Mustika Serpent's Skeleton
Meeting with Karel

The morning came to feel fast, with automatic window curtains open because they are connected by sunlight. Qenan was no longer by my side, because after dawn, he went straight home. Yep! This is how every day is lived, after all night together, he went silently without waking me up first.

I feel so happy, so loved and appreciated. Surely I am like a queen who is always awake in the morning by being greeted by several servants. The amazing!

After the shower, I went straight to the dining table. Sandwiches and a glass of milk have been prepared by a domestic assistant. Slowly I felt like I was living like a rich man. Whatever I want, it's available in this house.

According to Mbah Sugiono's orders, I have to bathe first and soak with a sprinkling of seven flowers.

"Ouch! I forgot to buy flowers." I paced back and forth thinking, not knowing where the nearest market was in the area. Yep! Because I am a new resident who is not registered at all.

While thinking, I looked up at the courtyard. A look at the pile of flowers. Finally I did not bother anymore to look for flowers to the market. In the yard is available a variety of flowers and colors, and well maintained.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. It turned out that more than seven kinds of flowers were growing in this courtyard, steady," I murmured slowly.

"What are the flowers for, ma'am?" ask the housekeeper who made me instantly surprised.

"Babies! Ouch, Bik. Just be surprised!" seruku while glaring.

"Sorry, Yes. I think, Madam knows that I've been standing here since then," said Bik Imah looking awkward.

"Yes, already. Auntie go inside, there!" my orders.

Bik Imah also entered in a row, then I followed him from behind. Every now and then Bik Imah glanced, like someone who was suspicious. Here I am the defendant, so I must be scared because I did something wrong.

"Does Bik Imah have science?" whispered in my heart.

Arriving at the room, I immediately picked the flowers. Then sprinkle into the bathtub and do not forget to put rose water as well as mermaid tear oil. The aroma is out in the bathroom, fragrant.

At exactly 12 pm, I went straight into the bathtub and soaked for a few minutes, sweeping the flowers slowly to my face and into each strand of my hair.

Geck! Geck! Geck!

"Assalamualaikum, Madam." There was a sound of Bik Imah from the front door of my room.

"What's up, Bik?" I screamed from the bathroom. However, it is useless to shout, because Bik Imah will definitely not listen to my voice. Then I took a dip, and walked towards the door.

"Mistress?"

"Yes, what's wrong!" sahutku.

"Lunch is ready, want to be delivered to the room or what, Him?" ask Bik Imah again.

"Put it down at the dinner table, Bik," I said, keeping an eye on him.

"Okay, ma'am," said bik Imah briefly.

Finished wearing clothes, I walked downstairs to eat a well-arranged lunch at the dining table.

"Bik! I'm going to Cilacap first. Look at Om and my Tante. Later, if Mas Qenan asks, say, yes, Bik. You see, my phone must be inactive because the area is quite into the forests, so signal is difficult," I explained full of lies. In fact, I want to go to Mbah Sugiono's house.

"Alright, Madam," Bik Imah replied as she glanced at me full of probes.

"What's up, Bik?"

"Yes, what's wrong, Him?"

"Sweird baby, conned even gongkon," chirped me using Javanese.

"Excuse me, New. Bibik wants to be different first," said Bik Imah. Then he left without looking again.

***

After taking the cemani chicken in the old rented, I immediately went to Mbah Sugiono's place. Back on a crowded bus. Occasionally someone pokes my arms and hips. I want to be angry, who will be accused. While the men standing near me are not few.

"Please sit down, Neng," bargained a young man of tall stature, white skin and blue eyes.

"Thank you, Mom," I said, breathing a sigh of relief.

It turned out that the young man realized that I was being bullied and harassed by a group of men standing near me.

"Where are you going, Neng?" ask the young man again kindly.

"You go to the brother's house, Mas."

"A little while back" I replied politely.

"I introduce you, my name is Karel" said the young man, extending his hand.

"Rafe," I said as I shook his hand.

When talking with Karel, in the middle of the road it rained very heavy with strong winds, so that there was a landslide. The bus stopped and pulled over with the other vehicle behind.

"Oh, how is this?"

"Patience, hopefully all this can be overcome," said Karel assured me.

"But, it's late in the afternoon, I'm afraid in ...."

"Yes, what's wrong?" karel asked me.

"Eh, it's nothing. Hope it passes, yeah."

Then I got on the bus again, and held up the sack containing the pair of cemani chickens. Without saying goodbye to Karel, I went through a road blocked by piles of dirt and rocks, due to a landslide blocking the road. I was hoping from behind this avalanche, I could find an ojek.

Kreeks!

The sound of broken wood. I looked up straight after passing through the dirt road. Late dodging, it could have stuck the branch right in my crown.

"Huf! Fortunately, I quickly dodged," I said, massaging my chest in shock.

***

I went back on my way. Shoes that are white, turn yellow, because it goes down a muddy dirt road. Not to mention having to climb the hill to reach Mbah Sugiono's house. I was afraid that I might suddenly slip and fall into the abyss. My mind was finally not lost. Dreaming of dying while committing a sin of this magnitude.

"Ih, amit-amit."

At a crossroads, I finally found an ojek. While the drizzle still memayungi the road to Mbah Sugiono's house.

"Stop .. stop ... !"

"Down here, Neng?" ask the taxi driver while looking around.

"Well, why, Kang?"

"There's no house here, where's Neng going, anyway?" asked the busker curious.

"No need to be interested, Kang. How many rent?" I answered back asking.

"Twenty thousand, Neng."

After paying the taxi driver, I went straight into the path. The sky is getting dark, a sign soon night is coming.

Armed with the lighting from the cell phone light, I began to crawl upwards. Every now and then my feet slip due to the wet ground splashed by rain water since last afternoon.

The wind again shook the trees. My eyes wildly checked around the hills after making it to the top. I'm afraid suddenly that faceless creature gets in the way again. Feelings of fear began to attack, from behind the bush looks something moving. Such as it was only because of the wind, it could not be that irregular, it was very unnatural to be moved by someone.

The suutt! suutt !

Suddenly the black creature, large and covered in dense fur, now stood just a few steps ahead of me. I wanted to run, but my legs felt stiff, unable to move.

"Mbah Sugiono! Help me," I whispered in fear.

The creature was getting closer, to make my heart beat faster, cold sweat began to pour out.

"God, go!" The voice of Mbah Sugiono shouted. Then, the creature turned into a thick wisp of smoke, then disappeared.

I hurried to leave the place, because the light from the lights of Mbah Sugiono's house made of bamboo sticks, was already visible. Arriving there, I just remembered that the sack containing the cemani chicken, was left under the hill. To come down again takes time and must be very complicated.

"Ohhh ...."

"Why?" ask Mbah Sugiono

"Anu, Mbah. The chicken ... the chicken missed," I replied awkwardly.

"Already expected, that's why I caught up with you earlier," Mbah Sugiono said as he pointed to a corner of the room.