Lucas did not know how long he has been riding a horse like this and suddenly the horse stop. He was breathing heavily because of scared and cold.
“We arrived here,” Lopo said to him in loud voice because the rain snow keeps falling.
Lucas opened his eyes and he found the first place he was stranded before. Zuonn helps him to get down from the horse and Lucas look around. Nothing special in this place. He did not know how he could come to this place.
“What are you looking for?” Bea shouted because looking at Lucas searching for something.
But, Lucas could not answer him because he also does not know what he was looking for. He just wants a little hope at this place. A hope how he could back to his home.
“You can't find anything on rain snow like this! It's almost night and we should go hunting before the wolves coming!” Bea shouted again with impatiently.
Lucas knew that they were not care about him. They just want to fill their stomach. He could not stand up in this situation so he back to them and follow them to hunting areas.
They brought him to the frozen river and everything still covered in snow. They tied their horses to the trees and they get their tools.
Zuonn prepared his big axe, Bea took his bow and arrow while Lopo took his rock hammer from his bag.
Lucas looks confused to what they will do. He just watching them and Lopo looked at him. He hands him another hammer.
“Better you learn how to catch fish with your own hands. You can't survive if you keep standing like an i***t there,” said Lopo and he took a rough made rattan basket.
“Zuonn will cut down the trees to back up firewood. Bea will hunt some rabbit or dear if he was lucky enough. And I will catch the fish,” he explained to him and pointing at the frozen river.
Lucas looked at that river and then he looked at the hammer on his hand. He then realizes what Lopo means.
“We will break the ice???” he looked at Lopo with unbelievable face.
Lopo nodded. That makes Lucas so shock. He could imagine that it will be so dangerous because they will crack the thin ice while they standing above it.
“You will fall to the river,” Lucas mumbled and Lopo raised his eyebrows.
“Don't say like that. You never try it before, aren't you? A newbie should not give up before trying!”
Lopo's words makes Lucas stunned to hear that. It's like an old advice from his father. Lucas could remember that it was his father's words when he wants to teach him to make a watch. Lucas give up and said, “It won't work. I'm not good at it.”
His father was mad at him and shouted to him with these words. The words, tone and expression were totally same as his. Lucas does not know why he suddenly remember his father. It was an old memory to remembered.
“You need to take a risk to keeps alive!” Lopo added and makes Lucas woke up from his memories.
Lucas shook his head couple times to make him forget that thing. He followed Lopo to the river. He watched how Lopo break the ice with carefully. Ah, that's how it works... he thought and could not believe the big guy breaks the ice with smooth hit. It was a funny thing he ever watch.
Lucas wants to try what Lopo did and he found his place. He chose where he wants to smash his hammer into. Lucas tried break it with smooth way as Lopo did, but the ice was so thick than its looks. Lucas's hit did not affect the ice, even not a single scratch on it.
He tried to add some power and hit the ice again. Still, the ice did not break at all. He turned his head into Lopo and saw that the guy already made a hole and prepare to catch a fish.
“How you do that?” Lucas asked in curious and still looking at Lopo's hole.
“You need to find some cracks before break it. If you just hit your hammer randomly, the ice will never broke,” Lopo gave him advice. Lucas nodded and he back to his place.
He widened his eyes to look for cracks in the ice. He searching for a minute and then found it at the middle of the river. He tried to hit it with the edge of his hammer carefully. He was a bit happy when see the cracks slowly began to break. He did that for several times to make a hole.
There was a sound of ice breaking and Lucas feel so satisfied with his work. He never does this thing and it totally fun. He could see the rushing river flow below him and schools of fish swim with the river currents. When he finished breaking the ice into a hole, he quickly looked at Lopo how to catch a fish.
He was really surprised to see Lopo catch a fish by his bare hand! Lucas gulping because he could feel the coldness of the water.
“Are you crazy???” he suddenly asked without thinking anymore.
“What?” Lopo looked at him while his hand was still submerged in the cold river water.
Lucas pointed at his hand with terrified face. Lopo looked at his own hand and chuckled, “Afraid of the cold? Oh, you're really such a coward! It's nothing to be scared!”
Lucas was not happy to hear that. Suddenly he feels so provoked by Lopo's words. He wants to show him that he was not a coward. This is the first time Lucas wants to show himself as a brave man. He never had this courage before in his life because he thought himself as an ordinary man.
“Just show me how to do that!” Lucas shouted at him with irritated face. Lopo just laughed at him and he took his hand from the water.
Aksara