
" Satyas.. There's something I want to ask you. Do you have a family?"
" you mean?" ask Satya.
" I mean are you married? I see you're old, you should be family."
" Do you think I have a family? Guess what Reza is. I want to test your ability to guess."
" I think you're family. It's just that I don't know if you're still hanging on with your family or separated."
" Yes, I have a family.
I also have two children. They live far across the island. My birthplace. I got married and lived happily where I came from. My wife is a native there. However, I am the descendant of this person. My parents were transmigrants. After their success, they bought a house there. Two years of living there, my mom's got me. And I was born there."
" So you're a real person here. I'm sorry Satya. I'm not a citizen here but, I'm being rude to you. I should have respected you as someone older than me."
" Haha.. Reza, a day with me you've looked different. You're changing. I'm so happy, Reza. I can finally exert a little positive influence on others."
" Satya, I don't know why I can do that. But you did make me different. I'm sure you still have a lot of positives, Satya. I want to learn a lot about you."
" I'm not a good person Reza, I'm just like you. Murderer, usurper, I could hurt my parents too. I'm a sinner, Za."
" But that was it, Satya. Now I see you never kill anybody again. I know enough about you from the Boss. You were once like me now, a confidant of the Boss. But you often disappoint him. You were ordered to kill, but instead let your target escape. Then hurt yourself and make up a false story that you're badly injured and unable to pursue your target."
" What? So it's the boss's decision to withdraw the facilities I've had before. You have been elected in my place. I don't think the trick I picked won't be smelled by the boss. Turns out he knew. Reza.. Then what else did the Boss tell you, about me?"
" He just told me that. He didn't say anything. It's just that if I want to keep what I have right now, I have to obey it. As for you, you have lost all the facilities you have received. However, the boss doesn't hate you. He still thinks of you as his men. It's just different, you don't get fancy facilities anymore like me now. You can leave your job after everything is done without killing the target."
" Reza, I'm so ashamed to hear this. I have no power to meet and deal directly with the Boss anymore. Actually before joining the Boss, I had already made up my mind to leave this black life of mine.
I want to live free without pressure. But when I tried, my life was in trouble. My wife wants to divorce me because I haven't given her a living in months.
While our debts continue to accumulate. My son's sick, I don't have a beaya to take him to the hospital. My wife was angry many times. He kept asking how to cure our son if he wasn't taken to the hospital. There's no way we're gonna let the pain go.
Then that day, as I tried to be a busker, I met the Boss. He knows me because I'm Rendra's ex. The boss told me to stop busking and took me to a restaurant where the food was delicious."
" Oh so so so. Then, how did you join him?"
" At first, I told her about my difficult life. After trying to get out of my black life, I found it hard. There's a lot of trouble. He listened to my story from beginning to end. He felt sorry for me. Then, offered me the same job that Rendra had given me.
He knows I'm a killer. So joining the Wijaya Boss, I was also given the task of becoming an assassin. I actually refused to join the Boss. But since I need a lot of money, I also want to work with him. It's all for my son and wife.
There's nothing I can do, Reza. I don't have a diploma. I didn't graduate from Elementary School. Only survive in fourth grade. Then I went out and no longer went to school. Now finding a job is very difficult. Moreover, I do not have a diploma. Being a building porters, if no one brings, it's hard to get into being a worker."
" Satya, why don't you continue your school. Obviously, the diploma is very important. Now you're sorry, right?"
" Reza, do you know? My parents were very poor. After wandering and then succeeding, not waiting long after my birth, my father suddenly suffered from pain that doctors did not know what caused it. We've spent our money on my father's medicine. But to spend everything we have, not able to cure my father.
In the end, my father's life was not helped. He was in a coma for a week. He regained consciousness and opened his eyes. He was like a confused person, not how long he was dying. And finally he breathed his last breath. I was at school at the time. I didn't get to see my father realize. But my mother talked to me so I knew everything.
After my father left, we had nothing left. Our house is for sale. Pets, gold jewelry one crate, sale all. It's all for my dad in the hospital.
A week of being a beggar, Mom's health was bad. We are not used to living outside the home. Especially living in the open, under the bridge. When it rains we can't sleep. We were afraid the water would rise to the top and sweep us away.
And again, when the rain recedes, a lot of garbage stops because it is clogged. It made us breathless because of the disgusting smell. But how else, we have no other place to live. That's our house."
" Why don't you call your brother here? There must be a brother of yours who will help you, Satya."
" Contact what's wearing? we have no money either. Ask who else to help. Especially as beggars, we were looked at with one eye. No one saw us when we came to them. They pretend to be busy doing their activities. Nor did they hear our voices. We used to be like pebbles strewn across the street. Unseen, but if disturbed, we are removed. Such was the fate of my mother and I, in living life as a beggar."
" You can ask the police for help, right? The police can also help you find your brother."
" Reporting the police? We've asked him for help. It has been repeatedly but there is no help. We've been getting bad treatment from some cops. They kicked us out before we entered their office doors. We wanted to talk, but one of them said, so as not to hear our words. We're stamped as liars. That's why so many people won't listen to our words."
" Satya, your story is very interesting. I'm sorry for what happened to you first. You're suffering a lot."
" Thank you Reza, you want to listen to my story. Well, it was a bitter experience of my life. I don't want my kids to suffer the same fate as me."
" I'm not gonna let that happen Satya. I will help them if their lives are miserable. I'll help you. Trust me, Satya."
" Thank you very much Za. Maybe one day I'll need your help."
" Be calm.. I consider you my brother. That means your wife is also my sister, your children are my father. I promise I'll help you in keeping them."
" Reza, I'm so glad you're gonna help. But I don't want you to give anything to them with your work."
" Snakes.. I know that, Satya. You don't have to worry. I'm building a business that will make money lawfully. I can't give something to people with illegal money, Satya. Even if I'm like this, I'm still sane."
" Haha.. I thought you'd use your money from the Boss, to give it to someone else."
" No, Satya. You don't have to be so prejudiced against me."
" Well, I trust you, Za. Let's finish this fish. There are still many, if the hunt is cold, it is not tasty meat."
" Ah, I'm actually not good to you Satya. But frankly, your grilled fish is really good. I just ate this delicious food for the first time."
" Then, spend it. I don't eat too much, though. Spend it, you need more energy than I do."
" No Satya, I ate my lunch. So, it's not fair that I spend your own food. You alone, I'm not offering to eat my food."
" It's okay, just spend it. I've been feeling full."
" Hemhh. Okay, I'll finish it. Too bad to get this abundant windfall even rejected. Ahaha.."
By eating grilled fish together from Satya, Reza becomes closer to Satya. He even refers to Satya and her family as his brothers. He promises that when Satya is in trouble, Reza will help his family. Do not let their lives suffer the same fate, with what Satya experienced, in the past.
The day had begun, but the atmosphere on the riverbank where Reza and Satya were sheltering was very cool. Before continuing the journey, they rest and take time to sleep to restore their stamina.
......................