A Sheet of Niqab For Inayah

The Night Wind on the Bus

Inayah received it with a smile, she got up from her seat and immediately fulfilled the instructions that the terminal employee had just directed. Inayah walked towards the bus, and put her things into the trunk assisted by other employees. After that, without a second thought Inayah directly entered the bus and occupied her seat number. Instead of missing the departure time, he chose to wait in the bus only.

The clock has shown that at 02:00 pm, the seats on the bus have started to fill up, the driver has been heating the engine since. The time of departure had arrived, the big white bus started to advance its body to the middle of the road. Inayah was silent without quotation, looking at the beautiful journey from behind the glass-blocked curtain in the middle. Every now and then Inayah plays her wide mobile phone and several times snaps the scenery around. Mobile phones were a tool that was still very rare in that year, only well-off people could probably have them, but Mr. Dany and Bu Fira were among the people who were able to facilitate cell phones for his daughter, Thishaa.

"Where they're going to take me, I don't even know the names of the millions of regions that lie in this hemisphere. But wherever I will be, under which sky I will live, may I be able to bring me to the wonderful things I have dreamed of." Inner Inayah is full of puzzles for her life journey.

A few days passed but the trip did not come, the bus wheels were still spinning fast, only occasionally stopping for a short break. The day was getting darker, the street lights began to light up one by one, the sparkling stars had radiated beautifully in the sky.

The night wind was so strong, the cold smell began to seep into the body, Inayah wore a thick blue jacket on the body, in a layer of blankets that filled her entire body. But it seemed that only a kite of wind was roaming that night, the shining star had instantly disappeared, the atmosphere turned cloudy, rain and lightning were pouring violently on the leaves.

Inayah covered her ears with a cloth, a smattering of fear and unease arose within her.

"What if I die here? Even when I can't figure out who my god is. When people are afraid to see the terrible weather, they pray for help from their Lord. Then how are you doing with me? Who should I worship when fear strikes me like this." Inayah cried in silence, bad thoughts returned to being a question in her mind.

***

In the crying Inayah that still continues, suddenly the woman next to the bench Inayah clutched her body warmly. When Inayah was surprised, she straightened her head with a cry still full on her face. Inayah looked at the woman with a confused look, stared at her many times but the face still felt foreign to her. Next to her, the beautiful woman wearing a long headscarf covered her head, she smiled sweetly in front of Inayah, her expression was a little encouraging for the woman who was crying nearby, none other than Inayah.

"You who? Why suddenly embrace me? Have we known each other before?" Inayah asked a few questions to satisfy her curiosity.

"Hi, I'm Nabila. I never met or even knew you. But I'm sure you're not okay, I know you're holding on to tears in the blanket you're wearing. But I don't know what's going on in your life, I can't guess what's going to make you cry like this. But believe me, everything will not last long, soon you will find happiness in your life. Smile, life is beautiful when we're good at it."

Inayah silently gasped to hear one by one the words that came out of the mouth of the woman in front of him. A little bit of admiration instantly appeared. Obviously, the woman who is with him is now so beautiful, he said so beautifully heard, the way he appreciates others is very good.

"Hallo, pretty. How daydreaming? No need to think much, tell me what your troubles are now, as much as I can help you." Nabila broke Inayah's daydream, he patted her on the shoulder with a smile.

"Thank you for giving me positive energy. No need to worry, I'm fine, I can deal with everything well, hopefully." Inayah tries to convince Nabila that she is fine, not wanting others to know about her current situation. According to him, let yourself really understand the things that happen in his life.

Nabila smiled widely, he nodded indicating that he understood the sentence made by Inayah.

"good. Spirit, yes. Hopefully we can meet again in a situation where you have found a happy point in your life. I'm first huh?" Nabila said he left Inayah alone.

"You are so perfect, how lucky are those around you. I hope one day I can be just like you," Inayah muttered inwardly.

Shortly after, Inayah followed down from the bus with her luggage. Trudgingly he headed to the waiting room, drinking a bottle of mineral water that had been blown away in a moment.

"She's, my body's like a crumble of T-rex." A full day on the trip made Inayah so exhausted, her bones like broken bones due to sitting too long in the bus seat.

After a few minutes of rest, Inayah's body began to improve. Inayah looked around, many humans passed by around the terminal, but there was not a single person she knew. Even Inayah does not know the name of the area he is occupying now, in the ticket sheet also does not write the name of the destination area, either forgotten or indeed deliberately not listed.

"Mom, which area is this? I don't know." Inayah ventured to ask a mother who was also waiting in the waiting room.

"This is in the remote part of the city of Bima, neng. West Nusa Tenggara, but this is still a village, the area is still small not yet as big as a city." The mothers answered Inayah's question. Inayah nodded and once said thanks.

"Male? It seems to have been my journey so far. Then where should I go and hitchhike for a while, the hotel and apartment may not have woken up in this village." Inayah fell silent and thought of the place where she should stay.

"Whatever happens, the decisions I make will remain the same, no one can change it" he said.