ADJOINING REALM
ANOTHER FIGURE

"Dar ... Sat ... Tok's?! Here you all!" call Si Mbah from his room.

"Keep wearing this necklace! Remember that! Don't let go!" pinta Si Mbah Turahmin, while offering three necklaces, with a black cloth hanger in the shape of a box.

Finished our necklace, I grabbed a bag made of burlap sacks, and filled it with corn rice that would be enough to eat for four days, as well as a few change of clothes, he said, and don't forget the clean gloves.

After that we took turns saying goodbye. The Mbah directs us to continue walking north. He said if we just have to follow the path, because he thinks there is no intersection at all ahead there.

"Just follow this road, okay? Later when you arrive at the banyan tree near the time, you just follow it. Pas has arrived in the swamp, you look for bamboo saplings wrapped in red ribbons on the trunk, you will dig the ground under it, let Si Mbah take care of the rest," asked Si Mbah.

"Jih, Mbah. Pray for us, Mbah, for everything to be done" I pleaded with you.

"The Mbah always prays for you, Dar, without even asking. Just remember, Dar, later when you get to the banyan tree you have seen in your dreams, the grave of the bundle that the love of God was under it," Sewah reminded.

"Jih, Mbah, Darto left first," I continued to kiss the back of Simbah's hand, and stepped away.

Long story short the day was getting dark, felt quite tired feet, the three of us decided to rest and eat the provisions we brought in burlap sacks.

"Well, what about Rigina,?" asked Anto while chewing

"Tok swallowed first, just talking about it" Satya replied with a slight laugh.

"It's still far away, the banyan tree?" ask Anto again after finishing chewing.

"I also don't know, Tok, tomorrow we meet the tree the most," said I who was concocting a cigarette on the thigh while sitting cross-legged.

"Are we really going to sleep here, Dar?" Satya asked while observing the surroundings.

"Well .. Where else do you want to go? One person has to wake up, we change guard. Who knows if there are snakes or venomous animals," I said a little pale their faces.

We are currently resting in the middle of the forest. Let alone the hut, even passers-by we did not meet at all. It is a truly isolated place. Here we are accompanied only by the sounds of birds, crickets, and other animals. Every now and then we encounter a group of apes, clustered across a twig.

"We collect firewood yuk ... Heck, Sat!" my continued words stood up, beginning to search and gather the branches scattered beside us. There was already a lot of dry wood piled up in front of where we were standing, probably enough to make a fire until morning. I grabbed some of the wood and quickly lit it with a match, because the day had really started to darken.

Only with the help of the light from the fire that we light, we pray the magrib prayer and then proceed with the congregation next to it. After the prayer, the three of us sat by the fire, jokingly joking about spending time.

"Dar, actually, what do we want? Why do we have to go all the way to the mud swamp?" ask Satya curiously.

"Yes Dar, what exactly happened to Dining?" connect Anto.

"I'm also curious Tok-Sat, you believe not when you come to my house, when we just finished the pot harvest, Dining also came!" I said with a serious face.

"You are Dar, not funny!" satya said while moving the sitting position that was at the very end, moving to the middle, sitting between me and Anto.

"Oath, Sat! Why would I lie to you? And if you know, Dining came with a form wrapped in a shroud!" my connection now makes Anto stand up, and nerobos to the middle. He pushed Satya to the point of almost falling down, only to sit in the middle.

"Bad you, Tok! Nantang fight?" said Satya while cleaning the ground from the two palms he had used to support the body.

Satya's speech was only answered by Laughter by Anto. I who saw it spontaneously came to witness the behavior of the two of them.

"Dining, what was Dar talking about?" ask Anto back.

"He was just silent Tok, watching us from the corner," I replied.

"You really can see that, Dar?" ask satya curiously.

"What are you seeing, Dar?" anto asked now.

"Well, you're horrified, aren't you? As told by Mr. Sapto; many buyers to ngantri. Maybe I saw all those buyers,"

my words were greeted by Anto's expression and Satya gulped down the saliva.

"So Dar, here you see nothing?" asked Anto with a stiffened face.

"There Tok. There's two, really bad!" My answer was short, my words made Anto and Satya frightened, even now they sit together, even though this place is quite roomy.

"You're not kidding, are you, Dar?" ask Satya in fear.

"Yes Sat, take her face! It's just so ugly!" sahutku back.

"Which side, Dar?" Satya was curious.

I answered Satya's question by pointing towards the two of them. They instantly swept his gaze to confirm the surroundings, yet saw nothing nearby.

"Ngapain wanted? You two are demons! ahhaha!" I said uproariously and managed to make them both put on furious faces.

Not having time to close my mouth from the laughing position, I looked back at the fire. My heart was pumped back, this time I really saw the figure of Dining. He was sitting next to the fire, opposite my seat.

I was a little relieved, because it wasn't the pocong figure I saw. This time Dining wore his special clothes, namely kemben and tarik which he often wear at the village salamatan event. Not her broken face, now Dining has the prettiest face I've ever seen.

Seeing me suddenly speechless, Anto and Satya seemed to understand, that there was something strange around us.

"What's up, Dar? No more joking!"

anto said a little emotion.

"Udah, Dar! Not funny!'' timpal Satya

I didn't respond to their questions, my eyes were fixed on the seated Dining.

"Ning ... can you tell me what happened to you?" my door.

My efforts to interact with him were still the same as fruitless, instead of answering, Dining instead moved from sitting down to a sitting position curled up to embrace both feet, followed by crying as much as he could.

Seeing me speak for myself, Anto and Satya fell silent in a thousand languages, instantly they looked so pale from fear.

"Ning? We are all your friends ... Why don't you give me an answer? We came all the way here to help you, too" I said at length, and now my appeal managed to make Dining turn to me. She looked like she was about to open her mouth to give an answer, but suddenly opened my eyes. I saw slender and long arms in jet black, with long black nails coming out from behind Dining's body. The hand crept and tightly closed Dining's mouth.

I slowly turned my eyes toward Dining's back, I squinted to find clarity in the shape of the creature. When my gaze was fixed towards the back of Dining's body, it was clear that something was moving behind Dining's body.

"Astagfirullah, astagfirullah, astagfirullah, astagfirullah!" my words made Anto and Satya spontaneously follow him.

The one that had only shown his black arm, now appeared head from behind. A bald black head poked out from behind Dining. The skin is as black as charcoal, with perfectly round eyes and a bright red color. The figure continued to stick out a long tongue that kept dripping with foul-smelling liquid.

The figure is now smiling while looking at me. For a while he watched me, and then he turned and licked Dining's cheek. Each time the lick landed on Dining's face, Dining's skin immediately peeled off and separated from his face.

Connect ....