The Staircase
Tap Screen

Days of shaming, the bump on my forehead finally began to deflate. My uncle used to make fun of me the most, turning my calling into, Jol.

"You're not coming tonight, Jol?" Asked uncle half-screamed while poking at the water in his artificial pond whose water remained unchanged, murky. The sound of birds crumpling unpretentious from inside the bush behind the uncle's house, the sign of the day is already at night.

"Come dong. Loss if you don't come." My dad is full of spirit. I stood near my father, silent. Dad assembled a torch in front of the house that half resembled a terrace. Mom tumben quick shower. Uncle rushed into his house wearing a towel almost sagging.

"You know what not? Long ago. Events like that must be crowded. Sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Far-fetched. We were excited to go even on foot. Crowded. It's just that it's very rarely held." Dad put kerosene in his torch. "Tonight, the first time we've stayed here." Father continued.

This morning, the school yard was crowded with residents seeing some people dressed in all gray put up and prepare for the event later that night. There were busy putting up a billboard with black clothes with eyes staring hard, behind the man there was a bear ready to pounce. The writing on our bear spelled letter by letter, black bear style, I read it. Those who heard me read it raised their thumbs up, great.

There are those who stick long nails on the ground then tie and pull the white cloth with a rope until it stretches wide. A very large white cloth. Almost half of the school buildings were covered in white cloth. Overlooking a large yard. It's about four hundred people. They call it a tancap screen.

In front of the tancap screen is nearly fifteen meters mounted wooden support for the projector. Not far from the projector was a power generator.

We didn't focus on learning, even Ms. Neli, the only mother-teacher in our school - explained at length without being huddled. Except for us who sat in front, occasionally glancing at the tancap screen when Ms. Neli wrote on the board, suddenly looking forward when Ms. Neli faced us.

"You got it?" Ask Neli's mom with a hoarse voice.

"Understanding teacher." Compact. Shouting loudly, but not necessarily understand. It was the loudest scream that looked up to the window to see the screen; Budi and Randi.

"alright. Well then, let's move forward to complete this task." Ms. Neli pointed at the blackboard with her right hand.

It is like an electric shock. Surprised superb. His glance seemed to be pointing at Randi beside him. But Miss Neli has already chosen Budi. By having to move from his seat to the blackboard. Budi pecked in front of the board. His legs were trembling, his right hand was holding the chalk without movement. Budi think hard to sculpt very long, making Neli's mom saturated.

"Recover, hurry." Urge Bu Neli on Budi who had not wiggled earlier.

Budi turned his head towards Neli maam who was standing not far beside him. Livid smile. "I can't, ma'am." Answer slowly.

"I know you won't be able to. I see all of you busy looking at the screen out there. Don't think I don't know." Neli's mom's gaze was sharp. "Go back to your seat! Today's lesson we end." Ms. Neli sulks. He packed up the books scattered on his desk. Then out of class with an upset face.

Go back to his seat. "How come you're Neli's mom sulking." Randi.

"Yes tuh. So don't look outside." Aga half shouted from his seat.

"You are the same. It's good to just accuse me." Budi refuted.

Simultaneously say, huu... Scolding Budi. It was indeed a screen tinkering out there as if a famous guest was stirring our curiosity to look and approach him. We came out of the same class door but in the chaotic direction when the resting bell had not been hit.

Not long after, Mr. Mad came out of the teacher's room, ruffled around the waist to see us scattering from the school yard into the classroom.

"What the fuck. You think Miss Neli didn't complain?" Mr. Mad's face is serious. Look at us who are instantly disciplined. "None of you can't go home before this class is clean." Mr. Mad left the class with a furious face. No one dared to argue this time.

We compactly clean the class. Compiling chairs. Removing the board. Sweeping the floor and cobwebs on the ceiling. The most trash is sitting in Budi's drawer. Wrapped former blue shorts, ice-plated plastic, and paper.

"See if anyone dares to go home first." Aga threatened. "Have you done." His impression on Randi who just sat down. Randi helped clean the class.

About an hour later, Mr. Mad returned to first grade, making sure. His eyes were wide watching every corner. Like the jury in a fierce match, Mad was greeted tense by first-graders when they wanted to give an assessment.

"good. Next time make the same mistake." Said Mr. Mad on the doorstep of first class.

The other class students had already returned to their respective homes, except first class. We were allowed to go home when the class was clean. "Please go home." Mad sir is back in the teacher's room. We welcome him cheerfully. Some went straight home, some took the time to see the tancap screen. I went straight home. Luckily on the way not chased by geese. I walked with relief after going beyond the front of the Tibetan man's house.

In the evening, we headed to school. Uncle's perfume made my mom nag along the way.

"Know we can't afford perfume instead way ahead." Mom sneezes. Uncle chuckled softly. I'm holding a torch in the back.

The silhouette light of the crescent moon also illuminated our swift footsteps. One uncle's footstep was comparable to my two footsteps and my mother's. But the footsteps of the father were no less swift than the footsteps of the uncle, it was just that the father slowed his footsteps, illuminating the dark street with torch fire.

Setiba in the school yard fire torch instantly extinguished my father. Black smoke billowing. My father's face was clearly illuminated by bright electric lights. We laughed out loud, making my father astonished.

"Wash that face fast." Mom's urging.

My dad realized his face was black as a chimney when he gave him a mirror. Spontaneous dad headed to the school toilet.

First class doors open wide, bright. "Aki." Call someone in the crowd. I searched for the direction of the voice while being tightly held by my mother. I didn't find it.

Very crowded. The school yard is crowded. My mother and I sat cross-legged on the dry grass. Dad came to us when the screen show was just starting.

"Ki. Aki." Someone called my name. Not very clear. The sound was mixed with the cries of a crying child, the chases, the vows, and the loudspeakers next to the projector on the screen.

I looked back because someone pulled my shirt. "Oh, you, Ga." Aga's eyes sparkled happily, approaching me.

Aga moved seats, shifting the audience beside me. "Who are you here with, Ga?" I was surprised to see Aga free to and fro.

"My mother, father and uncle, Ga." Pointing to the left with my mouth. Mom and Dad were seriously watching the screen. Uncle separated from us.

"Come kick. Look out. Huh! You." Gleaming on the seat, my mom said again.

"Eh, calm down. Look behind you." Dad pointed at the audience behind my mother who had dodged when she was about to hit the wind.

Aga and I laughed. "Where are the others, Ga?"

Aga nodded, not knowing. Too crowded. I can't even know my classmates. Behind me were many standing in a row. I looked like my uncle standing next to a woman. But his face was not visible. They stand behind the projector's tap screen.

I whispered to my mother. The suppleness of the mother made the father move from his seat.

"Where is Dad going?" I asked half to go.

"You wait here. I'll go back a minute." Dad walked while bowing in front of the audience.

Mother was still gleaming at her seat when the hero in the film fended off her opponent's sword. Mom screamed, furious. His hero fell into the abyss. The other audience also shouted. Who does not talk instantly become talkative. Mom is getting excited. The hero was aided by the white-bearded old man's head. I remembered an old opelet dream a few years ago. The old grandfather healed the hero, and taught him the black bear silat. The hero's getting better and better, the more enemies he defeats. Tumbled, slammed far away, and battered by his extraordinary silat. If I could do it, I would have fended off Randi five days ago. I murmured in my heart while hallucinating.

I brought back a black plastic bag. Sit in the back place. "This is satay kikil. For both of you." Dad handed me the black plastic bag after picking up two pebble skewers - giving my mom one.

"Thank you, o'm." Said Aga while taking one skewer of kikil satay..

Aga and I watched the screen pop while chewing. Mother was aghast when the hero was knocked down by her opponent. Mother berated the villain as if he managed to encourage the hero who then rose up to successfully conquer his enemy. My mother smiled happily.

Not long after that the hero was sculpted. Silent. Only the sound of a crying child we heard.

"Good night, brothers and sisters. Sorry distracting. The movie stopped for a moment. I as the Head of Trans Prompong Village would like to thank all the brothers and sisters for their support. Hope you enjoy our show tonight." A man stood beside the screen. His voice echoed.

Then the film continued again. Four skewers of kikil have been spent. Aga new two skewers kikil. We enjoyed the show tonight. After the speech, the Village Chief had entered first grade. In that class there were a lot of tancap screen attendants that we saw this morning.

"Our class is wearing them, Ki." Aga. It is only fitting that Mr. Mad punish us. I glanced from far away. On the sidelines of the tambap screen it looks Mad sir is entertaining about a dozen people in first class.

"Yes, here. Seru. Take a look. That young man will surely defeat his opponent." My mother pointed towards the screen. Optimists explain the scenario as if they know what will happen.

"Yes you're right." Said mom beside him. My mother's guess didn't miss.

The movie will be over soon. All viewers do not want their favorite movie to end. Their eyes got serious. Until finally the princess who sought the hero was found. They are married and happy together. Finishes.

Behind me, it was true that uncle was approaching us in front. But uncle himself. Smiling happily. Looks like the movie just inspired uncle.

We're moving. Some shouted dissatisfied. "Turn it again." Be thrashed. But it's midnight. The tancap screen attendants have packed their projectors and screens.

I looked back. The flashlight clearly illuminated Budi's face which was shaking hands with Neli's mother. It turned out that they were sitting in the back, quite far away from me and Aga.

"Be careful, Ga." I waved my hand towards Aga.

Dad lit the torch. Uncle walked ahead with his flashlight. Dimmed. The scent of uncle's perfume no longer smelled. Mom didn't sneeze. We walked slowly, withstanding the drowsiness.

Dad stuck the torch on my mom and carried me. I heard my father's breath while counting the stars though I never managed to count them. Dad's breath sounded heavy, exhausted. But you didn't let me walk.

Uncle's flashlight battery runs out. I stepped on the water twice. Uncle surrendered. Walk behind us. But this time I was not calm. Many times uncle poked my ass until I laughed but got angry. Amusedly. Uncle still fucks me. He was silent as if he saw something strange in his eyes. I saw it too. There was a shooting star not far from in front of us. The star has a red tail. The star landed on the grass. But strangely the grass was not burnt.

My mother jumped up and down half-run. "There are fire ants." Mom looked down, scratched her leg.

Dad jumped so great that I felt like I was on a horse. Uncle is too. A few footsteps ahead were some who threw us with stones. We don't know what stone. Which obviously made my parents and uncle mute. They don't huff.

In the forest the sounds of owls and skin-to-skin reindeer, following us behind. The uncle who had been walking behind us immediately drove up near my father. A very fragrant aroma flashed in my kempisku nose. Not uncle's perfume. I don't know where the smell is from. My mother tried to keep the torch fire from being extinguished with the simple leaves she got on the side of the road.

Dad's breathing is getting heavy. Her body was wet, sweating. They're like being chased by a goose. Walked half-run. The mother in front was still trying to keep the fire from extinguishing. Fortunately the wind was friendly tonight. Until he got home, the torch was still on.

"I don't want to go home alone." Said the uncle who I saw was brave but was scared too. Uncle wiped his sweat with his shirt.

"Regardless. It's midnight." Said mom.

Dad dropped me off his carrier. Opening the door of the house, on the sidelines of the board was seen a fire lamp waving in the middle room.

"I'm staying here tonight, okay?" Ask uncle.

From the room the mother took out a mat of leaves to look up to her. Slap that mat in the middle room. Pillows, blankets and mosquito nets are also provided for uncle.

"Who was that girl, Cil?" Dad interrogated uncle. Ungubris. Uncle smiled broadly. Makes me understand what his smile means.