BLACK BIRDS IN MAHLA'S EYES
Presentiments
Mahla felt herself swirling within the thick veil of fog that was entwining her from head to toe. In his hand was a scarf that he was sure was a purple scarf that he saw Nana wearing at the end of the bridge.
“How can this be on my hand?” Mahla asked puzzled when she realized that the purple scarf was really in her grasp. He felt his back clinging to the hard ground and dry leaves strewn around him. The night had fallen, and the moon was beautiful.
Mahla recognized the clove trees towering above her. They have returned from the realm of the soul.
Mahla rises with difficulty and soon searches for her mother's whereabouts that are nowhere to be seen. Just now he was about to shout out to his mother, a thin and stiff hand gripping his lips tight.
“Sst!” His mother was close to his ear.
“Do not make a sound, do you see that?” Ask his mother and point to where their house is. Mahla gasps softly to see Melekh on the porch with Jerry, their neighbor, and strangely, Father Samone is also there. They seem to be discussing something.
“Now we know why Melekh's mind is being uprooted from your mind. There must be something that really bothers him here.” Whisper his mother a little worried. Mahla nodded in understanding, feeling guilty for leaving Melekh alone, but he could not take his brother with him either. Melekh never wanted to follow him, he preferred to keep Mahla from afar, with a deep mind
interconnect.
“What happened?” Bisik Mahla was curious as she sharpened her ears. Free, they are too far from home with the shadow of clove trees that shade their existence. Mahla could not hear a single word spoken by the people on her porch.
Her mother shrugged her shoulders, just as she was. “There is only one way to find out, let's find out!” Take his mother and take an empty basket that seems to just appear from the air.
Deftly, his mother began collecting wild plants growing in the bushes on the lips of the forest bordering their clove garden. Darkness did not block his mother's vision, the woman who now looked very different in Mahla's eyes was moving to and fro without making any meaningful sound.
Mahla was amazed at her mother's agility and could not help but comment on her return by bringing a basket full of medicinal herbs and wildflowers that could be brewed as herbal tea. “How do you do it?”
Mahla could see a faint smile on her mother's face. “By not holding back.” Her mother is light. The woman then glanced at the purple scarf that wrapped around Mahla's hand, and scrunched her forehead deeply. “Where did you get this?” ask his mother while stroking the scarf with love.
It belonged to Nana, there was no day that Nana didn't wear it. After the death of Mahla's great-grandmother, her scarf also disappeared. Marya vowed not to wear a scarf on Nana's cold body, before her death ceremony took place. But the scarf was gone, never to be seen again.
Mahla shook her head slowly, “Entahlah. I saw him at the end of the bridge, mom saw him too, right?” He saw his mother nodding slowly. “But Nana has crossed, Mahla. Let's think about it later, now, listen to me. Don't say anything to Father Samone and Jerry. You understand?” Firmly his mother.the woman did not turn her eyes until Mahla nodded in response to his words.
They walked through the darkness of the night, the wind rustling through Mahla's face, making her red hair flutter on her back.
*
Mahla realized that the purple stones engraved on the cross of Father Samone were stones similar to the rosary worn by her mother. Mahla knew that Father Samone presented the necklace at her mother's baptism when she decided to adopt Catholicism, in contrast to Nana who remained
Now, as he grasped the silver luster and the faint glow of the stones, he could see how his mother was the special people of Samone's Father, his absence in the church long enough, he had been, it caught the priest's attention.
“You okay?” Bisik Mahla turned his gaze to his brother who was sitting on a chair while playing his fingers towards the beautiful moon that shone brightly in the night sky.
He felt Jerry's gaze stab behind his back, and somehow it felt familiar. It's like getting to know Jerry more than just a regular neighbor. Just as he wanted to unravel his thoughts, Melekh's voice ambushed his mind loudly.
Sharai's.
It feels like a nightmare. The shadow of a pit made of flesh that will rot in your hand if you try to reach the edges, the sickening aroma, and the tongues of fire that seem to be preying on alive immediately filled Mahla's mind.
Let's go quickly! He shouted at Melekh in a panic. The girl could barely breathe. He sensed again Jerry's ferocious gaze as their eyes clashed. He could see the flash of fire blasting from within his eyes.
Mahla gripped Melekh's hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The only thing he wanted was to go as far away from there as possible. While he saw his mother still chatting with Father Samone with pleasantries that seemed to last forever.
Fear not!
Tegur Melekh firmly. The calmness in Melekh's voice gave him strength. Mahla still holds Nana's scarf and wears it on Melekh's neck. Take good care. Mahla sizzles at Melekh, turning to Jerry whose eyes are getting fiercer on him. He waited for the bearded man to grab his neck because his gaze looked so hungry. He prepared to deflect an attack that seemed to be coming at any time.Even Arlou was on full alert at his feet, along with staring at Jerry ferociously.
“Why don't you ever take Melekh to church again, my son?” ask Father Samone attentively. His mother smiled before giving an answer, but Father Samone's voice suddenly disturbed Mahla, and anger just ignited out of her.
“Because, good Father, people cannot bear if there is Melekh among them.” Mahla says loud and straightforward. He will not forget the harassing sight of those who see his brother walking in a dragging manner. He would not ignore those who clucked with pity as Melekh tried to speak with great difficulty.
Mahla, though, never forgot the sadness in Melekh's heart when people looked at him with pity, concern, even some of them threw a look of disdain openly.
He himself forbade Melekh to go to church so that he would never be treated improperly which also hurt his heart. Since his baptism with Melekh, nine years ago, he has never let Melekh go out and meet people again. He could not bear to feel the pain in his precious little brother's heart.
Father Samone was surprised to hear his words, the priest immediately turned his face and looked at Mahla directly, his expression instantly changing very differently from before.
That fear, in your eyes Father?
The girl never realized, that night was the night that Father Samone began to believe all Jerry said to her. However, unfortunately the only thing the priest did not know, it was not Jerry who gave him endless intelligence.
Melekh saw that the storm was coming, shaking and even going to uproot them all, that very moment, the day when Father Samone faced Mahla, he said, where the wings of the black birds flapped boisterously from within the eyes of his sister.