The Sandbar Walk

Hugo lived in a small house by the sea. One Saturday, his niece Cleo came to stay.

Hugo tinggal di sebuah rumah kecil di tepi laut. Pada suatu hari Sabtu, keponakannya, Cleo, datang menginap.

"Can we see the seals today?" Cleo asked.

"Bisakah kita melihat anjing laut hari ini?" tanya Cleo.

"Yes," said Hugo. "But we must go at the right time."

"Bisa," kata Hugo. "Tapi kita harus pergi pada waktu yang tepat."

He took a paper from the kitchen table. It showed the times of the tide. "The sea goes out at ten," he said. "Then we can walk to the sandbar."

Ia mengambil selembar kertas dari meja dapur. Kertas itu menunjukkan jadwal pasang surut. "Laut surut pukul sepuluh," katanya. "Lalu kita bisa berjalan ke gosong pasir."

"What is a sandbar?" asked Cleo.

"Gosong pasir itu apa?" tanya Cleo.

"It is a long road of sand. It goes to a small island. The seals sleep there."

"Itu jalan panjang dari pasir. Jalan itu menuju sebuah pulau kecil. Anjing-anjing laut tidur di sana."

"Does the sea come back?"

"Apakah lautnya kembali?"

"Yes. At noon it comes back fast. We must leave before twelve."

"Ya. Pada siang hari laut kembali dengan cepat. Kita harus pergi sebelum pukul dua belas."

Cleo looked at the clock. It was nine thirty. "Let's go now," she said.

Cleo melihat jam. Saat itu pukul setengah sepuluh. "Ayo pergi sekarang," katanya.

They put on old shoes. Hugo put water and bread in a bag. Cleo took a small notebook and a pencil.

Mereka memakai sepatu tua. Hugo memasukkan air dan roti ke dalam tas. Cleo membawa buku catatan kecil dan sebatang pensil.

At ten o'clock, the beach was very wide. The sea was far away. The sand was wet and hard. Little shells lay everywhere. A white bird walked in front of them.

Pada pukul sepuluh, pantai itu sangat luas. Laut berada jauh di sana. Pasirnya basah dan keras. Kerang-kerang kecil berserakan di mana-mana. Seekor burung putih berjalan di depan mereka.

"The road is open," said Hugo. "Stay next to me."

"Jalannya sudah terbuka," kata Hugo. "Tetap di dekatku."

Cleo found a blue shell. She held it up to the light. "Can I keep it?" she asked.

Cleo menemukan sebuah kerang biru. Ia mengangkatnya ke arah cahaya. "Boleh aku simpan?" tanyanya.

"Yes," said Hugo. "The sea gives us many gifts. But only take one."

"Boleh," kata Hugo. "Laut memberi kita banyak hadiah. Tapi ambil satu saja."

She put the shell in her pocket. It felt cold and smooth.

Ia memasukkan kerang itu ke dalam sakunya. Rasanya dingin dan halus.

They walked for twenty minutes. The sand was cold under their feet. Cleo stopped many times. She looked at the crabs in the small pools. She drew them in her notebook.

Mereka berjalan selama dua puluh menit. Pasir terasa dingin di bawah kaki mereka. Cleo berhenti berkali-kali. Ia memperhatikan kepiting di kolam-kolam kecil. Ia menggambarnya di buku catatannya.

At last, they came to the island. Hugo put a finger on his mouth. "Now we are quiet," he said.

Akhirnya, mereka sampai di pulau itu. Hugo menaruh jari di mulutnya. "Sekarang kita diam," katanya.

Behind a big rock, six seals lay in the sun. Two were big and grey. Four were small and brown. One small seal looked at Cleo. Its eyes were round and black.

Di balik sebuah batu besar, enam ekor anjing laut berbaring di bawah matahari. Dua ekor besar dan berwarna abu-abu. Empat ekor kecil dan berwarna cokelat. Seekor anjing laut kecil menatap Cleo. Matanya bulat dan hitam.

Cleo did not say a word. She sat down and drew the little seal. Hugo ate some bread and watched the water far away.

Cleo tidak berkata sepatah kata pun. Ia duduk dan menggambar anjing laut kecil itu. Hugo makan sedikit roti dan memperhatikan air yang jauh di sana.

After an hour, Hugo looked at his watch. It was eleven fifteen. "We need to go," he said.

Setelah satu jam, Hugo melihat jam tangannya. Saat itu pukul sebelas lewat lima belas. "Kita harus pergi," katanya.

"Five more minutes, please," said Cleo.

"Lima menit lagi, ya," kata Cleo.

"Five," said Hugo. "Not six."

"Lima," kata Hugo. "Jangan enam."

He laughed, but he looked at the water again. It was still far away. But it came closer.

Ia tertawa, tapi ia melihat ke arah air lagi. Air masih jauh. Tapi semakin dekat.

Cleo drew one more seal. Then she closed her notebook. They said goodbye and walked back to the sandbar.

Cleo menggambar satu anjing laut lagi. Lalu ia menutup buku catatannya. Mereka berpamitan dan berjalan kembali ke gosong pasir.

But the sea came faster than Hugo thought. Water ran over the sand in thin silver lines. Soon the sand was wet and soft. A small wave touched Hugo's shoe.

Tapi laut datang lebih cepat daripada dugaan Hugo. Air mengalir di atas pasir dalam garis-garis tipis keperakan. Tak lama kemudian pasirnya basah dan lembek. Sebuah ombak kecil menyentuh sepatu Hugo.

"Walk fast," said Hugo. "Do not run."

"Jalan cepat," kata Hugo. "Jangan berlari."

Cleo took his hand. They walked and walked. The water reached their ankles. It was cold, and it made Cleo shout. The beach was only fifty steps away.

Cleo menggenggam tangannya. Mereka berjalan dan berjalan. Air mencapai pergelangan kaki mereka. Airnya dingin, dan membuat Cleo berteriak. Pantai tinggal lima puluh langkah lagi.

"Forty," said Hugo. "Thirty. Twenty."

"Empat puluh," kata Hugo. "Tiga puluh. Dua puluh."

At last, their feet touched dry sand. They sat down and laughed. Their shoes were full of water.

Akhirnya, kaki mereka menyentuh pasir kering. Mereka duduk dan tertawa. Sepatu mereka penuh air.

"We were lucky," said Hugo. "Next time we leave at eleven."

"Kita beruntung," kata Hugo. "Lain kali kita berangkat pukul sebelas."

"Next time I draw faster," said Cleo.

"Lain kali aku menggambar lebih cepat," kata Cleo.

She opened her notebook and held it up. On the page, the little seal held one flipper up. It looked like a wave goodbye.

Ia membuka buku catatannya dan mengangkatnya. Di halaman itu, anjing laut kecil mengangkat satu siripnya. Tampak seperti melambaikan tangan untuk berpamitan.