The Blink is Dusk.
City Edge Forest
A forest on the outskirts of Palembang City is not so vast. The trees are also not so big, many clumps of bamboo and bushes. There are fairly large rubber trees. The land forms sloping, small hilly fields, while in the valley there are swamps that are quite deep and long.
Around the forest it is fenced with walls made of brick. Asphalt road crosses on the forest side. The road penetrates into all the roads around the city of Palembang. Always crowded with vehicles. The forest belongs to the rich.
On the side of the forest, not far from the fencing walls. There was soil overgrown with shrubs, and small trees. On the ground there is also an empty building made of wood, half-walled, cement floor and roofed with zinc. Looks like former buildings people are trading. Although long abandoned. But his condition is still good. Often used as a shelter for people who pass when the rain suddenly falls.
"Cuitts. Coutt." - cuuttt." The birds around it. The wind blew, the leaves of the trees swayed as if waving at each passing person.
...*****...
A two-story mansion stood firm. Spacious lawns of green grass. Around the house many flowers and ornamental trees. The house is surrounded by a large and high fence. Some of the fence is a cement wall, and the rest is in the form of iron-iron upright about two and a half meters.
The distance of the iron fence is only four fingers, from one to the other. Thus, people from outside the fence can see the beautiful garden of that luxurious house. People from inside the fence can also look out and the streets.
Meanwhile, a four-year-old boy was playing alone. Several cars were around.
"She, Gaka." Call a voice from outside the fence. The boy turned his head and smiled cheerfully as he recognized who was calling.
"Grandeekkk." He ran up to the fence, and his hand held the grandmother's face.
"How are Grandma's grandkids doing." Ask the grandma. The four-year-old boy smiled happily.
"Good Nek, Gaka's healthy." Gaka just bought a car that can run alone. The boy showed the grandmother.
"Must be granddaughter's car." Praise him, make the boy happy.
"Grandma's coming home, mom-dad's at home." Said.
"Yes, grandma's coming in." He answered softly, then the grandmother's tears came down. Grandma's hand caressed her grandson's cheek.
"Grandma don't cry." He was sad and almost crying too.
"It's a gift from grandma." Propelling fan toys made of plastic bottles. The Gaka was so fond, he wanted to show his mother immediately. The grandmother nodded her head and the toddler ran to the house.
"So, play where, I was looking for it." A young mother emerges from behind a lush and beautiful flower plant. The child's mother held and hugged tightly. She's pregnant old.
"Main near the fence over there." Answer while pointing.
"Oh, don't come near if someone calls you ya." Mother says. Gaka just nodded.
"Let's take grandma home. He gave big brother a fan toy." He said while playing and showing.
"Grandma where." Ask mother. Then came a young man and girl.
"Adu, here's my sister play. Aunty's not here." Said the young, beautiful woman with hijab syar'i.
"Sister if you want to play the game, Aunt, mother, father, or grandfather. Not to be searched for." Said the father.
"Bibik no longer want to take a walk if Gaka is naughty." Said the young girl. He's poking his niece's cheeks. Threatening that you still like to play does not tell. Gaka looked whining and promised not to repeat again.
Then the father took Gaka back home. Gaka refused and he ran towards the fence. They followed from behind. Fan toy he raised high, so it rotates fast. The pregnant mother is not strong she just walks after.
The grandmother was peeking out from behind the fence. He sees Gaka, his pregnant daughter, his daughter-in-law, and his son-in-law running towards him. He was happy to see his son and grandson. But slowly he left.
"Snekkkk. Granniekkk." Call Gaka.
"Grandmother, is it possible mother." Thought Gaka's mother, she continued to follow and arrived near Gaka who was holding on to the iron fence. Then Gaka cried loudly while calling the grandmother.
"Maybe Gaka misses Mom and Dad, sister." Said the young girl.
"Three days they're just coming home." Answer Gaka's father.
"Mom may come to kanda." Said Gaka's mother.
"It seems impossible, if the mother who comes must be home. Not on the side of the fence like this." Obviously the husband. Everyone justifies his opinion. Then they persuaded Gaka to go home. The car is carried by his aunt, while Gaka is carried by his father. She kept crying pointing to the fence that her grandmother was there before.
As they walked towards the house, passed by many beautiful flowers. A forty-year-old mother of their housekeeper appears.
"What's up, Yuk Wera." Call Gaka's mother.
"Dek Hadi, Juhusi deck, there are guests." The answer.
"Who yuk." Ask Mr. Hadi and keep going.
"Friends of Dek Hadi, Mr. Katara and Ms. Reze." Ayuk Wera.
"Oh, yeah-yes." He replied as he hurried quickly towards the two-story mansion. It was quite draining to traverse the vast courtyard of the house.
"They got twins, funny." Yuk Wera said as he walked.
"Cowok or his daughter." Ask Juhusi. Ayuk Wera told me their son was a boy. A few moments later they arrived home. Gather in the spacious living room.
*
They warmly welcomed Mr. Katara's arrival. Business friend Pak Hadi, as well as a friend since school first. They think like brothers to each other.
"I'm sorry that you didn't come when your wife gave birth. I'm dropping off and preparing Dad to go to Umrah." Mr. Hadi said, they shook hands and began to sink into warmth. While Juhusi and Reze play with cute twins.
"What's his name." Ask Juhusi.
"Ahmad Marang and Umar Marang." Answer Katara.
"Where was the inspiration for the name Marang." Ask Hadi. Ayuk Wera came to deliver small meals and drinks. Let everyone eat and drink.
"Long and terrible story, Marang was the name of a scavenger who saved our lives and our two babies." Katara replied lethargicly, she recounted the terrible memories of a few months ago. Hadi and his wife were so horrified and concerned. Which makes Katara even more sad to think about the fate of the children of Mr. Marang who do not know where.
"Maybe they're homeless. I tried to find but was not found. Maybe they're going to their parents' hometown." Said Mr. Katara at the end of his story.
...****"...
Meanwhile, behind a sampa sampa big enough on the side of the road. A grandmother was in hiding. Her tears were dripping incessantly. It should be at his age now, living quietly and playing with his grandchildren. After Gaka and his parents left, the grandmother left the place.
"I'm sorry Grandma Gaka." The grandmother's heart said, she really wanted to enter the big and beautiful house. But she's shy, it's her son's in-laws' house. Shame also hitchhiked he thought. His heart was already round, he would leave and would not trouble anyone anymore.
The grandmother continued without feeling tired. Until he finally arrived at the public funeral. Then he went in and came to a cemetery. He cleaned the grave. Then pray, and read the letter of Alphatiah.
"Bahman Bin Bahlim's. Died in Palembang, October 19, 2003." It's written on a tombstone. Long time the grandmother sat contemplating, many memories imagined when with her husband. His eyes were glazed over.
"The ideal of kanda's life, wanting to build orphanages and care for orphans." That's one piece of memory imagined in the eyes of the grandmother.
"Assalamualaikum, kanda." The grandmother left. The sun appears to have been tilted west.
...*****...
COOKING ON THE EDGE OF THE FOREST.
*
"Cardboard five kilos in two thousand times, iron ten kilos in three times, plastic seven kilos in one thousand, Alma four kilos in Lima times. So total all the money sixty-seven thousand." Said the besieger. The money was handed over to Aram. Figan and Lurau ask for pocket money. Aram gave Figan, Lurau and Areha two thousand rupiah each. The three Aram sisters were so excited, they jumped up in excitement. Aram stopped by a character.
"How many miles." Ask Aram.
"This one, ten thousand, eleven thousand and this one twelve thousand." Answer the mother while pointing.
"The price of ten thousand asks for two kilos Bu, one fine salt, one flavoring, one bath soap and one instant noodles." Said Aram. All shopping Aram thirty thousand. He still has thirty-one thousand. While Figan and Luran started buying snacks with their own money. Areha doesn't want food, she always saves. It has reached one hundred thousand savings from plastic. Aram also saved up for some reason. They don't know what to do, but remember their mother's advice.
"Please save, work hard."
Aram is looking for a place to cook rice. But around it is difficult, because it is crowded. So Aram looking for a quiet place as well as a place to spend the night. Back he's down the street pushing a cart. Along the way he looked around. Just in case there was an empty land that he could stop by to cook. Lots of empty land and overgrown with reeds or bushes. But it's hot, and it's too visible to people. Until finally found an empty land with a rare coat. Fitting also on the side of the road there is an empty building of former sales people.
Aram thinks they can stop by. And behind the bushes are rare at once trees. The ground is flat, he can put the cart down. Aram and his younger brothers unwinded, taking shelter in a simple building on the side of the road. Crowded vehicles pass by. From the building, he saw a forest surrounded by two-meter-high brick walls.
Aram went behind the bushes. Clean a place for him to cook rice. Take out gas stoves and pots, gallons of water, spoons and dishes. Aram starts cooking, while Areha invites Figan and Luran to play. Sometimes approaching Aram, sometimes getting into the bushes around it. Stabilize the fruits of the bush and they eat.
"Ohhhhh, the fence has a hole." The word Luran who accidentally saw while playing around. They also plucked wildflowers, reed for toys.
"Som, I'm stepped on a thorn." Said Figan.
"Eat it, be careful." Areha. Long enough thorns can penetrate the flip flops of Figan. The sandal was found in the trash. That is why the size is not the same and the color of the sandals is different. The four of them are just like all of them.
"I found iron, Kopek." Luran said, she seemed to be standing on the side of the wall. Dozens of pieces of scrap iron were cut short, some were rolled and twisted. Looks like the rest of the builders worked on building the wall first.
"Areha, take the sister out to eat. I cooked rice." Call Aram, Areha begat and they return to Aram. Rice mixed instant noodles, one pack in for four. It looks like it's been put on the plate.
"Koyong, we got scrap metal." He said proud. Aram saw what they were under, about six kilos in weight. Aram smiled, it was there for them to buy rice again after the rice was gone. The four ate voraciously, today they had only eaten once. And that's for eating until tomorrow. The fourth body now looked thin and unkempt.
"Where to find that iron thing." Ask Aram while eating.
"Near the big hole. There's a wall pole about to collapse." Luran replied, her voice was a bit muddy because while eating hot rice.
"Slow down, Figan." He tried to eat hot rice quickly due to hunger.
"Ha. ha. ha." Everyone laughed at Figan's funny and innocent behavior.
...*****...
ARAMAIC DREAMS.
*
The sun was shining in the afternoon. Aram was sitting under a tree. He looked at the crowded street, where people passed by somewhere. Her body felt tired and itchy. It had been two days they had not bathed. Entering the dry season the rain rarely falls. He sees Figan and Luran playing the toy they found in the trash. Mobilan tires have been replaced with tires from flip flops. Lots of toys they found. Areha herself cooking alone. Aram finally fell asleep under the tree.
"Sir, Mommy, baleklah. Look at the lack of food, not school. We're tired of every day walking for food and looking for a bed." Aram complained to his parents.
"Aram, you boy son, otherwise now, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow you still have a lot to find trouble, so be strong. Take care of your brothers. They are the moorings of your life and your most precious treasure." Said the mother, stroking her hair.
"Aram, you haven't been fishing in a long time. In this forest valley there is a clear water source. Go fishing, get a side dish to eat. There's plenty of catfish and cork." Aram's father gave Aram a fishing rod.
"Bak with Umak where to go." Aram asked, he stood with a tree holding a fishing line.
"Sir and Umak want to pegi, there we wait for you." Answer Aram's mother.
"Aiii, Bak, Umakkkk. Baleklah, baleklah. Aram please." Aram said while crying. Aram's mother's father continued to go away until he was no longer seen.
"Koyongs. Koyongs.. Get up, get up." Call Areha, shaking her brother's body like crying. Aram woke up and looked around. The sun was already almost dark, and he saw his three younger siblings already sitting nearby. Figan and Luran wear used peci. Then came the sound of azan voices from the mosque.
"Why did koyong cry." Ask Areha.
"I'm dreaming, let's pray." Bring Aram. His three brothers begat, and they lay alone, and pray on the ground and dry leaves under the tree.
"Koyong, why don't we pray in the mosque." Ask Luran.
"We stink, and our clothes are ugly. It will disturb the mosque." Aram answered, Aram became their prayer priest. After praying they headed to the building of former sales people on the side of the road.
"We're sleeping here tonight." Said Aram. Three of his brothers followed. Covering a tarp, resting on a cardboard mat and lying on a dirty floor.
...*****...
The next morning, Aram cooked some more rice. Today they will eat rice twice. When cooking, he multiplies the water. To make one canting rice into many. Then he gave her salt, as well as flavoring. The four orphans ate voraciously.
"Areha, you and Figan guard our cart. I'd like to take a look inside that forest with Luran." Aram said, after eating he went to bring a machete, while Luran tote a pot and sack. According to Luran's instructions, they entered the wall through the wall hole.
"It's broken down on its own, because the quality of the batteries is bad." Said Aram. Both enter the forest, the tree inside is not so big, but quite tight. The shape of the ground is sloping but not upright. Both pick up traces of cans of drinks or cans of food. Not so many bushes. Arriving in the forest valley, Aram found clear watery swamps. Because it is not polluted with household waste such as rivers in the middle of Palembang usually.
"The real dream." Aramaic.
"Be careful, there will be snakes." Aram warns his sister, who quickly wants to take a bath. He undoes the intention, and watches around.
"We make the edge first." Said Aram. He then cut down several trees as big as an adult's foot. Then put on the surface of the swamp that extends like the river. Then clean the bushes around with machetes. Aram then re-cut the tree and add a lot of wood, also make clothesline.
After that, he came back and took the wagon into the wall through the hole of the wall. Bongkahan brick he cleaned to be easy to pass. Areh, Figan, Luran and Aram then bathe together while washing in the swamp.
"Koyong, we just stay around this. To be able to shower and wash. Nor is it susa for BAB." Saran Areha's.
"Yes, we make houses to play." Said Figan.
"Heeeyy." It turned out that Luran was already on top of a tree. Figan came and tried to ride as well but couldn't.
Aram thinks there is a point Areha's advice. Be careful, especially fire. Whose forest he thought. He decided he would make kema. Not far from the wall. To be crowded, and to be near the road.
...*****...
A grandmother walked somewhere. He walked down the highway in the middle of Palembang City. His heart is broken and sad, but what do you want to say. This is the path he wants. Out of the lives of his four children and will not suckle them again. The sun had almost set, he was now crossing the Ampera Bridge. In the middle of the bridge he stopped and looked at the flow of the Musi River. Seen boats and ships down and down, large and small. Many pedestrians also cross the Ampera Bridge and pass.
"Migupe. Mpek." A seller of mpek-mpek passes by.
The grandmother again walked to the Great Mosque of Palembang, named Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I Mosque. The mosque looks magnificent with typical architecture of South Sumatra. A sweet azan called to the heart. He went to the mosque to pray.
...*****...
A young man stood on the side of the road. He opened his black silver septitank motorbike honda beat. He estimated how far the gasoline could take his bike. He limits ten thousand every day of his money to buy gasoline. From his bag appeared to pout a yellow envelope for a job application.
"Aduuuu, this hungry stomach. Looks like I'll have to push the bike to get enough to go home, and to the SPBU tomorrow." Heart word. Groping the bag, it looks like the money is only seventy-six thousand more. The young man in blue red with the AF logo started pushing his motorcycle. Half an hour later there was a biker offering to push, the young man wanted to refuse. But the rider forced to push along the way he went through.
"Sister, let me step." Said.
"No need, brother. Continue your journey." Answer the young man.
"Don't hesitate, let's go." The young man followed and fifteen more kilometers he was pushed by the good young man.
"Ok, my brother went on to Banyuasin." His word. The young man said a word of thanks.
...*****...
