Memories of a Thousand Years
Bereft

Still in the same place, besides the wide river that receded. If you step all the way to the middle, you don't have to worry about drowning. The river water is not as deep as it seems, just a little above the sun. Fish can still roam. When viewed from the edge. The river should be as deep as an adult's stomach. 

Sayup sayup the voice of the citizens was heard.Some people passed through the river bank. Carrying several containers, shaped like buckets, but made of wood. 

They complained that the river did not flow into their settlements, and even their small fields dried up. It's hard to grow crops.

They came near.

"Punten neng, bade nyandak cai"

(Excuse me Neng. Get some water)

"Yes mango sir."

(Yes please sir)

"Wae neng nyalira?"

(Oh, by yourself?)

"Muhun pa, nuju niis weh nyalira "

(Yes sir, again by yourself)

"Punten bilih kaganggu neng."

(I'm sorry if you're upset)

"Teu sawios pa,"

(It's okay sir)

Suddenly they told me about the difficulty of getting water. 

That's how Sundanese people are happy to share stories, both happy and sad stories. That is one of the advantages of Sundanese people, so that no one harbors feelings in their hearts unlike today, all problems in their own stomach. To commit suicide because they feel they are not strong enough to carry it themselves.

INrmala asked why it was not flowing, the water still flowed a lot in the river.

They replied, It has been tried but because their settlement is higher than the river flow, the river water cannot rise.

They're desperate. Especially because you don't know when it's raining.

Nirmala suddenly looked at the sky as if she was counting, folding and opening her fingers one by one.

"It looks like it's going to rain in two months" said Nirmala.

The residents were disappointed to hear it. 

They will not be able to fight for their lives.

But even Nirmala could not do much.

One of the residents looked very old and exhausted. Take the water back and forth. Nirmala took the initiative to help her. Of course she initially refused. But nirmala insisted on the grounds "i am still young, still have enough energy to help, after all I am curious as to how far the village is."

Finally Nirmala brought a large wooden bucket full of water.

It feels good to be able to help others. Nirmala was already in love with the land of Sunda. all people ramaj and good to each other, do not distinguish caste, and race. It's good people.

He saw a shallow well that only contained a little water. 

The well serves as a reservoir of water when it rains. Because their area has difficulty in irrigation.

There was a long bamboo, which served to drain the water, but at that time there was no running water, even very dry, Nirmala was curious where it came from. He followed her to the end. 

He saw a small lake, but still, there was no water there. 

though the river is very close, even closer, why they only rely on shallow wells. 

Nirmala looked for where the river banks were. And just denar, the river is under the cliff. Not too high, but still difficult to drain water from the bottom to the top. 

Nirmala returned to the residential area, the kake she had helped was waiting for him on the porch of his house, a long bench in front of his house, had neatly arranged their traditional snacks, cassava dough, and, and the coconut grater is watered with liquid brown sugar. Awugs. Looks really good. Nirmala smiled broadly at the snack 

"mango neng in leueut"

"thank you aki."

With pleasure he was ravenous snack, arrived from the house of a Grandma out carrying a cup of drink. 

He thanked me for helping, only being able to serve his alakadar food. 

It's a little exhausting. But only a snack like this Nirmala was very happy.

A young man came from the end of the street carrying some firewood. Her face was very sweet with a brownish yellow skin color. 

Name's Raka.

"Raka? means there's Rai?"

All laughed, His full name is Rakata, indeed the word Raka means brother, which means there is a sister there is also a sister. 

yah. Nirmala thinks the same as Uncle Rai and Uncle Raka. Turns out he was wrong.

Raka told me "I Want to do something until every drought comes no longer need to go back and forth to the river. Very tiring. But the only water that never runs out is just the river down there."

Raka wanted to make something so that the water could rise. But I haven't found a way.

"have you made a wheel?"

"what is a wheel?"

"ah.one technology to bring water up."

"never heard of."

"A propeller driven by water."

"oh. like that" He pointed towards a house that was larger and taller.

"it's more or less like that."

"how to."

"hmm. So never made it for water?"

They all just look at each other.

hmmm like his blm there is such technology in this era.

"can that work?"

"somewhere else it worked."

"if you tell me how to do it."

"hmm. I'm not sure."

Raka was already excited to know that...

Nirmala explained at length until she forgot the time. It was late, he had to go home. If too long he can be late to go home, he has promised kake sapta, will not go home too late 

He promised to return tomorrow to the village.

Nirmala down the road, the day is getting darker, the distance is still very far. 

Someone from the end of the road. Run towards. 

"Mr Budhi, what's running away."

"I'm looking for you, baby and dhika says you left the cottage since noon, but I met kake sapta on the street, he's worried you're in trouble again."

"You should've been there since. Why are you still here.You've been anywhere."

"i'm sorry, sir, I stopped by for a while in a small village beside the river. I forgot the time."

"Next time don't be like that, you worry everyone. Have you forgotten what you went through yesterday" 

It does. Nirmala did not forget yesterday's incident but she did not feel afraid. He felt he had no fault. He was surrounded by people who loved him, who protected him. 

Dhika and Bayu wait in a shop and Kake Sapta has been back home since afternoon. He entrusted Nirmala to the three men. 

"You seem to have fun, to forget the time" said the baby. "Can't you tell me before you go.?"

"wasn't I saying."

"you said you were going home, but look at you now there's a dimna. You were upset half-dead. Go with a red face. Now you're like you're on vacation.

"hehe. are you worried about me?"

"No, you're a hassle." 

Dhika smile.

"already. We eat before we go home. I'll buy you three"

"Haha, uncle is the best" said Bayu

"Who's uncle? You eat first, I'll find a horse-drawn carriage" Mr. Budhi left his seat.

"Hmmm... Bayu, Dhika. You don't have to worry. I don't always need company. I have my own activities."

"Still competing, don't you remember you crying in front of me yesterday?"

"Are you not happy if we're with you?"

"That's not it, it's just, I don't want to help you guys. I know you have your own busy lives, too, so I don't want to make you feel overwhelmed by me being here."

A dish came served by a waiter.

Nirmala's face changed. I have no hesitation in eating that dish. A simple dish, but always delicious. 

"Ah. I will miss the cuisine in this age"

"You're planning to leave?"

"Not only, I'm sure I will return to my world, but I don't know when. You know sometimes I think, if something worse happens, and I intend to go back, what way can I use to come back? 

I came not knowing how. I went home, not knowing how.

I wonder if I die, if I come back, or if I'll still die".

All speechless.

"haha.why use death for something you don't understand yet. There's still plenty of time at least enjoy it when you're here."

"hmm. you're right.. Oh. Dhika, has the meeting been decided?"

"No decision whatsoever."

"They'll let anything just happen."

"Not acted one bit? Take precautions? Strengthen defense?"

"Not everything."

"you accept that decision?"

"just whatever. If that's not my business anymore."

"i like you." 

Dhika looked at Bayu astonished by that sentence.

"ha?"

"your intelligence, your way of thinking, everything."

"what's wrong with you, suddenly talk like that."

"Right, if the enemy recognizes you any further I'm sure they'll feel threatened by you. Or feel interested in getting you on their side." 

"you too, why did it arrive once."

"i sometimes think, what would happen if they were right."

"what's wrong with you?"

Mr. Budhi came and sat down. 

"i've prepared the train, tell me if you're ready."

"Dhika, do you doubt me?"

"When do you doubt it?" Bayu was astonished by Nirmala's question.

".... What is this.?" Mr. Budhi felt they were at odds.

"Can't you trust me?"

"Dhika, what's wrong with you.?"

"Mr Budhi looks like I should go home now, Grandpa Sapta must have been waiting."

"All right"

Nirmala and Mr. Budhi are gone. While Dhika and the baby are still in place.

"Dhika why are you so sweet....Dhika, don't let them poison your pigtails. You have to be sure of your own decisions."

"I'm going home first." Dhika also moved from her place.

"Dhika..."

....

"all confused. Did I say the wrong thing??"

----

A few days passed, nothing scary happened, as Nirmala promised to help the raka make the mill. Giant wheels 5-6 meters high. Each propeller has room to carry a little water, then after rising the water is fed to a container that has been prepared. 

It was connected with a pipe of bamboo, down the pipe and ended up in a well that they just expanded. The hard work for a few days paid off already.citizens full of laughter received this success. Finally they do not need to go down to the river to draw water. 

"Raka, next I leave it to you. Tomorrow I may not come here again. Because I really can't hang around often. I'm going home now, it's late, "

"Nirmala thank you very much for your help. It's a little gift from us. open it when you get home."

"Thank you. I'm home."

Nirmala came home happy and this time Nirmala was very happy.

When passing through the usual city road, he felt strange. Looks a little quieter than usual.

Then someone pulled him off the main road. 

Hiding behind a pile of wood in a narrow alley. His mouth is in silence, 

Someone whisper.

"relax it's me, Budhi"

in Nirmala's heart, lord Buddhist why do this. What the hell happened

"look, there's a lot of suspicious people.it looks like they're looking for you."

They were looking for someone. 

They seem like a bunch of bounty hunters, again. They're looking for Nirmala.

At once Nirmala remembered, the previous time they had come to Kake and the others, threatening them. Nirmala was very worried.

"Master I have to go home soon."

"Wait until it's safe"

After it feels safe. They too soon passed home.

But what they worry about becomes real. From a distance the settlement of Nirmala's house was smoking black smoke.  Makes them worry more.

He accelerated his steps into half-runs. Getting closer to running. Then stop with what is in front of him. Something she was very afraid of happened.

Something happened to that little settlement. All the houses were on fire, the bodies were on fire, Nirmala approached him one by one. "Uncle Rai, Uncle Raka, Kang Iwan, Zaki, Auntie" they died

"What's this?"

"What's going on"

"Who, who did this?"

Nirmala panicked to see the terrible situation. Mr. Budhi surrounds the settlement hoping that there is still something to save. But there's no results. The whole house was filled with fire. He devoured it without pity.

"sapta cake..." Nirmala hugged him helplessly. There's no sign of life there. Kake Sapta's eyes closed forever with his loved ones. 

Nirmala shed her tears, flowing like a broken dam. Blood is spattered where. There's nothing left.

Happiness that was just gained. 

The family he so desperately wanted.

All gone overnight. 

Nirmala was crying. 

Now he has nothing more. 

like earlier.

Mr. Budhi could only be silent. Even her tears flowed. He also felt a great loss. 

But he understood, Nirmala is the one who is very bad at the moment.

An arrow stuck in Kake Sapta's body, Nirmala pulled it out.  

He saw the bulubulu of the arrow. As if it were no stranger to him. Where he's seen feathers like this. 

Legam black goose feather.

The sadness did not end soon. Nirmala felt a tremendous heartache. The loss of her entire family was a disaster for her. 

I have to pay it back, he thought inwardly.

This news is very fast to spread, although not as fast as if there is a mobile phone. 

Bayu ran staggered. He was surprised to see the situation was already this bad. There was nothing more he could do. Nirmala was still in her place. Crying out. 

Dhika arrived a few hours later. Indeed the residence was further away from there while the bayu ran from the herbal shop in the market. Closer is indeed.

There's nothing they can do. The only thing that makes Nirmala happy is that Bayu and Dhika are beside her at the moment. So is Mr. Budhi.

Last week the three of them had a fight, but their concern did not fade. Nirmala was grateful for that.

The sun was out, the fire was out an hour ago. Only the remaining small puffs of smoke surrounded, devouring the rest of the foundation of their houses. The field of the home yard is now turned into a tomb. Some mounds of earth filled with corpses, the bodies of the Nirmala family. Nirmala stuck a stake. The four of them buried all the bodies.

Again Nirmala fell down, rested before the mound, hugged the stake she had just set. 

Bayu holds his shoulders as if to say let go of all that, I'm still here. Nirmala looked at him, Bayu was crouching in front of her, 

With a reflex Nirmala hugged the man. 

Yep. Right now he needs a hug. To shed all his feelings. 

-----

They all left right at it. A place full of memories for Nirmala, little memories have also been imprinted in the hearts of Bayu and Dhika. 

Nirmala turned her head after a few steps left, "Goodbye" he said softly. 

All the stamps have no engraving of names. Just have a sign. Something they always carry.  Let only Nirmala know.

Different name from Grandpa Sapta's. With a charcoal, there's something written. Not a name, just a few words.

Inalilahi wainailaihi. 

Thank you for all the love you gave me.

If I come back, I'll step in again.

Mr. Budhi offered to stay with him, in a house next to Mandalika Palace, not too far from the market where the baby shop was located. Nirmala agrees. There's nothing he can do anymore. After all, he himself was confused about staying dmna.

Bayu and Dhika leave after taking Nirmala to Mr. Budhi's house. 

Along the way the baby asked Dhika. 

"about who did all this,"

dhika knew a little about the arrows scattered there. "That arrow looks like I've seen it"

Bayu "really? Whereabouts? Who?"

Dhika "i'm not sure, but... You ever hear of Mountain Bandits?"

Bayu "Mountain Bandit?"

Dhika "There is not much information about the Mountain Bandits, so he also can not talk much. Mountain bandits are dangerous after all, but if for no apparent reason, they won't do anything, let alone something untidy like this."

"right" Bayu agreed, "But still there are very strange things.like there's something bigger behind this"

"..."

"Dhika, one thing I do know, they always use the bow as their weapon. Are there any other weapons they're wearing? Because, their bodies look more than just archery wounds."

"Could it...."

They look at each other. As if their minds were the same. But they should investigate further.