Xhemin"s question got the professor"s attention. He scrutinized the girl, wondering whether she was bluffing him or that perhaps she doesn"t really know why. But judging from how the girl acted, she seemed to have no idea at all."You don"t remember?" He asked as he was eyeing the latter, dismissing his previous attempt of lighting up the cigar that was tucked between his fingers already.
"Remember what?" Now, the girl was more dead curious. Her eyes narrowed at the professor trying to guess out what the former was referring to.
"It was I who taught you their language…" he revealed. "…When you were a little bit younger"
"Huh?" The revelation got Xhemin thinking. Did the professor really teach her way back then? But for what reason? She was trying so hard to remember her younger days with him as it seemed ages ago. Perhaps he really did teach her, but she doesn"t anymore remember.
"You knew their language before you went to the Island?" She asked him again trying to put up the pieces of revelations together in a whole.
"The person who successfully entered the island first taught me…" He narrated then went on "Then I taught you and your grandfather"
"So the first person who entered the island was able to escape?" Xhemin continued her query. There"s so much to know, and her curiosity is surging every moment that pa.s.ses by "If not, then he or she could have not taught you the language right?"
"Well, that person didn"t went out the island alive, nor did that person tried to escape"
"That"s terrible. Well so, then how did that person able to teach you the language?"
"There were other ways" He added, and strangely as Xhemin observed, the professor"s expression changed into something unlikable. It was as if a painful memory crashed onto him and his propriety shook at the thought.
Xhemin realized that whoever that person he was referring to as "the first person who entered the island" was someone familiar to the professor and although Xhemin was very much into prying mood at the moment and her curiosity seemed not to dry pretty quick, she stopped her inquiries so not to aggravate the deteriorating mood of the professor. Although the place was dark, Xhemin knew that the professor"s warm expression changed as if one unpleasant memory came in and defeated all the warmness he had.
The professor went silence after and proceeded to lit up the cigar he was holding in between his fingers then started smoking. Xhemin who noticed his indifference didn"t pry any longer instead but busied herself listening to the sound of the bare forest that was flooded by little songs of insects partying in the darkness of the night as well as the gus.h.i.+ng of the south wind that seemed to have complimented the professor"s expression—cold.
A second has pa.s.sed and Xhemin"s attention s.h.i.+fted to the group of people flocking in the bonfire few meters from where they were. The thought that the people her grandfather were conversing at the moment were from the Manggan Tribe seemed surreal and terrifying despite the professor"s a.s.surance that the tribe was harmless.
For Xhemin, the Manggan Tribe was still one of the world"s most hostile tribes that ever existed, although the professor"s revelation tonight runs contrary to that statement. For how her grandfather become involved in this rare circ.u.mstance was confusing and very questionable, she didn"t want to believe any of it even with the fact that she was witnessing everything right before her eyes.
"Come child" The professor"s call drew Xhemin"s thoughts back. "It"s time for you to meet them"
Right after his invitation, Professor Owens jumped out the tree trunk where he was sitting with Xhemin and extended his hand to the girl who was also about to jump herself from there. The two decided to go back to the bonfire where everybody was waiting for them. Knowing that the group was antic.i.p.ating their coming, Xhemin hid behind Professor Owens. She was following the latter"s footsteps and at the same time hiding at his back for she was a bit hesitant and afraid to see the reaction on her grandfather"s face, as well as how the group of tribesmen will treat her after her failed spying. Not thoroughly aware on the effect of her little mischief, she was fervently hoping she will come out alive and well from the forest before the sun rises.
The tribesmen rose at their feet when the professor and student tandem arrived, so was Xhemin"s grandfather. The girl kept her gaze low, not daring to meet the strangers head on.
{tribe dialect}
"Brothers, I give you the healer" Professor Owens introduced Xhemin on the name call that she was known in the island.
Most of the leaders and members of the chieftain"s family knew her because of the Staw serum. Unknown to Xhemin, horses are the only known transportation in the island and previously when the Staw disease broke in, Professor Owens told them about the cure and about the little lady who made it. When the islanders were able to get a Staw serum that had saved them from the plague, they started calling the one who made it as the healer. So to cut the story short, almost everyone in the island had great respect for the healer although they hadn"t met her yet. They kind of owed her big time.
Professor Owens stepped aside to give way for the girl who hesitantly approached the group. In order not to look disrespectful, Xhemin gave them a little curtsy.