TUMBLED

TUMBLED
Nominee


After their very emotional meeting this morning, Manda finally invites Arlan to come to their house after school. Like Arlan, Manda agrees that their time is not much anymore. If they could, they wanted to solve this problem even long before Arlan's birthday.


As usual, Mr. Imam threw a dislike look at every sight of Manda. He looks careful with Manda. However, Arlan's attitude made Mr. Imam unwell. In view of any aspect, the son of his master is drunk kepayang with Manda. Arlan is the kind of boy. Mr. Imam was once bothered when Arlan Junior High first, just because Lili did not give him permission to go play to Dimas' house. So, all the Imam could do, was to look after his little young master up close.


The Imam who escorted Arlan to the house of Manda, chose to wait in front of the house. He felt uncomfortable as he set foot in the living room of Manda's house. Although not commenting, Arlan knew that Mr. Imam was uncomfortable because of the black magic he brought.


"Gue get Mr. Imam a drink first," Manda pamit while carrying a tray containing a glass of cold orange juice outside.


Arlan sat back on the living room sofa. Undeniably, the house made him comfortable and sleepy. The faint fragrance of roses from the front yard, the gurgling sound of water in the pond, and the cool air of the room, made Arlan complacent. He closed his eyes, intending to take a short break until Manda returned from the front.


***


Arlan opened his eyes. He was shocked not to play because there was a middle-aged woman sitting opposite him, while sipping tea from a white ceramic cup. Arlan looked next to him. There is Manda sitting while playing games on mobile phones.


"Sorry, I overslept" said Arlan, panicking.


Manda shook his head casually, his eyes did not move from the mobile phone screen. "Liet down. Just an hour, really," replied Manda. Not long after, he turned off his phone. "Gue until the end of twenty levers, hehehe," he continued.


"Son Arlan," call the woman in front of Arlan.


"Yes? Yes, Auntie? Sorry, Auntie! I accidentally fell asleep!" Arlan.


Gina smiled broadly at Arlan who was panicking by himself. "Just calm. You are no longer a test, really," replied Gina. "Definitely tired, huh? If it's heavy, you should confide in my son. Anybody can talk."


Arlan scratched his non-itchy head. His face turned red. He wanted to melt and evaporate from the face of the earth at this time, so shamefully. "Ta-Tante... Manda's mother, huh?" Arlan tried to change the subject.


"Yes. Auntie's name, Gina," Gina answered quickly. "Your in-laws' candidate."


"God! Mama!" manda protest, shocked.


Gina sipped the tea in her hand again. "No what. I gave you the green light, really."


"Mother! Why so off-topic speaking, anyway!?" Manda irritated. "You brought Arlan here because I told you to, right? I'm gonna help Arlan, right?"


"Yes," Gina confirmed. "You're looking for a ghost."


"MOM!!!"


Gina chuckles at hearing her misbehaving child. "Arlan himself," Gina switched. "Like my son?"


Manda hurriedly shut Arlan's mouth before she replied. "Mother! Don't continue! We have more important matters to settle!" Manda gave a warning.


"Hhh... That's how Auntie's son is. Cannot be relaxed. His mind is straight, don't turn here and there." Gina placed the nearly empty teacup onto the table. "Well, now we start talking seriously, yeah."


"L-yes, Auntie!" Arlan answered nervously.


Gina looked at Arlan closely. Arlan recalls how Manda found 'mistakes' in him, during their first meeting. "Son..."


"Yes?"


"Find a job first, marry my son, yes!"


"MOM!!!" Manda protest.


"Why are you yelling, Man?" Nanda suddenly appeared from the entrance. He carries his backpack with origin. He looks like a school thug.


"Switch, that's a new bag a month ago I bought it, it's ripped here and there?"


Nanda sat down next to Gina and showed her her backpack. "It's style, ma'am," he bought. "Cool, right? Indeed his style of content is torn so."


Gina shook her head in response to Nanda's chatter. "Let you stay here. Let's tell you what you saw in Dimas' past!"


"Well, straight to the topic, huh? Don't use pleasantries first?" nanda bargain.


"The bases have passed! You're late coming!" Manda grumbling. "Hunting story to Mom! Arlan can't stay here long. Lemmy mom!"


"Gee... If you say so, how can you get the blessing of your future in-laws later?" Gina.


Gina pointed at Manda. "Manda is with Arlan."


Nanda clapped his hands while shaking his head. "Find a job first, Lan! Marriage is not easy."


Unlike Manda, whose face was like a boiled crab, Arlan laughed softly at Gina and Nanda's conversation. "Thank you for comforting me" said Arlan. "But I'm not sure if I'm still alive in three months."


Gina smiled broadly in response to Arlan's remark, leaving Arlan perplexed. When she turned to Nanda, Nanda also smiled while showing off her teeth. Feeling clueless, Arlan turned to Manda.


"Mom can see the future" Manda murmured softly.


"EEEEEEEEEHHHHH!?"


"But I just spill there. If it's too much, the future can change too" Gina said.


"Okay, so I started the story," Nanda shut the temptation off her mother. "As far as I can see, Dimas is still in touch with Larasati every Friday night. They're talking about Arlan. Looking for a lot of gaps. Their plan had already begun three months ago."


"When I had an accident?" ask Arlan.


Nanda nodded in agreement. "That was Larasati. In fact, Dimas was around there to monitor the situation. He wishes Arlan was in a coma, but not to death. Thus, Larasati easily took the soul of Arlan, when his science was ready at the age of seventeen years.


"Your grandfather hasn't met?" ask Gina.


Arlan shook his head. "Nobody can find Grandpa."


"He's also after your invulnerability, right?"


Arlan glanced at Manda. "This is our discussion" he replied.


"Can you use your knowledge? Know how?"


Arlan shook his head in a doldrums. "The first time it appeared, it was like an explosion. Oh, yep! I didn't tell my parents about this either."


Gina scratched her pointy chin. "Let's learn to use that science first. At least, before that battle started, you already had a handle on protecting yourself. Or, you can protect others."


"You'll need that" Nanda added.


"You too, Nan," Gina corrected.


"I can fight," Nanda showed her muscles, feeling proud of her physical training all along.


"Mom believes you can win against humans. But, this time what you are fighting is a decades-old perverted creature. It won't be easy."


"Then, who am I fighting with?" ask Nanda.


Gina patted his chest. "Mom too, dong!"


"Who can you fight?" Nanda sounded very suspicious. How not? Gina had a slim tall stature, as if her body would fly if blown by the wind.


Gina stand. She smiled widely, looking beautiful in Arlan's eyes, just like Manda. Suddenly Gina flicked her hand to the right.


PRANGS!!!


The mirror that had stood firmly in the corner of the living room, shattered into pieces. Not get there. Gina's open palm, emitting a pink light that made the mirror shards not scatter everywhere, just within the scope that Gina wanted. "Ouch, ouch... If you know, you can get angry for smashing things again" Gina said while shaking her head.


The three teenagers who became spectators, gaping in disbelief. They could feel an enormous energy overflow radiating around Gina.


"Udah, yes, playfully," Gina grasped the air, making the mirror flakes spin rapidly clockwise. Three seconds later, the mirror had returned as it was, as if nothing had ever happened there.


"Your mother is cool." muttered Arlan without blinking.


"Gue also just found out," Manda and Nanda replied simultaneously, no less shocked.


***