The Last Parcel Up the Mountain

Xavi worked at a post office in a mountain town. He sorted letters every morning. He loved his job. But he loved Fridays most. On Fridays he took the mail to the high farms.

Xavi bekerja di kantor pos di sebuah kota pegunungan. Setiap pagi ia memilah surat. Ia suka pekerjaannya. Tapi hari yang paling ia sukai adalah hari Jumat. Pada hari Jumat ia mengantar surat ke peternakan-peternakan di tempat tinggi.

The road was too steep for a van. So Xavi walked. A grey mule named Cora carried the bags. She was slow, but she was strong.

Jalannya terlalu curam untuk mobil van. Jadi Xavi berjalan kaki. Seekor bagal kelabu bernama Cora membawa karung-karungnya. Ia lambat, tapi kuat.

On this Friday there was only one parcel left. It was small and square. The name on it said, "Lia Marsh, Top Hut."

Pada Jumat ini hanya tersisa satu paket. Paket itu kecil dan persegi. Nama di atasnya tertulis, "Lia Marsh, Pondok Puncak."

"Top Hut is far," said the clerk. "Maybe you can go on Monday."

"Pondok Puncak itu jauh," kata petugas. "Mungkin kamu bisa pergi hari Senin."

Xavi read the card on the parcel. It said, "Happy birthday, Lia! Today you are nine."

Xavi membaca kartu di paket itu. Isinya, "Selamat ulang tahun, Lia! Hari ini kamu berumur sembilan tahun."

"Today?" said Xavi. "No. It cannot wait."

"Hari ini?" kata Xavi. "Tidak. Ini tidak bisa menunggu."

He put the parcel in a bag. He called Cora. They left the post office at noon.

Ia memasukkan paket itu ke dalam tas. Ia memanggil Cora. Mereka berangkat dari kantor pos pada tengah hari.

The path went up through the trees. The air was cool. Birds sang above them. Xavi sang too, but not well. Cora flapped one ear.

Jalan setapak naik melewati pepohonan. Udaranya sejuk. Burung-burung berkicau di atas mereka. Xavi ikut bernyanyi, tapi tidak merdu. Cora mengibaskan sebelah telinganya.

After an hour they came to the river. The water was fast and white. A wooden bridge crossed it. But today one board was gone in the middle.

Setelah satu jam, mereka sampai di sungai. Airnya deras dan berbusa putih. Sebuah jembatan kayu melintasinya. Tapi hari ini satu papan di tengahnya hilang.

Xavi stopped. He looked at the gap. It was wide.

Xavi berhenti. Ia menatap celah itu. Celahnya lebar.

"Not good," he said. "Cora, can you jump?"

"Tidak bagus," katanya. "Cora, kamu bisa melompat?"

Cora looked at him. She did not move.

Cora menatapnya. Ia tidak bergerak.

"I think not," said Xavi.

"Kurasa tidak," kata Xavi.

He looked up the river. Higher up, there were big flat stones in the water. They made a path from one side to the other.

Ia memandang ke hulu sungai. Di sebelah atas, ada batu-batu pipih besar di dalam air. Batu-batu itu membentuk jalan dari satu sisi ke sisi lain.

"Stepping stones," he said. "We can try."

"Batu pijakan," katanya. "Kita bisa mencoba."

He took off his boots. He tied them on Cora's bag. The first stone was cold and wet. He stepped on it. He held Cora's rope. She came after him, one careful foot at a time.

Ia melepas sepatu botnya. Ia mengikatnya di tas Cora. Batu pertama dingin dan basah. Ia melangkah ke atasnya. Ia memegang tali Cora. Cora mengikutinya, satu kaki demi satu kaki dengan hati-hati.

Step by step they crossed. Once Xavi slipped. His foot went into the water to the knee. He laughed and stood up again. At last they reached the far side.

Selangkah demi selangkah mereka menyeberang. Sekali Xavi terpeleset. Kakinya masuk ke air sampai lutut. Ia tertawa dan berdiri lagi. Akhirnya mereka sampai di seberang.

"We did it," he said. He patted Cora's neck.

"Kita berhasil," katanya. Ia menepuk leher Cora.

Then the fog came. It rolled down the mountain like white smoke. Soon Xavi could not see the path. He could only see Cora's grey ears.

Lalu kabut datang. Kabut itu bergulung turun dari gunung seperti asap putih. Tak lama Xavi tidak bisa melihat jalan setapak. Ia hanya bisa melihat telinga kelabu Cora.

"Slowly," he said. "Stay near me."

"Pelan-pelan," katanya. "Tetap dekat denganku."

They walked and listened. After a while he heard a faint sound. It was a bell. A goat bell, high up and to the left.

Mereka berjalan sambil mendengarkan. Beberapa saat kemudian ia mendengar suara samar. Itu bunyi lonceng. Lonceng kambing, di atas sana, di sebelah kiri.

"A farm," said Xavi. "Come."

"Sebuah peternakan," kata Xavi. "Ayo."

They followed the bell. The ground turned flat. A small stone wall appeared. Behind it stood a wooden house with a red door.

Mereka mengikuti suara lonceng itu. Tanahnya menjadi datar. Sebuah tembok batu kecil muncul. Di baliknya berdiri sebuah rumah kayu dengan pintu merah.

It was four o'clock. The sun was low and gold. The fog was only in the valley now.

Saat itu pukul empat. Matahari rendah dan keemasan. Kabut hanya tersisa di lembah.

A girl stood at the gate with her arms crossed. She was small and serious. She had a paper hat on her head.

Seorang gadis berdiri di pagar dengan tangan bersedekap. Ia kecil dan serius. Di kepalanya ada topi kertas.

"You are the postman," she said.

"Kamu tukang pos," katanya.

"I am," said Xavi. His socks were wet. "Are you Lia?"

"Benar," kata Xavi. Kaus kakinya basah. "Kamu Lia?"

"Yes. I am nine today. My uncle said that nobody comes on Fridays after noon."

"Ya. Hari ini aku berumur sembilan tahun. Pamanku bilang tidak ada yang datang pada hari Jumat setelah tengah hari."

Xavi took the parcel out of the bag. "Somebody does."

Xavi mengeluarkan paket itu dari tas. "Ada yang datang."

Lia took it with both hands. She looked at Xavi. Then she looked at Cora. She did not say thank you. She ran inside and shouted for her mother.

Lia menerimanya dengan kedua tangan. Ia menatap Xavi. Lalu ia menatap Cora. Ia tidak mengucapkan terima kasih. Ia berlari masuk dan berteriak memanggil ibunya.

Xavi sat down on the wall. He took off his wet socks. Cora ate the grass by the gate.

Xavi duduk di atas tembok. Ia melepas kaus kakinya yang basah. Cora makan rumput di dekat pagar.

The red door opened again. Lia came out with a big piece of cake.

Pintu merah itu terbuka lagi. Lia keluar membawa sepotong besar kue.