The screams of Midnight
The Forest that Cracked

Ardi folded both hands in front of his chest, he leaned against the door of the old barn. The twilight began to show its elegance. He was restless, Asih never came home from the village clean event.

The old barn door rattled violently. Ardi slightly shifted, he turned his head inward. The sturdy old man, the thick mustache, and the bald hair in the middle of the head, walked with a hint of fatigue. He dragged two black plastic bags out, and Ardi was convinced they were the bodies of his two colleagues.

"Need help?" Ardi offered himself.

The old man only gave him a quick glance, did not reply and passed by dragging roughly the black pouch resting on his shoulder.

Ardi sighed, the old man did not respond to him. He was bored at home waiting for Asih. Finally he decided to follow the old man into the forest not far from the warehouse.

Ardi likened the move to the old man. He was forced to carry a plastic bag. It was heartless to see the old man was tired. A few days at Miss Lasmi's house, Ardi did not even know the name of the old man who was with him.

"Is it far away?" Ardi asked as he rubbed his sweat. The body in the plastic bag felt so heavy.

The old man remained unanswered, he continued to slowly drag the thick plastic bag. Ardi clucked in annoyance, he regretted his decision to help the old man.

The night was getting darker, the howls of the coyote began to be unpretentious. The sounds of owls and other nocturnal beasts began to sound. Ardi kept on stepping following the old man. His legs were sore and tired, they had gone too far into the forest.

The old man finally stopped. His breath was stung with sweat flooding his body.

"I don't think we're going to stop old man!" Sindir Ardi rubbed the sweat for the umpteenth time.

The old man looked around, dark and silent only the sound of tonggeret in the trees. 

"We dumped them here?" Asked Ardi again, the old man nodded.

Ardi and the old man painstakingly pulled and dumped the body in the bag into a ravine in the middle of the forest. The sound of objects falling violently rang out shortly after the two pockets fell to the bottom of the abyss.

Ardi looked up at the dark abyss for a moment, "Isn't he safe yet?" Ask the old man.

The old man just stared at Ardi for a moment not answering and then passed away leaving Ardi. 

"Cck, mute this time! Daritadi diem mulu!" 

Ardi soon caught up with the old man who was walking quite nimble in the middle of the dark of the night. "Hey, old man! Wait for me!" He shouted with a breath.

The howl of the coyote sounded unpretentious, making Ardi pause for a moment. He watched around worried if the pack of coyotes were eyeing him. In the darkness of the night and the lack of lighting, Ardi was an easy target for the nocturnal herd.

A black shadow occasionally appeared behind the trees. Ardi was attacked by panic. He looked for the direction the shadow was going. The sound of an owl sounded very unfriendly in his ears. 

Suddenly there was a rough pulling of Ardi's clothes, forcing him to walk. He was about to scream but his burly and rough hands covered his mouth. Ardi's eyes were trying to see who was keeping him. In the dimness of the night Ardi saw the face of the old man who gave a silent signal to him.

The old man's index finger stuck to his lips, his eyes hinting at something to Ardi's left.  Ardi's eyes glanced at the direction the old man was referring to. He was wide-eyed, but again the old man smothered his mouth harder.

A figure floated among the trees, dressed in white with an unceasing crying voice. Although dark Ardi saw clearly in the hands of the figure there was something wrapped in cloth. Ardi was trembling, he was terrified.

The figure floated slowly, pausing for a moment on one of the tree branches then flying back towards the village. 

The old man let go of his hand, then pulled Ardi's shirt to follow him immediately. Ardi's heart beat fast, he was grateful to face the scary thing with the old man who never spoke. Ardi could not imagine if he faced it alone.

The old man's footsteps stopped again, Ardi again was worried. "W-what's up?" Ask stuttered.

The old man put his index finger back down and asked Ardi to be alert. Shortly thereafter, the sound of animals running. A pack of coyotes passed not far from them. They ran towards the ravine where the corpse was dumped.

Ardi and the old man waited for a moment until the atmosphere was silent and silent. They also moved back, faintly heard the sound of coyotes fighting over food. A long howl that crimped the fur of Rome was heard again.

With a hasty step the old man and Ardi left the forest immediately. They do not want to die silly in the prey of coyotes or meet again with the soft figure of the woman earlier.

The old man immediately left Ardi as they entered the courtyard of the house. He immediately headed for the small cottage not far from the old barn. Ardi could only stare at the old man with a chaotic feeling.

Just as he stepped inside, Asih had already confronted him with strange eyes.

"Where are you?"

"The forest," answered Ardi briefly, he reluctantly answered again because his body was so tired.

Ardi headed to the kitchen, took out a bottle of mineral water and downed it. Asih followed him, he sat in a chair waiting for Ardi to tell him a story. Ardi calmed himself for a moment and washed his face in the kitchen sink faucet.

"Where have you been all day?" Asked Ardi, he pulled the chair next to Asih.

"Road, there's an event right there?"

"Amel called this afternoon. He's just you!" Said Ardi staring intently at Asih.

"Why him?"

"I'm afraid he said he would move if you were here for a long time."

"Cckk, you coward!"

"Where not to be afraid, the empty room that you lock it keeps making a terrible sound! She's a girl, alone again, long time also horrified alone!" Ardi tapped his finger on the wooden table.

"Hmm, I know!"

Both of them were silent, busy with their own thoughts. Mbok Jum came up with an unusual expression, "Ndoro, anyone looking?!"

"Who?!" Ask Asih ketus.

"Ehm, anu ndoro ...," mbok Jum hesitantly continued his sentence, Asih looked at him with a forehead frown.

"Who's mbok? He was even confused!"

Mbok Jum looked at Ardi for a moment and replied softly, "Pak Kades."

The face glowed instantly. He soon stood up and passed away leaving the astonished Ardi. Mr. Kades was waiting in the living room restlessly.

Asih peeked for a moment from the living room, he tidied his hair and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, leaving his cleavage slightly exposed.

Asih smiled seductively, he approached the kades sir whose eyes sparkled passionately at him. Asih sat next to the kades sir, spreading his mystical charm to married men who have a great influence in the village.

"Night, mr kades!"