FROM ANOTHER WORLD To You (A Mystery Short Story Collection ) - The Second Book
[ Horror] [ Mystery ] [ Thriller] (Missed ) In Nakampe Ivory Village #4

(Fourth Round )

The search for our missing friends continues to the Southern village. We are still accompanied by Mr. Rusli, Mr. Yunus, Mr. Toni and Mr. Udin as road penetrators. However, Yulia and Bella did not come, they took care of Bianca who still could not be invited to communicate.

At this location, we found something different from the previous location. As far as the eye could see what appeared was a wilderness. The road-goers lead the way in front while occasionally blaring machetes cut off the ends of the wild-growing plants ahead, clearing the streets of weeds and wild plants. And so on and finally, before our eyes stretched a green meadow against the background of mountains and hills. The air is so fresh and cool and sayup – sayup heard the river flow from a distance.

“We named this place, KALI KIDUL. 10 meters ahead there is a small river, flowing quietly and the water is clear. The water that irrigates the rice fields of – rice fields in our village, but can not just flow directly, because even though the water is calm but, at the time of – certain times, the current can be frightening. So, we made a pool that is used to hold water. We named the pool SENDANG. That...” is obviously Mr. Udin while pointing to a building made of black-painted bricks.

My feathers goosebumps at the sight of the building. It was like a building in my dreams. Only the building is the only one in this Kali Kidul. An archway composed of stone times as high as 2 times the height of adults that is the boundary of the area where we stand with the building. Complete with knick-knacks made of yellow janur and lanterns; sajen contains seven-color flowers, snacks, incense and thick black coffee placed in certain corners. Thin smoke drifted – kites in the air into a game of breezy breeze, spreading a strange fragrant aroma.

“Cel, what's wrong with you ?” asked Joan who saw me occasionally stop and pat the shoulders that felt numb and heavy, even though I only carried a small bag filled with a few snacks that weighed not up to 15 grams.

I smiled, shook my head slowly and walked back. Unlike yesterday, today, when I set foot in this place, my shoulders were numb for a while, my legs were like being given a heavy iron pendulum. My head was dizzy, my eyes were twitching, my stomach was stirring. And...

“Hoekh..”

I spilled almost half of my stomach, Joan was shocked and so did the others.

“Why, you, Cel..” asked Joan worriedly.

I raised my right hand, “A... I just need to sit down for a while,” I said as I massaged my nape.

“If you are not feeling well, mumpung not far away, we go back,” chirped Hudi.

“Tanggung ..” said, “Already halfway. I'm it's okay. I don't know my body suddenly can't be invited to cooperate,” my connection.

“Your face, pale once, Cel,” says Joan.

“Already, I'm fine – what,” my objection while a pair of my eyes were fixed on a shadowy old man all in black holding a yellow bamboo stick, standing on a rock 15 meters from where we were, looking at me pity.

“Pak Udin,” call me to Mr. Udin who is standing at the front. He turned his head and said, “What's up, son Cella,”

“Who is the man in black standing across the river there, sir ?” I asked while pointing towards the old man. However, when Mr. Udin and the others turned their heads, he disappeared.

“No one – who is there, son,” said Mr. Udin.

“No way, sir...just saw there was a male – old man dressed all in black and carrying a yellow bamboo stick, pack ?” my clear.

Mr. Udin shook his head –, “Nak Cella, in this Kali Kidul, there is no resident left. This is a sacred place for us. And, across the river, it is not our territory, only fools are desperate to enter the area,”

“Cel. Piye, kowe sido melu opo ora ?” chirps Akhmad.

“If you're okay – what, let's continue the journey, dark hunt,” take Mr. Udin.

I nodded my head. I just stood up, suddenly my body was limp. Joan nimbly grabbed me while saying, “We first undo the search today. Cel, your condition does not allow to continue the journey,”

Joan's words are knocking down the wall of coral inside me. I nodded and immediately returned to the inn. “What's wrong with me ? Unlike day – yesterday,” lamented in my heart. Surprisingly, as I left the place, the numbness and weight were gone, my body stabilized again.

***

That morning, I, Yulia and Hudi were invited by Mr. Sujar to the house of Panatua, Nakampe Gading Village. His name is Mbah Joglo. Among the houses – houses of villagers, Mbah Joglo house located approximately 200 meters from the house where we stayed, arguably, nicer and spacious. The walls are made of woven bamboo, the fragrance of sandalwood is smelled when our – feet foot tread the yard of the house. There, precisely on the terrace, an old and skinny man – sits cross-legged while sucking a cigar. He was about 88 years old. Even though he was 8 heads old, yet, I could not deny, he still looked young. Upon seeing our arrival, her pair of tiny unblinking eyes looked at us, expressionless. Cold and sharp. Stared like that, we felt bad on our own, especially when we tread – footprints, stepping on pandan leaf mats that stretch along the terrace. There is cold running from the soles of the feet to ubun – ubun and it feels very cool.

“Include, this is Mbah Joglo, son – children. He is the oldest resident of the village. You are the one who is guarding this village, son,” said Mr. Sujar. We introduced ourselves and loved them one by one, and sat down.

“That you know, you're coming. There are many things you want to ask when you first come to this village,” said Mbah Joglo.

“Ngapunten, Mbah.. indeed since we came, we have been faced with events – events beyond reason,” I said, “Start from friends – my friend who disappeared, <TAG1>, behavior of one of my dazed friends and many more things,”

“What happened to your friends – friends, just the beginning. Mbah doesn't expect you to encounter more terrible events than this,”

Mbah Joglo was silent for a moment, he looked at me deeply, his gaze seemed to penetrate my skin and flesh, my face reddened because it was not unusual to be looked at by the man let alone the elderly. We all feel restless. He looked at me for not less than five minutes, but, it felt like hours. After that he saluted me while saying.

"Ngapunten, New... Putumu Iki mboten ngertos menawi panjengan tansah ngancani so we yateng menika board. Keparenga, Kulo njlentrehaken kados pundi sejatosipun, sampun kedadasan dhateng kanca-kanipun ing menika board,"

(Sorry, nyai... Your granddaughter does not understand that you accompanied her from the city to this place. Allow me, to explain what happened to his friends in this place ).

After saying so, Mbah Joglo placed his two palms on his forehead, "God, Nyai... Kulo. Mature new,"

"Sorry, nduk. She spoke to him who took care of you... Please allow me to explain what has happened to your friends. Now listen... Four of your friends: Pedro, Parto, Ikbal are dead, meanwhile, Bianca... The sukmanya are trapped in a place in this village. Mbah could only suggest, lest the empty body smell the smell of blood for the next three days. Otherwise, he is dominated by a figure that the villagers call lelepah, less likely to survive" explained Mbah Joglo.

"Crawl ?" my many.

"Chap... Does the creature named catapult really exist ? Not just a myth ?" ask Yulia.

I gestured for Yulia not to speak carelessly, "Sorry, Mbah... Yulia spoke carelessly," I said while returning to speak, "Is Bianca curable ?"

"For that matter, Mbah will try as much as possible... "

At that moment, a man came over, his face looking anxious and confused. He whispered to Mr. Sujar and the man who became the head of the village of Nakampe Gading widened his eyes, "Injury !"

"Mbak Cella.sorry, this is about your friend named Bianca," said Mr. Sujar.

"What's up, sir ?"

"Well, we'll be right back... Now either. Mbah, I beg Mbah also come, yes." said Mr. Sujar.

***

By the time we got home, the yard had been crowded.3 people were lying on the ground in a state of body like torn by sharp objects, his body covered with blood. One of them we can recognize, Bi Midar. Their bodies stiffened, in another corner Bella was screaming for help and trying to take down Bianca who was on her back.

Bianca's condition looks terrible.

The head is enlarged, the skin of the forehead is wrinkled like a fold of cloth while the veins bulge out like worms in blackish blue. His pair of eyes widened, as if about to come out, temporarily, his eyeballs blackened. He opened his mouth wide, revealing a row of long, pointed teeth and constantly salivating.

For us, it wasn't the Bianca we knew, she turned into a thin, dry creature, just a bone wrapped in skin. His long black nails clutched firmly on Bella's shoulders.

"Auw, sick ! Release !" bella shouted, blood spurting out, splashing onto Bianca's face.

Bianca grinned horribly, she moved her head to the right and to the left as if there were no bones. His pair of wide and strange eyes were staring at Bella's neck. I shuddered, when I saw her mouth open wide and moved to grab Bella's neck.

Bella closed her eyes, resigned to what was going to happen, but, suddenly...

"Crep !!"

The teeth were stuck on a black bamboo, Bella's neck was saved. The creature looked riled up, Mbah Joglo was already standing while looking at him. His roar seemed to tell him that he did not accept the actions of the grandfather. Just briefly. His grip loosened and a slight thump on the nape made him helplessly limp.

Bella grimaced in pain as the creature's nails were plucked from her shoulders, fresh blood still flowing out from her wounds. As soon as Mbah Joglo sprinkles white powder on the surface of the skin to cover the gaping wound. Bella screamed bitterly, her shoulders burning. Unable to stand the heat, Bella collapsed in my arms.

____ Connect Fifth Round ____

(Wednesday, Dec 28, 2022)

_____ update by author _____

Monday, 16 January 2023