DAMNED GIRL
9. YOU'RE AT MIRA'S HOUSE

The day was clear weather until the farmers from morning had gone to the rice fields. Some are cattle. The rain for several days caused the activities of the people to be disrupted. Abas who was that morning had dried wood to be used as firewood looked sweaty and sat casually while enjoying the boiled yam in front of him.

"Drink the tea first, take the heat, Mas."

Yumna came out of the house and brought sweet tea. There will be a cooking show at his house. It looks like Bu Tika who is none other than his mother Abas is busy cooking rice assisted by other mothers.

"Well, Bus, how many are there really, anyway?" Wandi who was herding some goats approached Abas in the courtyard of the house.

"Hehe, tonight's coming, yeah. We want to announce the wedding" Abas smiled.

"Married? With Yumna you mean? Bas, are you crazy! She's, right, Laweyan's shoulder lady. It could be your fate later," said Wandi whispered so that his voice was not heard by others.

"Even, Kang. Destiny, right, in God's hands. After all, to avoid slander. After all Yumna has been widowed more than four full moons," Abas said as he patted Wandi on the shoulder. A smile remained on her lips even more from a distance Yumna smiled sweetly towards him.

"Mas, I'm the same mom wants to go first. Later when you finish breakfast Bantu Bi Sugeng, yes, prepare banana leaves for food wrap," Yumna message to Abas. Afterwards he and Tika walked to the market to shop.

Wandi shook his head, he immediately withdrew from the place. His intention to herd goats he uncovers. Wandi's face seemed uncomfortable with the news he had just heard.

'Can't be allowed, I have to act, ' Wandi murmured inwardly.

...***...

Wandi walks through the wilderness of Mount Lawu. His hand carried a bag of woven bamboo containing two cemani chickens in pitch black. He stared at the trees under the cliff. It seemed impossible to find Nyi Asih without any clues because it was said that the old woman only met people who had strong intentions.

Arriving at a partially weathered wooden bridge, Wandi stopped. The twilight that had just changed the night had shrunk his guts.

'There is no way this bridge can be passed by humans if you see its fragile condition, ' Wandi murmured while staring at the steep ravine below. Wandi turned around so that he could find a way that he could go through to get to the other hill at the end there.

The sound of crows in the middle of the forest as lonely as it would make the feathers of anyone so goosebumps. Noisy and annoying. Wandi sits on a tree root that runs across. He tied the two cemani chickens so that he could rest quietly behind a hollow tree.

Halimun Gunung Lawu feels cold piercing up to the bone marrow. Very cold especially Wandi did not bring any equipment to climb this mountain other than the two chickens.

Late at night, Wandi sat with his head on his knees. The atmosphere of Lawu Forest is really gripping.

"Maha!" Sounds echoed among the large trees. Wandi. He knew for sure the inhabitants of this forest were disturbed by his presence. Thankfully, the voice soon disappeared.

"Bruck!"

Either out of fear or panic Wandi suddenly hit a crow that perched in front of him. "Noisy cloud!" abugn.

Wandi picked up the crow. Pull out the feathers and start lighting the fire from the dry twigs to burn the crow. The cold made him hungry. The fire did not grow as he expected. Wandi curled up and fell asleep waiting for the meat of the bird to ripen.

Heavy-sounding gasps echoed among the trees followed by the roar of the wind that grew louder and louder. Wandi. The skinny man hid behind a jacket while fingering the crow he had roasted.

The gradually extinguished fire made Wandi's sight fade away. His hand grabbed a fist of raven meat between the coals and the leaves. Still with a faint guts he tried to chew the meat in his grasp.

Bite after bite he did. His lips chewed while his eyes tried to watch out for the state of the forest.

Wandi threw the fist of meat. Something felt moving inside his lip cavity, stuck to his tongue. His heart grew increasingly restless as his hand pulled the small object that continued to wriggle in his mouth.

"Gurghhh!" Wandi was frightened and sat down when his hand reached for the object which was nothing but a maggot. He watched the fist of flesh carefully.

"Hoekk! Oh my God, this is a human hand!" Sontak Wandi threw the hand piece as far as possible.

The sound of snorting sounded again. Lightly illuminated by the moonlight with a slight hesitation Wandi approached at the black figure with black hair dangling. A red-eyed and jet-bodied creature was engrossed in eating the flesh of his crow.

"Sy base! Go, the meat is mine!" exclaimed Wandi angry at the figure of genderuwo food thief. Apparently his hunger made him a little bold.

Genderuwo turned towards him. Large, strong teeth between the chewing lips. Genderuwo took a few steps back. Looks like he's not willing to return Wandi's roasted crow meat. Until there is a chase of creatures from two different realms.

"Wait, I'll reward you for this delicious meat." Desperate Gendruwo threw some gold and silver coins in a small cloth container.

"Heh, ugly! I took a lot of trouble roasting that bird. Now give me the right reward" said Wandi in an angry tone. The hunger had dashed the fear in his heart.

Genderuwo looked towards Wandi hoping that there would be good negotiations.

"Bring me to Nyi Asih!" wandi said again.

Gendruwo stared intently at Wandi. The flesh of the crow that he chewed was almost released. "No! Cannot be. He can punish me," genderuwo replied in a trembling voice.

"Isn't this worth it? If you don't give me back the rest of the crows so I can eat them!" gertak Wandi's.

"Well, let me finish the rest of this delicious meal first." The large black creature squatted down and consumed the rest of the crow's flesh. After he finished eating, Genderuwo immediately grabbed Wandi's body and vanished followed by a puff of black smoke.

...***...

Wandi opened his eyes. He felt like he was in a different place. A spacious palace with hundreds of people sitting cross-legged. In front of them stood a beautiful creature and ayu inhabitants of Mount Lawu.

Wandi recognized the creature by the name of Nyi Asih. In the original form of Nyi Asih like an old woman with a bent body and long white hair dangled. However, several times also Nyi Asih uses a beautiful form like her young age.

The witch and the ruler of the valley on the slopes of Lawu was approaching Wandi. "What is your intention to be unanimous?" said the beautiful woman in blue clothes in front of Wandi.

Wandi. It seemed that Nyi Asih had understood the meaning of his arrival.

.

.

.

Connect ....