Cempaka Bride

Trisca

🦉

Rinai rain that flushed since the afternoon made the air of Bandung city feel increasingly cold. Dew hangs between tall trees in the front yard of the house. The bright light from the floodlights in front of the house is not able to penetrate the night.

Inside one of the rooms located in the left corner of the house, Triska squirms in front of the desk. Stretch out his hands and turn his head several times.

The fingers move shut off the laptop. Then get up from the chair, move your feet towards the bed that has been waving since.

Pat the pillow, relax and find a good position to sleep.

Ssrreeekk.

Ssrreeekk.

Triska reopened her eyes, looking around the room while sharpening her hearing.

Ssrreeekk.

Ssrreeekk.

The voice sounded again. Triska got up and walked up to the wall of her rented house. Putting on your ears to hear more clearly.

Ssrreeckkk.

Ssrreeckkk.

Brruuukkk!

The sound of objects being dragged and then banged against the wall was heard right behind the wall where Triska was standing.

Shocked himself, but he still did not move. It even keeps the body against the wall.

There was the sound of a woman singing. Her soft voice melodiously sang an English song.

Triska felt like she had heard that song. Trying to remember while humming.

Brraaakkk!

Brraaakkk!

The sound of the object shifted violently, a moment later back into silence.

Triska still attached the body like a lizard to the wall. For a while he remained in his position.

So long in silence, he finally stopped being a lizard and moved away from the wall.

His feet moved towards the kitchen. Take a glass and pour water into it. Drink a few sips while looking towards the front door.

At first glance he felt a shadow passing on the front porch of the room.

Triska ran out of the kitchen. Open the front door quickly. Ding.

The situation on the terrace which is a long hallway of this rented house is very quiet and quiet. No one is outside.

The shape of this rented house is like a square with a small garden in the middle as a separator. There are ten rooms here. The inhabitants are a mixture of men and women who are all workers.

Since his move five days ago, Triska has only known two old residents. Afni Tea and Mbak Dinar.

Triska stepped hesitantly into the next room. The door's tightly closed. So are the curtains.

Triska tried to peek out of the window but the darkened inner room made it difficult to see clearly.

Srrtt.

It feels like someone is passing through there. Triska tried to sharpen her vision. Suddenly his hair was goosebumps. He stroked his shoulders while still peeking.

"Ngapain, Tea?" ask someone from behind Triska.

He turned around and was shocked when he saw who reprimanded him just now.

A tall man with brownish skin who lives across from Triska's contract.

"Here, there's someone else singing here" Triska replied. His gaze was again fixed on the door that was closed in front of him.

"Singing? I can't hear you, can I?" said the man while scratching his head. His round eyes squinted.

Triska turned around again looking at the man. They looked at each other confused.

"What's this?" ask an adult woman who came out of the front room of the rented room.

"This, Afni Tea, Teteh slit this earlier said someone was singing from this room," said the tall man.

"What's? Tinnitus squinty?" triska murmurs in the heart.

At once Afni's face paled. His feet moved a step back.

"Are you sure you heard that?" ogre.

Triska nodded.

His body suddenly collapsed onto the floor. She's fainted.

***

"How many times have you heard singing from that room?" ask Dinar. His hands were busy rubbing Afni's feet. The smell of eucalyptus oil wafted in the air.

"This time, Ma'am" replied Triska.

"Perhaps, Teteh this narrowed misheard," interrupted the tall man from the front door of Dinar's room that opened.

Triska sniggers when called teteh slit. The man was grim.

"I'm Triska. Not a squinty!"

"Sorrys. I don't know your name anymore."

"Now you know, so don't call me sipit again!"

"Okay .. okay," said the man, raising both hands up. The grin was still widening on his face.

"Don't be teased, Ivan!" hardik Dinar's.

The conscious Affni from fainting drew Dinar's hand.

"I slept here, huh? Afraid of Rima nongol again," he whispered softly. Dinar nodded.

"Who is that?" ask Triska. He was very curious why Afni fainted.

Dinar and Afni looked at each other. Then turned to look at Triska who was sitting straight cross-legged.

"That's the one who used to live here. Precisely in the room next to yours," replied Dinar softly.

"And he .. was dead a year ago," Afni continued, covering her face with her hands. His cries began to sound. Dinar rubbed his friend's back slowly.

"How come?" This time a man named Ivan asked. He had only lived here for a month.

"According to the two people who occupied Triska's room first, they often heard the sound of a chair being dragged and the song of a woman from Rima's former room" Dinar explained.

"There was someone who occupied Rima's former room, a young couple. According to their confessions, Rima often appears in the living room. Sit in a chair singing her favorite song."

"In the end the couple moved from here because they could not stand the haunt of Rima. Although they could not see his face clearly, they often saw a woman in broken white wedding dress stained with blood."

The dinar stopped telling stories. His hands rubbed the face that looked tired.

"Did he die unnaturally?" asked Ivan who had moved next to Triska.

"Yes. He ... was killed ...."

***

That night Triska slept restlessly. Waking up a few times before finally being completely awake and unable to fall back asleep.

Glancing at the round clock on the wall, it was already 03.00 wib. He lay on his left side facing the wall of the room.

Dugm!

The sound of objects being smashed against the wall. Triska sharpens hearing. His eyes are wide open. Breathe slowly while giving a glance around the room.

Dugm!

The voice sounded again. Triska wakes up and sits upright on the bed. His hand grabbed the hairband on the next pillow, and tied his hair to form a ponytail. Grab the phone near the pillow and activate the video camera.

Get out of bed and walk slowly towards the tiny living room at the front. Directing the phone around the room, trying to capture sound or movement.

Dugm! Dugm! Dugm!

Brraaakkk!

Brraaakkk!

"Astagfireullah! " it was exciting when a shadow could be seen from the gap under the door.

Triska closed her mouth with her left hand to hold the scream that was about to come out. His right hand moved to point the phone at the door.

In his heart he tried to remember his mother's advice not to fear any genie.

But facing real conditions like this makes his guts shrink.

He struggled to catch his breath that felt heavier. He wanted to run, but his feet were on the floor. Sweat runs from the head to the back.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

His knees are starting to wobble. The body slumped to the floor and crashed into the barrier wall.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

The sound of the clawing is getting louder. Triska covered her face with both hands while crying. He's very scared. Moreover, he was alone here.

Suddenly silence. The atmosphere was back silent.

Triska opened the finger covering the eye and peeked out from the finger slit towards the window. The voice really disappeared. The shadow behind the door was no longer there.

Sayup-sayup heard the sound of tahrim echoing from the mosque near the rented.

Slowly Triska lowered her hands, rubbing her face several times. Tears with the back of the hand. Fixing the sitting position while saying hamdalah many times.

Closing your eyes while breathing until you recover as usual. Gathering energy to stand up.

Legs hesitantly towards the window. Trying to peek out of the curtain slit.

The atmosphere of the hallway and the garden was still quiet. The entire occupant was still sound asleep. After making sure no one was there, Triska finally closed the curtains and stepped into the room.

Lying the body on the bed. Pull the blanket to the limit of the neck and roll in it. Close your eyes and try to sleep for a while while waiting for the dawn.

The fear in the heart begins to diminish as consciousness fades away. Triska fell asleep and fell asleep, not realizing that a shadow had stopped at the door of her room.

***

Two weeks had passed, Triska had already never heard any sound from the next room. His heart was calm and cheerful.

Friends here are also kind and friendly to make it feel at home. Sometimes they sit together in the park, roll out mats while chatting casually.

In addition to Dinar, Afni and Ivan, Ayu and Tia also often chat.

While Rama and Hasni only occasionally joined in their spare time.

Only one occupant is always alone. A tall white man with a cold face named Zein.

When Zein came after work, he just nodded to the other group of residents, then went straight into his room.

Like today, Sunday night. The other residents gathered boisterously, but Zein remained aloof.

"Where are you going, Ris?" ask Ayu. His eyes stared at the small plate containing two pieces of martabak and three fried bananas on Triska's right hand.

"You take this there" Triska replied, pointing to Zein's door.

"Will not want him. I was often offered food but always rejected," interrupted Tia.

"Sieun dipelet me maneh!"ivan's chirps were instantly repaid pinching at the waist by Tia. (Fear of being on the same plate as you!)

"Isshh. Who sleeps a lot!" sulk Tia.

"A lot of sight to the invisible!" tukas Rama who was greeted with another laugh.

Tia who scowled unruffled laughed.

"Bang!" call Triska. He knocked on the door several times.

The door opened, Zein's head nongol from the crack of the door.

"You want to do this" Triska said as she held out the plate with her right hand.

"Owh, thank you, yes," Zein said. A glimpse of a smile imprinted on his thin lips.

Triska. Zein looks.

"There again?" asked Zein with raised eyebrows.

"Ehh. Nothing" said Triska.

Zein moved to close the door, but Triska moved quickly to hold the door with her left hand.

"Bang ... um .. join me, yuk!" hesitated.

Zein stunnedly looked at Triska, then turned his gaze to the others.

"Here, Zein! Join me once!" call Hasni.

Zein seemed to think for a moment, before he finally nodded and went outside the room. Walk behind Triska, then sit cross-legged next to Rama.

Ivan continued to play the guitar accompanying Afni who sang melodious.

Without feeling the time soon passed. The night is getting late. The atmosphere outside the house is getting quieter.

"I went in first, yeah. Sleepy," said Dinar while yawning.

Dugm! Dugm! Dugm! Dugm!

Brraaakkk!

Suddenly everyone fell silent. Their heads were spinning looking for the origin of the sound.

Brraaakkk!

Brraaakkk!

Brraaakkk!

The sound is getting louder. The sound of objects being smashed against a wall or floor.

She hugged Dinar. His face looks pale. Ayu and Tia cling to each other. Triska pulled the Zein T-shirt standing next to her with trembling hands.

Ivan put down the guitar and stood up. His feet were about to step to the origin of the sound but were restrained by Hasni's hand pull.

"Shut up, Van!" ogre.

Bllaaammmm!

The empty room door suddenly opened. Everyone rushed to the nearest room.

Hasni, Ayu, Tia and Rama run into Ayu's room.

After that, Dinar, Ivan and Triska ran into Zein's room.

He immediately squatted at the end of the room. Covering your face with your hands. Dinar hugged her while trying to calm her down.

Triska stands at the door connecting the room and living room. Ivan stood beside him. Zein was still standing in front of the window. Peering from behind the curtains.

"What is Rima?" ask Triska. Hand trembling.

"Jin who resembles Rima. His spirit is already in the grave. It won't come out" Zein replied firmly.

"Why did that genie show up again and scare us?" ask Ivan slowly.

"Because .. today is the year anniversary of his death!" answer Dinar lirih.

Suddenly silent. All that was heard was the sobs of Afni who was still crouching in the corner of the room.

Zein was still peeking out from the left curtain slit. Ivan took a peek from the right.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

Suddenly there was a claw from the window of the next room which was the Afni room.

Triska took a few steps back, hiding behind a wall between the living room and the room.

His eyes were smashed with a radiance of fear. Closing your mouth with both hands. His fingers trembled and his eyes began to dew.

Afterni ducked down, drooped down quickly and placed his head on Dinar's lap. Covering the face with the tip of her pink hijab. Her shoulders went up and down indicating she was still crying.

Dinar hugged the body of her best friend with a terrified expression. His mouth read prayers. Occasionally it was interrupted because he had to endure his own sobs.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

Kkkrreeet.

The voice sounded louder. As if extending from Afni's room window to Zein's room.

Ivan took a few steps back, Zein shifted to the back of the door. His hand rubbed the door slowly. Occasionally muttering to recite a prayer while continuing to wipe the door nonstop.

Gggrrreeett.

Gggrrreeett.

There was a claw at the door. Zein took a step back. His eyes could not watch the gap at the bottom of the door.

He crouched down, then peered into the crack.

"Astagfirefull!" said slowly.

It was like a shadow was standing right in front of the door.