As Ramadan came and went, so did the remainder of summer in Indonesia. In no time at all, Monsoon season would arrive, which meant heavy rains and flooded streets. In the meantime, Reine's wish would come true as she got her chance to visit the Urwani family. Susi sat on the couch next to the front window, waiting for Reine to arrive.
"Susi, Reine will be here when she gets here," said Mrs. Urwani.
"I know," replied Susi, "I'm just excited to see her again."
Meanwhile, Reine leaned out the passenger side window of her mother's car. The car traveled a mountain road leading into Yogyakarta. Reine watched a volcano fuming in the distance.
"How long until we get to Aunt Maly's?" asked Reine.
"Not long," answered her mother.
The Urwani house was located in the old part of Yogyakarta, called the kraton. Tall, thin houses, built in an old Dutch style, crowded the streets. Bicycles and motorcycles crowded the streets, too. They buzzed along, passing right by Reine. The car turned down an alley. The Urwani house was wedged between a tall, thin house and an old auto shop. Before the car could come to a stop, Susi ran out to greet Reine and Aunt Dona. Mrs. Urwani was close behind.
"Hello, Auntie! Hello cousin!" said Susi.
"Hello cousin!" replied Reine.
"Susi, let Aunt Maly park the car."
Susi and Reine waited impatiently as Aunt Maly fit the tiny car into the tiny space in front of the Urwani house. Afterwards, Susi and Reine quickly unpacked two bags of luggage and a large sleeping bag. The girls went upstairs to Susi's room, then returned downstairs to the living room where Aunt Dona and Mrs. Urwani were drinking tea. Yudhi sat across the room, reading a book and enjoying a bowl of soup.
"Yudhi, could you take us to Malioboro Street?" asked Susi.
"Right after I finish this chapter."
"I'd rather have everyone stay here. Mount Sindoro's acting up," said Mrs. Urwani.
"How about you go to the park instead?" suggested Aunt Dona.
"That's fine with me," said Reine, "I don't know what I'd do if the dragon woke up."
"What dragon?" asked Yudhi.
"The Mountain Dragon. That's what Grandpa Salim calls it," answered Reine.
"Grandpa Salim was talking about volcanoes," said Aunt Dona, "He used to tell us bed time stories about great warriors who chased the Mountain Dragons. The dragons would fly from island to island, hiding from the warriors. The only problem is that their smoky breath let the warriors know right where they were hiding."
"But that's just one of Grandpa Salim's tall tales," said Yudhi.
"It may be," said Aunt Dona, "but it's one of the warning signs a volcano is going to erupt."
"There are others?" asked Reine.
Her mother nodded.
"Have you heard of Krakatau?"
"Of course," replied Reine.
"There wasn't only smoke coming from the top of Krakatau, but the earthquakes shook the entire island."
"I don't understand how earthquakes could shake an entire island."
"It's called plate tectonics," said Yudhi, "the world is made up of lava and an outer crust."
Yudhi carefully placed several crackers in his soup. They floated on the surface.
"This is what the earth looks like," he stated.
Reine poked one of the crackers with a finger.
"What happens when the earth sinks? Are we all going to drown in the soup?"
"The earth never sinks, it's the Earth," replied Yudhi.
"That's not totally true," replied Mrs. Urwani.
"What do you mean?" said Yudhi.
"When two plates push together, one sinks and one rises. That's how mountains, islands, and volcanoes are created."
"We're located at the edge of two plates?" asked Reine.
"That's why we're part of the 'Ring of Fire'"
"What's the Ring of Fire?" asked Susi.
"Most of the world's volcanoes form a ring around the Pacific Ocean. From Indonesia to Japan to Canada to Chile. There are over 400 volcanoes in Indonesia alone."
"Wow!" said Susi.
"Those plates push together and make earthquakes, too."
Reine grabbed Yudhi's soup bowl and jiggled it in her hands.
"Reine..." scolded her mother.
"I was just making cracker-quakes."
"We all know what you were trying to do," said her mother, "but that's Yudhi's lunch."
Reine handed Yudhi his soup and he finished eating. Afterwards, he took the girls to a playground at a nearby park. Susi and Reine took turns going down the slide. Afterwards, they played tag on the jungle gym. Finally, Yudhi pushed the girls while they rode the swings.
"My arms are getting tired," said Yudhi.
"Just awhile longer, please?" pleaded Reine.
Yudhi granted her wish. As he pushed her swing, Reine kicked her legs back and forth, trying to reach as high as she could. Finally, she got tired of swinging. Without warning, she leapt from her swing and flew through the air. She landed on the ground, tumbling as she did.
"Are you okay?" asked Yudhi.
Reine took off into a sprint.
"Let's race to the bottom of the hill."
Yudhi chased Reine through a field of dandelions. Susi waited for her swing to come to a stop before she joined the chase. As Reine kicked through the stems, seedpods flew into the air. The thick, green field grass smelled like fresh onions.
Meanwhile, a pair of volcanic mountains loomed over the city. While one sat silent, a flume of black smoke seeped from the top of the second volcano. As Reine reached the bottom of the hill, she cartwheeled once and fell to her back. She looked up at the blue sky. Soon, Yudhi and Susi joined her.
"When do you think the volcano will erupt?" asked Reine.
"I don't know," said Yudhi, "It could be tomorrow, it could be five years from now."
"Five years?"
"My teacher says volcanoes can be active for hundreds of years without erupting."
"Whoa! That's a long time."
"Volcanoes are very old dragons," replied Yudhi.
"I suppose you're right," said Reine.
"As old as the mountains themselves," added Susi.
Before too long, the sky turned from blue to orange to red to black. Susi spotted a single star, twinkling in the sky.
"Everyone make a wish," she said.
"Okay, got mine," said Yudhi.
"Me, too," said Reine.
"Now keep it a secret," said Susi, "or it won't come true."
With that, Susi closed her eyes and made a wish of her very own. She got up and returned to the top the hill, with Reine and Yudhi on each side.
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