ALKISAH: Prayer for the World [1001 Indonesian Fantasy Stories]
STORY: The Death Angel's Smile

Monah remember. As those who loved her cried, Monah remembered, she appeared beside him. The black wings are so beautiful. His face is also perfect. And his smile—his smile is very sweet and sincere... Even though it was shaking.

That afternoon, the doctor who treated Monah finally stated that Monah's time was approaching. As a result, most of the members of the Monah family who gathered there immediately cried when they heard it. In fact, Monah's father went berserk and said that he was willing to pay more if Monah could be healed.

But the truth says something else. The cancer that gnawed on Monah's body continues to grow at an inhumane rate. There is nothing under this sky that can restore Monah. Just waiting for death to come to pick him up.

At that time, Monah's mother immediately grabbed Monah and cried. Likewise with other Monah brothers and sisters who are still small.

"I'm sorry, Monah!" The mother's helpless whisper held back tears.

"Yes, Mom, it's okay, okay." Answer Monah sincerely.

"I'm sorry, son! Dad failed! Dad has failed! Some more! Some more! Again!" Shouted his father who had just finished raging.

"Yes, Dad. Anyway, Dad's been trying really hard, so, that's okay." Monah said while spreading her gaze. Almost everyone there is crying. "Well, what, anyway? I told you I don't like to see people cry." Brisking Monah slowly. A wry smile formed on his lips.

Despite all the terrible reality that befell her at the moment, the beautiful girl who already had no hair on her head still smiled sweetly and did not shed a single tear.

However, in the midst of this supposedly very sad moment, there is one thing that greatly disturbs Monah, namely the existence of a young man who is completely unknown to him.

I don't know since when the tall and handsome young man was there, just to the left of Monah's bed. The black-clothed man standing in front of the window blocked the radiance of the sun, he also carried a creepy long scythe that he had just leaned against the table. However, other than Monah, it seemed that no one in the room could see the person.

"Well..." The man breathed deeply. "Yes, someone like me should take the life of a woman like this." He complains.

Monah could not hide her surprise at the young man's words. His body was also flinched a little in shock. It is very scary and very magical. However, he ignored the oddity for now.

By evening, all the Monahs decided to go home. Likewise with Monah's mother and father who had been devoured by Nestapa. Although they are actually very unwilling to leave Monah, but, they managed to fight that feeling and chose to grant Monah's last request.

"If the time is near, I hope none of you will be here when it happens. That's my last request." That's what Monah told all her relatives a few weeks ago.

"It looks like they're all gone." The whisper of Monah glancing towards the door. He had heard someone whisper behind that door. Maybe his father and mother, who definitely didn't want to leave Monah. But now it's quiet. Nothing else sounds there.

"It doesn't make any sense... " Tap the invisible man who was sitting while looking at the contents of the picture book on the table. "Times, anyway, they're gone. Though clearly his son was willing to die like this."

Monah smiled slightly when she heard the man's chatter.

"But thank you, Dad, Mom." Monah. Suddenly, his eyelids began to close slowly, then he took a deep breath, and then said, "alright, I'm ready."

"Huh?" A small voice suddenly came out from the mouth of the man who had been leaning beside the window. "What the fuck?" He was shocked to hear the words that came out of Monah's mouth.

"What the fuck? You're a life-rowing angel, aren't you?"

"Lho, seriously you can see me!?" The young man couldn't believe it.

"Yes, obviously, right?" Reveal Monah while smiling wryly. "Ah, stop. By the way, 'cause I said I was ready, well, so now you can take my life. Come on, manhunt." Monah folded her hands in front of her chest while closing her eyes again. "Well, come on, what are you waiting for?"

"But... " The man looked at his watch then said in a flat voice, "your time is still two hours away, anyway... " The angel of death.

"Eh... Oh. so that's it." Monah's face turned flat. That unexpected answer successfully made the situation feel awkward. "So...how now?"

"Well, wait." The young man said as he leaned back against the wall.

Silent for a moment, but as Monah's eyes glanced towards the window and saw her curtains moving around in a gust of wind, a knotty smile suddenly formed again on her lips.

"OK, deh." Monah got up from the bed with great difficulty, then she walked towards the window right beside the young man while humming.

From there, Monah could feel a very soft and soothing wind. Maybe this is what is called peace. There are billions of people who are willing to do everything to feel this kind of calm, but unfortunately, the world does not work that way.

Since this morning, Monah could feel something different about her. He was indeed aware of that strange feeling, but now, he did not want to care about it. He just wanted to enjoy the rest of his time.

From the western sky, a beautiful golden-yellow ray began to be seen, the omen of twilight had already come. That dazzling light descended to earth, illuminating everything and making the scenery in the outside world seem even more beautiful. In the eyes of Monah, twilight is a form of wonder itself.

"By the way, why don't you like seeing people cry?" Ask the angel suddenly.

"Hmm?" Monah looked over and exchanged glances with the young man. His blood-red eyes made Monah amazed in her heart. "Gee..."

"God! Even dumbly. Answer, dong." The man gently nudged Monah's forehead.

"Ah—why don't I like people crying? Yeah, because I think those tears are proof that people are still suffering." Monah.

"Huh?"

"Every time I see tears, I immediately think that God can actually be wrong." Monah. His eyes narrowed in sadness at the thought of the calamity he had suffered a few years ago.

"Buset.. bold words..." Murmured the angel.

"It was a violent storm, and all the passengers on board were fast asleep, including my father, mother and sisters. But, there was a child beside me. Both of his parents are sleeping. However, he looked very happy for what reason."

While telling the story, Monah looked back out the window. The twilight light slowly began to extinguish and was replaced by darkness. A warm, comfortable gust of wind turned into a piercing chill. Monah could also hear the voice of the adhan maghrib heard from the mosque in the distance.

"I was eight at the time" Monah told me. "About two o'clock in the morning, the girl got up from her seat, then she went to the deck of the ship and started playing in the rain."

"Crazy too, a rain shower at that hour. Not cold what?" Ask the angel, not believing.

"Yes, that's why I don't take a shower." Clearly Monah while smiling wryly. "At that time, the boy seemed to be very happy. Even though the sky was thundering and the ship was being tossed about by the ocean, she still danced and laughed. It was as if the rain and thunder were dancing with him." Monah suddenly stopped talking. But, not for a few seconds, he took a deep breath and resumed. "However, there was one big wave that hit the ship hard, while at that time, the boy was at the end and was observing the ocean under the ship. As a result.. due to his shock being too strong, he immediately fell down..."

From the window, Monah observed the now pitch-black sky. But, for some reason, the view of the starless night sky, even reminded Monah of the terrible scenery of that time.

"Eh.. Did you let him?" Ask the angel who looked dumbfounded.

"Ah.. I helped her, really. I still got him. Even helping her back then was the hardest effort I've ever had in my entire life. But, just then my father suddenly appeared at the door and shouted. I was shocked, and immediately lost balance... "

Monah tried to imagine the painful memory.

It shimmered, emitting a dim white light. However, when Monah realized, it turned out that something was the girl. She's fainted. Monah panicked and tried to help the girl. I don't know why Monah felt like she couldn't just let the girl go. Moreover, Monah clearly saw that the girl looked very happy just because she was playing in the rain.

However, the girl continued to drown, being pulled to the bottom of the sea. The farther, and the farther, so that Monah can not reach it anymore. Even so, Monah still trying to achieve it. With a breath of tightness, he continued to dive toward death just to help the boy.

"In the end, I failed... " Mona ended her story. Her tears are falling. "My father showed up before I fainted. But, I didn't take my eyes off the boy."

The angel could not speak. Maybe he thought that the incident that happened to Monah was very terrible. Or maybe for another reason. "At least you've tried.. so—"

"When I saw everyone who knew the child crying, I immediately thought that happiness was not real." Monah. He continued to wipe away those cursed tears and smiled resolutely. "As long as the tears are still there, then the happiness is just a fairy tale."

"Hmm.. so... That incident, yes, triggered your cancer?"

"Yep." Answer Monah relax. His face returned as it was. "I don't know how it happened, but, yeah, my cancer came after that."

The angel lowered his head slightly. He bit his lips hard. However, Monah realized it.

"By the way, you have food, don't you?" Suddenly the young man.

"Eh!? Seriously? Did the Angel of Death eat?" Monah asked in astonishment.

The young man did not reply, but, from his face, he seemed to be starving.

"In the refrigerator" Monah pointed to the refrigerator in the corner, and the angel darted there without hesitation and picked up a few bags of potato chips, then he sat down on the bed, next to Monah, then start eating well.

"What kind of fool puts these unhealthy foods here? Ah, come on, I'll just eat it all."

"Of the people, the veins have broken off, like..."

"Hey, instead of you watching me eat, mending you call your relatives to say goodbye, but there's still time." He said as he stuffed a handful of potato chips into his mouth.

"Well, that's a good idea." Mumbled Monah while sorting through. "All right."

Following the angel's advice, Monah immediately took her phone and called everyone she knew. At first he contacted his family. He apologized to them. From his father, mother, and om, aunt, and brother and cousins. Even Monah also had time to advise them to continue to improve the good things that are in them. However, it seemed like they were unable to listen to Monah's lecture as they became panicked as soon as Monah started saying strange things. Especially his father and mother who were immediately hysterical.

Every time Monah said goodbye, she hung up so she wouldn't have to hear their cries.

Finally, Monah made a post that contained her apology to her friends on social media. It seems strange indeed, but of course necessary, so that his friends who are in cyberspace know that he is gone.

"Well... " When Monah turned off her phone, for a moment, she felt that the world had become very quiet.

"It's over?" Ask the angel of death who just came out of the bathroom.

"Yep."

"Your family and friends must be on their way here. Yeah, of course." Said the angel while glancing at his watch. "It's just a few minutes away. Be prepared."

Monah nodded steadily. He then lay down on the bed, then placed both hands on the chest, and positioned his right hand on the left hand as the position of the deceased in general.

"Oh, yes, I want to confess something first." The angel looked doubtful.

"What?"

"I've known you for a long time. And you could say, I'm the one who made you what you are today." He explains. "At that time, I really didn't expect that you would try to help him. It wasn't written like that from the beginning. So then... "

"So you want to go along and say that God can be wrong too? Forget it, I don't believe in that either. I think so because of emotion, doang."

"But..."

"What? Never mind, mending you finish your work now."

"Yes.. okay. And as my apology, I'll give you the emptiest death."

"The most desperate death? What the hell is that?" Monah asked curiously.

"Hmm. essentially, it was a painless death altogether. Usually I only provide this service to those who really deserve it. And you're lucky. You will be the seventeenth person in history, who will feel this death." The angel smiled as he placed his right hand under Monah's neck, and the other hand below the knee.

"Wait on! Wh-what are you doing!" Red color on Monah's face. Because, this scene is the same as scenes in romance films that are often watched.

"It's time to open that gate. Twilight." Then he slowly lifted Monah up and at that moment the whole world was moving very fast, while the slow-moving one was just him.

Monah saw everything.

The sun rising from the eastern horizon casts out the darkness of the night in an instant. A few seconds later, the sky brightens and all of Monah's family and friends come to mourn. Everyone was crying, including the whole family.

However, Monah saw one strange sight. The smile of the angel who was lifting him up started to tremble. Monah doesn't know what caused it, but the time for Monah is at its limit.

Time kept moving and the evening finally came.

"Done." Said the angel who now looked very different due to the existence of the very beautiful black wings that were stretched out on his back.

"Down me!" Monah squealed in annoyance as she jumped down. "Gee..." Monah's face exuded great admiration when she saw her real body lying on the bed, and there were also many people who mourned for her. But, Monah was even more shocked when she realized that her current body had become transparent and radiant, just like the girl back then. "So... I turned into a ghost?"

"God! Your mouth." Cursed the angel of death.

"Hahahaha—iya, yes. Sorry."

"Yes, it's time to go. Yuk." yuk." Bring the angel of death. He took his scythe propped up on the table, then he pulled Monah's right hand and led her out through the wall.

Monah did not expect to see twilight for the second time in just a few hours. He's really very happy. However, as she looked back, and looked towards the window of the room where she had been treated all this time, it really, felt painful. His heart crumbled as his mother and father appeared at the window and stared out.

"Goodbye, everybody."