EIGHT TARGETS
28. The Higher You Crawl Up to Where You Shouldn't Be, The Sicker It Is When You Fall
In a corner of the room, Vet Tcin was sitting daydreaming looking at a photo. The photo belonged to her husband, Ruhan Zidan. Her wrinkled cheeks were moistened by her tears.
“Darling, do you still hate me for what I did? I'm sorry baby, but I did it for our future, our daughter's future. Honey, why are you so willing to leave me alone in this world? I want to catch up with you soon, honey. If so, will Rihana be fine behind us?”
Suddenly from outside, there were footsteps. Apparently she was Rihana who immediately ran to hug her mother. He hugged his mother while crying.
“Please, don't say that again Mom. Only Mother Rihana had in this world. Without Mom, Rihana can't live anymore.”
“My daughter? Forgive Mom Son. Mom meant it that way. Sure, I have to live longer to see my daughter get married.” Vet Tcin wiped his daughter's tears and stroked the back of her head that was not covered in a hat. Rihana smiled warmly at her mother's answer.
***
A few hours passed after that and now the wall clock is showing at 19:54. Rihana and her mother were making a cake together. They seem very happy. Suddenly a mysterious figure entered uninvited into their house. From his stature covered by his tight-fitting, black clothes, it was obvious that he was a man. It's just that his face is not visible because his entire head is covered by a black face cover and a white mask of pierrot who smiles ferociously that only shows his two eyes. The man managed to break into the house after hacking into the security of their apartment door. Then the man attacked and sealed them both.
***
“Let me go! Whoareyou? Why are you holding us?” Rihana tried to wriggle off the rope that was holding her in her hands and feet. Unfortunately, only they themselves live on the top floor, the 15th floor, of their apartment building where the apartments in the building are designed soundproof. No one could hear their screams.
“Please let us go. I promise I will give you whatever you want, as long as you please save our lives.” Vet Tcin welcomes the mysterious figure to be released.
“But how is this? All I want is not your treasure, but your life.” The mysterious figure laughed sadistically while saying that.
“But fine, I will give you special treatment as a form of my kindness to you. I'm just gonna kill one of you. Please you guys decide for yourself who will die.” Say the mysterious figure by ending his words with an evil tone while revealing his face from behind the mask.
“You? Apparently you! Why are you doing this to us.” Rihana cried out helplessly holding back her shock in front of the mysterious figure.
“I beg you, I beg you. You may take my life, but at least, let go of my son. She's only been 16 years old.” Said Vet Tcin who continues to strive to ensure the safety of his daughter's life.
“What did Mom say? If anything happens to you, I cannot live either. Just save my mom. You just take my life.”
“Don't do it, son, I'm old, but you're young. Your future is still long.”
“No. All this time, it was only Mother who made me strong to survive in this rotten world. I might lose my mother. Rather than it happening, it is better for Rihana to just die.”
“No Daughter! Let Mother die!”
“Whispering! Bully alone really poky mutual attention.” Say the mysterious figure while kicking a trash can nearby.
“Alright I've decided the punishment for you.” Hearing the mysterious figure's words, Rihana and her mother stared anxiously at the mysterious figure's face waiting for what action he would do to them.
“You? Why do you know that?” Rihana was shocked to hear the mysterious figure's words because they were the exact same words he had spoken to the dying Dios before lying in a coma.
***
[Two years ago]
“Kak Jingmi, does the stick still exist?”
“Sorry Mr. Riandra, his wand no longer exists.”
“Ah shit. I am not satisfied with releasing my stress. What can I do. If so, let's just go back.” With that said, Silva, Jingmi, Araka, Aleka, Riandra, and Dirga left the location.
In that place, there still stood Rihana and Tirta. Rihana approached Dios while saying, “The higher a person crawls up to a place he shouldn't, the more painful it feels when he falls. That's why trash like you guys don't deserve to hang out with high-ranking people. Find a friend who is like you.” After saying that, Rihana also went along with the others leaving Dios and Tirta there.
***
Still on the same night at 21:10, a mother who also lived in the apartment was about to enter the apartment building. Suddenly a red beret-like hat fell on it. Instantly he looked up. A mysterious cloth figure moved suspiciously from the terrace on the top floor of the building. The mothers immediately reported it to the security forces.
At 21:45, two security officials who had received the report climbed to the top floor of the building on the 15th floor. They immediately went to the apartment where there was a suspicious moving cloth on the porch. The bell was rung many times, but there was no answer. Then they started banging on the door, but there was also no answer. Finally they decided to use the spare key to open the apartment space in question.
After the apartment door was opened, a strange clicking sound was suddenly heard. The voice was then followed by hysterical screams from the people on the street below. Apparently the cloth that fell was Rihana and his mother whose hands and feet were tied and her mouth held captive and her face covered by a cloth except for the nose. Ironically, they were still alive a short time ago before falling from the top floor of the building. And even more ironic, because of the carelessness of the security party who opened the door connected to the wire that held the mother-daughter couple's body without knowing anything, the wire was cut off so that Rihana and her mother fell and died instantly.
True said the mysterious figure, “The higher a person crawls up to a place that should not, the more painful it feels when falling.” Not meaning by connotation, but meaning literally. If Rihana and her mother had just fallen from the 4th floor or below, maybe they still had a chance to survive. Unfortunately, they fell from the top floor of the building.
***
We go back 3 hours before the Kaiser school incident. Kaiser's friends from Angkasa Jaya High School basketball team including his rivals from Merak Merah High School were worried because they found Kaiser and Andika disappeared and have not returned too.
“Kaiser really not visible huh?” Said an opposing team member.
“Entahlah. It's time, we start the game. Maybe he'll be here soon. He and Andika won't play either. So because of that, they chose to come late” said Beni calming the opposing team.
“Is that? Alright.” Said the opposing team member half-concerned.
Beni led the impromptu reserve team and the match began without Kaiser and Andika.