ABHIMANYU WORLD

Chapter XLIII: Sesal

Azan dzuhur reverberated from the minarets of the mosque that towered in the corners of Malang. The sound of muezzin is melodious, winding so beautiful like the rustling of mountain water that cools the heart. Shocks on my shoulders, awakening from my sleep. Fatigue has brought this step to a modern architectural mosque in the heart of Malang City. Looks like the pilgrims began to arrive, some took ablution water.

The day is not so hot, cloudy twitching here and there, occasionally covering the sun. Nature is like mourning. Everything's turning dark. As dark as this wounded soul.

“Salat first, Mas ..” greet a moustached father who greeted me kindly.

I'm nodding. Immediately I went to the ablution place that lined beside the mosque. The cool water soaked the dust-filled face, soothing the wounded soul. The water felt through the pores, penetrated into the bloodstream, flowed into the brain, and restored my sanity.

Yes, I must rise!

I am Abhimanyu Prasetyo, I will not be uprooted by women's affairs like this. Luci is a story that I have to bury deeply. She's not the only beautiful woman in the world. There are still two other opportunities to end your combat status.

First chance, Dahlia Sukmawati. She is not as beautiful as Lusi, but she has a heart made of gold. Never one bit disappointed. And more importantly, he didn't bother me much.

You said it was better to be loved than to love. The story of love is only found in television dramas and romance. It is almost impossible to happen in a real life full of falsehoods. When someone loves you, then don't waste the opportunity. Chance never comes twice. Opportunity will not come twice.

The second opportunity is Larasati bint Turonggo, a naive young girl typical of dream wives. Very skilled with housework, obedient and has a smile like Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, Monalisa. If possible, I would have framed that smile and displayed it in the Louvre Museum in France, Monalisa would have envied him. Behind all that beauty, only one stands in the heart. The existence of Jono, a mysterious man who appears in the life of Larasati.

After the prayer, the heart feels a little calmer. I was able to enjoy the delicious soto lamongan sauce that I met on the roadside. The business of the stomach that is struggling to be filled cannot be considered one eye. The episode of destruction is over, now is the time to raise my head while puffing my chest.

Wait for me, Lusi!

I will still come to your party as a wounded knight, but still be able to stand gallantly giving you a most beautiful smile on your happy day. Remember one day, you will wallow in your regrets. Your lament will be considered a false chant, for indeed you are the loser.

I wasn't.

Get that, Lusi!

After wondering to more than five people, now I managed to get out of Malang City. Enjoy the journey to the campground of Mount Panderman, with a blank look out the window of the bus.

Along the way, I've only silenced a thousand languages. Undeniably, the shadow of Lusi is still floating in my brain. The closer I move, the closer I get. I have to try harder.

Sure can!

I arrived at the camp at night. Tiredness shackles, so all I want right now is to rest my body and soul. No matter the Dervish who flocked me with questions blindly. Let me close my eyes. I don't want to share this sad story with anyone. Let this destruction be enjoyed by myself.

I also ignored Rini who offered financial statements. All sorts of report papers made me instantly nauseous. Fortunately, Rini understood. Without saying a word, he retreated in order, as if he could read what I felt. Irawan understands too. He hinted for me to just take a break, because tomorrow the closing of the campground event will definitely require more energy.

Only Darwis is hard to speak in human language!

He just kept hunting me with such shameless questions, like shameless paparazzi. Fortunately, I can still be patient. Because if not, the shoes I was wearing could have floated into his face!

Dahlia's?

He hasn't welcomed me. Where is the noble hearted princess? I take a look around. Tents seem chaotic with camp participants, but the figure of Dahlia remains like swallowed by the earth.

Drowsiness and fatigue disappear instantly. I set foot into a secret place when Dahlia shed tears in her arms. A giant balcony over the city that stretches beautifully down there.

Unfortunately the place is empty. Only the pitch enveloped, stirred by the bone-freezing whir of the wind. There is no Dahlia. In fact, I also want to shed tears on his fat shoulder!

Alright.

I need to get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, a lot of activities are still waiting. It requires a lot of concentration. Unfortunately, there was less to Dahlia's absence at the camp. It is better to go back to the tent, sip hot milk coffee, and listen to the barrage of wind coming out of the stomach.

“Loh, he said to rest?” suddenly I heard Irawan's voice.

A cup of coffee clasped in his hand. A little amazed he looked at me who suddenly emerged from behind the trees in the dark of the night.

“Seeing briefly above earlier,” I said.

“Whose name?”

“Only,”I replied flat.

“You do not copy with other friends? Many fried foods are also loh,” bargain Irawan.

I'm shaking. Tiredness so whack, no desire to chat with anyone tonight.

Except with Dahlia.

“Where is Dahlia?” tanyaku later.

“Loh, you don't know yet? Last afternoon after returning from the city, Dahlia complained that she was not feeling well, so she had to return to Surabaya first,” Irawan explained.

I was silent for a moment. Even when Irawan left, I didn't care anymore. It's fallen, hit the stairs anyway. Then complete is my suffering today. It felt like alone wallowing in the middle of the vast Sahara. I hastened my way to the tent, and I immediately buried my body in the legendary sheath.

I'm sure the dream will erase all the bad memories. Hope the morning is soon approaching, and end this camp activity. Secretly, there is regret. I should have never set foot in this place, if it was just a bitter pill I swallowed. Back to the time I missed. This camp should never have existed. I shouldn't have met Diana in the parking lot ....

In fact, I should never have met Lusi!

Hunapaku. The morning greeted me sooner. The beauty of this mountain slope seems to be faded by my royal grief. Dahlia will be a speaker at the closing ceremony to close the camp. Because there is no, then automatically the leader turned to my shoulder as the committee chairman.

I wave. That is, I have to speak in front of so many camp participants without any concept first. I usually prepare a resume as speech material. The insistence of other committees really makes not warty. There was no choice but to appear in front of the participants. There is nowhere to run from this responsibility.

I stood in the middle of the circle of men, as the sun rose. Her warm light struck my body which was slightly trembling. Believe me, no matter how smart you talk in front of a crowd, you will still feel what is called stage fright.

I inhaled a deep breath, before blurting out a word. My molars fight each other. In a crucial moment like this, suddenly the shadow of Lusi's face was present before his eyes, with his smile that ....

Wicked!

Twitter struck. The camp participants were still waiting for a word or two from me. Unfortunately, the tongue feels bad. What am I supposed to say? This podium feels more like the defendant's seat. The shadow of Lusi kept dancing, overturning my sanity.

Please, go, Lusi! I'm in a speech ....

“Sorry ...,” my word is short.

My brain is completely blocked. Not a single letter was spoken. I left the podium with a questionable view of dozens of camp participants. An uproar led me to the committee tent.

Once I saw, Irawan hurriedly took care of the closing ceremony. I don't give a shit anymore. My sanity is already on the threshold of normal. I threw the body on the mat furiously. The hatred for oneself begins to grow.

Oh, my God, maybe I'm going crazy?

Dahlia, where are you?

***