Ballad Inmates
Ballad Inmates (Part 37)

By Dalem Tehang

“NGGAK nothing long too, Cap.  Ceritain. Consider a fairy tale before going to bed,” said Arya, interrupting.

“Only you consider me this is your mother, who loves ninabobo stories if you want to sleep. Watch your mouth, Arya. Learn politely the same older ones,” said Edi with a high tone. His eyes glared towards Arya. Huge rage.

“Sorry, Cap. Joking,” said Arya hurriedly. He bowed his face. Saluted. 

“You are a habit, whatever you want. Good to see me now, if four years ago, I would have slapped your mouth. From now on, watch your mouth,” Edi vents her anger.

“Iya, Cap. Sorry, Kap,” said Arya, again with her face down. Repentance expression.

Suddenly, Arya hit her own mouth. With fast. Until the blood splashes. Moisten the floor where he sits.

We were all shocked by Arya's behavior. Didn't expect at all if the main actor in the motorcycle theft case did so. 

“Let's go, don't help. Cleanse your own blood,” said Edi. Prevent Ijal who took a swab to wipe the blood from Arya's lips that splashed the floor.

We all fell silent. Slowly Arya took the t-shirt from her plastic bag. The blood on his lips. Sometimes he grimaces. Resisting pain and soreness.

“Arya, you are a fool. Not with lip mecahin it's how to fix yourself,” said Edi later.

Arya nodded slowly, while continuing to look down. The blood-cleaning t-shirt was still affixed to her broken lips.

“You should be aware, Arya. Your mouth is cute because your mind is not good. Your mind is like that, because your heart is not clean. So if you want to change, clean first the heart. Your mind will be good too. Your mouth will not mop up at will again,” said Edi.

The focus of our gaze was only on Arya who still lowered her face. There seems to be a lot of regret there. The top class motorist kept his face down. Teepe. 

And only then do we realize that a regret is the first trace of crawling toward the door of goodness to find change. Not bearers of endless adversity.

“It's nothing. Ex-skewers scattering like this,” suddenly a loud voice sounded from the front of the room. 

A guard stood behind bars with a face full of emotion.

“Sorry, Dan. Ijal played throw. Forgetting that the plastic bag is not tied. Tomorrow morning we clean up,” said Edi, as he hurriedly approached the bars. 

The officer shouted. Calling tamping. Deni came in throngs. He ordered Deni to clean the traces of satay punctures scattered in front of our room.

“Dasar Ijal crazy. Throw away any skewers. I got unlucky, even though only one skewer was the one,” ketus Deni, while picking up dozens of scattered skewers.

Suddenly the guard moved his right leg. Kicking Deni who was looking down on the trash used skewers. 

Tamping thin dry body was also strayed. Bounced until it hit the barrier wall of the detention house complex. Deni complained of pain. He held her waist. Probably bruises.   

“Not much talk. Just do the work being ordered,” said the guard in a loud voice.

While enduring the pain, Deni continued his duties. One by one the skewers were punguti. Until there's nothing left.

He brought a plastic bag containing food scraps to a large trash can at the end of the hall. And throw it away with annoyance. 

The officer did not move from the front of the room. He just looks at us. One-by-one. Sometimes it sounds like he is whistling. As if waiting for something.

Edi understood the meaning. He beckoned to Iyos. A piece of Rp 50.00s money was taken into the hands of the officer. And he spontaneously moved away. Back to the guard post. As he walked, his whistling sound still sounded the same, until it was lost in the night wind.    

“Continued dong Kap story about who the supernatural creature that was stuck in Reza,” said Aris. He seems so curious.

“O yes. I wanted to tell a story. Cut because of the cute mouth of the Aryan. Now everybody shut up. Just my story. No one interrupts,” said Edi later.

He leaned his body against the wall. He whipped up a cigarette. His bitter coffee glass was close. Ijal hastily put ashtrays from scrap mineral water in front of Edi.

We sat in each other's places. No one is breaking themselves. All waiting for Edi to open the veil who was the female astral creature that had entered Reza's body.

Ed starts the story. He first entered a cell in this mapolres detention complex when he was 23 years old. Exactly 30 years ago. It was then that he began to feel life in bui. 

This prisoner complex was built since the Dutch colonial era. To incarcerate the natives who resisted the will of wong londo at that time. 

The holding room is now room 10, formerly room 5. Special place of female custody. Once upon a time, a dozen-year-old female prisoner was secured in this room.

Until that tragedy happened. Dutch soldiers were partying. Some of them went into this woman-only cell. Rape the prisoner. 

These prisoners were taken down by several people. He also fell unconscious many times, because it is no longer strong to serve the depravity of the occupiers who vent his bravery. Until the commander's turn wanted to be served his lust, the woman's prisoner was no longer conscious.

“Great anger is the commander. He took the skewers after they binge with a good meal. It blasts the skewer marks into ******** the female prisoner. Until finally, he died,” Edi explained with full of passion.

“Continue buried where the woman's body is, Kap?” asnawi.

“His words are guaranteed here. In this room. Buried by it. I just don't know exactly which side. So the spirit he often appears here,” said Edi. 

In its development, continued Edi, this prisoner complex was expanded. It has expanded its rooms since the beginning of independence, and continues to be improved in shape. Epoch-appropriate.

“Massive renovation occurred in the 2010s. That's Aris who has a job,” continued Edi.

We all listen to Edi's story seriously. Until as if to take a breath was done slowly and regularly rhythm.

“Kap know what the name of the woman is?” ask Aris.

“If not wrong, his name is Nawangsari. That's what I want. I got this story when I first got here. From an old policeman who was then in charge of guarding the prisoner. He also got this story from his grandfather, who used to be a cleaning officer here during the Dutch era,” said Edi. 

Suddenly it rained down hard. It is like being thrown out of the sky. Strong winds followed him. Until tampias enters the room. 

A mystical atmosphere also appeared. From the ceiling of the room was a groaning sound. A woman's voice. Nawangsari. Followed by the movement of objects circling there. Glampuan sound. Scratch my feathers all of us. 

“Let's read verse qursi aja. Inshaallah the curious spirit of the Nawangsari immediately went,” said Edi. Sound's flat. His calm is incredible. 

At the same time, we read the holy verse that Edi commanded. We read it many times. Uncounted. Until then the moaning and movement sounds on the ceiling of the room, slowly disappeared. Go somewhere.

“Alhamdulillah, he finally left. God will not bother us anymore. Importantly, no more skewers left in this room. Also no one is dumb, his mind is empty,” said Edi solemnly. 

Relieved for all of us. Without much more to say, each of them broke down. Trying sleep. Although it is certainly difficult to close your eyes after experiencing various events throughout the night.

While outside, the rain was still falling profusely. Accompanied by the sound of lightning acting out sparks of lightning bearers light the earth, even for a moment. 

I took out the notebook and pen that Rayhan brought. Putting the body on a prayer mat that becomes a bed. Trying to put something on the paper. However, it's not as easy as I expected. 

Inner displeasure due to the limitations of body movement, making the various desires to write two or three sentences, I could not do. Finally, I could only write the words: Bismillah. And under the name of my wife and children. Which I circled with the love sign. Love. (connecting)