He's Not Dead
Multicar Collision

I closed my eyes trying to calm down and suggest to myself that humans are the highest-level creatures and will not lose to demons let alone be eaten by demons. My lips can finally say, “Astagfirullah.”

I slowly opened my eyes hoping that the figure was no longer there. It turned out that the creature was still standing upright with its head shaken left and right. I returned to serighfar and the creature spoke Istighfar.

“Aaaaaa,” my screams then all dark.

I don't know what's going on, which is clear I feel my body limp with my head slightly dizzy. Sayup-sayup I heard a voice .. Papa. I slowly blinked my eyes, it seemed like this was not my room but the UKS room.

“Arka,” call Papa then come to me.

Same with the homeroom teacher who was talking to Papa.

“I why Pah?”

“You were found passed out in the toilet,” said Mr. Teacher.

Fainted? I'm trying to remember what happened. Last I remember, we followed the directions of tomorrow's activities and then I parted ways with Bono and Oky -- of course because I went to the toilet -- and met a creepy creature in that place.

“Eh, is it strong?” ask Papa as I slowly wake up.

“I want to go home.”

During the trip I did not think about the creature or tell Papa the details of what happened but thought about how to avoid or convince Mama that I was okay. When the car had passed the fence and was parked neatly in the carport, Mama was already standing on the veranda of the house waiting for our arrival with a worried face.

“I'm fine, the creature was the first time I saw,” I said then kissed Mama's hand and left her.

“Eh, Arka .. Bang Al, seriously he's okay?”

I don't know what they're talking about, I decided to rush to the room. Clean yourself up, pray after that lie on the bed staring at the ceiling of the room. I have been able to see these creatures since I was a child, maybe even since I was born. Papa's story, since in the womb Mama and I are always bullied.

Sometimes I can overcome fear when I see “they” but sometimes my body responds differently when our auras collide. Not only can I see and feel the presence of “they” I am also not allowed to speak badly let alone swear, worried about the incident. Because I've been through this, I was eight years old in the third grade of elementary school.

I was bullied by my upperclassmen, not once twice but often. Until one time they went too far by taking my shoes and hanging them on a tree branch that I could not reach even the contents of my bag were taken out and thrown away.

Of course at that moment I was angry, maybe the accumulation of every resentment I harbored screamed and said that they would be doomed. My three upperclassmen just laughed while running away from me. Still in the gaze, one of my upperclassmen was hit by a mobile while crossing the street. Although not to death but his injuries are quite severe.

The other two students get a different woe. Someone fell off the motorbike when picked up by his parents and slipped in the bathroom. Both were seriously injured.

“Arka.”

My daydreams are gone, hearing voices from outside my room. Like my mother's voice calling my name so many times.

“Not bother, you are not Mama,” I shouted and there was no sound calling my name.

Things like that are common, not just the sound sometimes there are appearances that resemble those closest to me. “They” really happy to bother me, if possible and can feel I want to release and remove the excess that sometimes feels difficult.

...***...

“Iya, I'll meet Dad. Actually the advantages of Arka must have benefits only he has not been able to manage his abilities.”

As I went down the stairs, I heard Papa and Mama talking about me. Although I sometimes feel tormented by what I feel but I do not want to make Mama sad and worried. If Mama and Papa had kids besides me, maybe their focus wasn't just on me.

“Arka, come here baby,” take Mama after seeing me and then pull the chair next to her for me to sit.

“Today you so come outing class?” asked Papa who I replied with a nod because he was sipping water in a glass that Mama had thrust for me.

“If you are not fit yet, Mama can contact your homeroom teacher for permission.”

“I'm fine Mam. Anyway, the place to be visited is close to, still Jakarta area,”.

“Spend your breakfast,” Papa's word.

After breakfast, Papa drove me to school before he went to work. Papa dropped me off a bit away from the gate because there were already several buses parked there.

“Be careful, if you feel the place you are going to is strange should not force to enter.” Papa's advice is of course for my own good.

The students who were going to follow the outing class seemed so enthusiastic. We were lined up in the field for the direction and division of the bus.

“Yesterday you fainted huh?” bono asked in a whisper.

I just nodded, listening to the direction of one of the guiding teachers who was in front of the line.

“Why?” Bono asked again but I ignored him.

“PLEASE ENTER INTO BUS ACCORDING TO BUS CLASS AND NUMBER. NO NEED TO SCRAMBLE, IT IS SET AND NOTHING WILL NOT BE TRANSPORTED!”

Me, Bono and Oky headed for the bus. Of course Bono and I were on a bus while Oky was separated because we were different classes. No need to scramble chairs because they have to sit according to the seat listed by each name.

I got the third row from the front, next to me turned out to be a seat for Marsa but she didn't come. When the bus started to run I closed my eyes while the others sang. Without feeling I fell asleep, I don't know how long until I finally woke up because I just had a dream.

I was sweating while the air conditioning on the bus was good.

“So it was a dream or what? Why it feels real,” mumbled. My hand unzipped the bag to take out the bottle of mineral water while my mind still remembered the dream I had just experienced. I saw many figures that were not human or could be said to be spirits standing along the road where buses passed through.

“Hopefully only sleeping flowers are not any sign,” murmured again then unsealed the water bottle and pointed it in front of my mouth.

Suddenly ....

Brak …. Brakk .. prangg.

The bus I was riding on hit something making the one standing bounced. I myself did not realize what hit, which obviously felt dizzy and noisy. I heard the screams of my friends not just on this bus but on other buses as well, as well as the sounds of horns and the screams of people.