The Devil's Touch
#199
As Maxime and Milan walked, the people inside the stilt house peered behind the window. Maxime walked with a straight forward look while Milan occasionally stared at those who were peeking.
The children also entered their home when they saw Maxime.
"Are the people here afraid of you?" ask Milan.
"I don't know, baby."
"Ck, lie. If you're not afraid why these little kids are hiding in their homes."
Maxime did not answer, he only gave a smile to his wife. Then Milan heard someone laughing, not just one person laughing.
Maxime opened the bush in front of him, then Milan saw that behind the bush there was a large land, there were several people who were eating together around the campfire. The fire was used to burn fish.
They are seen laughing, eating together using banana leaves as a base.
Maxime drew Milan's hand, walking the other way to get to them.
"The fish began to diminish as it seemed. I was looking for him in the river nothing."
"That's because you're the one who's unlucky."
"So morning I saw two dead chickens in the cage."
"Maybe you didn't take good care of her."
"Where it is, I feed them every day."
Their conversation was suddenly silent when they saw Maxime walking towards them. Those who were eating instantly fell silent for a moment staring at the man in front of him.
"T-lord ..."
In his eyes, he could not look wrong at Maxime. They immediately stood up from their seats with their heads lowered. Some people nudged each other because no one told them Maxime was coming to this village.
Milan looked at them one by one, they only wore shabby shirts and shorts. Some of them had dirty faces.
"Where's Jack?" ask Maxime.
They looked at each other and shook their heads.
"We-we don't know, sir. We haven't seen him this whole day."
"So long hours, Jack is usually in the river, sir" said one of them.
Maxime nodded and pulled Milan's hand back. As they walked away, Milan looked back, the men looked at Milan in whispers, questioning what the girl Maxime was carrying was his wife.
*
When they were almost at the river, Maxime and Milan saw Aron standing near the cherry tree by occasionally taking the cherry fruit and eating it.
"Aron ..." murmured Milan.
Milan ran towards Aron. Maxime looked around for Jack.
"Aron ..."
Aron stopped chewing when he heard someone's voice, then he turned around and found Milan standing behind him.
"Milan ..." Aron's little eyes sparkled happily.
Milan crouched down to align his height with Aron.
"Milan .. Why did you just come now, my birthday time you didn't come. I've always stood by this cherry tree." Aron stared at the cherry tree behind him and then looked back at Milan.
"I remember, I used to fight with Milan over cherry fruit."
Aron was seen bending his face making Milan feel guilty. The girl stroked Aron's head.
"Sorry, I can come here now."
And Aron himself is in this village because he does not want to be far from Jack. Though Maxime had intended to take care of Aron in his mansion.
Maxime walked up to Aron and stood near Milan.
"Uncle ..."
Aron ran to Maxime's feet and looked up.
"Uncle, where have you been Uncle?"
Maxime holds Aron. "Uncle is busy working."
"Do you like it here?" ask Maxime.
"Yes, I like it. Lots of friends here Uncle."
Milan stood up and saw a man near the waterfall who was looking for fish.
"Who is that?"
Maxime and Aron stared at the waterfall.
"That's my brother, Jack's brother."
Maxime took down Aron. "Aron with Milan first."
Aron nodded, Maxime walked up to Jack who was fishing sitting on one of the big rocks.
"Milan, you're getting ugly."
"Eh, you're this. It was good, now it sucks."
Aron stuck out his tongue and ran, Milan ran after Aron.
"Wait Aron!"
"What did you get?" ask Maxime.
Jack slowly looked back and saw Maxime standing looking at him. Jack stood up immediately.
Jack did not say anything, they just stared at each other silently.
Then the two sit on one of the stones, Maxime gives a pack of cigarettes to Jack. Jack took one cigarette and lit it with a lighter.
"You're married?" maxime asked breaking the silence.
"Yes." Yeah."
"Who's your wife's name?"
"Sherily."
"Sherley?"
Jack nodded. "The son of Tono, the man who almost harmed Miwa as a child."
"Oh. What did you marry her for?"
"Moreover .. 'cause I love him."
"Currently, you can be loyal to one woman as well."
Jack chuckled softly. "Bracket in here, she's the only woman I'm willing to talk to."
People are reluctant to talk to Jack because they know Jack is Maxime's friend. Even though he was in this village because of a mistake.