The Skewers House
Mbah Kadir

The morning sunlight broke in between the gap of the window glass that was not covered in curtains. Prambudi woke up in his bed, shaking the blanket reluctantly. The clock on the wall, it's 6 in the morning. He stretched his body for a while, then moved to take HP on the table.

- Mas, when to pick me up?-

A message came in from Citra.

Prambudi put his HP back, he deliberately did not reply to his wife's message. Not because they do not want to pick him up, but there are things that must be done and resolved by Prambudi.

Prambudi exited the room, headed to the kitchen. Fragrant and scented smell stinging. Prambudi did not care, he was used to the smell. Prambudi took a small cup, poured hot water from a thermos and took two spoons of unsweetened ground coffee. He stirred it for a while and immediately sipped while occasionally blowing it slowly.

The bitter taste sensation of unsweetened coffee made his still sleepy eyes finally open perfectly. I don't know since when Prambudi became so fond of bitter coffee drinks. Probably, ever since he and his family moved into this rented house.

After his drowsiness was completely gone, then Prambudi opened the back door. He picked up a towel hanging on the clothesline. Then he rushed into the bathroom. Prambudi poured water on his body. It feels so cold and refreshing. However, after the cold disappeared, there was a sensation of pain in the back and arms of Prambudi.

Several wounds were seen on some parts of Prambudi's body. Bruises and some blisters that are enough to make Prambudi grimace to withstand pain when water hit the open wound. Prambudi hissing softly. He looked at the mirror on the wall. Look at his own face.

"Sabar. .stay a little more Pram," said Prambudi lirih.

There was a sense of tightness in his chest that was hard to reveal. Prambudi looked at both of his palms, picked up the soap and washed it. Hands that already look clean, but Prambudi constantly repeated washing his hands, rinsing them again and again.

"Bau blood," Prambudi sniffed the end of his fingers. Without realizing it, several tears fell on her cheeks.

Prambudi cried sobbing. I don't know what arrived made him so fragile. A man's smile can be full of lies, but a man's cry is the most honest expression of feelings. Prambudi stared at the shadow of his face in the bathtub water. Initially, he patted his own cheek gently, but over time it turned into several slaps that made his facial skin redden.

"Rawe rawe rantas, poor putung (everything that hinders intent and purpose must be removed)," Prambudi sounded like a growl as he said his sentence.

Prambudi immediately finished his bath. After taking a shower, Prambudi changed his clothes. Today she is wearing a short-sleeved batik uniform from the company she works for. The red black batik pattern, gives the impression of increasingly highlighting the dark side and as if full of anger for Prambudi himself.

Only half seven in the morning, Prambudi was ready to leave for the office. Because there was no food at home, he chose to leave early and later had breakfast at the stall. Prambudi walked out of the house, then stood leaning against the wall of the fence waiting for the bettor to come pick up.

However, another awaited one came. What awaited the bettor but who was seen walking closer was precisely an old grandfather of the owner of the house. Mbah Kadir is seen walking wearing a shabby black t-shirt and color pants. Udheng or headband does not forget to perch covering his gray hair.

"Bah Kadir? Tumben," Prambudi was a little surprised by the old grandfather's presence.

Mbah Kadir did not immediately reply. He remained silent in front of Prambudi. Mbah Kadir's skin looks pale white, maybe so long not out of the house.

"My body feels stiff. I just want to walk, accidentally come here anyway," replied Mbah Kadir after a while. The old grandfather looked exhausted, his breathing stinged. His body was getting weaker by the day.

"You're doing well? How's home? Comfortable?" Mbah Kadir asked Prambudi.

"Yes Mbah" answered Prambudi short.

"Kids? Wife? Where?" Mbah Kadir asked further.

"Again at his grandparents' house Mbah. Again kangen said," replied Prambudi of original origin.

"You, . . . What have you done?," Mbah Kadir looked up, his eyes glaring at Prambudi.

"What is Mbah?," Prambudi did not understand the meaning of the elderly one.

"Why is your hand?" Mbah Kadir pointed at the wound on Prambudi's arm. Prambudi was silent for a moment, his expression seemed to change.

"Oh, this is bumping up at work," Prambudi smiled, but it was obvious that the smile was full of lies.

"You lied!" Mbah Kadir snapped.

"You, . .You are the same as that woman!," Mbah Kadir mumbled indistinctly, his breath hunting. Prambudi seemed to remain calm. Prambudi's smile was getting wider.

"Why? Why should it be like that?" Mbah Kadir took a few steps back. Prambudi instead advanced towards the trembling old man.

Just as Prambudi was about to open his mouth, there was the sound of a horn from a motorcycle rickshawman. A special horn that sounds hoarse indicates a nearly-throated accu.

"You shut up, Mbah, don't interfere. Sleep at home and let others be happy in their own way" Prambudi whispered in Mbah Kadir's ear.

Prambudi stepped slowly leaving Mbah Kadir. A cynical smile blossomed from his lips. Prambudi immediately sat in the passenger seat of a motorcycle rickshaw.

"Road Sir," Prambudi told the bettor.

Hearing the orders from his regulars, the bettor immediately pulled the gas inside. Although there was curiosity in his heart, looking at the trembling old geezer in front of him.

"Manungso mung ngundhuh wohing pakarti (human life good and bad is the result of human actions themselves). Ra ono kamulyan saka nglarani wong liyan (no glory gained from hurting others)," Mbah Kadir said trembling. His voice sounded trembling and depressed.

Mbah Kadir leaned his body on the wall of the house fence. He was shocked to see and hear Prambudi's words. He had begun to often forget the name of people, but he remembered his first meeting with Prambudi. The handsome man who arrived just wanted to contract in a house that residents called as haunted house, skewer house.

Mbah Kadir recalled, the man looked so polite, and smooth in his way of speaking. But now, the man had turned into a stranger. His smile, his tone of speech, had already changed greatly.

"Uhuukk uhukk uhukk, uhukk" Mbah Kadir coughed.

"I have to get a spare key at home. I can't let the events of the past few years repeat themselves" Mbah Kadir staggered. His footrest is weak.

Mbah Kadir stepped slowly, he walked back to his house.

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