Marlangens
CHAPTER 18

I saw Sella crying in front of her stiff body covered in batik cloth. I know how he feels, left behind by someone he truly loves. I also saw Om Bagas sitting pensively, no tears there. But I also know that deep sadness is precisely the sadness that is harbored, Om Bagas definitely does not want to look weak in front of Sella.

I approached Sella, carefully stroking her shoulders. Sella turned around and when she saw me she immediately hugged me. I don't think I've been crying either. No one will be okay for a breakup, let alone a breakup with a parent for good. There will be no more advice and warm hugs.

"Prophe Sell, you must be strong through this. There's me and your Papah." Entertain me while still hugging Sella.

"Gue had no inkling of anything, if I had known. I must have chosen Mamah nemenin," said Sella, sobbing.

I could only try to always be next to Sella, comforting her and giving my shoulder to her. At least he won't feel alone. Unlike me when I lost my father, alone without someone to whom I was leaning.

******

Today the body of Aunt Rani will be mummified, Sella is still crying even though not hysterical like last night. It turned out that Aunt Rani died from being bitten by a snake when Om Bagas said before her house was safe from snakes, considering that snakes made me remember the figure that now always harasses me.

Amel and Bayu also come to the funeral of Aunt Rani, Sella's boyfriend is also there even she always accompanies Sella.

When Aunt Rani's body was filled with dirt and everyone was busy praying. I accidentally stared straight behind the horde of mourners. I saw her again, the half-snake woman. Now he looks terrible.

Is this his doing too? But why would he hurt people close to me?

I have to find out.

*****

Tonight feels different, after it's over. I went back to the room and so did Sella and Om Bagas. I can hear Sella's stuffing, she must have lost her Mom a lot. Like when I lost my father, it felt like half my soul was dead.

But now I'm pensive in my room . Thinking of the events that befell Aunt Rani and Adit. Is this really what the half-snake woman did?

How am I gonna find out. The figure is so mysterious, the energy is also different from the softness that I have often met.

When I was daydreaming suddenly a long haired woman came by through the window of my room.

She just looked down, I remember she was a flat-faced ghost who came by my room the other day. But now it's not raining, why did he come back here.

"You're the one who was shady here yesterday, right?" manya curious.

"Your mother is still alive" she said flatly with a voice that gave me goosebumps.

"You mean?" many cold.

"The mental hospital"

After saying that the ghost of a flat-faced woman floated through the roof of my room.

His words kept me up all night, I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. A lot of things I've been thinking about plus now the flat-face female ghost speech. Who he really is, why he's talking about my mom.

*****

This morning when I woke up the atmosphere of the house became different, usually I saw Aunt Rani had cooked early in the morning. But now that the kitchen was empty, I took the initiative to cook. I used to love cooking, sometimes I helped Mbok Asih in the kitchen. 

I was going to cook an omelet for Sella and Om Bagas, but at the moment I was cutting the chili suddenly from beside me appeared a terrible figure.

"I died because of kamuuu, I died because of youu arrghhhh."

I jumped in shock until accidentally my hand was scratched by the knife I was holding. That figure disappeared when there was a sound of Sella calling me.

"Langen, why are you so rich so surprised?" ask Sella who just came down from upstairs.

"Nnggaak anything kok Sel," I replied a little stuttering from shock.

"Hand why?"

"Just scratches the knife a little, Sell . It's okay" I said with a smile.

I also continued my cooking show which is now being helped by Sella. But still my mind floated to the terrible figure that had been poking me. That figure is Aunt Rani, but with a terrible form. His lips were black, his eyeballs were bulging almost out of his eye sockets and his facial skin was like it was peeling leaving reddish flesh mixed with blood.

"Is that really Aunt Rani, but why does she blame me?" I murmured in my heart.

*****