My wife Kuntilanak
Chapter 56. Sesajen Tree

Satya woke up when the aroma of fried rice had spread throughout the house. The man did not find Laksmi beside him.

"Ah, she must have gone to the kitchen" he murmured.

A moment later his heart was beating. Satya recalled the contents of their conversation last night. His body was goosebumps again recalling the terrifying figure he saw last night.

"Is everything that happened last night real?" Satya hurried to the kitchen, to check it out.

"Loh, you just woke up?"

Bu Kesha threw a question at her eldest son, while making an omelet. While fried rice with anchovy sprinkles is already on the table.

"Yes. Is mom healthy? How was it in the kitchen?"

Satya spread her gaze throughout the kitchen. Laksmi seemed to be washing dishes, assisted by Tari who suckled clean dishes onto the shelf.

What a soothing sight, at the same time bitter to Satya. Especially after he heard the astonishing facts about his wife. But he didn't see the strangeness of Laksmi. He looks just like a normal human being.

"Mother is sick. It's just exhaustion" said Miss Kesha. "Why are you going to the kitchen? The laper? Is it dawn prayer?"

"Astaghfirullah." Satya just remembered, he had not fulfilled his mandatory duties.

"Cepetan sholat. Later to the sunrise hunt," ordered Bu Kesha with eyes glaring. Satya also immediately covered to the bathroom for ablution.

Indeed, in this house is very strict about worship. Because the Father said, prayer is the pillar of religion. That is also what makes Laksmi always run out of energy in this house. I don't know how much he has eaten livestock and wild birds, and absorbed the energy of rotten-hearted people to strengthen his soul.

"Astaghfirullah."

Satya jumped in shock, when she saw a woman standing in front of the closet. His white night clothes, made Satya again remember the figure of kuntilanak last night. This time, there was no blood.

"Laksmi, where did you sleep last night? How come I don't see you?" Satya sees Laksmi preparing the office uniform she will wear today. It has become a habit of Laksmi every working day.

"I slept in my house, Mas. I miss my room. Anyway, I'm afraid Mas Satya is afraid of me." Laksmi's voice was very cold and flat.

Satya retreated slowly hearing Laksmi's sentence just now. His words seemed to affirm, if his confession last night is an honesty. But the man then stopped his movements, when he saw a look of sadness on the woman's face.

"Ah, sorry Laksmi. Emm. I mean Kinanti. I'm still not used to it" Satya said as she rubbed her nape awkwardly.

"It's okay. I-i understand. But as long as you still consider me a wife, I will still respect you, Mas," Laksmi replied with a stiff smile on her face.

...***...

"Satya, where are you? How come suddenly no permission?" Hadyan who had prepared to go on field duty with Satya was astonished. He called his co-worker.

"Duh sorry, Dyan. I have urgent business in Wingit Hamlet. I said to Mr. Chief, so I could replace him with someone else first" said Satya.

"Oh... You go alone or with Laksmi?" ask Hadyan. He immediately understood, the business that Satya meant.

"I went alone, Dyan. Laksmi took care of my mother who was still sick," Satya replied.

"Yo wes's. Good luck yes. If you need help, let me know quickly" Hadyan said, then hung up.

Satya was sitting right in front of Mr. Dakum's house, his father-in-law. The door was tightly closed. There's no one inside. Then Mr. Dukun's phone has not been connected since.

Yes, since this morning Satya has been determined. He will find out what kind of figure Laksmi is. The nation of evil jinn that deliberately resembles the form of Kinanti and took his last memory to do the act? Or indeed Jin Qorin who wants to help humans who are similar to him, in order to find the perpetrators of the crime.

So, what puzzles are found in the original Laksmi? Wallahualam Bishawabs. What is clear Satya believes, that the human who has died is impossible to walk like that. They were bound to the barzah realm until the resurrection day.

Not want to lose time just like that, Satya also re-sniffed his motorcycle. Through the winding uphill road. A golden ray of dancing, peering through the lush foliage.

"This is the place?"

Satya pulls over her vehicle on the side of the trail, where she first meets Laksmi. His head looked up, staring at the towering shoots of the rowu tree. Next to it is a meranti stem that also grows large.

As forestry expert Satya understands well, these trees have been living on Earth for decades. But the atmosphere wasn't as scary as when he came first. Maybe because it's still daytime.

Kratak up!

"Aah!" Satya was slightly surprised, as her feet accidentally stepped on a bamboo plate containing a offerings. The man hurriedly apologized, while fixing the location of the offerings.

Indeed, he was one of those who never believed and did not give sajen to the jinn. But he still respects the trust of others.

However, at once Satya's body shuddered when he saw the many offerings behind the tree trunk. He also saw several lumps of hair that were deliberately placed on a plate, accompanied by flowers that had dried up.

"Th-this is what tree?" Satya stepped back carefully. He was afraid of stepping on the offerings again. "Is this a tree where society rituals are here? But it's usually done under a banyan tree, right?" muttered Satya doubtfully.

The man was sculpting under a giant tree, with dozens of offerings underneath. He recalled, he used to throw his wish here. And in this place also he first met the figure of Laksmi, who turned out to be a kuntilanak.

"What is it because of that, Laksmi so keep following me?" Satya rubbed her two goosebumps. Not daring to linger there, he immediately drove his vehicle back to Wingit Hamlet.

...***...

"Well, Satya. Why are you here alone?"

A man walking with a fishing rod, stopped and greeted Satya who was sitting at the Mbok Lastri stall. That man is not alone. Next to him was an older man. Both carry fishing gear.

"Mas Damar and Mr. Teguh, right?" reply Satya doubtful. He still recognized the figure of the patrolman he met first, but forgot his name.

"Yes. I'm Damar. What's here, Mas? How is Laksmi not the same?" ask the man again. He lowered his fishing gear, and sat down next to Satya.

"Mister Laksmi?" Inner Satya. His ears felt strange hearing it. "Isn't he older than me? Especially when compared to Laksmi, right?" Satya is interested in extracting information about Laksmi from the man.

"I was here to visit my father. But you didn't even leave" said Satya trying to talk casually.

"Loh, is Laksmi really not a story? Every month, especially on Friday night, Mr. Dukun will always go somewhere," said Mr. Teguh anyway.

"Huh? You go every kliwon friday night? What's to do?"

(Connected)