An Awakening Story

Chapter 1 - Calming Days

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16 October 1905, Surakarta

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As dawn breaks, the sun slowly appears itself to the world. Its rays shine, bringing a new beginning for a new day. The dew on top of the plant gleam from the touch of light, as the chicken greet their day by crowing loudly, a signal to the people of the village that the sun has risen.

The people woke up from their sleep, getting themself ready and starting their work on their respective jobs. Some work in the field, attending to their crops and daily needs, some sweep the fallen leaf's in front of their houses, making sure their paths are clean, some went to their workshop to create more batik to sell. The morning went by as the hustle and bustle of the village began to show, with people talking to each other, buying necessities like food, and kids playing in the field running while laughing.

Amidst the crowd of people, stood one particular figure, he is seen as very knowledgeable and is one of the few who is privileged enough. While he looked like an ordinary fellow, to the people there, they felt an oddness in him they can't understand. But that doesn't stop them from making small talks with him.

They always greet him when passing by as he always greets back with a smile on his face. No one knew where he came from, he randomly appeared in the village out of nowhere, no one ever heard him come or seen him enter, and he never talks about himself, but his unwavering kindness is what makes the people trust him.

He is always seen in the gazebo with a book and pen, everyday he helps out the batik trader's sell their goods and to help them grow and compete with bigger traders.

This day, he is seen in the gazebo. His left hand holding a book while his right holds his pen, touching the paper with the ink filled metal tip, he swiffle's it around the empty blank page, filling it with letters of his thoughts and agenda. He is writing on what he should do today and his initial thoughts, random things from the weather to complex things.

A thud caught his attention, his gaze that was once fixed on the book was disturbed. Curiously and with a hint of confusion he looked to where it was from, his eyes landed on a boy who seemed to have tripped and fallen on the dirt. He put his pen inside the book and closed it, setting it aside on the gazeebo he then stood up and walked towards the boy.

The boy who fell tries to get up but ends up failing to do so, tears stream down his face as he wipes them away.

The man who walked to him then crouched down and looked at the boy, the other sees this and tried his best to look strong, quickly wiping away the tears and forcing himself to get up.

"I'm okay mas!", he said as he was now standing on his own two feet. A few seconds passed as he wobbled and crashed into the man in front of him.

The man catches him with ease and chuckles at the boy's antic's.

"No need to act tough, I know you're in pain", he said to the boy, a single tear shed down the boy's cheek as the other wiped it away. He smiled at the boy and lightly dusted off the dirt and debri from the scathed leg.

"Let's get that wound treated", the man said looking at the boy's face, a small nod came from the boy as he stood up from his position.

They both carefully and slowly walked towards the gazebo, the man then lifted the boy up and sat him down.

"Don't go anywhere, i'll be right back", the man said as he walks away, leaving the boy alone sitting in the gazebo.

The boy waited for the man to return, often glancing to the direction where he left. It was an uneventful wait.