THE MYSTERY OF THE OLD TREE
The Little Creature and the Rain God
I have lived and lived in this place for a long time. Besides being comfortable, the situation in this place is also quiet, and not a single giant creature inhabits. Until one day, came the giant blonde creature that finally controlled my territory. Eventually, I was forced to flee and find a new place to live, because the giant creature had destroyed my home, and separated me from my young children. At that time I could not save all my children. I don't know where they are, I don't know it either.
When the giant ripped through my house with his gun, I bounced away and stuck to a branch. I was sobbing, but the giant of course would not be able to hear my cry, because I was so small.
These creatures that I call giants are terrible, they always ruin my home and my people. Do they think our house is dangerous? Or has it disrupted their lives? They think we make it easy! My people never sought enmity with their people.
Now I go back to my old house, because I see that the giant is no longer here, and this place is back so quiet and dark. But this time I chose to knit my threads on the corner of the wall that began to be somewhat mossy. In addition to the cold air, in this place also a lot of food that comes, stuck and stuck in my house.
Actually, it's been a long time since I've been eyeing this corner. However, the blonde giant was too powerful and always created heavy rain which of course could make my house crumble and make me fall into the river, then into a dark hole, then finally die.
Since the blonde giant is no more, I can do anything free. Horree finally this place is completely mine, I thought. However, apparently...
Two weeks earlier
“Hi, Ms. Sarah are you leaving Bali today?” ask a neighbor next door Sarah, an Austrian preschool teacher. With her Indonesian language still stammering Sarah also replied. “Oh yeah, I have to go home, because my contract is up.” “But later there will be a new teacher from Indonesia who will replace me,” he continued. “Wah, when did Ms come?” ask the neighbors again. “Wah if that I do not know, maybe about one or two weeks away, it ‘kan depending on his agreement with the school..”.
Sarah was silent for a moment and continued, “I want to clean first yes, before later the school checks.” While taking the broomstick that was in the courtyard, Sarah returned to her room. Then he began to sweep his room and wipe away the dust on the table, where he worked on his daily schoolwork.
Seen by him in the corner of the wall near the wardrobe there is a spider web that is enough to make his hands itch want to clean. His habit of living in a clean place, making him diligent in cleaning. Even before, when he first occupied the room, he had managed to make a clean mossed bathroom instantly. But the spider's nest has been out of sight all this time. Maybe because his work is too dense to make him no longer see the corner of his room.
Be lifted up on the broom that is in his grasp. Clean the cobwebs thoroughly. Some of the nests were attached to her broomstick, and some fell on the floor. Sarah went out of her room and brushed her broomstick. Then, he returned again into his room, cleaned up the remaining dirt and continued sweeping the floor.
After an hour of cleaning her room, Sarah bade her neighbor. While carrying a large suitcase, he handed over his room key to the school HRD. “When will the new teacher occupy this room sir?” ask Sarah. “Oh is likely in two weeks Ms” said the HRD's father, helping Sarah lift her suitcases into a taxi. “Take care Yes Ms!” “Thank you very much Sir,” exclaimed Sarah as she waved her hand, and the taxi drove quickly to Ngurah Rai airport.
* * * * * * * * * * *
This time the giant who came was no longer blonde, his head was black almost as much as mine. When he came and looked at my house, I could see his big, bright brown, white eyes surrounding the edge. I'm afraid not to play, I just shut up and pretend to be dead, I hope that the giant won't create a torrential rain that can ruin my home.
I think my trickery worked, and the giant did not direct the thing that created the torrential rain to my house, but to his entire body.
The giant seemed to be watching me a lot, and I just fell silent. At first I almost died of fear, but over time apparently this giant was just happy to see me. Since then I have been paying attention to him as well, I always knew whenever he would come and see my house. Usually the giant comes once in the morning, and several times in the evening, but he will only watch over me and my house once in the night.
Sometimes every time the giant came to see me, he seemed to invite me to talk which of course I did not understand. Even so, I could sense that he did not mean anything bad to me. When the giant spoke, his voice was not so thunderous, but when he was creating rain, his voice was noisy and the noise sounded. Even my sleeping children can wake up because of it. Fortunately, it was only twice a day and for a while.
I also live in comfort, safety, and peace in my home. Food from trapped prey also came abundantly, ranging from ants, mosquito nations, and small insects, all of which I can keep as a daily food reserve. I need it for my kids that I just set up.
Knowing that I was living peacefully in this place, the male spider that used to live in tree branches with me, moved in and accompanied me here. I now have a family, I live in a house with twenty of my young children and a male spider who is my partner.
Time has passed, my children are getting bigger. Like the spider, they went to another place not far from my house and made a new home. There are also those who make a house close to where I live. Apparently my children who live with me, feel happy and want to be noticed by the giant.
The giant was like a god to us, because he was so good at letting my family live and live with him. I call him the god of rain, because he often creates rain and makes rivers under our dwellings. I always remind my children to always be careful, “If the god of rain is creating rain you must hold tight to your home,” so I say.
Even though my people were able to pull weapons out from under our bodies, which other than us using to make a house, also made us swing and move to another place quickly, we had to be vigilant. Because if it falls and it's a little late, we could get carried away and go into the dark hole of the river. That place must have been very dangerous and scary, we could have died because of it. Even so, my family and I are comfortable and do not want to move from here.
It has been a long time since our rain god no longer makes noise and invites us to talk. I also missed her warm gaze, and often watched her from a distance. One day he came, and I saw his eyeballs wet and then came out of the water, like a rushing waterfall.
Day changes night, night changes day. I can only enjoy my food and play with my family. Our rain god never appeared again, the river below was always dry and did not flow in the slightest. I am getting older, my children are independent and can find their own food. This residence was again quiet and deserted, until finally….
* * * * * * * * * * *
Three months earlier
“Halo Sir! Stay next door huh?” asked a young woman while dragging a large bag behind her. “Hi, hello you're the new teacher of her successor Ms. Sarah ya?” “Iya is right, introduce my name Astrid from Malang.” “Salam knows Ms. Astrid, I am Nanda native to Bali but the family lives far away in Singaraja, so forced to stay in messi here” exclaimed Nanda while thrusting his hand while greeting. “Oh, which room btw is Sir?” “This room of yours is right next to me, it was my room, and this room I placed is her former room Ms. Sarah. Here I help!” while rolling up the arms lifting the suitcase. Nanda also continued his talk, “Before I wanted to get that room, because I could immediately enjoy the sunrise from the bedroom window. But because it was occupied Sarah yes I finally took the one next to it, but unfortunately the door is facing West. Because you came in two weeks and happened to be two days late, so I took the initiative to move rooms, all of you help clean Ms. Sarah's room. Because during the long holidays usually officers clean mess of the holiday as well. It is Ms. Sarah's gone, she's cleaned her room for you, but two weeks left it dirty again, dusty and a lot of cobwebs. Kan pity has come all the way from Malang to here should be able to rest, uh this must clean the room..”.
“….Okay, my room I have cleaned” exclaimed Nanda while putting Astrid's suitcase and giving her room key. “This is the key, and happy resting!” After a warm smile and a word of thanks from Astrid, Nanda returned to her room, and rushed to take a bath.
In the bathroom, as usual, he rang a song on his phone and started humming like a singer. His habit has been his hobby for a long time. Although his voice was a bit discordant, there was no one who could stop him.
Finished cleaning his body, Nanda directed his gaze to the corner of the wall close to his bathroom shower. There was a cobweb complete with contents that he did not clean yesterday, and he just let it settle there, “Hi little spider goodbye together,” he said in a soft voice. “One life is almost over, it is not right to end the life of another creature.” She let out her heart, but Nanda kept smiling.
Two months earlier
“Hi Ms. Astrid, this early in the morning is tidy. Where are you going?” asked Nanda while sipping her cup of tea. “Wah fun ya who again relaxed in front of the room!.” led Astrid with a smile. “...I want to worship. Mister ga where are you?,” ask pleasantries. “Oh this weekend I did not go back to Singaraja, cape from Denpasar to there.Especially today there is a schedule to see a doctor, my friend.” “Wah the weekend I even met the doctor! Haha. Okay I leave first yes Sir Nanda,” Astrid's grin, while rushing to call a taxi.
Nanda went into his room and took a shower. In the bathroom, which was also his karaoke studio, he was still perched on the cobwebs that he had let out for a month. But this time the cobwebs grew wider and somewhat different. He looked closer, and it turned out that there were a lot of spider babies just hatching from their eggs. Nanda smiled, “Hi turns out you just hatched your kids!” in his heart whispered, “One life ended, new life sprung up,” was troubled in his heart, yet Nanda was still smiling.
A month earlier.
‘Tok... tok... tok, Mr. Nanda! Mr Nanda!” “Wait a minute!” Nanda also opened his room door, “Please sit Sir!” The head of the personnel sat down and sighed deeply, “It is ready Mr Nanda?” tanyanya make sure, “Iya Pak is her suitcase.” “Pak Nanda, I want to apologize if ever done wrong.” Said the HRD father with a sorry face. “Ah... what is this Father talking about! I have to apologize if something goes wrong,” replied Nanda while sitting on one side. “Why Mr. Nanda did not from the beginning say the news to us.With so early action even better.” “Not in my opinion Sir,” answered Nanda confidently, with a smile he continued, “I know, if my disease can not be cured. Despite the operation, there are only two possibilities. First, most likely the operation will not be successful, and I will quickly move nature. Both small chances of me living with a coma or disability state.” “But ‘there will be a small possibility to live, why not try sir?” Mr. HRD seemed to want to motivate Nanda that as small as possible it should not be wasted and stop fighting. “I don't want to trouble many people Sir. Very rarely people who suffer from brain cancer can be cured,” he replied again pessimistic. “I don't want everyone to expend all their effort, material, energy, and so on just to try to heal me. I just want to enjoy the rest of my time, with my students and my family.” Mr. HRD could not speak anymore, his eyes were already teary, sorry about the situation of Nanda.
“Okay sir I took a shower before leaving,” said Nanda ended the conversation while raising her back. “Then I helped bring your suitcase into the car ya!” pinta mr HRD. “Wah thank you sir, sorry to trouble.” “Ah no problem, we have been working together for ten years, after all I helped my father bring a suitcase, hehehe,” said the father of HRD while walking out to the car.
Nanda went into the bathroom. He bowed, clenched and at once his feelings were empty. In his mind there were only his family, his loved ones, those he would tell about the news of his end. No matter what their reaction was, her mother and father, her younger siblings, her sisters, Nanda could only resign. Thirty years he has lived, has done what he is for the family, has given what can be done for both parents. His heart ached, his chest felt tight. It was not enough that he made his parents happy, too short in his heart. He was crying too. Doused his tired face with water, his hair began to fall. ‘After the final stage’, whispered in the heart ‘wakku not much more.’
Morning time.
“Siang Mr. HRD, this semester I can move to his room Mr. Nanda?” astrid asked her meaning. “Oh Ms. Astrid wants to move rooms? But the room hasn't been cleaned since Mr. Nanda left Ms!” answer father HRD. “No problem sir, if allowed, I will later clean it.” “Oh okay then, briefly I take the key first yes.” Daytime.
I just finished eating my lunch with my partner. My kids seem to be resting. When I started to rest my eyes, there was a loud noise out there. The noise out there is so loud, even my hearing, which is getting worse, can hear it. It turns out that there are other giants that enter the territory where I live. My increasingly blurred vision could not see clearly what this giant figure looked like, all I saw was his huge body, his long head hair and he was looking at me.
Has our rain god returned? There was hope in my heart, which for a moment made me happy. The giant also took a rain-creating tool that was far away on the edge of my house. “What will he do?” my inner. For a moment a torrential rain like a tsunami hit my entire residence, wiping out my resting children. Me, my partner, and all my children who lived with me fell into the fast-flowing river. “Oh no, children take out your weapons and swing,” I shout so badly. But the flow of the river was too heavy, I could not save myself. My partner fell into the dark hole first, then caught up with me and my children.
Inside that dark hole, I was drowning in the distant current out of nowhere. I just wish my other children could survive. Hopefully the giant will not find a place to live. We drowned for a few hours, I couldn't see my family anymore, we were scattered somewhere and I was dying. “The giant is not my inner rain” God. “He can't hurt me and my kids.”
The dim light of the sun slipped into my eyes and I still recognize it. The little insects that passed me laughed at me, the mosquitoes that saw me swore to die. As soon as it gets dark again, goodbye my children, goodbye God of the rain, I pray that you may save my children.
Afternoon.
“Wah Ms. Astrid, while singing so it looks real fun! Is the room clean?” greetings father HRD. “Eh Mr. Anom, already donk sir. Tomorrow is the second day of the semester break, I want to relax. Hahaha,” Astrid chirped while laughing out loud. “Ga return home to Ms?” ask again “Semat biayalah sir, anyways stay in a tourist place ‘kan can all spend the holidays.” “OK deh then happy holidays yes Ms!” exclaimed the head of personnel while leaving the school mess, his steps were steady until he did not realize that his feet had stepped on several spiders who were still entangled in his own nest. “Crettt” roughly that's how it sounds.
