The Dark World
The Chance Of Life's

...THE CHANCE OF LIFE...

...Author by: David Khanz...

The rain has not stopped since this morning. His speck greets every breath of life on the surface of the earth. Giving a glimmer of hope for the stem to survive to offer the deposit of substances from God for the new creature. Fulfilling every strand of the increasingly crowded respiratory cavity scrambling in a puff of black smoke from the exhaust funnels of various vehicles passing by in front of the eyes.

I ran small among the ripples of puddles that filled the uneven surface of the terminal asphalt. Some splashed wet the end of the pants that I did not pull. While the backpack that I carry is used to cover the head so as not to be drenched in the rain. Immediately to the bus stop at the end there to just shelter, while waiting for the vehicle that will take me to the destination.

“Bisnya not yet arrived, yes, Mas?” ask a man who sells food and drinks are usually held there.

“Numbered, Kang. Most shortly,” he replied while busy making a glass of hot black coffee ordered by someone who sat leaning not far from where I stood, “mau to where, Kang?”

“Sukabumi,” answered me looking for a place to just sit back tired after long standing in the train earlier.

“Pake only this chair, Kang,” said the seller thrust a plastic chair that has been damaged in some parts.

“Oh, yes. Thank ye. All right, guys, order one black coffee, yeah, Mas.”

The seller smiled and immediately prepared my order.

I sat near the terminal building's support pole. Gender while occasionally flick the rainwater grains that wet the surface of the leather jacket I wear.

Not long after the food and drinker delivered a glass of hot black coffee my order just now.

“Do you guys, Kang?”

“Thank you. I don't smoke.”

Kuseruput coffee liquid that is still steaming hot, in a glass little by little. It's nice to just offer a cold feeling that pours the pores near my entire moist body.

My eyes fell on a piece of newspaper not far from where I was sitting. Looks like an old newspaper. Because the condition is already dull and dirty with the former footing of footwear.

I slowly picked it up and started to open the newspaper. There was a big headline written there clearly, about the news of a public transport accident.

It's hideous! I thought.

Some more I traced, still about the political conditions of the country that has not been conducive. Doesn't make me horny to continue reading that feels boring.

A moment later, the eyelids began to feel heavy to stay open. Slowly I began to droop in the power of the sleeping realm which was soon ambushing in every hallway of consciousness in the head.

“Astaghfirullah!” a voice from someone who surprised me.

I flinched from my sleep and turned to the food and beverage vendor who was busy picking up broken glass that fell to the ground and made a loud noise.

“Ma’af, disrupt Akang sleep. My glass fell,” said the man was struggling to clean up the scattered glass fragments.

“Nothing, Mas,” I replied among the consciousness that was slowly beginning to return.

Along with that, the awaited bus had already arrived. I immediately rushed to reach for the backpack that was lying down and directly climbed into the body of the vehicle that stopped right in front of me. Some seats are filled. I was in an empty place and it was in the back corner of the vehicle.

The bus stopped shortly, as the load was almost full. Then slowly began to move leaving the terminal which was still raining.

Nature begins to look dark, indicating that time has begun to spread in the evening. Followed by the lights of the streets, illuminating every lane we went through.

Yeah, God!

I just remembered that the coffee I ordered had not been paid for. To come back down is impossible. The terminal was far behind.

Sorry, why is this seteledor? Hopefully next time we can meet again with the man who sells food and drinks.

“Where are you going, Young Man?” ask someone sitting next to me all of a sudden.

I glanced at him. A pale-faced old man. Her eyes were empty looking at me. “Sukabumi, Sir,” I replied briefly.

Suddenly shuddered with eyes and a flat voice.

“You shouldn't have climbed with us, just now. Not yet and still a long journey of your life, son,” continued the old man while patting my shoulder.

It was cold his hand. Or maybe it's because of the rainy weather?

“What's wrong, Sir?” manya curious.

The old man did not answer. He just smiled. More likely to grin. That's what I saw from his flat, empty face.

He no longer looks at me. His eyes are fixed forward. I don't know what is being noticed.

A few moments later, a conductor approached us. I immediately prepared some money sheets. But when it was right in front of me, the conductor just smiled coldly and went straight back to the front without asking for the fare money. I called repeatedly, he still didn't heed.

From a distance I saw the conductor whispering with the driver. A moment later they both looked.

I really don't understand what they're talking about. While the bill of money is still clutched in the hand.

“Already, save your money back, son,” said the old man sitting at the side without turning his head in my direction.

“Why? I haven't paid my fare, Sir,” I replied in wonder.

I finally got up from my seat and walked towards where the conductor was.

“Mas, this is my fare. It was called, kok, not nyahut, anyway?” I said to the conductor standing on the side of the front door of the vehicle.

The conductor looked at me for a moment, then turned to look at the driver.

“Not done. Just take it,” replied the conductor slowly.

“Lho, why?” askaku.

“Count-count as gifts and mementos from us. Go back to your original seat. Sleep and rest. Our journey is still long.”

I don't think about all this. With the feeling still filled with doubt, I finally put my fare money near the steering dashboard of the driver. Then I walked back to the seat in the back.

At that time, I was able to pay attention to the bus passengers sitting in their seats. Everyone was silent and looking at me coldly. Among the dim lights that were burning, I saw them like they wanted to say something. But not a word came out of their stiff and paled lips.

Finally with a sense of wonder that continued to hit the headroom, I sat back down at the original place. Strange thoughts began to overwhelm my consciousness. Until then slowly this drowsiness began to rub against the eyelids.

Honestly, I really want to keep my eyes open. So that the questions that are still stored in the heart are answered immediately. Who knows if I will soon find the answer.

However ....

I could no longer endure this unusually heavy sleepiness. A moment later, the realm of darkness had already enveloped the space of consciousness. Plunged into a dream that immediately greeted.

BRACKET! PRANGS!

I gasped in shock when I heard the loud noise that had blown my sleep just now.

“Ma’af, annoying, Kang. My glass fell,” said a man in a hurry picking up broken glass scattered.

I noticed the figure of that man, “Mas."

“Iya I, Kang. Ma’afkan me yes,” said the man like feeling guilty for waking me.

“Mas who sold coffee earlier, right?” I asked back while continuing to pay attention to the man in front of me.

“Iya, Kang. What's up?” the man slightly retreated avoiding a fight of sight with me.

“Why am I here, yes?” I look around. The atmosphere of the terminal and also the men of the food and drink seller.

“From yesterday also this Akang has not gone anywhere, really. That coffee is still not finished, Kang,” replied the man shuddered at the look in my eyes that seemed to never blink skinning every inch of his body.

“This mask said what just now?” I vaguely heard the man muttering alone.

“Oh, No. This guy fell asleep and dream maybe!”

“Masa, anyway? But .... ”

I think I really got out of there on that bus. But why is it now in that terminal back? Was that really a dream? Is that really what it feels like?

Yeah, hopefully it's just a dream. Because actually, what is now is the bus that has been waiting for since has come. I'll be home soon. Rest and dream more beautifully in the bedroom that I've been leaving for months.

Thankfully, the bus did not stop looking for additional passengers. It means I will get home faster without much hitch. Except, because the rain that has not been there are signs will soon subside in the near future.

After searching for a seat, I finally got an empty bench next to an old man who was asleep.

“Excuse me, Sir. May I sit next to you?” I asked the figure of the old man who suddenly woke up as soon as I started approaching his seat.

For a moment the old man did not budge and just looked at me deeply.

“Where to, Nak?” ask the man in a flat voice.

“Sukabumi.”

He shifted his body to give me my seat.

The old man .... ? I think I know him. Or have you met before? Where is it, huh?

Hhmm, that question I never wanted to say at all. Reluctant to see the look on the face of the old man who seemed unfriendly.

As usual, I immediately prepared the fare so that when the conductor came to charge, it could be given directly. Without the hassle of looking around in a backpack that is stored on the back of the vehicle seat.

The bus started to leave the terminal. Drove fast between the heavy rain. The trees that grew shady along the side of the road seemed to run ahead of each other. While the dark enveloped almost every trip to the hometown.

Suddenly I remembered something.

Yes, I remember the figure of the food and drink seller at the terminal. Coffee I haven't paid for. And ....

Ahhhh .. I also remember now. The old man sitting next to me was like the man I had in my dream. It's similar if I don't want to say exactly the same.

Why is today happening as I have experienced before? Then remembered the news in the dirty newspaper that I had read earlier, about the public vehicle accident that resulted in many fatalities. When it happened exactly at the time I was studying.

I feel like the speed of the vehicle is starting to get something wrong. The vehicle body shook violently. Then followed by a loud explosion from the bottom of the vehicle. Then suddenly the screams of the tire that collided with the slippery asphalt due to the rain echoed deafening.

Haven't had time to think, the next incident, I was like slammed hard into the seat in front. The world whirled around stirring up a whole vehicle accompanied by a terrible scream inside the bus.

I don't remember how it ended, because suddenly my consciousness slowly disappeared. The vision also turned black. The shriek slipped away until I finally remembered nothing more.

The one thing that remains in memory is when my face was suddenly wet with a thick, fishy-smelling liquid. It probably came from the body of another passenger who was on top of me.

Until then ....

“Kang ... Agb .... ”

That voice I first heard among the lost consciousness arose with eyes still closed.

“Kang, excuse me, Kang. I want to go home first.”

Slowly I opened my eyes. I could see the shadow of a man in front of me.

Slowly his figure was clearly filled my eyeball which was still reddened.

“I am where?” ask me quietly with a choked voice.

“Akang is in the terminal. I want to go home first, Kang. Ma’af, the chair wants me to take home.”

I noticed that figure. Men selling food and drink.

“Ya Lord .. !!!” I'm aghast kanget.

“Why, Kang?”

“You again, Mas?”

“Iya, i! What's up?”

I looked around like a dazed person. Bus terminal conditions that have started to deserted. No vehicles stopped waiting for passengers. No one goes back and forth with a bag or package. There are only a few dim light bulbs that illuminate some places. And ... also the merchant's man.

“Why am I here again?” ask the man.

“From earlier also Akang, mah, is here. Fall asleep. I had left Akang alone here to pray Isya first. I don't have the heart, because Akang looks exhausted.”

“I overslept? Continue ... dream?”

“Ya, just maybe, Kang.”

“Where is that bus? The bus that crashed?”

which “Bis, Kang?”

“Bis that I have climbed twice.”

The man scratched his non-itchy head. He was really confused by my story.

“Koran ... where is the newspaper? Well, that's it!” I picked up a dull piece of newspaper that had been read earlier.

“Ooohh .. the accident! What I heard, the hell, happened yesterday afternoon, Kang. Bus major Sukabumi, if not wrong! Entering the ravine and all died unless there is one passenger who survived,” the man explained.

“Burn afternoon?” I started to re-read the writing on the paper.

There is indeed one name listed there, which is rumored to have survived the terrible accident.

“The victim is still being treated at the Cibadak area Hospital. If not named incorrectly ... Heri Juhaeri's. Still in a coma to date. That's also what makes me tick, anyway.”

I pensively sat and sat. Suddenly this body was like an helpless limp. Almost fell down if not immediately detained the man who sells food and drinks.

“Kang! Why do you?” ask the man in shock.

He immediately grabbed me by the edge near the building's support pole.

“Drink water first, huh? Or if you want, you can stay at my house. Not far from here, kok.”

“Thank you,” I replied slowly.

I drank the bottled water that the man gave me.

“By the way, where is this Akang going? From earlier asleep here.”

“I want to go home to Sukabumi.”

“Oh, yes ... know my name Suharyanto. I used to stay here until Isha's time. Whose name is Akang?”

I slowly turned to the man and replied, “My name ... Heri Juhaeri.”

The man was stunned and looked at me intently.

...DONE IT...