19. Seven Holes

She pulled Conrad to her side. Everyone was stunned and looked at the ground. There seems to be nothing strange there.

"Where is the quicksand?" Blade approached Rane and Conrad.

"T-There oh, in front of us. That ground there is soft!" Rane actually pointed in the direction she had stepped earlier.

Blade slowly approached and tried to step on the ground.

"Ay animal!" he exclaimed.

He was pushed back in no time because of the softness of the land he stepped on. He looked at his companions.

"Stay where you are! There is a quicksand! It looks like we need to change course." he said.

Everyone swallowed and looked at the ground. It looks really normal to look at that one. They all stopped. Azrael, Drake, Hunter and Zech barricaded the children to make sure they were safe.

"Hoy, why did you all stop walking?" Grandpa Gusting whispered to them.

It went forward and looked at Blade's face which was aborted.

"What is the problem?" the old man asked.

"There was a quicksand down the road. And I’m not kidding, the softness of the ground was really there when I stepped on it." Blade replied.

"What quicksand? If it was a quicksand, you wouldn't have sunk when you stepped on it."said Grandpa Gusting.

"I left right away!"

"I want to test it..."

Grandpa Gusting was about to walk when Blade pulled him by the right arm.

"Anak na lase, old man! Are you committing suicide?! You already know what it was and you want to step on it? Don’t be foolish!"

Grandpa Gusting's eyes widened at Blade. He then violently pulled his arm.

"Don't bother me. I know what I'm doing! Ump!" he hit Blade.

"Ageh! Abuwisit ak pa! Its up to you!" Blade retorted.

Grandpa Gusting just nodded and continued walking. Everyone was silent and looked at the old man as he stepped on the soft ground. The ground on which it trampled was slightly submerged, but not its feet. The old man jumped up and it looks like he was on a trampoline.

"Engots! What kind of quicksand are you saying eh not! This soil is just soft because it is full of water underneath. You will not sink here because the soil above is strong, the water in it cannot come out so it is like this. There is a big spring under this soil which is why this part of the soil is soft. In fact, I can jump like this."

Grandpa Gusting jumped and the height of the jump he was able to make was due to the trampoline-like ground.

"Wow, that looks fun!" the language is Conrad.

It was excited to go to the old man's whereabouts and imitate it.

"Uy, the fun! You're not going to sink!" Conrad's lively language.

"In that case, let's go and join!" Drake said cheerfully.

Everyone was excited to go to that strange place and jump. They are all, so wonderful in that creation of nature. It's okay even if you fall there, because apart from the very soft soil. It is still covered with thick grass.

"Guys! I'll picture you all. I'll count to three. Then, you all jump at once!" the language is Azrael.

"All right, that's great! Send me the pictures later!" Hunter said excitedly.

"Okay! All right, get all ready!" the language is Azrael.

Everyone is preparing ...

"ONE ... TWO ... THREE!"

After Azrael's signal, everyone jumped at the same time with each other posing. Azrael looked at the captured picture on his tablet. That was nice. He thumbs-up at everyone and smiles.

"Huh, I'm going to take a selfie!" Grandpa Gusting suddenly said.

He pulled out the cellphone and then jumped on it and shot himself.

"I’m going to have my selfie too!" Hunter said and imitated Lolo Gusting.

Not only Hunter but everyone. After they took a Selfie in that strange place they continued walking. They are constantly on the road and their topic is the strange land they have passed through. That long walk was a bit painful for the feet because the rocks on the road were getting bigger. Blade put Conrad on his shoulders so he wouldn't get tired.

There are many Kamatsile trees on the road full of fruit. Therefore, Conrad picks up the fruits it reaches and eat it along the way.

"Can I have some?" ask by Blade.

"Here oh!" the child immediately gave him.

Rane and Karen also asked their brother. And when they ate the fruit Conrad gave...

"Pooh! The acridness!" the language is Blade.

The three almost spit out the contents of their mouths at the same time.

"Conrad, choose the sweet fruits! Don't just take them." Rane said to the brother.

Conrad looked at his sisters.

"For me, they are all equally sweet, eh. What is the difference between the sweet fruit of Kamatsile and acrid?" he asked.

"Dead!" Karen's tongue twitched.

Zech laughed softly at what he heard. He went to a Kamatsile tree full of fruit. That tree has many over matured fruits. It have browned and wrinkled. He picked up the wrinkled fruits and twisted that everyone looked at him.

"Why are you taking that over matured fruits?!" Drake asked incredulously.

"They are sweet eh. Don't you know that the fruit of Kamatsile that is wrinkled is sweeter? It tastes even better than raisins. Still tense when chewing. Besides, at this stage of this fruit... Its natural alcohol is coming out. It smells like alcohol that I got." Zech smiled and said to everyone.

Everyone's ears seemed to widen and then they ran to where he was. Each of them reached out and picked up the wrinkled fruits. There are those who have taken the gaff as well. Because the Kamatsile tree is thorny so it cannot be climbed.

"That's delicious!" Hunter shouted.

"Hmm! It really tastes better than raisins... Why is it that when the fruit is wrinkled, it tastes sweeter?"

Azrael and Zech cough in no time at what Blade said... Even though they know that its mouth is brutal, it can be really windy sometimes, especially when it is suddenly commented on. Its comment has a diffirent meaning to them.

Ai, on the other hand, collects the kamatsile seeds that he gets from the fruit he eats.

"What are you doing?" smiling Drake commented.

"Take a seed. I'll take it home, I'll plant it." Ai's excited language.

"Abuwisit ak pa. It looks like they will grow on your place." comment by Drake.

"Just, I'll try to plant them in our garden." determined language of Ai.

After they got tired of eating the wrinkled fruits of the Kamatsile tree... They continued walking. They crossed four small rivers before reaching the edge of the mountain. Thick bushes still cover the area as if it were protected. It is closer to walking here than Antong Falls.

They were all amazed when they saw that natural beauty of nature. Seven large springs coming from the side of the mountain are the source of the water. The seemingly natural swimming pool is oblong. Its edge is sandy and naturally with small waves. It looks like a minimize beach. Its neon-green water is glistening. There is a part on the side of the mountain that seems to be customized for picnicking. The giant rock that was there was so flat and overshadowed by the huge Fire Tree full of flowers that seemed to burn. On the left side of the mountain, you can see the road uphill. There is a large mango tree there that seems to serve as a sign.

There are many vines hanging from the balete tree in the bath. You can hang there like Tarzan. Jump into the deep water at the same time. The lower part of the river is very flowing with huge rocks.

"It's beautiful..." Rane said admiringly.

Her companions remained silent. They are speechless in beauty. Grandpa Gusting first walked to the side of the mountain, followed by Baste. They pass through the shallow knee-deep river.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go here to prepare everything!" Baste called.

There Blade and his companions seemed to realize. Excited they ran to the side of the mountain. They put down their belongings. And after that a picture here... Picture there is what everyone did.

Ai smiled and sat on the big rock. He will tell his parents this experience, when he returns home. It's tiring but this activity is really fun.

"Okay, let's start the activities we talked about earlier. Gays and the other girls! You will take some suso( a variety of shellfish that found in the rivers and ponds) in the river. Hunter will cook it in coconut milk!" Blade began.

Ai was curious about what Blade said. He raised his hand.

"Yes, Ai?" Blade asked.

"What's suso?" he asked curiously.

"Lips to lips!" Blade replied smiling.

"H-Ha?!"

Everyone laughed at Ai's ignorant reaction.

"Lips to lips is what we call that shellfish because for you to eat it... You have to lip-lips the shell while sucking its flesh inside. You know, your practice with a kiss is also good. You know what I mean." Drake said mischievously.

Ai blushed because he seemed to suddenly imagine what. Blade looked at everyone and again...

"You boys! Help Grandpa Gusting and Baste catch the fish. They have prepared a small net there. You will be fine so that we can have a lot of catfish and dalag(mudfish) to grill. And we big boys... We will go up the mountain to get some wood and get some fruits that we can eat! Is it clear?!" he said.

The children lined up like soldiers and saluted.

"SIR, YES SIR!" everyone's smiling answer.

He also saluted them and smiled. After that, everyone went to their respective assignments. The four big boys will climb the mountain, they should walk there...

"Guys! Wait, I'll go with you!"

Conrad, it runs towards them. They kept looking at the child until it reached them.

"Just stay here." Zech (Archer) said.

The boy frowned, approaching Blade.

"Eh I have nothing to do here eh. All of them do not want to include me. I just said watch them. Take me with you. I will not scratch!"

Blade felt a little sorry for the boy. He sighed and looked at his companions. They also seem to have pity and they have also made a decision through their views. He looked at the boy waiting for him to say something.

"Just behave... So come on!"

He sat down and Conrad quickly climbed on his shoulders. The child is very happy.

"Thank you! You agreed!" Conrad said to everyone.

"Oh my, it's as hard as children resist! Especially if it's as cute and sensible as this one." Hunter retorted.

They were already walking but suddenly they were stopped by...

"Wait! Wait! We're coming!"

They turned around and Rane and Karen ran. They waited for the two of them to approach.

"Uy, girls! This is just a BIG BOYS walk. So I'm sorry." Drake said.

"I'm sorry, but you have no choice but to include us too. Mommy and Daddy have strongly instructed us to watch Conrad closely." the language is Rane.