BLACK BIRDS IN MAHLA'S EYES
Unexpected Visit

Melekh was not surprised even though there was only a puff of fog that replaced where his brother had been. He could feel in his mind that Mahla was indeed where she should be.

Yeah, I should have gone there.

The sixteen-year-old boy told Arlou that he was meowing weakly at him. He only realized that the sound of a crybaby that often filled his mind was the voice of Arlou, the golden cat that Mahla had found a few months ago in their garden.

After thinking for a while, Melekh stood up with great difficulty, then dragged one of his deformed legs towards the stairs. He wanted to break his stiff back because he had been sitting for a long time.

Fucking leg!

Bump it on his feet that hurt when moved. At times like this his mind can race with ease, when he connects with Mahla, Melekh feels like he is normal like a child. But if her sister was separated from her, she was confined to her own mind, so that only five-year-old Melekh took over her body.

Arlou wagged his tail impatiently waiting for his master on the second floor. The cat looked at him with both very round eyes that were the same color as his fur. Come to think of it, the appearance of the cat was indeed very strange. All four of his legs were short and his mustache bald.

Arlou has thick golden fur but is completely bald in various places, many scars left on his body as if the cat never stopped fighting.

Later, Melekh found out that the spirit of the cat is an ancient spirit like Barukh who protects Mahla, the difference is that the spirit that protects it uses the body of an old cat he meets when crossing. The spirit was also very angry and protective, almost all the spirits who tried to approach Melekh will be attacked blindly. That was why there were so many scars on his body as a memento of the never ending war.

You know my leg is deformed!

Melekh's reprimand was stifled at Arlou as the cat stared at him reproachfully. Mahla's twin sister was just about to set foot on the second rung of the stairs when the door of her house was knocked violently from the outside.

Melekh immediately felt something unpleasant sniffing in the air. The figure who met in front of his house was a neighbor who liked to interfere. But it seems that man is not alone. There's someone with him there.

With great difficulty, Melekh returned down the stairs and dragged his feet towards the door. Arlou immediately jumped ahead of the young man to the front door.

Showman!

Umpat Melekh in his heart. The golden cat retorted back by meowing loudly.

As I opened the door, Melekh saw a silver cross necklace with a fringe of purple stones hanging on the neck of a man whose smile seemed sympathetic. The man next to him with a full-on beard and a shabby flannel shirt grinned at him.

Sharai!

Melekh's fizzle is hateful. A bright red flame was burning in the man's eyes.

“Halo Melekh,” Greet the man with a scary grin on his face. “You alone?” ask again. Melekh stared at the man's eyes which were now turning blue as usual. The flames that had been playing in it had suddenly vanished without a trace.

*

Jerry didn't let Father Samone be in peace. The man had been waiting for Father Samone outside the church, and immediately followed the friendly Pastor after the afternoon mass ended. “Father, come with me just once.” Pinta Jerry as he scooped up the pious pastor's steps along the street outside the church.

Incidentally, that day Father Samone had to visit one of his people who was seriously ill. He must administer the anointing sacrament of the sick person in his home because the family has resigned to the condition of the person.

“Father, Marya's family completely shut down for some time, but suddenly this morning someone else visited their house, Father had to check it because from morning I saw there were strange things there!” Jerry never gave up.

“So you keep an eye on your neighbor's house continuously, Jerry?” Tegur Father Samone lightly. He could see the hue of Jerry's reddened face hearing his words.

“Father, from afar we can see something is wrong in there! I saw the man who came there just disappear followed by Marya! Then Mahla also disappears!” Jerry cried fiery.

Father Samone turned his head with a very interested look on his face. “Lost?” He asked, slowing his steps. They stopped before reaching Father Samone's destination, the house of the old woman named Amber who was to be anointed the holy oil was only two houses away.

“Yes, good Father! I saw it with my own two eyes. Our house was only restricted by the bulkhead from the vines, from my window on the second floor I could see clearly into their living room!” Jerry again.

Father Samone seemed to think for a moment, Jerry seemed very stubborn and could not be rejected at this time. At that time, Father Samone just assumed Jerry was wrong to see or hallucinate.

How could anyone just disappear?

While putting aside the various amused thoughts in his mind, Father Samone looked at Jerry who looked very hopeful at him.  “Alright Jerry, but I have to do anointing on Amber first, wait outside, and don't poke me like a child while I do my job.” Said Father Samone firmly. Jerry smiled happily at the priest.

*

“You must be Melekh.” Greet Father Samone kindly. “The last time we met was when you were seven years old when you received the first baptism and sacraments.” Said Father Samone in an equally friendly tone.

Marya's second child appeared to be in a scowl as Father Samone patted her gently on the shoulder. “Your mother is at home?” ask the priest later. Melekh took a step back very nervously to the point that he almost fell over from stumbling over the thick ppkarpet behind him.

“He can't talk, Father.” Jerry was impatient. The man walked into Melekh's house carelessly. His eyes fell to and fro, and seemed very satisfied when he could not find what he was looking for.

“True, I said, her mother and sister just disappeared!” Jerry exclaimed in a triumphant tone. Melekh watched Jerry angrily, something was wrong with his neighbor. The Jerry he knew was a kind-hearted man who always gave them a bowl full of cherry tomatoes.

“Tttii-dd—ddak..”

Melekh stammered. In his mind he cursed softly, why the hell did he have to be born with such a crippled physique while his mind was able to go so fast?

Father Samone watched him attentively before finally throwing a reprimanding look at Jerry, while the sky outside had turned dark. Night was looming, and Melekh suddenly worried why his sister and mother had not returned.

Jerry glimpsed at Melekh, and the shadow returned in Jerry's eyes, dancing like fire through dry branches. “Dddii-aa dddiii—rrasssukkii!” Melekh cried with his curved hands pointing at Jerry.

“Well, Father...” Jerry said in a very calm voice. “I told you, this family is so weird!”

Father Samone looked at Jerry and Melekh alternately. His friendly face turned agitated. “Son, what did you just say?” Melekh replied, Arlo, out of nowhere, jumped straight at Jerry. All four of his legs were firmly fixed on the man's chest.

“Get this damned animal off my body!” Jerry's roar breaks the silence of the night, with Father Samone who for the first time, does not know what to do.