19 1.19: Reaction!

Daybreak came. I stirred around and woke up. I looked around and found that the three brothers were lined up beside me like sardines in a can. I nudged Eun who was beside me and he rubbed his eyes; black bags were visible under his eyes; most probably he and the rest of his brothers were sleeping late after last night's rowdy activities.

"Are we going back now?" asked Eun who had managed to sit up after much difficulty. The Tuak he had consumed had given him a terrific hangover and his head seemed rather heavier than his whole body. The rest of his brothers were still half asleep when Eun awake them by vigorously shaking their shoulders.

"Oi... Wake up la Oi...! We are going to clear out from here. Everyone in the villages had already started their activities. Paiseh* la..."

Eun shook Ding's shoulder and he sat up bleary-eyed. Cheng also had woken up from the commotion.

Squinting at the sky and from the shadows around them, it roughly indicated about close to midday. Gao who had emerged from the house saw we had wakened up; he casually strode towards us.

"Haiya sleepyhead. Just wake up izzit? You all really party hard last night," joked Gao towards the three brothers. "I turned in early last night but I think after drinking too much Tuak, the hangover today is really terrible!" I defensive spoke up for the rest since they were too groggy to compose intellectual words for Gao.

"Stay for lunch, it would be ready in about 10mins or so. Run along for shower and freshen up. After lunch then you may return to Bamboo Village." Gao then turned around and head to his house and told the servants to prepare lunch for their guests.

"Oooh... My head is gonna split in two right now! ," Cheng unsteadily stood up and the immense hangover really makes standing up straight seems like a chore. "After a cold shower, it should remove some of this hangover. Next time I will limit to two bamboo liquor and not more. I sure cannot control my drinks well." Ding remarked as he made his way to the men's communal shower.

I soon followed them and be prepared to douse myself with the cold spring water in the deep well; hoping that the cold water would somehow lift this hangover away. During my past life, I rarely drink except on occasion and it would only be limited to half a bottle of chilled cabernet, port or sherry. This bamboo liquor is potent at more than 70% proof for sure.

We changed to our wraparound 'sarong'; pulled water from the well and douse ourselves with it. After a really cold and refreshing shower, we wore back yesterday's clothes and used the sarong as a towel to somehow managed to dry our bodies and hair. After wringing the sarong a few times we hung it near the platform we had slept earlier.

After a short while, Gao came with two servants of his carrying two trays containing several banana wraps that presumably contained steamed rice. Two earthen jugs were present with several bamboo cups. A large bowl of the dish was brought in as well. When the trays were set on the may in the middle of the platform, our mouths started to water as the dish that was prepared was rather sumptuous.

The belly from the wild forest boar was cooked in black soya bean sauce. There were chopped carrots, tomatoes and slices of onions. The sauce was made by black soya beans, vinegar, and garlic. After simmering for some time, a thin layer of oil from the belly meat will rise and be seen skimming on the surface. The sweet smell of the sauce wafted into our nostrils. Also, this dish is very well known in either Indochina or Polynesia.

"Come...Come. Let's eat! This is our village specialty called 'Humba'. We serve this on occasions when the hunters have brought in their kills such as boar or hog. But the wild forest boar that you had brought in, that single beast can feed one village." Gao explained as he passed the mounds of wrapped banana leaves to us.

I can say that the meat was so succulent that it virtually melts in the mouth. The three brothers ate noisily, munching and talking with their mouths full; complementing Gao about the way the dish was prepared. A simple one-dish-meal was enough to make one's happy and the hangover slowly lifted off from our heavy heads.

After lunch, Gao and the brothers made two rolled tobacco and shared among one another. Since I was a very casual smoker and the thought of smoking the rolled tobacco is like smoking 3 to 5 sticks of cigarette at one go; I didn't dare to smoke one. I think a single puff of the rolled cigarette can surely burn a humongous hole in my lungs.

We chatted about 30mins or so and excused ourselves to return back to our settlement. Gao extended his hand to everyone to shake and hoped to meet again sometime sooner.

Then we made our journey back to Bamboo Village and the estimated time of travel takes about two hours. With our tummy full, we let out satisfactory burps as we made our way home.

Dusk was approaching fast as we reached our settlement. The big bonfire in the middle of the courtyard was lit and leaps of flames were leaping from it in the distance. We entered the compound and was greeted by Ani and some other women, most probably the brothers' siblings or their wives.

"How was your trip there, Abang? Have you eaten, if not I could set up some things to eat later on?" Ani stood close to me that the warmth of her body could be felt as her breath was rather close to me. "Coffee would do and some snacks. We had eaten a heavy meal en route here so it's best to have something light. Or else we won't be able to sleep at all." I held on her arms and gave her an assurance that we would not bother her to prepare something light instead.

She went off; the rest of the brothers went back to their respective houses and bade goodnight to me. Since the trip was understandably long and tiresome, I doubt they would have the energy to go to the meeting point and to chit chat and while the night away.

I washed my feet at the foot of the stairs before heading upstairs to the house. I changed to my sarong and dumped the clothes worn previously into the wicker basket at the corner of the living hall. I took the keris with me and laid it in front as I sat cross-legged.

Ani came with an earthen jug and two cups and laid it on the floor in front of me. She poured coffee into both cups and I took a cup and slowly sip it. And then sat down beside my right and held my arm and leaned her head towards it. I could smell her fragrance up close and she began asking me about my trip.

I told her from start to finish from the time I step out from the settlement to the time we met the old Master. I also related to her on how I was told to meditate to open my Third Eye and how the old Master channeled the energy through my body to activate the Chi.

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I explained that I need to meditate daily in order to upgrade the Losing Self to another level. I also told her the part about the manner the keris was given a ceremonial bath and how the smoke of the incense that enveloped the keris formed an apparition of an old sage.

I took another sip of the coffee and found that the cup was empty, Ani immediately poured me another brimful.

Ani spied me with eyes wide open and was amazed as I retell about what I had experienced with the old Master.

I told her how the keris had emitted a kind of glow and thumping feeling after being gone through the spiritual cleansing. I related in detail how I went into a sparring moment when I was told to meditate and right through how I tested the keris on Ding unsuspectedly.

Ani closed her mouth and stifled her laughter. I then continued with the twisted events of three separate versions of the story when we left the old Master's house that made her shiver at the horror parts; then hid her face under my arm at the part where the seller st the stall transformed into a demon like figure and Ani managed to steady her composure when I told her last part.

"Wah Abang, you really had a quite an adventure. I think you managed to grip the readers of this novel slightly when you told about the horror part." Ani gazed at me directly at me when she adjusted her position and laid down at my thighs.

"Yes, but this is not a horror novel though. Maybe I could include it during the later stages of this serial." I suggested while winking at her. Of course, in later parts of this novel, I think Ani would play another role under another assumed name. Hehehehe.

So I continued telling her about an encounter with the wild forest boar and how I managed to kill it with a single hit.

"Wow! But earlier you told me the keris cannot kill a human being and you experimented on Ding...but how come you can kill the wild forest boar instead? If the keris cannot kill a human being but then you could kill an animal? Is that it?" Ani looked at me with a bewilderment look.

" Ah yes, the Director of this script forgot to add that the keris could kill animals that pose a threat to the bearer." I added." No wonder lah... Later if you never explained them properly, the readers may misunderstand this part of the story." Ani diverted her eyes and looked at the keris. She sat up and took the keris and slowly unsheathed it.

" Looks normal to me," as she flipped the keris in her hand and peered through it closely, half expecting the old sage to appear at any time. Noticing only the gleam of the keris against the light of the setting sun and no signs of rust anywhere on the blade, she sheathed the keris back slowly.

When I held the keris handed to me by Ani earlier, I felt it thumping in my hand even before I unsheathed it. When I withdrew it from the sheath, the glow slowly emits. This, however, was visible to my eyes only even when Ani was sitting so close to me.

"Abang, later accompany Ani OK when we sleep. The story you told me about the woman that transformed into a demon like a figure scares me a lot." squeaked Ani under her tiny voice. I nodded as I sheathed the keris back and placed it at the gaps at the main entrance.

Ani cleared away the earthen jug and wooden cups and went to the 'clean kitchen'. I then went to the bedroom, and after adjusting the pillow I lied down. Ani reappeared a few moments later and lay down beside me. She placed her head on my chest with one hand on my shoulder. One of her legs swung over my thighs and I felt that the lower part of my body had a reaction that I had not experienced for quite some time...