The Dark World
Seventh Night

...SEVENTH NIGHT...

...Author by: David Khanz...

Time just crawled through the night. Cold gusts mingled with raindrops adorned the thick nature that had just subsided from crying. Puddles of residual rainwater, drenching near every bend of the path. Brownish turbid mixed with gutter-scented mud. While the lives of other animate people seem to begin to echo, except for people who used to sit around hanging out in the coffee shop. Slowly I take this step, towards that place. A middle-aged woman greeted with an enlarged round eyes gaze. "You?" He pointed at me with his mouth open.

I smiled coldly while folding both arms across the chest. It's good to just reduce the giggles that are getting whack. "Yes, ma'am," I kept approaching him. "So there?" A moment of peeking at the atmosphere inside the stall through the slightly open door leaf. Make sure the owner of the building is there or not.

"D-he s-has been t-sleep .. "the woman replied stammeringly. His mouth was still gaping with his index finger pointing at me. "W-why are you k-in here?"

Back I smiled a little while turning my eyes to the night. "I want to apologize to Mamih. You-"

"Yes, my sister has forgiven him, Yoga," he said, cutting off my words. "She's done it too."

"How do I know that Mamih didn't tell me herself now?" I doubt between these stern looks. Paying attention to the large round motion of the eyes of the woman who lived together with her brother, whom I called Mamih earlier, in the stall. "I want to hear it from Mamih herself, Mom."

"Don't!" then shouted. The cigarette in the woman's hand almost fell down from the intense trembling. "It's just enough of me that you meet, Yoga. Not brother. I beg you."

"Why, Mom?" I still don't understand.

He shook his head repeatedly. "Anyway don't. I'm afraid, my brother won't be strong to linger with you."

I bit this lip. The plan of meeting the person I should ask for forgiveness for, seems to be ending in disappointment. It is also impossible that his brother lied.

"Hhmmm, whereas the day before, I promised to immediately pay off my debts to Mamih, Mom. But .... " I have no power to continue speaking. This chest suddenly felt narrowed. Stuffy.

"My brother immediately released all your debts, as soon as he heard the news about you, Yoga," said the woman with a face still paled. Probably because of the influence of the air outside at this time. So he deliberately aloof in front of the shop, while waiting for buyers and enjoying a glass of hot coffee and puff of cigarette smoke. "You want to have coffee too?" the question is so that these eyes are fixed looking at the puff of caffeine vapor on the table.

"I make it now. But after that, you leave immediately huh?"

I smiled wryly. "No, Ma. Thank ye. Enough of the debt problem that burdens Mamih. I don't want to add to it."

"Yes, already. Now go you, Yoga. Don't ever come here again. We will all pray for you."

I nodded slowly. Understand what he means. Maybe this self-arrival is no longer expected, as it used to be. Inevitably, I must be aware and understand.The present situation has been much different. Exactly seven days ago.

After saying goodbye, I slowly left the place back. Down the muddy streets and through the cold of the piercing darkness. Away from the gaze of the middle-aged woman's eyes, then she immediately rushed behind the door in a frenzy. Let the coffee glass and the puff of cigarettes lying still lit on the shop floor.

I don't want to ignore it. Because there's still one more place to go, tonight too. Group friends who used to spend the night by staying up late while drinking. Incidentally, the figures in question were gathering there.

"Hey, Yoga! Tumben you coming tonight? Where were you yesterday?" One of them greeted me as I approached. "Come, sit here. We have another party as usual tonight. Haha." The others were silent with a whitish look. No one even wants to look at me.

"Thank you, man. I thought you guys had forgotten me. Hehe," my timpalku while choosing a seat a bit away.

"Where might we forget you, Yoga. Bah, you're this." He offered a glass of a slightly yellowish-colored drink with a pungent aroma. "drink. So that your body is warm. Tumben once tonight is cold, since it has rained since last evening."

"You didn't forget my favorite, did you? Hehe." I immediately finished the glass with one gulp.

"Hey, you drink like a thirsty man. Doesn't it heat your stomach to burn later? Pshaw!" He re-filled my empty glass with matching drinks. "Drink a little and slowly, Yoga. While you're telling me, where have these seven days been. Heh?"

Before I say it, I drink the drink for the second time. "I came to want to say goodbye to you. Possibly .... "

"Pamit? Pshaw! Like you're gonna go far away, Yoga?"

Someone beside him suddenly whispered to my friend. And then the grim face changed deathly. "You .... " He pointed trembling at me. "Yoga? You .... "

I don't know, without any cue, simultaneously all those in this place scattered with screams of fear. Except I'm still sitting glued while holding an empty glass.

'Damn it! Now no one wants to be friends with me. They are too. Whereas before seven days ago, everyone was always expecting my presence .... '

I smiled wryly. Between sad and disappointed. Change happens so quickly. It looks like this glass is holding. Slowly getting harder to stick, then falling just like that.

Slowly, along with the loss of my body. Decorate in white dots, then fly following the sweep of the night wind towards the realm of nirvana.

EXPIRE

------ o0o ------------

RIRIWA

Author by: David Khanz

The clang eleven times just sounded. The sound of a loud punch on a telephone pole by patrolmen passing by the road ahead, towards midnight. I was stunned from the sound of the golek since the end of the afternoon. Graze for a while while circling the view to all corners of the room. The dark accompanied by a cool dime of the night wind swept across almost every pore passed. "It was almost early in the morning apparently. It's just so cold. Hoaammmzzz ...."

Not far from my residence, a group of young people were sitting in a circle with pandan mats reading certain lafaz, under the bright oil lamp hanging in the middle. All the focus followed the chanting of someone among them with their face down and cold teeth. Until no one noticed my presence slowly approaching.

"Look for jasmine ..." whispered one of them as he sniffed his nose.

"Not, ah," said the friend next to him, also sharpen the smell. "The smell of frangipani flowers."

Others responded while elbowing a nearby figure. "Ssttt .. don't talk macem-macem. Let's just focus on reading."

"Where to consent? It smells even more." The affected by elbow chimed with a wide trunk. Maybe it was in pain, because after that he rubbed his arm. His nose until the movement of the fireworks. "But really, really, this is like a smell .. perfume."

Suddenly the leader nodded several times. As if reminding the one who is talking to be quiet immediately, following his reading. The atmosphere returned as before. Simultaneously reciting certain sentences. This time it even shuffled each other close the sitting position.

I'm getting curious. Slowly move closer to the crowd. "Grad ...."

All eyes simultaneously turned their heads with a shock romance adorning their faces. "Eh, Mang Oding!" said one after a long time observing me.

"Who died, Dak?" tanyaku while observing the elongated red mound, covered with palm tree midribs of the same size. There has not been any writing on the carved wood on the sides of the two ends of the pile limit.

"Mom Idah, Mang!" answer them together.

"Mom Idah? The old maid who lived near Mr. Kades' house?" I started guessing.

"Yes, Mang!" They answered back with a loud voice.

'When's death? How, I just found out?' I muttered for a moment. 'My house is not far from the cemetery. Huh! It must be because I slept too much all day. The weather lately is really making lazy everywhere.'

"Mang Oding want to follow our njai?" ask one of them later. I smiled and replied, "Thank you. Anytime, deh. If you need hot water to make coffee, just come home."

"O, yes, Mang. Thank you ...."

I hurried to leave those who suddenly froze. One another looked at each other with their mouths wide open. Ah, let it go. Maybe because it was still filled with shock because of my sudden appearance earlier. Especially since here the area of the public cemetery. I thought only one, about the figure of Idah earlier. Old women who have never been married, but have a lot of wealth. It must be crowded at his house right now. It was unexpected that he would have to leave forever before there was a man who would question him. No exception, Mr. Kades himself. I heard that he had been trying to get close for a long time.

"Kang Oding!" someone called. I gasp. This entire blood flow felt directly sucked towards the head. Followed by a tightening heart rate.

"God! Who's that?" my mouth was wailing in search of the origin of the voice earlier.

"It's me, Kang ...." One figure approached from the side of the house. I nodded with big eyes and a wide gaping mouth. My murmur was accompanied by a great trembling sound, "Isn't it? Aren't you-"

"Why is this, anyway? Can you see a ghost? Come in," invite the girl who turns out to be Idah. I'm shaking. How could it be, the person who had been rumored to have died was still alive and greeting me these nights.

"Isn't he? Is this really you?" I still can't believe it. The woman frowned. "Who do you think I am? I'm Idah."

"But ... I was horrified ... You are dead?"

Idah snorted irritably followed by lips curled round. "Abroad! Who told? I'm still alive, Kang. It's just, uh, ah!"

I hesitated to step in his invitation. So Idah repeated the words like that. "Come in. It just so happens that in my house there is an event."

The event? Let's not be right, Idah has died and is currently ongoing certain activities. Once again I noticed the figure of the woman, still looking fresh fit. There was no pale or sad look. Ah, it's possible that the bunch of young people had lied to me. It could be that the Idah they mean, is not the woman who is now in front.

"What way, anyway, Idah?" I investigated and followed him into the house through a side street. "Thanks, Kang. Biasalah, this will be my routine once a month. Time I forgot, anyway?" ask Idah flirtatious. I'm puckling. This typical attitude of women has not disappeared. He used to flirt often. "Well you can make coffee, Kang?" Continue the Idah before entering the house. I nodded slowly. "Inside only, yuk. We'll talk for a minute."

"That's fine. I'm just out here. More cool," I replied as I looked inside through the wide open slit of the door. "Somehow, not good. The nights I visit your house."

"Inside there are only a few people from my family, Kang. It's okay, really. Come in, yuk," take Idah half forcefully. I still refuse. Reply with a sleigh repeatedly, "Enough here, Idah. Thank ye. I don't want anyone else to think anything."

Idah pouted, but then his smile came gushing sweetly. "alright. Wait here for a moment, yeah. I made coffee first. All the cigarettes are also for Akang. Hehe."

"Thank you, Idah."

I waited outside for a long time, until the woman came back to see me.

"Kang ..." he called her. "Coffee as well as cigarettes I have prepared in the room. Let's go in first, I'll catch up."

"Your family?" I wondered. Fearing they would know of the coming of themselves these nights like that. Idah smiled again and replied, "Take it easy, Kang. They won't know. I'm coming in, huh, huh?"

"All right," I said at last.

I slowly stepped up, entering the room that Idah had pointed to through the back road. Tracing carefully so as not to cause suspicious sounds. While the woman closed the door and let me into a special room. "Wait for me there, yeah, Kang. I'll change clothes."

"Yes, Idah. Don't dawdle. I miss you ...."

"Ih, Akang, start being naughty!" exclaim Idah while pinching the skin of my stomach.

"Aih .. sakiitt."

"Sttt!"

I'm laughing a little. Then leave Idah, enter the prepared room. A small room was dim, equipped with a neat bed and a sprinkling of colorful flowers on it. Not far in the corner there, steaming an incense stick with white smoke fragrant styrax sap surrounded by several glasses of drink and a chicken egg. Two deep black coffees, milk, and also sweet tea. Do not forget a pack of bright red cigarettes lying ready to be enjoyed. Idah never forget to provide all my favorites every time I come to visit. Usually we would go through a full night together in the room until the morning before arriving.

"I want to open a new business, Kang," Idah said once. I looked to the side. Staring at the body of the woman who was still exposed to her clothes in several parts, after we completed a special ritual. "Usaha moreover? Is what has been around all this time not enough?" many wonder.

Idah turned around and looked at me deeply. "No, Kang. I want more. Even defeated the wealth of the people of the village here. I can help you, right?"

I smile. "Why not? I've been helping you a lot, haven't I?"

"Thank you, Kang," said Idah with a glowing face.

"Apply on condition--"

"Whatever Akang pinta, I will do. All this time, I never forget, really."

"I know that."

I and Idah have known each other for a long time. The first time he came in with a bitter look. Tell a long story about his life, and ask for help to find a way out of the economic crisis he is suffering. I'm undertaking. That's how our relationship has been linked. It's just, can't meet every time. Only at certain times can I meet the old virgin. Mixing love like a husband and wife, until they have to go back apart for a planned period.

"Nrt ...." One voice surprised the daydream. A woman was standing near me. Wearing white clothing extends to cover both footrests, as well as long unraveled hair covering the chest.

I gasp. "You? Who're you?" I asked with a broken voice.

"I ... Idah, Kang," replied the figure accompanied by giggling. "I forgot it, anyway?"

"N-not! You are not Idah! You ...."

"Ih, really. I'm Idah! Hihihi!" replied Idah again chuckling creepy little, while toying the tip of the hair with his fingers that have black nails.

"No! You're not Idah!" kangar. "What happened to Idah? What are you doing, huh?!"

"Damma!"

"Answer of my question, Ugly creature!"

"Well, I'm dead, Kang. I giggled him to the point, "he replied in surprise. "I can't stand having to endure jealousy, every time Akang met the human and love each other. I've long kept my love for Akang."

"That's right! Your outrageousness!" Suddenly I feel sad. Didn't expect to part ways with Idah so soon. Even in a way that was never expected at all.

"I'm sorry, Kang. I had to do it because I couldn't stand being constantly jealous."

"No apologies to you, Sundal!"

"I love Akang ...."

"No!"

"Kang!"

"No! Nah! Nooo!" I immediately ran away leaving behind a bad figure who claimed to be Idah. No matter how heartbreaking the cry was calling out to me.

It means true. The new grave I saw was the tomb of Idah. He's dead, and now his body is embedded deep down there. While struggling to run, I immediately hunted down the burial area. There was no longer a crowd of young men that could be found. Only leaving a stretch of empty mats, used coffee cups scattered, and oil lamps still burning no master. Where are they all? Gone off? I don't know, maybe it's blurred once those human brains are clear again to explain who I really am.

With deep sadness, I returned to the residence where I had been staying. Stepping with this body is only wrapped in sheets of kumal-coated cloth decorated with bonds in some parts, holding my movements from free movement and limping jumps. Towards there, a dense, dark, silent bamboo grove.

...EXPIRE...