Brutal Family

Part 11 The Cursed Family

The black-robed entourage moved towards the forest. Torches lit the path that night. While a woman was dragged rudely by them. His screams and cries were not cared for. The woman did not run out of ways to escape, continued to thrash despite the seeming grip on her arm getting stronger. There is no mercy.

Their steps were creeping under the moonlight. Forest insects accompany the journey. The bird of death moves to every branch of the tree, bearing witness. Then the black clouds carried a dark, enveloping the perfect circle of the moon.

The roar of the sky as if commemorating a boundary of humanity had been breached. The rain accompanied the women's cries, soaking the ground they were hoeing. The embers of the torch in their hands instantly went out.

"By the line."

I flinched, scooping the air in the empty space. Like I just pulled my soul out. The ceiling of the mosquito net with the picture of blood red flowers made me think, what dream did I just have? The girl in my dream feels familiar. Why are my dreams so weird lately?

The cock jago marker of daylight sounded loud. Glancing at the wall clock, it turns out I'm bad luck again. Lothawat! My sleep is very calm. There are no alarms at Papa's door either.

Immediately I went outside the room. Silent I got. Ua Hanggara looks new out of the forbidden room, is locking the door. Almost all members of this family kept the forbidden room a secret. Only me and Papa can't go in there. Papa said it was a matter of trust.

Maybe they follow the teachings of the devil, who knows, right? Then I quickly broke the thought, reluctant to repeat the last time in the forbidden room. In a new place do not think, say, and act recklessly. I knocked on the head.

"Don't you?" Ua Hanggara noticed my presence.

I smiled awkwardly, nodding politely. "Yeah."

That'sallthatis. Among her older brothers Papa, Ua Hanggara was rather scary. I rarely hear his voice. We passed by without much ado. Ua Hanggara came out of the courtyard and I went to the bathroom.

Grandma's house has only one bathroom, which is near the kitchen. Because my room is on the other end, it's a little far away. Strange, this morning was different. It's usually quiet, but this time the bike feels gripping. I glanced at the kitchen where Papa was cooking for my breakfast. The adjoining bathroom and kitchen area required me to hear Papa's scolding because I was late waking up. There was no Papa there this morning.

Where the hell is Papa this early? I don't usually go without my knowledge.

While waiting for the bucket to fill with water, I hummed softly. My way kills fear. When I feel weird, my eyes can't calm down, wildly looking around. Really, Papa's absence is very strange. More precisely not used to it.

"By the line."

My head was coming in all directions. I just heard someone calling, but not my name. I was silent for a moment, there was only water overflowing in the bucket. My heart was so hard it almost broke. Immediately my head shook with a positive effort, doctrinating myself no one spoke but me. Besides me.

But feelings cannot be lied to. I stared vigilantly at every corner of the bathroom.

***

　

　

"Are you sada-waw?"

Papa was moved as soon as he opened the door. I laughed at his surprise.

"Where?"

"You so-I'm speechless. How-why?"

"Dangerous is Pa?"

"Not that, he means Papa was surprised that suddenly Papa's child's hair became black. But-Papa don't know-I mean yes .. You become more like a native child now, haha. Kidding, Honey. You're Papa's pretty flower. As always." Papa has not stopped his surprise.

"Hm ..., dreadlocks!"

"Eh? Papa is serious too. Oh yes, today breakfast together. The family's agenda. Come on!"

My hand was pulled by Papa into the front yard, under the gazebo in our family home neighborhood, people gathered.

"Hi, dude!" greet her sister Papa.

Jaya patted the empty spot on her side, but Papa immediately pulled my hand to sit with her alone.

"The courtship has its time, if at home the time is Bungah with Papa," whispered Papa.

"Oh Papa, I'm not dating."

"Ah time ...." Papa gave me a plate of rice along with side dishes. Okay, heavy meal this morning. "no courtship but you guys are lyrically so."

"Mr ...." I'm shy.

"Would you change your hair color?" Ua Lisna placed a glass of tea water on the table everyone interrupted our whispering event.

"Yes, Ua. School doesn't ban blond students."

"You want to be a native Indonesian he said." added Papa while chewing. "Any, huh? The period of how Indonesia we are measured by hair color. How's Grandma's white hair?"

They chuckled at Papa's joke, followed by a small family chat. A conversation that talks about each child's accomplishments, talking about their business. Mostly about showing off. Not infrequently they compare one child and another child. Then the talk of the parents turned to the fray of the twins fighting over food. Papa turned to me, smiling understandably so that I continued eating quietly.

Another strangeness of this family. They had no partner, all who sat wailing cross-legged on the carpet were nuclear families. There is no daughter-in-law.

Jaya's family, too, Jaya's father works far away in Kalimantan usually returns home once every two or three months. Different again with the story of Ua Hanggara whose wife is not clear where. Ua Lisna with her husband divorced dead. Ua Anjani with her husband also divorced. While Papa knows himself has long been widowed, even last week was left married to his ex-wife. Only Aunt Nidria, the most normal member of her family. Aunt Nidria has two children and they live in the city.

Does Papa's descendant have some kind of curse against happy families huh? Papa denied it, it's all a coincidence.

In this world there are no coincidences.

I also rinse the soap on my hands. We used to wash our cutlery after using it.

"Pretty." Jaya muttered to bring her face closer to me as she passed by.

Then my lips twitched pseudoly, smiling shyly. No day without temptation.

That morning we went to school and were filled first by the delicious cooking of her sisters Papa. Papa's car was boarded by three of my cousins, the Pratama and Pratiwi twins and Sophia. Sometimes I forget their names, the children of who they are, what class they are so many cousins.

Pratama and Pratiwi themselves sat in junior high school, four hundred meters from my school. They got off first. As for Sophia, the boy was just following along. Sophia just entered kindergarten, today she is comforting herself, aka whining does not want to go to school.

From the meal with the family earlier, it seemed to create a little gap for me to hang out with them. The main language was about my hair. They are annoying to ask a lot of questions, but behind all that they are funny.

"Hm? What did you say?"

I looked up, Papa was looking at me flat. "Don't say anything," I answered.

Papa was astonished, looking unsure. Then switch to the back seat where Sophia smiled widely.

"Well talk to Om?"

The boy shook his head, he giggled to himself. Me and Papa looked, kind of goosebumps actually.

What's wrong with the kid?

　

　

- Damaisland-