CONFINEMENT

CH 84 - PRALAYA PART II

the sky began to shine with clouds marching on it as if nature knew and felt the atmosphere of the bereaved Manguntur banjar, the residents and also the traditional elders accompanied the cremation procession of Jero Perbekel Nengah Wirata.

The sound of Blaganjur gamelan ushered in a convoy of citizens who were carrying a black cow-shaped bade that was lifted by the residents and in it there was the jazad pak Nengah the leader of Batubulan village, the mantra puja is chanted by a stakeholder with a bouncy ringing in his hand followed by the voices of the prayer canticles of the citizens.

Right on the village border, right, the Bade borne by some of the men circled around the village boundary as a stakeholder sprinkled yellow rice and pieces of money as a series of Pitra Yadna processions then resumed his journey.

While at the back of the parade containing the body of Jero Perbekel, it appears that some residents of Manguntur cut a coffin with a green cloth over it. The two motorcades headed east precisely Setra which is not far from Purnama beach, a young man with a mute face was seen accompanied by several men, including the Bhayangkara Beach Country.

No matter how long, the two motorcades stopped at the shore and one of the motorcade carrying keranda moved towards the hill where a small surau stood majestically above it, it appears that some people prepare the navel hole beside the manau. Some of the pushers carried the body of Suratmi's mother into the surau and was sholated with Sirkun as his priest.

Haru-biru crept among the mourners when Suratmi's body was buried. It appears that several girls accompanied Muhibbin to deliver the last journey of the mother. Unfortunately, Diera and Rizza's mistress who were present at that place could not help but cry.

How devastated the three when they heard the terrible news that befell the Muhubbin family, they were the friends of Sekar and Muhibbin who at noon the day before the incident, the three had visited the condition of Suratmi ma'am who was sick but the encounter was the last encounter with them.

The body of the old woman was lowered into a burrow, the sound of adhan and talqin delivered the last journey of Suratmi ma'am.

After the funeral procession was completed, Jero Pecalang was seen approaching Muhibbin.

"Son, come with uncle."

"Now is the time to perfect the journey of the late Jero Mekel."

"The cremation process for Jero Perbekel is ready and you are the only one closest to the deceased who will deliver his final journey." whispered Jero Pecalang to the young man next to him who was still downcast and occasionally wiping his tears held his sadness.

Muhibbin nodded his head and left the pusara of the mother who was in the surau An Nur followed by the mourners headed to the beach Purnama not far from the place.

Jazad pak Nengah who was inside the bade was placed on a pile of wood that had been prepared by the residents, the residents, still seen a stakeholder chanting puja mantra ushering in the departure of the Batubulan village leader who is highly respected by its citizens.

A torch was handed over to Muhibbin as the closest family of Mr. Nengah Wirata, with sobs of the young man igniting a pile of wood and starting to burn the bade on it.

The chanting of prayer canticles continued to be heard, a puff of smoke rising between the scorching sun .

After a long series of cremation processions, finally arrived where Muhibbin accompanied by the elders of the Manguntur custom stall and sprinkle the ashes of Jero Perbekel in the sea as the highlight of the event.

A pair of eyes among the crowd of Manguntur residents continued to observe what was done by Muhibbin since he was in the banjar hall until all the funeral procession of Bu Suratmi and cremation of Jero Perbekel was carried out.

***

While in the room of the Manguntur banjar treatment hall, the Jero cantrik Balian Kanta continued to observe the development of the condition of the two severely injured bodies and lay on top of a bamboo hall. Both of them are none other than Sekar and the Holy Kingdom.

The silence was felt in the treatment hall, that, only a few cantriks and Bhayangkara people were on guard outside while most of the residents and elders of the Manguntur banjar delivered the funeral procession of Suratmi and Jero Perbekel Nengah Wirata.

Suddenly from inside the treatment room, a cantrik rushed out to approach Jero Balian Kanta, with his face slightly stiffening the cantrik set his breath before saying,

"Teacher!"

"Teacher, Ni Mas Sekar has begun to wake up" said the cantrik was still panting, his face looks sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Good, let's look inside." replied Jero Balian Kanta no less excited. Both of them widened their steps into the treatment room.

Some cantrik look busy giving care to the two people lying on top of the bamboo hall. Jero Balian Kanta burst out among his cantriks, deftly checking his old hand at Sekar's condition and a small smile on the old man's lips.

"Thank God, Ni Mas Sekar has passed his critical period."

"You keep monitoring the progress and once every hour change the bandage that covers the wound."

"And cut this potion between the surface of his wounded skin" Balian Kanta said to his cantrik, the man took a small bokor from behind the bag he carried and handed it to the cantrik.

"Then what about this little girl?" asked Balian Kanta back, his gaze turned to the Sacred Kingdom lying next to Sekar.

"There's still no progress at the moment, teacher."

"The burns all over his body are too severe."

"We have not dared to give this child medicine" the cantrik told Balian Kanta.

The old man sighed, his gaze I saw the condition that befell the two people in front of him.

"Continue watching the development of the Sacred Kingdom's burns,"

"If the wound on the burned skin is brownish, it's a sign that the surface skin is cold, continues on the fan until the skin of his body begins to look changed."

"After that you just dabble with this potion." Balian Kanta returned to the little bokor in his bag and handed it to the disciple.

"I'll meet the leadership of Bhayangkara and Jero Pecalang."

"I think soon they will come from Setra." said the old man to his students and right as Balian Kanta expected, the atmosphere outside the room was starting to get crowded. The old man stepped out leaving his cantrik who was still keeping a close eye on the development of the Secrets and Sacred Kingdom.

"How did the two boys develop, Jero?" asked Jero Pecalang when he saw Jero Balian out of the treatment room.

"The condition of Ni Mas Sekar has begun to develop."

"But the situation of the little girl is still critical, Jero." said Balian Kanta, the old man approached Jero Pecalang.

In the middle room, the leader of Bhayangkara and Mr. Sirkun were seen talking about serious things, they both had their faces tense with wrinkles on their forehead.

"How are the two doing, Jero?" ask Prawira Utama Bhayangkara at Balian Kanta.

"For now we continue to do our best, sir."

"Sekar has gone through his critical period but for the condition of Raya still remains worrying."

"Then how was the funeral and cremation, sir?"

"Where is the Good Boy Muhibbin now?" now Balian Kanta asked the people in front of him.

"The young man was still in the voice of An Nur with my son and his two friends."

"Maybe they will be here soon" replied Sirkun to Balian Kanta. The old man nodded his head after hearing the explanations of the people in front of him.

"Mr Prawira, what about your investigation into this case and about the existence of Ni Mas Cahaya?" now Jero Pecalang asked the leader of Bhayangkara who was in front of him.

"For now we have not found a bright spot, we can only wait for Sekar's testimony because at the scene there is very little evidence,"

"These provisional conclusions are made by trained people who used to work neatly,"

"However, we do not need to be discouraged, because the perpetrators must have left a hint even a little."

"This has become the main concern of the governor, however Jero Perbekel is a good acquaintance of him and this incident occurred after the meeting of Jero Perbekel and his family with the extended family of the governor." prawira Utama Bhayangkara.

"Is this not awkward, sir?"

"Especially as you said just now, that Jero Mekel and the Muhibbin family had visited and met the big family of the governor?" asked Jero Pecalang with a sharp gaze towards Prawira Utama.

Hearing the question of the Batubulan village security leader Prawira Utama gasped, he gasped,

"Do you think Mr. Timoti or his extended family were involved in this incident?" prawira Utama replied softly, his gaze coldly leading to Jero Pecalang in front of him.

"Don't go overboard and through boundaries, sir!"

"I personally know the governor very well and I have always been by his side" Prawira Utama told Jero Pecalang.

"Isn't the slightest possibility of that happening, sir?"

"Nothing is impossible, let alone I heard the news that before this incident, the governor and his extended family had treated Jero Perbekel and the Muhibbin family very badly."

"If it is really those who do, I make sure all the citizens of Manguntur and Batubulan village will make calculations and ask for justice to be served!" jero Pecalang said no less cold, the man with a built-up body was seen to hold his anger.

The atmosphere in the room became tense, there was a fight and mutual face between Prawira Utama and Jero Pecalang.

"Easy."

"We have to stand up and think clearly."

"Right now we focus on the two children, however, the safety of Sekar and the Holy Kingdom will open the veil and reveal who is the perpetrator of all this." sela tuan Sirkun mediates the debate between Prawira Utama and Jero Pecalang.

"In the afternoon before the incident, Jero Perbekel visited my place."

"And the deceased asked me to find a solution and bridge between the governor and the Muhibbin family."

"Jero Nengah Wirata deeply regrets the attitude of the great family of Mr. Timoti to him and the family of Muhibbin."

"All the possibilities could happen as Jero Pecalang said."

"But we need to remember, too, that Mr. Timoti is not one who will act outside the law and the rules,"

"I am sure there are parties who want to take advantage of the feud of Mr. Timoti as governor of the Coast with Jero Nengah Wirata who is none other than the leader of Batubulan village who is very respected."

"And the trigger is the relationship between Muhibbin and Ni Mas Sariwati, the daughter of the governor" said Mr. Sirkun explained the big picture about the current situation.

Everything in the room fell silent and digested what the merchant from the Coconut Country said.

Suddenly a group of Bhayangkara and Pecalang village entered the room with a body figure on a stretcher. A Bhayangkara approached Prawira Utama and whispered something to the man, all eyes on the Bhayangkara and Pecalang villages.

Full of shock Prawira Utama stepped towards the body stretcher by his men, Mr. Sirkun, Jero Pecalang and Balian Kanta followed from behind.

How surprised Jero Balian Kanta was when his gaze recognized the body lying on the stretcher,

"Ni Mas Light?"

Everyone in the place was stunned to see Light's body full of wounds and his face was almost unrecognizable.

*****

Note :

*Yadna image: death ceremony procession

Links: graveyard*