Before 365 Days
Chapter 9: The Scary Show!

Pov Roses

I don't know how many days or even months, I was at Ndoro Kusuma's house, which obviously I still can't find a way out. Every day I do the same thing. But sometimes if I am wrong and do not obey, I will be whipped by the lady-in-waiting of Ndoro Kusuma. Today, the weather is not as usual, darker than the previous days. Is this what we call night? It was completely dark, but suddenly a moon appeared in the sky that was nullifying our path. We were led to a large field where there was a performance stage. Just like a puppet show. This is the first time I've been taken to a field with an event I don't know about yet. All the girls just shut up and obey. Their gazes were all empty, their skin was visibly starting to pale. Are they still alive? Or is he dead? I don't know if I don't know myself. We lined up on the ground like we wanted to do a ceremony. I was stunned when I saw a girl with a quarter of her bald head beside me. I felt uneasy as the girl glanced then looked at me. I was speechless at the look on his face that was difficult for me to describe, his facial expression was sinister, clear, happy, and... I am confused if I should describe it. His face was familiar, I had met him, but where?

"Hay Rose!"

I woke up when the girl said my name. Know where this girl is about my name! I also asked him. "Who are you? Why do you know my name?"

"I want to tell you something, but I have a request that you must obey if you want to farewell tonight!"

The girl said with a serious look and hinted at something, which I think is a threat if I break it. I won't ask you much tonight, I'll follow the flow tonight, and listen to everything the girl has to say to me. "What!"

"When we talk, you don't stare and look at me, you just look ahead to the stage, later when you hear the sound of gamelan, you come swaying, don't be silent. After the gamelan stops and you hear the sound of the gong, you should be silent like a statue. Don't move your body even a little, don't even move your eyeballs! Did you understand it until here?"

"What's going on tonight? Oh yeah, if you know what your name is?"

"My name is Mira, next time I'll see you often. Roses, tonight if you don't obey me, you'll be eaten by Ndoro Kusuma, the show will start, we'd better focus"

Hearing the girl's answer, I was more frightened, yes Alloh what exactly will happen. I looked around, gamelan was shot and then appeared a very beautiful dancer, dancing with her shrewd, we all danced to follow the dancer who was on the stage. Surprisingly the dancer was fickle every gamelan music stopped for a few seconds, and started back, and so on, and then when the gong was hit, as Mira told me, the dancer turned into a barong head figure, he said, just like reog's head, I grew stubborn, I obeyed all the orders Mira had told me before. The barong flew up and looked towards the front row, the barong looked and scrutinized every girl who was in the front row, then turned to the second row, I was in the fifth row. I continued to pray and pray in my heart, asking for salvation to the Khaliq. My body shook violently, my body felt weak, but I tried to hold it. Until I arrived in my line, and the barong was looking at me from toe to head, it felt like my heart was about to fall off, my eyes were eager to blink and shed tears. I want to fall. But I hold it, so that there will be no movement in my body. Duh gusti, a movement of this barong moved from me. I really can't stand it. Especially when his big eyes that were about to come out looked into my eyes, shaking my heart, after a few seconds the barong finally moved to the girl beside me. I was relieved and said alhamdulillah in my heart, my tears dripping down my cheeks, I almost wanted to let out my crying voice because I could not stand it, but Mira swiftly closed my mouth. Until the thing that made me shocked, the girl in my row at the very end, suddenly annexed by the barong, the mouth of the barong let out a spark, sparks, like the fireworks I lit when I was a kid. Then the sound of gamelan back boisterous, barong like dancing pleasure, and we jogged back. "The barong has eaten, you can calm down, if you just move your eyeballs, you will be devoured by it" Mira whispered in my ear, which makes me cry even more while covering my mouth with my body that continues to sway to the rhythm of gamelan music. I am grateful that God is still protecting me. I'm happy because tonight I got away. But who is this barong figure? Is this barong Ndoro Kusuma? I wonder in my heart. At the beginning of Mira's orders, indeed Mira said if I did not obey her orders, later I would be eaten by Ndoro Kusuma. If it is true, it means the barong is the incarnation of Ndoro Kusuma.

"Rose, I'd love to take you out of here, but tonight doesn't seem right, because you just found out about this. If there's a chance, I'll come to your room and tell you what's really going on here"

The rose again uttered words that shocked me. I just answered him with a nod. After the event was over, we were told to eat the dishes that were on the table that had been provided. There is also a chair that has been arranged neatly. Lots of good food. I'm really tempted to eat up soon, like the other girls. When I wanted to take the rice and side dishes, Mira prevented me and said. "Roses, read the do'a before you eat, and pray in your heart, then you will see what is really in your sight" Mira looked at me with her heart, I was excited, she said, it turned into a sad feeling too. I know, it may not be what I see, but I'm not ready to see it right now. I'm afraid I'm not strong. "Rose, we only pretend to eat, but do not swallow it, until we swallow it, slowly our body will be affected in this night."

I just nodded according to Mira's words, Mira must know more than me. I wanted to talk to her a lot, we pretended to eat, but it mocked her again. Suddenly Burhan comes and drags Mira. My eyes widened to see Mira being grabbed and fiercely pulled by Burhan, her every scream made me cry. Why did Burhan suddenly do that? I was trying to help Mira, but Mira gave me a code with her hand so I wouldn't help her, or go after her. My heart's broken to see all this tonight. I continue to pray to the Khaliq for the safety of Mira as well as myself.