The Bag of Mismatched Dice

The training yard behind the fire station smelled of hot metal and wet concrete. Bela stood at the foot of the practice tower with her helmet under her arm. She had waited six months for this morning.

Halaman latihan di belakang pos pemadam kebakaran berbau logam panas dan beton basah. Bela berdiri di kaki menara latihan dengan helm terselip di bawah lengannya. Ia sudah menunggu enam bulan untuk pagi ini.

The youth cadet course had twelve places. Only one pair would win the badge for the best final drill. Everyone knew it would be Bela or Lior.

Kursus kadet remaja itu punya dua belas tempat. Hanya satu pasangan yang akan memenangkan lencana untuk latihan akhir terbaik. Semua orang tahu itu pasti Bela atau Lior.

Lior stood at the other end of the line. He was tall, quick and annoyingly calm. Last week he had finished the ladder drill four seconds faster than she had. Bela had not stopped thinking about it since.

Lior berdiri di ujung lain barisan. Ia tinggi, cekatan, dan setenang yang menjengkelkan. Minggu lalu ia menyelesaikan latihan tangga empat detik lebih cepat daripada Bela. Bela tidak berhenti memikirkannya sejak itu.

"Cadets, gather round," said the instructor. She held up a worn canvas bag, and it rattled. "Today's drill is different. Nobody runs alone."

"Para kadet, berkumpul," kata instruktur. Ia mengangkat sebuah kantong kanvas yang usang, dan kantong itu berkerincing. "Latihan hari ini berbeda. Tidak ada yang berlari sendirian."

A groan went down the line. The instructor ignored it and tipped the bag onto a table. Nine dice rolled out. None of them matched. One was as big as an apple, one was tiny, and one had ten sides. A blue one carried letters instead of numbers.

Gerutuan menjalar di sepanjang barisan. Instruktur mengabaikannya dan menuang isi kantong ke atas meja. Sembilan dadu bergulir keluar. Tidak ada yang sama. Satu sebesar apel, satu kecil sekali, dan satu bersisi sepuluh. Sebuah dadu biru memuat huruf, bukan angka.

"These came from the old station game box," she said. "Each die gives your pair one job. Roll them all, read them together, and finish every job before the buzzer."

"Ini berasal dari kotak permainan lama pos ini," katanya. "Setiap dadu memberi pasangan kalian satu tugas. Lempar semuanya, baca bersama-sama, dan selesaikan setiap tugas sebelum bel berbunyi."

She read out the names from her clipboard. Bela heard her own name, and then she heard "and Lior." Her stomach dropped.

Ia membacakan nama-nama dari papan jepitnya. Bela mendengar namanya sendiri, lalu ia mendengar "dan Lior." Perutnya serasa jatuh.

Lior only shrugged. "Fine," he said. "Just stay out of my way."

Lior hanya mengangkat bahu. "Baiklah," katanya. "Pokoknya jangan menghalangi jalanku."

"I was going to say the same thing," Bela answered.

"Aku baru mau bilang hal yang sama," jawab Bela.

They walked to the table side by side, but they did not look at each other. Bela grabbed the dice first. She wanted to prove that she could manage without any help.

Mereka berjalan ke meja berdampingan, tetapi tidak saling memandang. Bela menyambar dadu lebih dulu. Ia ingin membuktikan bahwa ia bisa mengatasinya tanpa bantuan.

The big die said four. The tiny one said six. The blue one landed on the letter H, which meant hose. The ten-sided die said seven. Nobody could remember what seven meant until Lior found the rule card under the bag.

Dadu besar menunjukkan empat. Dadu kecil menunjukkan enam. Dadu biru jatuh pada huruf S, yang berarti selang. Dadu bersisi sepuluh menunjukkan tujuh. Tidak ada yang ingat arti tujuh sampai Lior menemukan kartu aturan di bawah kantong.

"Seven means we carry the training dummy down from the platform," he read. "Ten metres. Two people."

"Tujuh berarti kita menggotong boneka latihan turun dari peron," bacanya. "Sepuluh meter. Dua orang."

"I can do it alone," said Bela.

"Aku bisa melakukannya sendiri," kata Bela.

"You can't," said Lior. "It weighs as much as you do."

"Tidak bisa," kata Lior. "Beratnya sama dengan beratmu."

She did not answer. She pulled the tower hose toward the first marker, and Lior went straight for the ladder. When the buzzer sounded, they were working at opposite ends of the yard.

Bela tidak menjawab. Ia menarik selang menara ke penanda pertama, dan Lior langsung menuju tangga. Ketika bel berbunyi, mereka bekerja di ujung halaman yang berlawanan.

The first run was a disaster. Bela laid the hose in a long loop that kinked twice. Lior climbed the ladder before the foot of it was secure, and it wobbled. Then they both reached the dummy at the same moment and pulled in different directions. The dummy slid off the platform and landed on its back with a heavy thump.

Putaran pertama adalah bencana. Bela membentangkan selang dalam lingkaran panjang yang tertekuk dua kali. Lior memanjat tangga sebelum kakinya terpasang kokoh, dan tangga itu goyah. Lalu keduanya mencapai boneka itu pada saat yang sama dan menariknya ke arah berlainan. Boneka itu tergelincir dari peron dan mendarat telentang dengan bunyi berdebum berat.

The buzzer rang again. The instructor looked at her watch and wrote something down.

Bel berbunyi lagi. Instruktur melihat jam tangannya dan menulis sesuatu.

"Eleven minutes and forty seconds," she said. "The other pairs finished in eight. Do you want to try again?"

"Sebelas menit empat puluh detik," katanya. "Pasangan lain selesai dalam delapan menit. Mau mencoba lagi?"

"Yes," said Bela.

"Ya," kata Bela.

"Yes," said Lior, at exactly the same time.

"Ya," kata Lior, tepat pada saat yang sama.

They glared at each other, but the instructor only smiled. "You have a ten-minute break," she said. "Use it."

Mereka saling melotot, tetapi instruktur hanya tersenyum. "Kalian punya istirahat sepuluh menit," katanya. "Manfaatkan."

Bela sat down on an upturned bucket and stared at the dice. She felt hot and tired, and her pride hurt more than her hands. Lior sat down on the other side of the yard and studied the rule card with a frown.

Bela duduk di atas ember terbalik dan menatap dadu-dadu itu. Ia merasa panas dan lelah, dan harga dirinya lebih sakit daripada tangannya. Lior duduk di sisi lain halaman dan mempelajari kartu aturan sambil mengerutkan kening.

After a while, he walked over. He stood there for a moment before he spoke.

Beberapa saat kemudian, ia berjalan menghampiri. Ia berdiri sejenak sebelum berbicara.

"Your hose was faster than mine would have been," he said slowly. "Before it kinked, I mean. You walk the line first. I never do that."

"Selangmu lebih cepat daripada yang bisa kubuat," katanya perlahan. "Maksudku, sebelum tertekuk. Kamu menyusuri jalurnya lebih dulu. Aku tidak pernah melakukan itu."

Bela looked up in surprise. "Your ladder was solid once you stopped rushing," she said. "I watched you. You know the knots better than anyone."

Bela menengadah dengan terkejut. "Tanggamu kokoh begitu kamu berhenti terburu-buru," katanya. "Aku memperhatikanmu. Kamu paling paham soal simpul."

"So that's one job each," said Lior.

"Jadi masing-masing satu tugas," kata Lior.

"If we split the work, we might finish faster," Bela said. "But we have to decide the order before we roll."

"Kalau kita bagi pekerjaannya, mungkin kita selesai lebih cepat," kata Bela. "Tapi kita harus memutuskan urutannya sebelum melempar."

Lior sat on the ground beside her. He picked up the rule card and turned it over. On the back, in small letters, someone had written a note about the dice. Each die matched a skill. The big die needed strength, the tiny one needed patience, and the blue one needed a clear head.

Lior duduk di tanah di sampingnya. Ia mengambil kartu aturan dan membaliknya. Di baliknya, dengan huruf kecil, seseorang telah menulis catatan tentang dadu-dadu itu. Setiap dadu cocok dengan satu keterampilan. Dadu besar membutuhkan kekuatan, yang kecil membutuhkan kesabaran, dan yang biru membutuhkan kepala dingin.

"Listen to this," he said. "It says a pair should always roll together. One person reads, one person plans."

"Dengar ini," katanya. "Di sini tertulis bahwa sepasang orang harus selalu melempar bersama. Satu membaca, satu merencanakan."

"So that's why the dice are all different," said Bela. "They want different people."

"Jadi itu sebabnya dadu-dadunya berbeda semua," kata Bela. "Mereka menginginkan orang yang berbeda."

They spent the rest of the break making a plan. Bela would read the dice and lay the hose. Lior would set the ladder and check every knot. Both of them would carry the dummy. They would count aloud so that they moved together.

Mereka menghabiskan sisa istirahat untuk menyusun rencana. Bela akan membaca dadu dan membentangkan selang. Lior akan memasang tangga dan memeriksa setiap simpul. Keduanya akan menggotong boneka. Mereka akan menghitung dengan suara keras supaya bergerak bersamaan.

"One, two, lift," said Lior, trying it out in the dust.

"Satu, dua, angkat," kata Lior, mencobanya di atas debu.

"One, two, lift," Bela repeated, and for the first time that morning she laughed.

"Satu, dua, angkat," ulang Bela, dan untuk pertama kalinya pagi itu ia tertawa.

The second run started when the buzzer sounded. Bela rolled the dice and called the jobs in a steady voice. The big die said two, the tiny die said five, and the blue die said L for ladder. Lior was already running.

Putaran kedua dimulai ketika bel berbunyi. Bela melempar dadu dan menyebutkan tugas-tugasnya dengan suara mantap. Dadu besar menunjukkan dua, dadu kecil menunjukkan lima, dan dadu biru menunjukkan T untuk tangga. Lior sudah berlari.

He set the foot of the ladder against the tower and tested it twice. Bela walked her hose line from end to end before she opened the water. It lay flat and straight. She did not rush, even though the seconds were passing.

Ia menyandarkan kaki tangga ke menara dan mengujinya dua kali. Bela menyusuri jalur selangnya dari ujung ke ujung sebelum membuka air. Selang itu terbentang rata dan lurus. Ia tidak terburu-buru, meskipun detik-detik terus berlalu.

"Ladder is ready," called Lior.

"Tangga siap," seru Lior.

"Hose is ready," Bela called back. "Roll the last die with me."

"Selang siap," Bela membalas. "Lempar dadu terakhir bersamaku."

They rolled the ten-sided die together, each with one hand. It tumbled across the table and stopped on the number seven. The dummy again. Bela smiled. She had hoped for it.

Mereka melempar dadu bersisi sepuluh itu bersama-sama, masing-masing dengan satu tangan. Dadu itu berguling di atas meja dan berhenti pada angka tujuh. Boneka itu lagi. Bela tersenyum. Ia memang berharap begitu.

They climbed the platform one behind the other. The dummy lay heavy and still. Lior took the shoulders, and Bela took the feet.

Mereka memanjat peron satu di belakang yang lain. Boneka itu tergeletak berat dan diam. Lior memegang bahunya, dan Bela memegang kakinya.

"One, two, lift," they said together.

"Satu, dua, angkat," kata mereka bersama.

They carried the dummy down the steps without a single stumble. At the bottom, they laid it on the mat as carefully as if it were real. Bela did not look at the clock. She only heard the buzzer, and then the silence after it.

Mereka menggotong boneka itu menuruni tangga tanpa tersandung sekali pun. Di bawah, mereka membaringkannya di atas matras sehati-hati seakan-akan itu orang sungguhan. Bela tidak melihat jam. Ia hanya mendengar bel, lalu kesunyian sesudahnya.

The instructor stepped forward with her clipboard. The other cadets had gathered round, and nobody said a word.

Instruktur melangkah maju dengan papan jepitnya. Para kadet lain telah berkumpul, dan tidak ada yang berkata sepatah kata pun.

"Seven minutes and ten seconds," she announced. "That is the fastest time this course has ever recorded."

"Tujuh menit sepuluh detik," umumnya. "Itu waktu tercepat yang pernah tercatat di kursus ini."

A cheer went up from the line. Someone slapped Lior on the back, and someone else shook Bela's hand until it hurt. She hardly noticed. She was looking at Lior, and he was looking at her.

Sorak-sorai meledak dari barisan. Seseorang menepuk punggung Lior, dan yang lain menjabat tangan Bela sampai sakit. Ia nyaris tidak menyadarinya. Ia sedang memandang Lior, dan Lior sedang memandangnya.

"I could not have done that alone," he said quietly.

"Aku tidak akan bisa melakukannya sendirian," kata Lior pelan.

"Neither could I," said Bela. It was the truth, and saying it felt strangely light.

"Aku juga tidak," kata Bela. Itu kenyataan, dan mengatakannya terasa aneh dan ringan.

The instructor held up two small silver badges. "I planned to give one badge to the winning pair," she said. "But a pair that works like this deserves one each. Well done, both of you."

Instruktur mengangkat dua lencana perak kecil. "Rencana saya, satu lencana untuk pasangan pemenang," katanya. "Tapi pasangan yang bekerja seperti ini pantas mendapat satu lencana masing-masing. Kerja bagus, kalian berdua."

Lior took his badge and turned it in the sun. Bela took hers and pinned it to her jacket with fingers that still shook a little. Neither of them said anything clever. There was nothing clever left to say.

Lior menerima lencananya dan memutarnya di bawah matahari. Bela menerima lencananya dan menyematkannya di jaketnya dengan jari-jari yang masih sedikit gemetar. Tak seorang pun mengatakan sesuatu yang pintar. Tidak ada lagi yang pintar untuk dikatakan.

When the crowd drifted off toward the engine bay, the dice were still lying on the table. Bela scooped them up one at a time. She took the big die, the tiny die, the blue one and the odd ten-sided one. She dropped them into the canvas bag and pulled the string tight.

Ketika kerumunan bubar menuju bengkel mesin, dadu-dadu itu masih tergeletak di meja. Bela memungutinya satu per satu. Ia mengambil dadu besar, dadu kecil, dadu biru, dan dadu bersisi sepuluh yang ganjil itu. Ia memasukkannya ke dalam kantong kanvas dan menarik talinya kencang.

Lior picked up the rule card and the hose nozzle in one hand. He held out the other hand for the bag.

Lior mengambil kartu aturan dan nosel selang dengan satu tangan. Ia mengulurkan tangan yang lain untuk meminta kantong itu.

"Together," he said.

"Bersama-sama," katanya.

Bela passed him one side of the bag and took the other herself. They carried it across the yard.

Bela menyerahkan satu sisi kantong kepadanya dan memegang sisi yang lain sendiri. Mereka membawanya melintasi halaman.