Before 365 Days
Chapter 3: Planting Rice

The rose opened its eyes and looked around, it turned out that the atmosphere was still the same. The window of his room was opened, but it was the same. He thought, is it not morning yet, or is it morning but it looks like night, because this house is surrounded by big trees? I don't know, the rose couldn't stand being in that room. The rose knocks on the door of the room hoping someone opens the door. "Please open the door, I'm out, please!"

Several times the rose banged on the door, but it did not budge. When he was desperate, the door of his room suddenly opened. Enter Ndoro Kusuma with a very sharp gaze. His stocky and tall body, makes the Rose doubt if Burhan is a human. The rose took a few steps back. "Sorry sir, I want to go out, I want to go home" said Roses, holding back his fear.

"Follow me," Burhan said in a cold tone.

Without asking much more, Roses followed Burhan's footsteps. Roses know if at home Ndoro Kusuma is not right.

Roses felt shocked when they came out of his room, it turns out that the number of stairs he dropped was very large. Even his two hands were unable to hold an endless amount.

The rose looked to the right and left, he did not expect that on that side many girls his age were also wearing kebaya, but their gazes were empty. Their faces look like judes-judes. His skin was pale white and their lips were all black in color.

Roses look dull due to the number of stairs that are not like endless. After gathering some courage, Roses tried to ask Burhan about the goal they were going to take.

"Sorry sir, where are we going? Why is this staircase like there's no end to it?" ask the restless Rose.

Burhan did not answer Rose's question, he continued to walk quietly without looking back. The rose was upset that her question had not been answered.

Sweat had soaked the entire body of the Rose, coupled with her rumbling stomach, making her strength weakened.

The rose remembers if he was carrying a hape but, where were the hape and the clothes he was wearing before changing kebaya? Roses cannot know what time it is because there is no wall clock attached. After about an hour, Roses and Burhan arrived at a very large and spacious room. In the middle of the end of the stairs he climbed was a huge throne. That is the throne of Ndoro Kusuma.

Burhan saluted Ndoro Kusuma. The rose followed Burhan. Ndoro Kusuma smiled looking at the Rose who turned out to be obedient to him.

"How are you doing now, Rose boy?" tanya Ndoro Kusuma in a soft voice but echoed.

"It's good enough, Ndoro." replied Rose lowered her head.

"Good." replied Ndoro Kusuma.

"Ndoro, I want permission to go home Ndoro," Pinta Mawar suddenly made Ndoro Kusuma laugh like lightning struck.

Instantly, the Rose goosebumps heard Ndoro Kusuma's voice. Unexpectedly his desire was reciprocated with a shrill laugh that made him tremble and swallow his own saliva many times. Even Rose's ears hurt because of the laughter.

"This is your house, son, you have returned to your house" replied Ndoro Kusuma changing his expression.

"This is not my home Ndoro, my home is not here" replied the Rose in a trembling voice.

Ndoro Kusuma laughed again at the Rose's reply. After being satisfied with laughter, Ndoro Kusuma stared intently at Roses, Roses did not dare to look at his fierce face.

"Whoever has entered my house, he will not be able to return again" said Ndoro Kusuma loudly.

Rose was stunned to hear the words of Ndoro Kusuma. What does Ndoro Kusuma really mean? who was this woman in front of him? are they good people or behind? The rose was really scared right now. His body could not stop shaking. Again, sweat began to wet the entire body that now feels weak like lost bone buffer.

"You can obey me, I won't hurt you son. You must be hungry, right? please eat first with your other friends," said Ndoro Kusuma softened.

Rose was surprised to hear Ndoro Kusuma's orders. Is he not the only one trapped in this house?

Burhan beckoned with one clap, and one ladyboy came over to the Rose, leading the Rose into a room no less spacious. There were a lot of girls his age sitting face to face.

As soon as they saw the Rose, the girls gathered there first, staring at the Rose at the same time. Roses were shocked and also goosebumps looking at the gazes from them.

It is estimated that there are hundreds of people in the room. There were two empty seats, one for him, the other Rose did not know whose seat it was. The rose sat on the bench appointed by the ladies-in-waiting with an unbecoming feeling.

Burhan came and clapped one more time, all of whom were there immediately ate his porridge. The rose followed him. After the porridge was finished, Burhan clapped twice, then they continued eating fried chicken, Roses followed him. And the third time Burhan clapped, they spent the drinking water that was in the glass to the toilet.

Roses cannot eat all their food and drink. To him, the taste of food and drink was strange. The effect, Rose's stomach gets sicker. It felt nauseous and very tired but he held it.

After they finished eating, they hurried to follow Burhan's footsteps. The rose, still confused by the atmosphere he was in, tried to blend in with the others.

Burhan came out of the room to the door of the yard, when it was opened there was a very large field. I don't know how many acres, which is obviously very wide. It turned out that all the girls he met in the dining room, finished their meal working on planting rice. And anyone who cannot grow crops, they will be whipped by ladies-in-waiting whose faces are almost like each other.

Roses do not know how to plant rice, but he can imitate friends who are beside him. One field is done by two people. Each plot of rice field is supervised by one dayang. The ladies were blank when they were in a closed room, after being outside the room suddenly sharp, and there paying attention to the details of the workers in front of them.

Roses are eager to cry with the circumstances that befall them. It was difficult and sad, but he also did not know what to do to get out of the house.

The rose looked tired and she paused for a moment, but the lady-in-waiting watched the Rose, saw her, and made the lady-in-waiting whip the Rose with the rope quickly and forcefully.

The rose screams in pain. It feels so hot and painful. So that he was not whipped again, Rose continued planting his pad again by enduring the pain.

The rose kept thinking, why could there be such a vast rice field inside here. Why is Ndoro Kusuma working on a lot of girls to plant rice, and why there is no sunlight here. Can these plants grow? The rose continues to speculate on its own.

With a dimly lit lamp lighting, Rose looked towards the swath of rice field in front of her. He saw that there was one woman who was unceasingly whipped for stopping so often.

The rose also felt the pain when the rope grabbed the back of the girl in front of him. Several times the rose closed its eyes so that it could not see the sight. However, his ears still heard the screeches and screeches from the girl.

Rose was eager to chat with the friend beside her, but the girl next to him completely ignored the Rose. "How can I get out of this place? Is there a way out of this place?"

The rose looked very thoughtful, she said in her heart as her hand continued to stuff the rice seedlings into the mud.

"Every house must have a door, every step must have a purpose, I'm sure there must be a way out, I must be able to find a way out" said Rose again in his heart.

After the Rose and the friend beside him were done, they were immediately dragged to be put into their respective rooms again.

As the Rose looked towards the girl who was being whipped, the Rose felt familiar with the girl, their eyes meeting. Now, between them, they stared at each other sharply.

Suddenly the girl smiled at him with an expression that could not be expressed.

Roses felt something was awkward with the girl, she tried to remember, whether she had met the girl or not.

Roses as usual are bathed by the three ladies, not just Roses, other girls are the same as Roses. They were bathed in their bathtubs.

"Bak, where did you put my clothes,?" ask the rose expectantly.

Again no answer came out of the mouths of the ladies. Asking is a very futile thing. The rose promises to find everything on its own.

After being bathed, the rose was put on kebaya again, and her hair was left untouched. Roses feel uncomfortable actually, when their hands touch his skin, rubbing all parts of his body. The rose was eager to refuse, but she was afraid that Burhan would come and replace the ladies to bathe her.