty field, perfect for playing soccer. This field is located at the end of a residential area, even so I can still see some houses from here. The field is surrounded by tall trees, bordering the forest.

“This is the final boundary of our village.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Oh, only up to here?”

“Our village is not very big.”

I nodded in understanding. Silence enveloped us for a while until I was the first to speak up. “I was wondering, how do the people here survive?”

“Well, our people utilize produce from the forest,” Adya smiled proudly. “Fruits, vegetables, meat, firewood and others. Our lives depend on the forest.”

“Oh, so you often go to that forest?” I pointed to the dense trees at the end of the field.

Adya suddenly swatted away my hand pointing at the forest. The smile that was originally etched on his face had vanished, his eyes staring intently at me. My forehead wrinkled, surprised by Adya's change of attitude.

“What the heck, Adya?!”

“Sorry, I didn't mean to harm you,” Adya sighed, rubbing her face. “It just...you can't do that.”

I raised one eyebrow, “Do what?”

Adya brought his face close to my ear and whispered, “You can't point your hand to The Forbidden Forest! The Aul will get mad.”

I stepped back. “And... what does that mean?”

Adya's face was full with anxiety before she finally sighed. He motioned for me to come closer and then Adya brought his face to my ear to whisper.

“There is a legendary story in our village,” Adya began. “It's about The Aul, a dog-headed man tasked with guarding the forest. Legend said that The Aul used to be a warrior who had invulnerability. Until one day he had to fight with someone who managed to cut his head off.”

“The Aul did not die because of his invulnerability. He wanted to pick up his head that fell to the ground. However, instead of his head, The Aul picked up the head of a dog that was not far from his head. The Aul put the dog's head facing backwards. After that he transformed into a spirit who guarded the forest.”

I listened to Adya who told the story seriously. The story was completely out of the ordinary. It sounded more like a fairy tale than a legend. How could something like that actually happen in the real world.

“Are you even listening?”

I turned to Adya, “Oh, yes, I'm all ears. But, that's...unbelievable.”

“I'm not forcing you to believe it but I hope you would like to follow the rules.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “What rules?”

“First, you can't enter The Forbidden Forest, because The Aul lives there,” Adya pointed his index finger at me. “Second, you can't do anything bad to the forest. The Aul will get mad since he was The Forest Guard. And last, you can't say his name loudly, he will now.”

“Why can't we say his name loudly? Who is he? Voldemort?” I said sarcastically.

Adya chuckled, she rolled her eyes. “Just follow the rules. Can you?”

I glanced for a moment at the forest that Adya called the Forbidden Forest. It looked just like the forest I passed through on my way to this village. I'm sure it was just like any other forest. The people of this village are very conservative, still believing in such myths. Stories like that only appear in fairy tale books. That can't be real.

“Hello, I'm talking to you, Missy,” Adya waved her hand in front of my face. “Can you follow the rules?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not.”

***

***

“Kinanti! Kinanti, wake up!”

Someone shook my body vigorously. I blinked, trying to adjust the light entering my eyes. The first sight I saw was Adya with a worried face, his hands shaking my shoulders. I tried to get up from my lying position then Adya helped me sit up.

“Why did you sleep here?” Adya asked.

I was silent for a moment, my eyes sweeping in all directions. There were no more tall trees surrounding me. There were no wild dogs trying to pounce on me. There was also no dog-headed figure that was with me earlier. There was only me and Adya in the field where the village children played.

“Kinanti, are you okay?”

I stopped paying attention to my surroundings, my eyes focused on Adya. I was clearly in the middle of the forest, lost with no way out. I even almost became a meal for a wild dog if it—yeah, that figure. That figure is exactly what Adya said about Aul. Is it possible that the figure I met earlier was really The Aul?!

“Adya, I think I've seen-”

“Your father is worried about you! He asked me to look for you! Where have you been?! Why did you sleep here?!”

I flinched slightly as Adya suddenly snapped at me. Her worried expression slowly turned into an angry and annoyed expression, something I didn't expect. I thought he wasn't the type to get angry easily because he was always smiling but I was wrong.

Adya's shoulders went up and down with emotion. He sighed for a moment then stood up while extending his hand to me. “Let's get back, it will be dark soon.”

I didn't have the courage to argue with Adya. He felt different from the Adya who used to tease me. I took Adya's hand and stood up. Adya led me away from the field without a word out of his mouth.

I looked back, noticing the line of trees that was the boundary between the Damai Village and The Forbidden Forest. I had really gone in there this afternoon to look for Dad but why did I end up waking up in the village square? It really didn't make sense!

I glanced at Adya. If I told her about that figure...would she believe me? Or would she tease me back because I said Aul was just a myth? Yes, of course I didn't fully believe in Aul, but I really couldn't find the answer to why I managed to get out of the forest.

What if...The Aul helped me?

Adya said that Aul was a good spirit, he is a forest guard. Maybe I really did meet the Aul! But Adya also said that Aul wouldn't reveal himself to just anyone. How could The Aul bother to show himself to me?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the noisy voices of people. There was a group of people gathered in front of the Village Hall. It didn't seem like they had gathered together for deliberation, their facial expressions were far from friendly. They shouted for Mr. Subagyo in front of the Village Hall. What's going on here?

"Now, you go straight home, okay? Your father must have been waiting for you," said Adya, her face filled with worry. He immediately went towards the crowd of people without waiting for a reply from me.

I obeyed Adya's words. Even so, I still stole glances at the crowd. I only need to walk a few steps to get home because my house is next to the Village Hall. People's yell can still be heard clearly from here. I hope whatever is going on there, it's nothing serious.

However, I saw something strange in front of my house. I saw Grandpa Darmo sitting on the steps of my house. He looked the same as the first time I saw him, wearing black clothes with a keris tied to his waist. Grandpa Darmo stood up when he saw me.

I stopped for a moment, for some reason I was always afraid when I met Grandpa Darmo. There was something about his demeanour that made me resent him. I decided to keep approaching him, after all my intention was to go home.

“Tos timana, Neng Geulis?”

His hoarse, deep voice startled me a little. I could only smile awkwardly without replying to his words. I didn't even really understand what Grandpa Darmo was saying.

Grandpa Darmo stared at me for a long time then chuckled, "Oh, my bad. You can't speak Sundanese, right?” I responded with a nod.

“I see. Let me repeat my question, where have you been, pretty one?”

I felt a strange twinge in my body when Grandpa Darmo called me 'pretty one'. It felt amusing to hear that call from an old grandfather. However, for the sake of upholding manners, I decided not to make a big deal out of it.

“I was looking for my Dad, he said he went to the forest for some job. So, I decided to follow him...” I answered honestly.

Grandpa Darmo was silent for a moment while stroking his graying beard. “You met him, right?”

“Unfortunately, no. I was—”

“No, not your father. I mean… The Forest Guard.”

I stared in disbelief when Grandpa Darmo mentioned The Forest Guard. I haven't even had time to tell Adya yet. How did Grandpa Darmo know that I met The Aul in the forest? Could it be that Grandpa Darmo was also in The Forbidden Forest at that time?

“I see,” Grandpa Darmo smiled. “You really met him.”

I thought of several reasons to avoid it, but I thought it would be useless if I lied to Grandpa Darmo. He is a traditional elder in this village, he definitely knows the ins and outs of this village better than I do. I nodded slowly, secretly wary of Grandpa Darmo's next behavior.

“Did he say something to you?” asked Grandpa Darmo.

I shook my head, “I got lost in the forest while trying to look for my father but instead I got lost and entered the Forbidden Forest area. I was almost attacked by a wild dog but luckily The Aul helped me.”

“The Aul...helped you?”

I nodded then continued my story. “The Aul said something that made the dog go away. I stared at it for a moment but suddenly I woke up in a field near the Forbidden Forest. Adya found me there.”

Grandpa Darmo fell silent again while stroking his beard. I waited anxiously for Grandpa Darmo's answer. However, before Grandpa Darmo spoke, Dad appeared from inside the house and rushed downstairs when he saw me in the yard. My father immediately hugged me tightly, I also hugged him back. Dad kissed and rubbed the top of my head many times then hugged me again. Dad only let go of his hug after a while, Dad looked at me with teary eyes.

"You're make me worry."

I just smile at him. I couldn't possibly tell Dad about my experience of meeting The Aul, Dad might think I was crazy. I glanced at Grandpa Darmo, who had been silently watching us all this time. My father followed my gaze then smiled awkwardly and looked down at Grandpa Darmo.

“Sorry, I didn't realize you were here.” Dad said awkwardly.

"It's okay," Grandpa Darmo waved his hand. “You finished packing?”

One of my eyebrows raised while Dad nodded in response to Grandpa Darmo's question. I turned to Dad, “Packed? Why are you packing?”

Dad grabbed my shoulder, "We have to go home now, Kinan."

"Go home? Didn't Dad say we would stay here for a month?” A big question mark appeared in my head when I heard Dad's answer.

“Change of plans, we should go home now.”

“But why? Can you just say the reason?”

Grandpa Darmo cleared his throat and came forward to separate me and Dad. This is strange, it's unusual for Dad to be transferred this suddenly. We haven't even lived in this village for a week. Why do we suddenly have to leave?

"Your father is right, you have to go," said Grandpa Darmo. "Before the residents turn to riot here."

Dad pulled me into the house. Our suitcases and belongings were neatly arranged in the living room, ready to be transported. Dad handed me my suitcase and a backpack. I'm trying to guess what's going on here. Angry residents, we had to suddenly move, I tried to connect the threads to find answers.

"Does this have anything to do with your work?"

Dad turned to me, sweat dripping down his forehead. Dad took a deep breath before coming over to me and holding my shoulder. “I was assigned to supervise land acquisition in the forest area of ​​Damai Village. The forests here will be converted into a petroleum industry area. Mr. Subagyo has agreed to everything, but...but it seems like the villagers don't agree to that."

I was silent when I heard Dad's explanation. Obviously, the villagers strongly rejected this, they were definitely afraid of The Aul. If these forests are converted, who knows what will happen to this village. Wait, does this have anything to do with me meeting Sang Aul? What if…The Aul mad at me?

I gasped when I heard the commotion that was originally heard faintly now became clear. Grandpa Darmo was right, sooner or later, the residents would definitely come here. Dad realized that the situation in the village was getting worse. We didn't have much time because the villagers had already started gathering in front of our houses. Dad carried a large bag containing important items and a suitcase, while I carried my bag and small suitcase. We walked quickly towards the back door of the house, avoiding the attention of the residents who had started to crowd around.

"Now, we have to go immediately, but be careful. Don't let anyone see us," whispered Dad while holding my hand tightly. I nodded, my heart beating fast. I followed Dad's steps carefully.

Meanwhile, outside the house, I saw Mr. Subagyo standing in the middle of an increasingly large crowd. Angry villagers started shouting and threatening, some even hurling harsh words at him. They demanded an explanation of the land acquisition agreement between Mr. Subagyo and their father.

Dad pulled me away from the crowd. My heart ached when I saw Mr. Subagyo and Grandpa Darmo who were trying to calm the crowd. There is already an agreement between the village head and the central government. It is impossible for the agreement to be cancelled just like that. It's all too late.

Dad continued to hold my hand until we left the village. I saw our car parked on a rocky road, surrounded by tall trees. Dad opened the trunk of the car in a hurry, put away the suitcase and bag gruffly. I did the same thing then got into the car, filled the passenger seat. Dad followed and immediately started the car.

Dad stepped on the gas pedal hard, trying to leave this place as quickly as possible. The rocky road made our journey full of shocks. It took almost half an hour until the rocky road was finally replaced by a smooth dirt road.

I took a deep breath. I leaned back, trying to calm my crazy beating heart. I glanced at Dad who was focused on driving, sweat still pouring down his forehead. I turned my face out the window, looking at the trees that seemed to be chasing me. Then, I saw it.

The figure of a well-built man who was hiding himself behind the trees. The dog-headed figure who was legendary in the village of Damai was now staring at me. I could see the fire flashing in his eyes, filled with anger. I immediately looked away, not wanting to stare at that figure for too long. After a while, I tried to work up the courage to look for the figure among the trees. However, he disappeared like dust blown by the wind. His figure was nowhere to be seen.

I swallowed hard. Would I receive the wrath of The Aul?

***

***

It's been 10 years since I left that little village with a heavy heart. The village is located at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by a vast green forest. A village that holds the legend of a protector of the forest called the Aul. Now, after a long time, I return to that village, but not for mere nostalgia.

The news of the landslide that destroyed most of the village touched my heart. The print and online media covered the natural disaster extensively. According to the sources I read, the landslide was caused by the loss of trees that originally protected the land around the village. However, the villagers objected.

They said that the disaster was no ordinary natural occurrence. They believed it was the result of the wrath of the Aul, the guardian of the forest that their ancestors trusted.

I arrived in the village with mixed feelings. Stage houses that once stood firm are now flattened to the ground. As I entered a refugee tent, my heart ached as I saw so many people losing their homes. I recognize one among the villagers. He was busy handing out blankets to the refugees, trying to reassure them that everything would be all right. Until he finally looked at me. I waved at him with an awkward smile, doubting he'd remember me.

He walked closer to me, "You...you're Kinanti, right?"

I nodded, smiling broadly at him. "Long time no see, Adya."

Adya invited me to chat outside. Adya hasn't changed much, she's still the same with her wide, enthusiastic smile and her tanned skin. At first glance, he looks like his father, Mr. Subagyo.

“What brought you back?”

I could already predict that Adya would ask that. "Honestly, I feel some kind of guilty."

"It's not your fault," Adya argued. "Perhaps it would be more appropriate if this happened because of our parents, those old men."

I smiled bitterly hearing Adya's answer. Maybe he has a point. But still, that feeling has continued to haunt me for the past few years. Especially about the legend, about The Aul.

After chatting for a while, Adya said goodbye to distribute food to the refugees. Adya had invited me to come along, but I refused. I didn't have the courage to face the other villagers. I chose to take a walk around the refugee area.

The trees that originally surrounded the village disappeared. The fertile lands of the village turned barren, unable to grow any plants. Guilt emerged in my heart again. I wondering, wouldn't all of these things have happened if my father and I hadn't come to this village?

The rice has become porridge. Something that has happened cannot be repeated.

I took a breath. I let the wind play with my hair. I heard footsteps approaching me, maybe Adya had finished distributing food to the refugees. I turned around. No, he wasn't Adya, but a dog-headed figure who was often considered a mere legend, who was now looking straight at me.

“Looking for me, Young Lady?”

***

story by ranikazz_