8

"What? The smell of carrion?" Erland asked to confirm. Erland's expression changed slightly. His brow furrowed and immediately looked at the scarecrow across from them.

 "Yeah. You didn't smell him?"

 "Um, maybe it's a dead field mouse. I'll look for it later. Oh yeah, today seems to be enough. Tomorrow we will continue to plant seeds, okay?" 

"Is that so? I didn't expect it to be this soon. Good thing you're here, Erland. Otherwise, I would have been busy pulling the dried plants out." 

"I don't think a city girl like you is interested in farming. Especially in the sun like this."

 "You think I'm spoiled? Don't get me wrong. I'm a hard worker!" 

"Okay. I believe it. Because your struggle isn't over yet. I need that spirit so that later you don't sulk in the middle of the road from exhaustion." "Okay. We'll make a bet."

 "Fine. I accept." The two then ate the lunch that Shanaya had made. The girl's laughter made Erland stunned. He didn't meet many girls while he was in the village, but Shanaya's presence made him reluctant to turn away from the city girl. Although Shanaya is not the only beautiful girl he meets, Erland feels that only Shanaya is the most special in his eyes.

The pleasant atmosphere they had created earlier now faded when Shanaya saw a group of young men passing through the street in front of the house. Erland realized that the girl beside him was still bothered by Ronald's attitude which was sometimes too outrageous.

"They?" Erland asked. Without turning around, Shanaya immediately nodded and continued to stare intently at those who were also looking back at Shanaya and Erland.

"Okay. Wait here," said Erland who immediately got up and approached Ronald. Erland called a man named Ronald, and Ronald was the young man Shanaya spoke to on the bridge yesterday. From a distance, Shanaya could only stare at the group of youths with concern for Erland's safety. But what Shanaya saw was that they seemed afraid of Erland. Their chat ends with a pat on Ronald's shoulder, and Erland leaves them back to Shanaya. Ronald and his friends were seen whispering, but they soon left the place. Erland returned to Shanaya with a faint smile.

"It's all right. You don't need to worry, they won't bother you anymore," explained Erland who was now back sitting beside Shanaya.

"What did you tell them?"

"Confidential."

"Erland!" shrieked Shanaya, annoyed.

"Hehe. It's okay, I'm going home first. I have an appointment with dad for fishing."

Shanaya did not respond, just stared at the young man who was preparing to leave. Erland said goodbye, although Shanaya's face was still sour.

"I'll come back later, goodbye," said Erland and then walked out of Shanaya's yard while carrying the equipment he brought. It was raining heavily in the village. This was the first rain Shanaya had seen since coming to this place. He was quite enjoying the puddles that were now flooding the fields he had just repaired with Erland from the side door of the house. A cup of warm tea to accompany his relaxing time. It was going to be night soon, at least he was a little relieved when he found out that Erland had warned Ronald and his friends to stop bothering Shanaya. Hope that tonight Shanaya can sleep well. He's tired. Shanaya heard the sound of a motorbike engine in front of the house, but she ignored it and continued to drink tea while looking at the cornfield she was going to plant tomorrow. But suddenly the girl flinched to see a young man emerge from behind the door carrying some fish tied in his right hand. Erland laughed with satisfaction when he managed to make Shanaya jump in surprise. Shanaya did not immediately open the door, instead of glaring and hitting the glass in front of her as a form of anger at Erland. Seeing Erland soaking wet outside, he immediately opened the door and immediately asked a classic question.

"What are you doing outside?"

"Look at this fish. The catch I caught earlier. I intend to share it with you. Don't let you become thinner than this because you only eat instant noodles," Erland explained, then took two fish and handed them to Shanaya.

Shanaya accepted while tugging at the corner of her lips with a thank you. Erland immediately left his house because his body must have been shivering from the rain. Tonight, Shanaya will cook the fish for dinner. One fish was enough for him, the rest he could cook the next day.

21.00.

After eating the fish that Erland gave her, Shanaya sat in the living room, turned on the TV, and started watching the program she had been missing for days. He did not feel he fell asleep on the sofa until midnight. His body, which was tired from working in the fields, immediately closed his eyes and took him into dreamland. But a knock on the door made the girl open her eyes immediately. He pressed his temples while trying to recover his consciousness which had not yet fully returned. Waking up suddenly is something that will make his head hurt. After her eyes were fully opened, Shanaya tried to sharpen her hearing. There was a knock on the door that he heard. It wasn't a dream he was having. He looked at the clock on the wall.

23.00.

Shanaya is confused, who is visiting in the middle of the night like this. Moreover, he has not been acquainted with other villagers. Shanaya only knew Erland, and if he was the one who visited, surely Erland would call Shanaya's name if the door was not opened for too long.

"Is that Ronald?" Shanaya muttered with a question that immediately came to her mind.

"I'd better check." Then he stood up and walked to the front door. She parted the curtains a little, peeking first was Shanaya's habit. He had to determine in advance who the guests who came in the middle of the night and disturbed his sleep. But when she looked out the window, Shanaya saw no one there. He was sure that someone was knocking on his door, but there was no one outside.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door again. Now the girl turned and realized that the sound was coming from the side door of her house. His brow furrowed even more at the strangeness. But now with steady steps, Shanaya walked to the side door.

"Don't expect you to work on me again, Erland!" As soon as the door opened, no one was there. Just a strong gust of wind from the vast field in front of him. Shanaya gulped, then stepped forward. He looked around, and they all looked the same. Quiet. There was no sign of any human who had knocked on the door earlier. If it was Erland or even Ronald, he was sure he could still see them even if they were hiding. Moreover, in front of him now there was only an empty field without any plants which of course could not be used as a place to hide. Shanaya again smells the stench. He even covered his nose and went back to looking for the source of the stench. For some reason, his gaze immediately turned to the scarecrow that was standing upright in its place. Only, the position of the object is now facing him. Whereas previously he knew clearly that Erland made the object stand facing the road, not his house. Shanaya hastily closed the door and locked it. He paused for a moment behind the door, his hands slowly reaching forward, parting the curtains.

There's no one outside. He quickly closed the curtains again and intended to return to his room. But he had only taken two steps from the door when the knock came again. Clear and loud. Now Shanaya had no intention of checking again who was standing in front of her door. He chose to walk back to his room.

But he had only taken two steps from the door when the knock came again. Clear and loud. Now Shanaya had no intention of checking again who was standing in front of her door. He chose to walk back to his room. The knocking on the door got louder and faster, making Shanaya's steps quicken. Arriving at the room he immediately locked the door and hurriedly approached the window. He looked for the person who had frightened him, but there was no one down there. The knocking on the door stopped. Shanaya tried to calm her breathing and heartbeat. But when he looked at the field, he was again shocked to see that the scarecrow was not in its place.