THE RECORD: From Behind The Camera, He Keeps Watching
CHAPTER 28: The Arrival (Part 2)

My steps stopped too.

From a distance, I saw Noah running up to support Izzy on his back.

In the place where I stood, my gaze distorted as if the distance between me and the two extended as if drawn by time.

Instantly, all the movements moved very slowly in my eyes.

Getting further. The more I was lost in the daydream that took away all the sounds. My head was in a storm with many memories that appeared suddenly. The slap of my father, his fist, his mockery, the scorn of his family. Then Noah came to me like rain in a safana. Hearing me, loving me, taking my side.

Sheltering me.

And now he turned.

Without me knowing why.

Before a single tear fell, Isaac jerked both of my shoulders from the front violently. His panicked and confused face was right in front of me. He cursed and slapped me with his words. Makes me wake up from a nap.

"Conscious! You want them to catch you?!" His impact before his expression turned startled the moment he saw both of my eyes.

Maybe because he saw them glazed over. Maybe because this is the first time he saw me accidentally open up like this.

The young man looked at me deeply before looking ahead. Our friends are almost there. So without waiting for my approval, the big finger blocked my wrist and pulled it in a run.

"Come on."

We both ran with our hands intertwined.

I didn't plan this but …

The blaze in my head just went out.

...***...

We waited.

From behind the fern-growing plants, we all peeked. Sharpened hearing, narrowed vision constricts space. But what awaited was not seen. People are not heard or seen anywhere.

"Is it safe for us to move?" Isaac's whisper beside me filled the silence.

"Max, how? Is there anything suspicious?" Instead of answering, Noah again threw a question.

Max is the only person who accidentally becomes an impromptu informant. Only the young man who was connected to the Delilah earpiece was in the hands of the villagers. We were forced to disconnect the audio connected to Hewo out of fear that the villagers would find out through the earpiece. The only way to contact my best friend is through a cell phone.

"So far nothing strange. They're just farmers. I don't think they think that's suspicious. Do I have to decide now that you're back in touch with Hewo?"

I paused for a moment to think. If Delilah's earpiece is cut off, then we don't know anything about the villagers anymore because someone has to take the call to reconnect it. Maybe that at least keeps us safe. I don't know I'm not sure. I can't make a decision in this situation.

From the tail of my eyes, I realized that Noah was looking at me for approval. But I decided to throw my face away before speaking to the young man beside me. "What do you think Isaac?"

"Me?" With his face confused, Noah's friend replied while pointing at himself. Maybe he was confused while involving her in this sudden decision making.

If you knew Isaac, I'd be confused as to why I asked you.

I nodded in answer.  "Yes, you."

I felt Noah staring at my back.

"Uh .. I don't know. That's better in my opinion."

Without thinking any longer I decided. "Then just decide." Isaac rounded his eyes in astonishment as I agreed to his opinion at the first second.

"We have to save battery to continue live, anyway. We're not here to spy on them anyway" I said.

Noah was silent for a moment as if he was thinking before giving Max the command to disconnect Delilah's earpiece from Hewo.

"Done" Max reported a minute later.

After that, we continued our journey. Live was temporarily suspended. Izzy directed us to stay on this path to be safer. 

As well as the land to the bridge, this section is filled with dead wet plants. Make soil texture like peat soil. A little difficulty indeed because our feet were submerged in liquid mud, but with the water pooling around, making it at least easier to step.

What is possible …

Could it be that Izzy understood what was going on?

I mean my feelings for Noah?

Yep.

That's just possible. See how he now doesn't respond so much to the young man and switch to chatting with Isaac along the way.

I let go of one bad laugh.

What a brazen thing he is.

It was sweet to be thrown away. Is that true, is that his proverb?

He threw away Noah after the care he gave to the other young man.

Poor Noah's.

Strangely enough I was satisfied.

"Crawford." Ethan's voice split the silence.

The girl looked. "Yes?"

"Actually what they did by collecting ..." The sentence was hung in horror. But strangely we knew what Delilah's lover would say.

The girl nodded unsure. "This is the first time I've seen it."

"So they didn't do anything weird like that before?"

This time Izzy stayed silent for longer. Face turned. Hiding the expression of the response thrown at him. "I didn't stay so long so I don't know" he replied later.

Ethan is not satisfied. "Didn't you feel weird either? No normal person hangs a buffalo's head that much. Hiii!" The young man shuddered in horror.

"Forget it. Maybe it's tradition." Isaac followed.

"That's right! What kind of tradition is that? You know, I've heard that buffalo heads are used for devil head offerings. This village must be nothing!" I rolled my eyes puffing at Ethan's mouth.

"Babe, quiet. Don't jinx it! My head is dizzy hearing you."

Thank's Eli. I almost blew up because Ethan was so chatty. At last the young man pouted and we walked back in silence.

The sun was already overhead making us sweat so much even though the lush covered almost the entire light.

Izzy suddenly stopped his steps. 

"Why? Your leg hurts?" asked Isaac with concern. Makes us look up. 

The girl did not reply and instead walked limped towards the bush while narrowing her eyes.

With his palm that tel*nj*ang, leafy busy several times until the leaves cover creating visibility

And what's in front of us right now leaves my hair goosebumps with no plan.

A large building that looks fragile already peeked out from behind the lush that was scattered.

With a tense expression, Izzy looked me right in the eyes.

"We've arrived."

...***...

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