Mountain of Fire Read Online Free Page A

impatiently. The polisi looked at him sharply and frowned a “no” with a slight shake of his head. If the old man got angry, that would just mess things up. They needed him to agree to the evacuation.
    Fitri’s heart sank. The bule wanted them to leave the village, their homes. That is why he had come to the village to see Pak Eko. She did not understand exactly what the bule meant by “the dome has expanded”. But she had heard the rest of what he said: “The mountain is not safe.”
    The bule lowered his voice and tried to explain the situation again. “What are these signs, Mbah? I have been working with the Yogyakarta’s Centre for Volcanology for months now. We are monitoring the volcano’s activity with eight machines. The volcano is alive! The entire area is on high alert. You must allow people to leave the village.”
    Pak Eko said he knew the Merapi as well as the machines. The Merapi’s spirits would tell him when it was time to leave.
    Pak Eko paused as if lost in his thoughts while the crowd stood alert, worried, waiting for the Guardian to speak. “The villagers must honour the mountain. They must let it know that they care about it, and not just take away greedily. A full moon night is coming and we will go on the Tapak Bisu to appease the mountain,” he announced.
    The crowd that had been listening silently while the two visitors talked to the old man exploded with chatter. Everyone started talking at once. Fitri could see her father, waving his arms around agitatedly.
    â€œWhat is the Tapak Bisu? What does ‘appease the volcano’ mean?” whispered Agus.
    â€œShhh,” said Fitri, punching him to stay quiet. But the bule was also asking the same question.
    The policeman spoke up. “It is a ceremonial walk to please the volcano when it is angry, the Silent Walk. Pak Eko will circle our village and then make offerings to the Merapi. The ceremony must be done at midnight in complete silence.”
    He paused for a bit, and then said. “The next full moon is in a week.”
    â€œA week!” The bule grabbed the policeman’s arm and took him some ways away from the old man. “A week later! This is crazy. They need to evacuate right away. We can’t leave these people here for a week!”
    The polisi was shaking his head but he could do nothing. The villagers would not leave unless Pak Eko gave the order to do so. They trusted him completely. Besides, if they left, who would protect their homes, belongings and cattle?
    No, leaving their homes was not possible. The Silent Walk would have to fix this.
    People started straggling back home slowly. There was nothing more to be said. No one would ever disagree with the old man. If he said the mountain was safe, it was safe. That was that.
    Fitri and Agus saw their father walk up to the policeman and the bule. “ It is late, Bapak,” he said using the respectful term of “Sir” to address the two visitors. “Would you like to stay at our home tonight? And go back to the city tomorrow?”
    Fitri felt a twinge of pride for her father. Ayah was one of the few men in the village who had been to Yogyakarta, had a school education and spoke a smattering of English. Outsiders did not intimidate him, as they did some of the other village folk.
    Agus nudged her excitedly. “The bule is coming to our home!”
    â€œYes, he is,” Fitri said, looking thoughtful. “I think Ayah has invited him to stay with us so he can ask him more questions. You know, about the Merapi. I think he is really worried.”
    The children stayed where they were for a while and then, in silence, made their way home. Fitri was lost in her thoughts and Agus, sensing she was worried, followed quietly. If Ayah was worried, the situation with the Merapi must be serious.
    On the way home, Agus felt a few pebbles hitting him on his head. He turned around to see three boys