The Blink is Dusk.
Tread in the Mud
A simple, board-walled and cement-floored bed. There are four door beds, all of which are rented to a simple family. At the back of the building beds in the form of shallow swamps, besides muddy also overgrown with bushes. Far across looked new housing. In the front row of housing complexes. The owner of the bunker is also in that row. From the front of the contract through the side of the house of the owner of a fairly luxurious contract. While in front of the contract was a lot of piles of scrap and junk. Three simple rental tenant families were working as scavengers, another family of building porters.
...*****...
A thirty-year-old woman lay weak. Loaded plastic mats, rags and shabby clothes. Pale face, thin body and yellowish skin. To his left sat two children. The eldest male, his younger sister female. Twelve-year-old boy, ten-year-old girl. Sitting to his right are two boys, one eight years old, the other six.
"Aram, take care of your brothers. Sorry Umak, can't take care of you. Love the four of you. Umak's hug, Umak's body is cold." Said Aram's mother weakly, tears flowing from her eyelids. Her fat hands she moves with all her might to touch her children. Then pull them and immerse their faces in their bodies. Aram and his three sisters were sad and scared. Her tears were unstoppable as her mother said so.
"Makkk." Aram and his three sisters cried bitterly, their tears flowing and fell on his mother's lap.
"Your boys haven't come home yet." Ask their mother weak.
"Not yet, Mommy." Answer Aram.
"Areha, wash your sisters' clothes, yeah." Said the mother again. Areha just nodded along with a cry.
"Luran, Figan don't be naughty, yeah. Um, I love you guys so much." Said his mother, and both of them just nodded slowly.
"Aram, please take care of your sisters. Please, promise. Quickly mature. Love each other and strengthen each other. The most precious brother in the world. Share in distress and share in pleasure. You will be great children, proud mothers. Stay good and stay honest under any circumstances." Said Aram's mother repeating her request earlier, and gave her advice. It was like the last sacred message. From his mother's eyes it was as if he was begging Aram his eldest son. Twelve-year-old Aram could understand. It was his mother's eyes that he would never forget. So that he is very tough in the journey of life to take care of his younger siblings.
"If your tub comes home, say don't get too tired of work." Mother said again.
Then the mother's hand hugged her children tightly. He took a very heavy and heavy breath. Moments later her arms slowly loosened, and both of her hands slowly shifted to the floor.
Many times they called out and shook their mother's body. Their cries and calls filled their entire rented room. But there was no movement of the mother. He was wide-eyed and still silent, his eyes were tightly closed. Aram and his three sisters were terrified. They cannot accept that reality. They were devastated and very much did not expect their mother to leave so quickly.
"Mkkkkk." Their screams were loud.
"Bakkk." They cried out to the father, then screamed to their mother, alternating.
...*****...
A man in his forties walked slowly pushing a cart containing a lot of used goods. His clothes were dirty, smelly and shabby wet with sweat. Many times the car has to pull him over. Such is the atmosphere of the road in the city of Palembang during the day. Although the streets in the suburbs look crowded.
Now he walks into the settlement, where the vehicle is not so crowded. Only occasionally will a citizen's car or motorcycle pass. Selling sweet mangoes on the side of the road is neatly stacked. Some of the fruit in the iris is open, sweet yellow as it seems. Written on a cardboard tear: two kilos, fifteen thousand. The scavenger stopped and parked the cart on the side of the road, then bought it.
"How many, Dikilo." Ask.
"Eight thousand, sir." Answer the merchant.
"Seek for a kilo." He said, the merchant who was thick and belly seemed troubled to stand. Then he gave her a plastic bag and the father chose, then weighed. It turns out that one kilo is just four seeds. Smile from the lips of the father. He then hung a plastic fruit on the side of the wagon wall. After paying he walked while pushing the cart.
"Aram and his sisters must have loved that I bought mangoes. Have asked for mangoes many times, just this time bought. If you get money from the sale tomorrow. For their mothers to go to the midwife. May my wife be well soon, O God." The father's heart. Now he entered the path to his contract. On the road many looked towards him, but all were silent.
He felt strange, sensed that something was happening, I don't know what. From the end of the path he saw many residents, Mr. RT also exists. The imam of the mosque, the study mothers of his wife's friends also gathered. Every citizen came with rice and various kinds of assistance. The father's heart trembled, he immediately ran into the contract. It looks stiff as a human figure covered in a green cloth inscribed with this lainailaihi rojiun wainailaihi borrowed from the mosque. The father's heart was instantly shattered and the body was weak. He was encouraged to walk and sit by CT by the side of his wife's body.
"Patience, Marang. Patience, the way of life is determined by God." Said one of the mothers, she's RT's mom.
"God loves your wife more, so she's picked up sooner." Says some pretty fat mothers.
"Yes, Miss RT." Replied Mr. Marang while holding back his tears. He then covered his wife's face with a green cloth. His two children seemed to cry until their eyes were red, his two little children looked confused. Then Mr. Marang tightly hugged his four children looked words.
"Sir, Umak why." Ask her six-year-old.
"It's okay, Figan. Your mother is sick." Replied Mr. Marang while stroking the hair of his youngest child. That innocent and innocent face touched Mr. Marang's heart.
...*****...
The next morning the body of Mr. Marang's wife was buried in a public cemetery. Funeral and shroud in the financial responsibility of the mosque. Because there is a death charity, so it does not burden the family that gets the disaster. Moreover, the underprivileged family is certainly very helpful.
Meanwhile, the implementation of tahlilan was carried out after the Isya prayer for three consecutive nights in the mosque. The money saved by Mr. Marang for his wife's treatment is now used for tahlilan. Even if it is just a snack.
...*****...
SIX MONTHS LATER.
*
Mr. Marang is getting used to without the presence of his beloved wife. Likewise, his children are getting used to it without the mother. After the departure of his wife Mr. Marang became often sickly. Just a little rain he'll have a fever and cough. But he never rested. Continue to work looking for used goods, around the city of Palembang. Aram, Areha, Luran, and Figan, every school day as usual. Aram is ninth grade Junior High. Areha fifth grade SD, Luran third grade, and Figan new first class.
...*****...
Mr. Marang woke up in the morning. She cooked and washed her children's clothes. Then she cooked what was there for her children. Rice, vegetables with salted fish. Sometimes it's just a sauce. But the kids always eat. For them it tastes delicious father's cooking even though it's just sambal terasi and boiled vegetable genjer or kale. But a strange thing in Aram's mind that was already quite understood. Every morning there is always a cassava peel. But there were no boiled cassava or fried cassava served by his father. If they are served, they do not like it either. So Aram and his sisters didn't question him.
...*****...
"Kabas, it's I paid the debt yesterday." Mr. Marang put a hundred thousand money on a neighbor who is also a scavenger.
"Oh, yes, it just so happens that the rice is over." Mr. Kabas replied with a smile.
"Mom, this is money from Mr. Marang." He called his wife, and his wife to the front while holding a two-year-old little boy. After taking the money he went back in and cooked something in the kitchen.
"Uyyy, Marang, Kabas. What was said early in the morning." Asked the neighbor at the very end, he appeared to be wearing boots.
"There is no Bakir, the story of the endless sky." Answer Mr. Kabas.
"Where Kir." Ask Mr. Marang.
"Biasalah koyong, if you become a building porters. Must have gone to the building." Replied Uncle Bakir with a smile. Cigarette smoking, backpack containing supplies hanging on the back. He then rode his butut motorbike away leaving a peeing sound.
After all the home affairs were done, Mr. Marang also went to look for second-hand goods. While Mr. Kabas is not scavenging today, he is going to the camat office taking care of the Family Card and the birth certificate of a child.
...*****...
It rained heavily that afternoon, the sky darkened and thunder rumbled. Mr. Marang coughed and he took shelter in an empty, uninhabited plank house for a long time. Many reeds, grasses and on the ceiling of the five-foot roof were filled with spider webs. The weather was so cold, it made his body shiver. Mr. Marang folded his two hands on his chest. In front there is a wide paved road that is always smeared by vehicles. Mr. Marang was happy today, he got a lot of scrap iron and plastic waste. In his estimation at least more than a hundred thousand if sold to the collection of income that day. He remembered that Luran asked to buy shoes.
"My wife, I've always loved you, even if you've gone far, for me you're alive, in my heart and in my life. This Eid, the father and the children will make a pilgrimage to your house." Said Mr. Marang's heart while looking at the rain drops.
"Srrrriiiittttt." A black Avanza stopped suddenly on the road right in front of the empty house. Mr. Marang was surprised and noticed the events ahead. Several motorcycles passed, with distribution wearing raincoats.
"Get out, let's get out." There was a rough sound from inside the car. Two men led down two men. They each had a knife in their neck. Both were disandra, a twenty-eight year old young man. And another one an old pregnant woman, might soon be giving birth.
"Take it, the car and what it costs. But don't hurt my wife. Let go of him and kill me." Said the young man.
"Shut up." Jerk hostage.
"Stop it, so there's no trace. Went to that empty house. Shame they won't report us to the police." The one holding the wheel. Two hostage takers led their way to an empty house. The two saw a cart full of used goods. After that it headed to the side of the empty house that was many clumps. From the highway difficult to see because it is blocked by thick bushes. The two criminals intend to kill two hostages behind the empty house.
"Satkkk."
"Satkkk." A block of wood hit the villain's head in turns. They lose their balance and their heads bleed. Blood seemed more and more because mixed with rain water that still fell quite heavily. Both hostages were released and they stood away.
"Run over there, brother. Bring wife. Pass through this garden there are houses and guard posts." Said Mr. Marang. The young couple rushed to follow Mr. Marang's directions.
"Bad, old man fucker." Maki is a robber. The other one jumped, he tried to chase a couple running away through the bush under the trees. But Mr. Marang came back with a beam in hand.
"Wwuuuss." Beams were grabbed, the robber was forced to retreat.
"Hey, you're interfering. You'll feel the consequences." Said the evil man.
"Already, finish it." Said friend.
"I'm a Sekayu, I'm not afraid to die." Reply Mr. Marang. Then two people gang up on Mr. Marang. Many times he was able to dodge the attacks by shaking the wooden beams. Suddenly people appeared from the road.
"Why so long." Ask big tall, black guy.
"Damn it, these rotten bastards are interfering, and they are running towards the settlement behind" replied the other, wiping off the blood that melted on his face.
"Quickly, we can be arrested by the police before leaving Palembang." Said. He took a block of wood that was the same length as the beam in Mr. Marang's grasp. Then attack by hitting.
"Heaaa." Three people attacked at once. Because of the loss of energy finally a stab hit the back, then there penetrated the stomach and heart of Mr. Marang.
"Death to you, like to interfere in people's affairs." Said one of the criminals, then kicked the body of Mr. Marang who had almost collapsed. The three criminals left Mr. Marang dying. There was a rumbling sound of cars speeding up and down and down the vehicle on the streets.
"Aram, Areha, Luran, Figan. Love you boys. Forgive the tub that hasn't had time to deliver you adults." Mr. Marang's heart. Blood gushed from his wounds. Something even came out of his mouth. His eyes began to blur and his ears no longer heard rain falling. Mr. Marang pasra and accepted his destiny. The rain water flowing around looked red mixed with blood. A white shadow came over.
"Kanda, don't be too tired to work. Let's go home, clean your body." The white shadow.
"My wife, our son." There was no answer, the woman just smiled and led Mr. Marang away. He still saw his wagon full of second-hand goods, and his stock of boiled yam that he had not yet eaten hung on the wall of the wagon outside. Usually he eats boiled sweet potatoes while pushing the cart, because just take it hanging near the wheelbarrow.
"Luran Shoes..." That magical voice echoed around it.
...*****...
Two police officers pushed the cart into the path towards the contract of Mr. Marang. Four health workers carried stretchers with their bodies stiffly covered in white cloth. Mr. RT, and people are coming there. The arrival of Mr. Marang's body was greeted by crying by his four children. Funerals and the handling of the bodies were again taken over by the mosque. So is the purchase of shroud, other costs and tahlil. All pity Aram and his sisters who have become orphans. In this case, the mosque in Indonesia has not regulated it.
...*****...
Mr. Police explained that Mr. Marang was suspected of being killed by criminals or robbers. The police officer will also investigate whether he has any enemies. Mr. Marang has no enemies, he is a good and honest man.
Although he was very poor, he never stole or begged. The police promised to inform you as soon as possible about Mr. Marang's killer. The police will investigate the case.
...*****...
"Bakkkkp. Maaakkk." The cries of Aram and his sisters in the funeral rang out. The atmosphere was quiet because it was late afternoon.
"Koyong, how are we." Ask Areha. Calling his brother.
"No need to worry about it working." Aram replied, calming his sister. But Aram is also afraid, what work, how, who pays the contract and everything.
"Why tub, Kopek." Figan asked Areha, she didn't understand.
"Mother never came home now. Didn't Bak go home either." Said Figan again. While Luran was silent. He remembered his father's promise to buy him shoes soon. He was upset because his father was like his mother who could not go home anymore.
The four brothers sat on the red side of their father's grave. At dusk they went home on foot. Almost every day in the two weeks after that day, they visited their father's grave and their mother's grave.
...*****...
"Sisters, where are you going. It's already night." A white silver Honda Beat biker stopped on the side of the road. He was wearing a blue red shirt, on the front there was the AF logo, the back of which read Apero Fublic.
"From the cemetery, brother." Answer Aram honestly and innocently.
"What's there, it's there." Ask the young man.
"Last afternoon we delivered my father's body. The people all went home. My sister doesn't want to come home from the grave, so it's like this night." Aram Obviously.
"Let's take sister." Bargain the young man. The four brothers did not refuse, so the ducks' bike was full. Figan's front, and Aram, Areha, Luran's behind.
...*****...
Aram finds his father's boiled yam everyday, still hanging intact on the wall of the cart. He now knows that his father always ate boiled sweet potatoes not eating rice. Rice is for them only.
Aram sells the second-hand goods that are in his father's wagon, and the one in his father's inheritance. Then he bought them some rice to eat them for a few weeks.
...*****...
Meanwhile, a couple rescued by Mr. Marang was in a maternity hospital. It looks like his wife is about to give birth. The process of giving birth was a bit difficult, it took a day and a day the child was born.
...*****...
