FROM ANOTHER WORLD To You (A Mystery Short Story Collection ) - The Second Book
Chapter 1: Breaking through the Aisle of Space and Time (first half )

01. Red Women

The day began the night as the man walked out of the police station, before riding his tail motorbike, he stared at the dim and luxurious office, "Basic squeaky eye police," his sigh then as he stepped on the accelerator, a roaring sound accompanied by a puff of exhaust smoke accompanied his departure.

The motorcycle was walking through the dark path. On the left right edge of the road, a giant Jambe tree grows, the only lighting is the lamp of a motorcycle.

" Cciieeth..."

The sound of bicycle wheels rubbing against the asphalt of the road sounded like the screams of people, the man suddenly stepped on the brakes while his pair of eyes looked riled up because in front of him a woman wearing a red kebaya stood up, "Hey, whoareyou? Why stand in the middle of the road?"

"I'm sorry, mas." replied the woman with a sweet smile, "I was about to cross the street, because the road was dark, not seeing any vehicles passing by,"

What a ridiculous answer. Thought the man, but a sweet smile as well as meek words eased his anger.

The man took off the helmet cover, "It's okay, maybe my motorcycle lights are less bright it's not visible if someone wants to cross. Please," he said.

The woman nodded slowly, again smiling sweetly, "Thank you, ma'am," she said as she strode to the side of the road while the man's eyes could not be seen. They looked at each other, silent until a car horn from the back made the man aware, he gave way and as the car passed by, the woman was no longer there where she stood. "He's gone. It looks like he's a newcomer,"

The man turned his motorcycle back on, this time not daring to ride it as fast as before, but, in his mind, the face of the Red-Enriched woman did not disappear, "Who is he ?" that was what always came to his mind, accompanying his departure through the darkness and finally delivered it in front of the gate of a simple house with a wide page and decorated with various ornamental plants. It was laid out so neatly and on the walls of the house hung a signboard that read "DA'I BACHTIAR".

After getting off his motorcycle, the man reached into his right pocket, as soon as his right hand was removed from his pocket, a special model lock was ready to be inserted on the gate padlock. He looked at the house while shaking his head, he let out a long sigh, “Sorry. Because of that bloated boy,” The gate opened, the man led his bike in, he walked in, the sound of wheels crashing rocks in the yard although slowly but had made some night birds that perched on one of the branches of the tree surprised and flew splitting the night sky.

The door of the house opened a slender figure of a beautiful woman appeared from inside accompanied by 2 body figures of a child boy running towards the man, “Dad ... “ his excitement while vying to hug his thigh. The man laughed after putting down his motorcycle properly, he lifted the little bodies of the boys alternately and stepped onto the porch of the house approaching the woman standing with a radiant face. After they went inside outside the gate came a beautiful woman in red. His pair of eyes looked unblinkingly at the simple house while on his lips was a faint smile. There is a big puzzle behind that smile.

The DA’I BACHTIAR family. That's how the people around call it. Mr. Da’i is a figure who is quite respected and respected by everyone. Despite having a simple house, however, it is actually a wealthy family. Perfect. Plus his work as one of the PNS with a sizable salary and social soul with the locals, making Pak Da’i increasingly known outside the area of his homeland.

Even if the family is rich, however, never boasted. Similarly, his wife, Bu Lastri Bachtiar, never wore jewelry or fancy clothes. The husbands have the same principle, namely: even though they have property, but, given all that is entrusted from the SUPREME ESA, it is only temporary. Thus the greater the hope of the couple to live a quiet and peaceful life throughout the day.

Away from the dangers and disasters that can destroy the household ark that they have lived for more than 5 years. However, after being invited to hunt in Alas Purwo with his friends, Mr. Da’i lately feel anxious, calamity comes and goes.

A few days ago, got angry with the boss because he was late to work just a few minutes, followed by then having to take care of the husband-wife debate that led to brawls between the citizens concerned, he said, and it had to deal with the authorities because of grazing the motorcycle of a school student who drove it carelessly, he said, the last second on the way home almost hit a woman who crossed the road without looking left-right.

In the middle of the night, when everyone was fast asleep, Da’i Bachtiar suddenly woke up, he sat on the edge of the temporary bed, his mind venturing into the times when office friends invited hunting in Alas Purwo.

At that time, Lukman found a group of monkeys in jet black hanging on a branch of a banyan tree, then jumped from one tree to another. The movement is quite agile, “How dare you bet ?” suddenly Lukman asked Da’i. Da’i who was amazed by the agile movements of the black monkey, suddenly surprised, “What ?” tanyakanya.

Lukman laughed, “My shots can hit the monkey even if his body is in the air,” he said. Except Da’i Bachtiar, the other friends followed by laughing. Da’i Bachtiar smiled wryly, “We look for other animals only, do not monkey it. There was a hunch that said that the black moyet should not be disturbed,”

“Hey, since when do you believe in superstitions like this,” said Lukman, his tone sounded unhappy, ”Monkey is just an animal, we are human. The target is in plain sight, should we let a delicious dish pass by just like that ? You know, you .. black monkey that we rarely find.. People say, monkey meat especially black that can make the wife more crazy about us because ....” while saying so he smiled mischievously while squinting his right eye as if asking opinions from other friends that what he said was true.

It is true, the jet black monkey rarely appears on Purwo Alas. That day Da’i Bachtiar and his friends happened to find the animal, Lukman intended to shoot him. However, there was a small dispute between them. Da’i Bachtiar was speechless as Lukman pointed his air rifle muzzle at a flock of black monkeys playing on a banyan tree about 20 meters in front of them.

“Dor !!”

The eruption of Lukman's air rifle broke the silence, along with the sound of the agony of one of the monkeys on top of a tree and the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground. Lukman soars in excitement, “On target !” yells. He did not care about the other monkeys who were looking at him with a sharp look while grinning eeriely. ‘Dor !!’ the second eruption made the monkeys surprised and ran in an uncertain direction, at that time also the banyan tree that was full of monkeys was suddenly silent. That is what Lukman and his friends wanted, so he could easily find his quarry.

Without saying much more, Lukman immediately ran towards the fall of the monkey he shot followed by another, while, Da’i Bachtiar stood his sculpting and his face looked sadly mixed with dismay. Shortly afterwards, Lukman called him, “What are you doing there ? Come here !” With gontai steps, he stepped towards the place where his friends were gathered. In that place, it seemed that his friends were busy looking for something, some were pulling leaves, some were pruning wild plants, some were poking their air rifles into the thickets, and some were, the black monkey that was shot was gone.

Lost as if swallowed by the earth, it disappointed Lukman. However, on the part of Da’i Bachtiar, smiling in the heart and feeling astonished. How could the monkey disappear when clearly they saw that the animal was shot and fell from a height of about 4 feet. There is no way a living creature can live when it falls from that height. After a long search and fruitless,

“We've been looking for another animal, the night hunt. Maybe not your fortune, Lukman.” said Najib after that invite Lukman to find another hunting location. Although his curiosity and disappointment still enveloped his entire body, he complied. The five of them immediately left the place while, Da’i Bachtiar still standing glued, his gaze suddenly leading to a black and hairy body lying not far from where Lukman stood. A bush that grew wild covered part of his face that was cupped. “Any, didn't they just check this place out carefully ? Cook that thing missed just like that ?” ask in the heart.

Slowly Da’i Bachtiar stepped slowly towards the place where the figure was lying, “True, this monkey that was shot by Lukman, seems to be alive,” he said in his heart. Carefully examining the monkey's body, a bullet hole pierced his thigh and he was suddenly surprised to find that it was not a monkey but, like a human. He is still a child, but his body size is 2 times greater than other children in general. His body grew densely jet black feathers, to an ordinary person he looked like a monkey or a black monkey.

Da’i's hands worked quickly to remove the bullet lodged in his thigh, after which treating and bandaging his wounds. Shortly after Da’i finished giving treatment, suddenly from various directions popping black shadow figures that then surrounded him. Da’i looked around, this time he knew very well that the figures were not humans who had just been treated, but rather they were pitch-black monkeys, their eyes were no longer wild and violent but rather their eyes were radiating warmth as if thanking the person before them.

Da’i smiled, after returning to put his backpack on his back, he walked towards his friends who had walked quite a distance. However, suddenly, the originally bright sky was slowly covered by black clouds. The wind blew fiercely, the lightning struck him as if it was about to tear apart the rolling black clouds, a few seconds later, the sound of lightning coming from each other made the herd of monkeys or black monkeys running in an uncertain direction while raising a loud voice. In an instant, they had already disappeared from Da’i's view.

The 43-year-old man looked confused, especially when a thin fog enveloped Alas Purwo and its contents. The atmosphere suddenly became dark, cold and countless grains of water flushed the place where Da’i Bachtiar was located.

In his confusion, the man slipped and his body rolled on the declining muddy road. Not knowing how long his body rolled, when it stopped already at the mouth of the cave covered by roots, shrubs and creeping plants.

The rain still fell quite heavily, there was no other way for Da’i other than entering the mouth of the cave. The cave was quite spacious, pitch-black, however, the air inside seemed unaffected by the cold outside air. Da’i turned on the flashlight, a little more comfortable than before. The light on the flashlight illuminated every inch of the atmosphere inside the cave. Stalactites * and stalagmites * are scattered almost all over the ceiling and floor of the room. (Stalactite: limestone bars found on the ceiling of the cave with the tip tapered down; Stalakmit : The conical limestone arrangement stands upright on the floor of the cave). The shape is diverse, however, there is a stone that attracts the attention of Da’i. The shape of the stone resembles a beautiful woman who is red-hearted, has a pair of beautiful eyes. The pair of eyes stared at him, his gaze making Da’i fixated.

Suddenly slowly the surface of the stone cracked, some cracks fell on the floor of the room. And from inside the stone appeared a beautiful woman in red, Da’i surprised and retreated several acts. He fell down as the woman in red walked up to him with graceful footsteps like a royal princess. The snow-white, smooth and barefoot feet stalled before Da’i who was still shaken by the strange event was speechless, he lowered his face deeply while his pair of eyes collided with the woman's pair of beautiful eyes.

‘He is beautiful, sweet and charming, but, why don't I dare to see him for longer,’ he asked in his heart.

There were so many questions running through her mind, but they were all gone when the woman's pointy fingertips touched her chin. Da’i felt a chill running from his chin, flowing into his face and body until it ended at the tip of his foot.

“Bang Da’i, isn't it ? Thank you for saving my son's soul, Wiguna. With what shall I repay your kindness to you?” A question was thrown from the sensual red lips of the red woman. His voice was smooth as silk, melodious as the singing of the gods in the kahyangan, clear as the friction of pearl grains hundreds of years old, making Da’i Bactiar powerless to look at his face.

The woman's face was ovoid, her skin was smooth white no scattering of makeup, a pair of eyes that were round sparkling but piercingly staring unblinkingly into the pale face of Da’i Bachtiar. Her nose was sharp and her red lips were sensual and she had a thin smile full of passion. No man refuses to be kissed by her, nor does Da’i. However, he still tried to control himself even though his lust was turbulent especially when he saw the weakness of the woman's body.

“Maybe now you are confused as to what to say. But, you have contributed greatly to me,” again the beautiful voice of the woman makes the Man before her can not say anything, “I will reply your services class, bang Da’i” continued after that he turned his body and left the place while Da’i still sat glued to his eyes gawking. Along with the disappearance of the woman's body, her ears dimmed hearing her name called, “Tiar... disappeared where did you ?!”

It was Lukman's cry, as if he had just woken up from his sleep, Da’i rubbed his eyes and looked around the cave room. There is no such thing as a stalagmite or a stalactite, only black. It's pitch-dark.

“Am I hallucinating ?” ask her in heart then she stood up and stepped out while exclaiming, “I'm here !” His shout echoed almost to all corners of Purwo Alas, a moment later Lukman appeared followed by others. 2 of them are now carrying a deer that has been stiff, while, while, others smile full of satisfaction because they have got hunted animals. Da’i looked towards the eyes of the deer that were closed with a feeling of pity.

Suddenly the closed eyes of the deer opened and stared at Da’i Bachtiar, “I will kneel back at them,”. The man jumped in shock, making everyone wonder, “What's wrong with you Tiar ? How come today it seems like your behavior is strange ?” ask Najib.

Da’i Bachtiar rubs his eyes and makes sure whether the animal's eyes are really open, no. The pair of deer eyes were still closed, his face looking clear. The man's heart was more compassionate but, then smiled wryly, “I .. I'm fine, no need to be questioned. Maybe I'm a little less well,” he said nervously. “Let's go home, it's getting dark,” ask Lukman.

Everyone nodded after that step left the place while on the side Da’i Bachtiar was still confused by the incident that had just been experienced before entering into the strange cave, the atmosphere around was soaked by the rainwater, he himself could still feel his body as if it was stoned by thousands of needles and cold. Wet kuyub. However, once out of the cave, the surrounding conditions are as mediocre as when first setting foot on Purwo Alas, bright and cool. So did his clothes and all over his body, dry no signs of rain.

Along the way home, Da’i did not talk much or tell the events he experienced, because sure, they would not believe it just like that. He daydreams more, while, his friends tell each experience while at Alas Purwo, Lukman is still disappointed with his hunt that suddenly disappeared. However, when Karman asked about Da’i Bachtiar who suddenly disappeared, everyone except Luke who was driving the car stared at Bachtiar, it seemed like they were asking for an explanation from the person concerned.

Seen in such a way, making Da’i wrong behavior .. do not know what to say, as much as possible, he told that he was curious about a cave hidden behind a thicket of thickets, shrubbery, he entered the cave and traced the inside which was quite wide and long. Because he found nothing there, he tried to unwind and fell asleep for a while, until his name was called. His encounter with the woman in red was also about Lukman's game animals and the strangeness that befell him was not told. A fairly reasonable explanation and acceptable to everyone. Pretty ingenious.

The journey home felt long, because the road that was passed by the car they were riding was not flat .. occasionally uphill, occasionally downhill and then cornering sharply, while, the sky began to darken. Luke must be more careful driving if he does not want to fall into the abyss, hit the acid trees that grow thick and giant or vehicles that pass by. Among the seven people who were still awake were Luke, Da’i Bachtiar and Andre while the others were already on sleep. Andre sat beside Luke, watching the road.

Bachtiar also pays attention to the road, however, his attention is split into several parts ... Alas Purwo, the creature that Lukman shot, the cave, the woman with red and so forth. The woman's face was always in the shadows in her mind, repeatedly she tried to throw as far away as possible, but, why always come again, as if to follow wherever she went. What's more, ‘Bang Da’i .. Thank you for saving my son, Wiguna. With what should I repay your kindness to you ?’, ‘I know you are confused, don't know what to say, but, you have done me a great favor. Later I will return your services it’. He still felt his chin being gently touched by his index finger. Until now it still feels.

Last time he saw, the deer, his friends' game animals opened their eyes and said, ‘I will kneel back to them’. The road that passed was flat no longer uphill or downhill, no longer turning or cornering sharply.

...______...