Rangga sat by the gate for a while, catching his breath as the soreness in his legs began to make itself known.
A few minutes later, he forced himself to stand.
He walked toward the Simaksi post. It was fairly quiet, with only a few people inside. Nothing like the crowds on weekends.
Rangga pointed toward the post, then glanced at Wira.
“Just go over there. Ask them,” he said curtly.
Without waiting for an answer, he immediately went inside the counter area and checked out from the mountain.
The staff recorded his name, asked about his condition, then nodded once everything was done.
Rangga didn't look back.
He didn't care whether Wira followed him or not.
As far as he was concerned, his business was finished.
“I’m tired… I just wanna go home,” he muttered. “Whatever. That shaman's the ranger's problem now.”
He left the post, walked straight toward the gate, then flagged down one of the motorcycle taxis waiting nearby.
“Bro, to the bus terminal. Now,” he said quickly as he climbed on.
The driver glanced at him, noticing Rangga's ragged breathing and tense expression.
“Something chasing you, man?” he asked jokingly.
Rangga quickly shook his head.
“No… just go, bro.”
The motorcycle immediately sped away from the hiking area.
Rangga sat in a seat by the window.
The bus slowly pulled out of the terminal.
He rested his head against the window, his eyes blank as he stared outside.
A few seconds passed.
“…Okay.”
He slowly rubbed his face.
“That couldn't have been real.”
His hands were still trembling slightly.
“…Right?”
The bus left the terminal and merged onto the main road.
Rangga took a long breath, trying to calm himself down.
He looked out the window.
“I came here to heal and this is what I get,” he muttered. “I wanted to see the sunrise, and instead I got… whatever the hell that was.”
He slowly shook his head.
“Nothing but exhaustion.”
A few minutes later, the bus entered the highway.
The vehicle maintained a steady speed, the engine humming consistently.
Rangga was still staring outside, his mind not entirely at ease.
Something flashed past along the side of the highway.
Rangga immediately frowned.
“Huh?”
He leaned closer to the window, trying to make sure of what he'd just seen.
For a few seconds, there was nothing.
Then the shadow appeared again, just for a moment—still far too fast to make out clearly.
“…What the hell now…”
This time, he really focused.
His eyes followed the side of the road.
The figure appeared again, slower than before.
Rangga began to make out its shape.
A human body, moving strangely, wearing clothes he clearly recognized.
Rangga froze.
“…Those clothes…”
He swallowed.
“…Why do they look like mine?”
He didn't blink.
His eyes remained fixed outside.
Once again, the figure appeared.
This time, clearly.
Wira.
He was running along the side of the highway, his strides long, his body light, moving at a speed that nearly matched the bus.
When they came alongside each other, Wira turned his head.
His expression remained completely blank.
He raised one hand slightly and waved.
Rangga immediately ducked, both hands clutching his head.
“Ahhh… fuck.”
The bus continued on until it exited the highway to pick up and drop off passengers.
Rangga remained hunched over, both hands still gripping his head.
“No way… that damn shaman is chasing me, isn't he…” he muttered.
“I didn't even do anything wrong… Why the hell did the rangers let him go?”
The bus slowed, then stopped.
The doors opened.
Several passengers got on and off.
Rangga didn't raise his head.
Until someone sat down beside him.
The seat had been empty before.
Rangga was still muttering under his breath.
A few seconds later, he turned his head.
Wira was sitting beside him, staring at him with the same blank expression.
Rangga immediately reacted.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH—!”
Several passengers instantly turned to look at him.
Rangga jumped to his feet in panic, nearly crashing into the seat in front of him, then hurriedly got off the bus while still screaming.
He ran away from the bus without any clear direction until he reached a quieter area along the roadside.
He stopped, bent over for a moment, then sat down against a wall.
“Haaah… haaah… haaah…”
He grabbed his head again.
“Damn it… am I hallucinating or not… There’s no fucking way that shaman followed me all the way here…”
Rangga looked left and right.
Empty.
There was no one around.
For a few seconds, he simply sat there in silence, trying to calm himself down.
Then he pushed himself to his feet, intending to continue walking home.
From the opposite direction, a group of people was walking toward him.
Their steps were unsteady.
They staggered from side to side, throwing their arms around each other's shoulders while laughing loudly.
Rangga immediately frowned.
“Fuck… they're drunk.”
He glanced at them briefly, intending to avoid them.
But one of them pointed at him with a grin.
“Hey, bro… wait up, bro. Come here…”
Rangga let out a short sigh, his expression immediately turning annoyed.
“Man, my luck really sucks today.”
He finally stopped and turned around, forcing a friendly smile.
“What’s up, bro?”
The four men approached.
The smell of alcohol hit him immediately.
One of them grinned.
“Where you going, bro?”
“Home,” Rangga answered politely.
The man stepped closer, then immediately threw an arm around Rangga's shoulders.
“Listen, bro… we're a little short right now. We’re in a bind. Got any money so we can buy some more drinks?”
Rangga gently tried to pull himself free, still forcing a smile.
“Sorry, bro. I don't have any. I've only got enough for my ride home.”
Before he could get away, another man grabbed him from the other side.
Now Rangga was trapped between them.
“Let's talk over there, bro. Come on.”
They began steering Rangga toward a quieter part of the roadside.
It wasn't really an invitation anymore.
It was a gentle but forceful shove.
Rangga went along with them, keeping his face calm.
Inside, he could only curse his luck.
Damn it… because of that fucking shaman, now I'm getting mugged.
When they reached a more secluded corner, they stopped.
One of them turned to Rangga, still wearing a half-drunk grin.
“Come on, bro. Give us a little. Just enough for some drinks.”
Rangga continued trying to stay calm.
“Sorry, bro. I really don't have any. This is all I have for the ride home.”
Another one immediately spoke up, his tone rougher.
“Fine. Hand over your phone.”
Rangga immediately shook his head, his voice dropping lower.
“No, bro. I need this for college and work.”
One of the men—the one who had looked the most impatient from the beginning—stepped forward and shoved Rangga hard.
Rangga fell to the ground.
“Quit running your mouth,” the man snapped. “Hand over your phone and your bag. Now.”
Rangga held his breath.
He wanted to fight back, but looking at the four drunk men in front of him, he knew that wasn't an option.
“Where’s your phone?” another one barked. “You want me to beat the shit out of you right here?”
The man stepped closer, his hand already raised.
Rangga instinctively closed his eyes.
Both arms came up, forming a makeshift shield.
Then suddenly—
CRASH.
The loud sound of a body slamming into something rang out, followed by a groan of pain.
Rangga flinched and immediately opened his eyes.
In front of him, the remaining three men turned around.
One of them…
had just been thrown past them.
---- Author's Note: Thank you for reading! You can find character art and other illustrations on my Instagram: SLEEPYFACE18. Want to read ahead? You can get access to advance chapters on my Patreon for FREE: SLEEPYFACE487 See you in the next chapter!