The Midnight
Crow House (1)

Here is a copy of a notebook found in the Crow House on March 21, 2014 on behalf of Sarah Lenora.

Wednesday, 9 January 2014

“Sarah, we'll move tomorrow the day after.”

Papa told me last night. Lightweight only. As if for Papa the news was nothing more than a newspaper headline he always read every morning or a light topic we could talk about at family dinner. I asked why it was so sudden. Papa just looked at me silently before turning around and leaving. I pulled the back of his shirt violently, but I faintly heard a sobbing sound from inside the room whose door opened slightly beside us. Mom's Voice. It was only then that I realized that we, we, had no other choice. This house will actually be confiscated due to the case.

Protests are no longer useful. I took off Papa's shirt slowly before entering Nanda's room. The boy must be confused to see the eyes of his brother who has just graduated from High School teary, and must be more confused when he hugged me so tightly while crying. The truth could not be more clear and painful. We have to move. This morning, my mom asked me to help her cook. I think he tried as hard as he could to keep me and Nanda from feeling that something had changed considering that we were all moving out the next day. Our Mother said we should be grateful because suddenly a distant brother called and said that we have a house in Yogyakarta that we can stay until all these problems are resolved.

“What will the house be like?” ask me when helping Mommy tidy up Nanda's clothes into the suitcase.

“Gede really dear. Mama just saw her picture doang anyway, but which is clearly much bigger than our home now.” Mama answered my question with a seemingly forced enthusiasm. “You and Nanda will be hardened there.”

“From the city of Jogjanya far? I heard from Papa he said his place in Kaliurang.” Mother stopped folding clothes and gently put both hands on my shoulders.

“The place is indeed a bit far from the city, but instead of that it could be more fun? You and Nanda can be like a vacation. The view is really good. The house is not actually a house, but the villa has Om Chandra first. Cool is not it?”

I just returned Mama's gaze with a small smile. Either because I felt unbearable to see his attitude that tried hard seemed strong and firm, or because there was indeed calmness from those words. Maybe everything is not so bad. I know all this must have been hard for Papa and Mama, so the least I can do is to be positive. Speaking of which I remember Om Chandra died three years ago. Self-hanging. I became uncomfortable with the thought of living on the former property of someone who committed suicide, but I wasn't sure either.

This house is so much bigger than I imagined! The two-story house is mostly made of wood complete with beautiful geometric carvings. The pine forest surrounding the landscape of the house makes the building with colonial architecture like a cabin in the Alaska area (minus the Salak garden next to the house). Nanda immediately called it ‘Home Sherina’ when we arrived this morning. Perhaps it was because the tall and old pine trees surrounding the house reminded the boy of the villa in Sherina Adventure. Mercifully. I was worried that our sudden move would have a negative effect on a five-year-old like Nanda. But the boy looked happy. Eager though. He even continuously pointed at the second floor attic as if someone was there.

“Sarah you want to sleep where?” papa asked while pulling two heavy suitcases through the front door. The house was slightly damp and musty on the inside. Probably because it has not been occupied for a long time. The previous owners had well left out some of the main furniture such as sofas, tables, and beds. All of them are coated in waterproof plastic and white cloth as a protector. The house is also quite clean and well maintained. It was strange to remember that anyone who was told to keep the house all this time did not welcome us. “Above there is a room suitable for you like.” Mama showed up with a stack of cardboard boxes containing her collection of books and music CDs. “Later Nanda to sleep in your side room.”

We spent the rest of the day arranging things. We only realized that the house was much wider than it seemed. There was a kind of second building at the back that was connected by a long and narrow corridor with the main building. Papa said it may be an unfinished building renovated by Om Chandra because many parts of its walls have not been painted. But why do I feel unsure if the building is indeed being renovated.

It's very strange shape. There was a spiral metal staircase straight towards the ceiling made of concrete. There is also an empty room with one window that does not have a door, as well as a dark red door with a three-circle image in a triangle that when opened contains only a thick wall. I asked Papa that the door to the narrow corridor be always locked. Maybe it was just my feeling, but I kind of heard a knocking sound from the building when I woke up last night.

Tuesday, 22 January 2014

When Nayra, Linda, and Yogi told me that they were going to play in Jogja, it felt like I wanted to jump out of bed. We've been living here for over a week, and I don't want to complain, but I don't know anyone here. Not to mention the fact that this house stands haughty alone on a hill surrounded by pine and salak forests are so vast. Our nearest neighbor is about 15 minutes away by motor vehicle. I must admit I'm a little lonely even though I can't complain about the spectacular night sky I can always take a peek from my room on the second floor. My poetry collection and short story script finished within a week of being here. Well, maybe Mama's right. This house is not so bad.

The group arrived at around 11. Yogi brought his tantric car that lived in Sleman. I was forced to wait for them in the entrance of Kaliurang because Nayra said they could not find an alley into the area in the direction of our house. Yogi said they had passed through the alley many times but strangely none of them realized the alley existed until I arrived and waved my hand. Fuck up! Definitely the reason they are just because they do not want to bother looking for an address hahaha. We spent the whole day walking around the city. Kraton, Tamansari, Prambanan Temple, and at dusk Yogi took us all to Parangtritis.

I got home around 8 p.m. Mom was waiting at the front door. He said he was worried that we would not go home immediately but his anger subsided when he saw the beaming faces of the four of us. I offered my three best friends to sleep in our house first that night but Linda firmly refused. When our family took them off at the front gate Linda looked at the attic of our house with a strange look from the car window. Like terrified. I don't know because of what.