TUMBLED
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PLAQUE!!!

A slap landed on Arlan's cheek. The numbness spread to his head and neck. Arlan could feel the blood from her bitten lips.

"YAAAAAAARRRGHH!!!" Fahmi screamed, filling the middle room of their house. The angry face of Fahmi is as scary as the face of the genie who was fighting this afternoon Arlan.

"Pa, relax..." Lili tried to cool off, but she kept her distance from her husband. Lili knows how her husband's character if it's angry. Arlan is Fahmi's favorite son. Arlan will indeed get a punch or two from Fahmi. Not so with Lili. Lili will be sansak until the feeling of Fahmi slightly improved.

"YOU SEE YOUR SON!" exciting Fahmi. His eyes flashed, wanting to lung at Lili who was standing trembling in front of him. "HOW DO YOU EDUCATE YOUR CHILD, UNTIL HE BECOMES THE FEEDING WEAPON SIR!?"

"But, Pa... It's beyond Mama's power" Lili's looking for justification. "Mama's got a problem here too."

"WOW!!!" Fahmi lunged at the display of urns that were near his feet. The jar broke, causing echoes all over the corner of the house. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, ARLAN!? YOU WANT TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF LARASATI!? OR DO YOU WANT TO BE DEVOURED BY YOUR GRANDFATHER!?"

Arlan rubbed the blood dripping from the corner of his lips. It's not the first time Fahmi's been rude to Arlan. "I want you to get back on the right track" replied Arlan.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Fahmi laughed out loud. His laughter made Lili tremble even more. Lili chose to sit on the sofa instead of collapsing in fear. "Did you see how your cousins died one by one? When your grandfather promised to protect you if I gave him a good life, he would devour you alive before Larasati did! What right path do you want?"

"At least, not the path of subverting humans" Arlan said. Arlan didn't want to teach his parents. After all, his parents had lived longer than him. He also believes that this is his parents' choice after finding countless ways to get out of Larasati's grudge. But he doesn't like this road. His parents became heretics and worshiped the jinn. He does not want if his parents are very dear to him, will go to hell just to protect Arlan.

"I guessed it. That girl is confusing you!"

Arlan raised his head. He retorted Fahmi's gaze boldly. "Don't involve Manda!" furious Arlan. "He's the right guy!"

"You just met him now. While both of us are your parents who have protected you since childhood. What's the point of following his advice to fight Larasati, if our way is easier? bela Fahmi's.

" Easier!?" great-grandson Arlan, pissed off half to death. "Yes! Your way does feel easier because your hands are still 'clean'! I'll bet the discovery of the bodies won't have much impact on your lives! There will be someone else to blame for all of that!"

"KAU-" Fahmi had already raised his fist, before a phone ring forced his fist to float through the air. Fahmi turned around, approaching the phone on a small table near his bedroom. "Hello?" greet Fahmi. The person from across may be able to hear that Fahmi is in a state of wrath at the moment.

"Son... It won't finish as easily as your shadow," Lili started a conversation with Arlan.

"Already, Ma... Whatever Mama says, we are now on a different path" replied Arlan. He rubbed his face. Tiredness hit his body. "I will fight Larasati or Grandpa as much as I can. There are friends who are willing to help me. So, please, you guys stop whatever you're doing!"

"Son..." Lili caught Arlan's hand just as Arlan was about to turn away. "Papa just wants you safe..."

"Lilly! We're leaving!" Fahmi suddenly exclaimed. He hung up the phone rudely. Without saying anything else, he headed straight for the exit.

"What's up, Pa?" Lili hurriedly chased Fahmi.

Arlan, who was left alone in the living room, collapsed onto the sofa. The tension for a second then just disappeared. "God... It's hard to get some rest..." Arlan was surprised to say that. He remembered the night. At night, which means he should sleep.

Sleeping to meet Larasati in her dream.

Arlan contacted Manda via video call. Although it was late and it would bother Manda, she could not help but do that.

It was Nanda who got the call.

"Where's manda?" Arlan did not mince words.

"Hose," Nanda pointed the camera at Manda who was asleep on the sofa. "He went to bed as soon as he got home." Suddenly Nanda brought her face closer to the camera. "Why lo? Been stabbed?"

"Hahaha, yes. It's gonna get stuck so it's home, right? That land has my parents."

"Lo's safe?"

Arlan nodded once. The fear of sleeping still felt. Larasati's face immediately flashed across her head as soon as she wanted to lay down on her bed.

"Mmm, if I can't sleep, will I just turn on the video call? Well, you can watch Manda sleep," seduced Nanda.

"If Manda finds out, I can be mistaken for a pervert! I'm not officially his girlfriend yet" Arlan declined.

"Widiiiihhh, now blatantly what am I, huh? Play video games, gih!"

"It's like that" Arlan started walking to his room. Not yet arrived at the first rung, the ringing of the house phone stopped its steps. "Nan, I have a phone. Just now, yeah!" pamit Arlan's.

"OKAY. I'll see you at practice tomorrow" replied Nanda.

Arlan rushed back to the living room and picked up the phone. "Huh-"

"FAHMI! YOU SAID JIN WAS A SAKTI! YOU SAID MY SON WOULDN'T DIE! WHY ISN'T SHE LIVING IN MY HANDS NOW!? WHY DID DIPTA DIE IN SUCH A STATE!?"

The shout echoed in Arlan's ears, continuing to imprint as if his head was an endless passageway. "Created died?" ask Arlan.

"YES! SON DIED! I NEVER EVEN MISSED TO SUBVERT THAT VIRGIN GIRL TO YOUR JINN! HOW WILL YOU BE RESPONSIBLE!?" the person across still didn't know that the one picking up the phone was Arlan.

Arlan could not say anything. The fact that Oki and Rahayu also use human tumblings to protect their child, slaps Arlan. Arlan still remembered how Dipta's stature was when they met.

"Your son will die! Arlan will die like the Creator!" oki's growled at the end of his phone. Then, only the tone of the phone connection was cut off that Arlan heard.

Arlan put down the phone without power. For some reason, he felt very disappointed because the genie that Oki had, failed to protect Dipta. "I'd guess... Allying with a perverted creature like a genie, will not help at all," he murmured.

There's no other choice. Arlan had to go back to his room that night. Armed with coffee and his determination not to sleep, Arlan tries to protect himself that night. Her parents are not home. Either because of the problem of the land where the discovery of the bodies of the victims, or the news that Dipta died has reached their ears.

Before drowning himself in his video game, Arlan sends a message to Manda, informing her that he is not sleeping tonight and asking Manda to come early tomorrow morning to accompany him to sleep.

"Sorry, Dipta.." whispered Arlan as she placed her phone on the table.

***