DARK NOTE

Part 7's. The Diary of Sandra

Adel's still sculpting. Diandra tried to grab her hand, but she herself was unable to move. His knees were limp, his chest rumbling. Slowly, his hand opened the bottle cap that was within range, chugging cold water made the power re-collect.

He darted towards Adel, hugging the body of the boy who had been unmoved from earlier.

"Del ..conscious!" pats slowly.

Adel blinked, his eyes dewy. He hugged Diandra tightly.

"Don't be afraid" whispered Diandra, more to herself. "You want a walk out?"

Adel nodded. Although hesitant, but it seems in the middle of the crowd can dampen the gripping atmosphere. He refused, stared at the ghost continuously. His blue mouth seemed mute, saying nothing. Except for the request for help at that time.

Diandra immediately took two jackets and did not forget the wallet. With Adel's cold hands. They left the house without turning off the lights.

Most crowded place, just in the square. In addition to food vendors, there is a night market that is only held every Wednesday night. Adel pointed to the sheriff, Diandra also pulled his motorbike to the right of the seller.

"Safe, right?" whisik Diandra's. Adel nodded. There was nothing around the serabi seller that was suspicious, as was the seller of wedang round that night.

"What do you want to drink?"

Adel chirping. He saw black ice across the street.

"That's ...," point. Diandra. Well, if it could forget that, it would.

"Yes, wait here. Don't go anywhere" Diandra's message.

Adel turned his attention to the serabi seller. The savory aroma made his newly filled stomach suddenly empty noodles. He can't wait for his order.

Suddenly his attention was fixed on the meatball seller. No, not the meatball. A buyer who feels familiar. Sandra's?

"Sandra's mother!" call Adel while waving. The girl who felt herself called looked over. He looked surprised to see Adel. Rushing he put on his hoodie and grabbed a bicycle near the meatball cart. The meatball seller was astonished and shouted, the order is not yet finished.

"Who, Del?" diandra Tegur. Adel pointed to a cycling figure that began to vanish between the passing vehicles.

"Sandra Ma. Adel was sure it was him. But why go when Adel calls, huh?"

"Wrong people times ...."

Adel shakes. He was so sure it was Sandra. But why avoid?

"Yes already. Tuh, it's been a crime. Just eat there, not many people," pointed out Diandra. Adel tailed behind him after receiving two servings of the red sugar-sauce snack.

"So see where Sandra is?" Diandra bit his pandan serabi.

"There, at the meatball seller's. Strange, why did he avoid, huh?"

Diandra did not answer. He was busy playing his phone with a serious face.

"Attante ...!"

"Hm ...."

"Guarantee girlfriend, huh?" adel's investigation is suspicious. Diandra.

"No. Here, Rio friend aunt chat. He said he saw the little book fall down, kept tucked into a auntie's bag in the locker. He said he was in a hurry, just read the last "dra. That's why he thinks it's got aunty."

Adel nodded. True too, the names "Sandra" and "Diandra" are almost similar. It was only fitting that Rio thought that the book belonged to Diandra.

"So, what now?" mumbled Adel.

Diandra felt his jacket pocket. The book is still there. Although in a hurry, he had slipped it in the bag.

"We try to open it to make sure that it is Sandra's and why it can be in Sekar's hands" Diandra suggested. Adel agreed, even though he felt that way was unethical.

Diandra turned his head for a while, making sure no one was paying attention. He docked to Adel, began to open the first page with a trembling chest.

**

January, 2016.

Somehow adults always attach importance to their own egos. Are we just spectators who can't do anything about their drama?

February, 2016.

In the end, we were just a little marmot that lost its mother. We were born without knowing what Father was, and his affection was said to be as warm as the wings of an eagle.

March, 2016.

I pulled the suitcase with a heavy heart. He said when he came back, the suitcase would be filled with a lot of money for us.

April, 2016.

Mom called through my old cell phone. He said he's got a job, maybe long time no news. But he promised to send me money.

May, 2016.

We're starting to starve. My school uniform is hollow. My sister always snuffles. I'm tired.

June, 2016.

There's a father biker orange coming. Gave me an envelope, she said from Mom. Wow, it's money.

July, 2016.

Somehow, every same date comes with a warm smile. Gave me an envelope with money that grew more and more nominal.

August, 2016.

I'm not short of money. Sandria eats well, her body is fat, her cheeks are chubby. I'm getting more and more dear.

September, 2016.

My days just turn around like this. Maybe I'll rewrite an interesting story. (Wax and cake pictures. Looks like Sandra's birthday)

Diandra took a deep breath. He glanced at Adel, convincing the boy to read through all without being left behind.

He also opened the next page. It's been a different year.

July, 2017.

Mom said I should continue High School. But I'm confused where I want to be.

August, 2017.

I found a pretty good school. It's just that I don't really like them.

December, 2017.

I survived because I didn't want my mother's money to go to waste.

February, 2018.

Sandria's getting finicky. He did not want to eat, his body shrunk. I should how?

April, 2018.

Sandria cries every night. I can't afford to study.

May, 2018.

I found a good comic in the library. A little creepy, but exciting.

June, 2018.

I miss Mom. What do I do to get Mom to come home?

Sandria cried all night. I'm tired, pissed. But a few hours later he fell asleep. Have a good night, my dear sister. We'll wait for Mom to come home, yeah.

August, 2018.

Mom's been home for only a month. He didn't hug me, as I expected. Sandria was all she cried. Yes, Sandria's tomb.

August, 2018.

I'm sad. The house is too quiet without Sandria's laughter. Without Mom's yelling when I tease Sandria. And today, I repeat my birthday in an empty room.

Augusts, 2018.

I'm Mom's son, right?

Adel snaps the body to Diandra. They look at each other. Adel's eyes went around, he felt that someone was watching.

"There's still some last pages" whispered Diandra. Adel shakes. He felt his chest tight. Sandria, that little girl didn't kill herself.

**

They came home around 9. The road to the complex is not too quiet, there are still some people who go home from work. Adel invited Diandra to stop by the security guard post for a while.

"Why what?"

Adel did not answer. The boy got off the bike straight to two security guards talking.

"Why, Deck?" ask one of them to look at Adel.

"Sorry, Sir. What was it, around the end of Maghrib there were foreigners entering the complex?"

The two looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Nothing. Is there a problem?"

Adel fell silent. He predicted the security guard's answer. It is impossible for the person who threw a stone in the window of their house, easily entered the complex area without being discovered.

"Del .. hunt!" yelled Diandra from the top of the motor. Adel hurriedly left the two adults looking at each other.

"Eh, wasn't there a girl named Zakira, was there? Who wants to borrow a book at his son's house, Bu Wati. What's his name .. emm, Vienna?" the youngest security guard. Hendis.

"Yes too, yeah. But the boy asked a stranger, anyway. I think it's an outsider aka bule. Haha."

Hendi frowned, he felt something was awkward. "Did you see that girl back? I'm not, yeah."

"When you prayed, he came home. Bring a book, anyway. But his jacket changed, maybe borrowed his friend."

Hendi nodded. He looked at the Diandra motor away. He felt that Adel's question had a cause.

"Sir, it's 9 o'clock. I go home first, yes," said Hendi.

"Eh, it's 9 o'clock, to? Yo wes, be careful."

Hendi grabbed his jacket and bag, and waved to his ten-year-old partner.

The new security house is still in the complex area, coincidentally passing the Diandra house. As he passed by, he accidentally saw two residents circling the terrace while tapping on the cracked window glass.

"Del, are you sure that's what people did?" Diandra tapped on the window with his finger.

"Yes that. Ghosts can hold stones, murmured Adel. "Well, this must be the stone he used." The boy pointed at one stone stuck in the pot of the love wave plant. Betu is indeed different from those around the yard and terrace of the house. It is rougher and not an ornamental stone.

"Tante, ask for plastic, dong."

"Make what?" Diandra opened the bag, he found plastic used tissue that had been used up.

Adel picked up the stone with plastic, without touching it directly. Wrapped evidence and then stored in a bag.

Hendi watched them from outside the fence. Curious, he greeted.

"Mhrs .... What again?"

Diandra. His body was trying to cover his cracked glass window.

"It's okay. You're home yet?" greet Adel. Hendi felt clumsy to be called father.

"I am twenty-seven years old. Don't call dad, dong," he grinned. Adel laughs.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to say. What you asked earlier, there was actually a girl who came before Maghrib. Name ... Zakira if not wrong. Her friend Vienna, Bu Wati's son."

Adel turned his head, looking at Diandra. The girl approached.

"Zakira's? What's the guy like?" ask Diandra.

"Well, I forgot, Ma'am. Not so clear his face. He said he wanted to borrow a book. Ride a bike and look rushed." Hendi fixed the rearview mirror to his left.

"Eh, that ... actually there was someone who threw our window glass with a stone," pointed out Diandra. Hendi raised his eyebrows.

"Stone? But you're okay, right?"

Diandra. "It's okay. Just cracked."

Hendi felt guilty. He apologized and will be more careful with foreigners entering the complex.

"Nothing, maybe just a prankster," Diandra smiled wryly.

Adel invited Diandra in. He said he was sleepy. Hendi resigned after giving his phone number. He advised, if something happens do not hesitate to contact. Diandra nodded.

**

The next morning, at breakfast Diandra looks restless. Adel knew this must have something to do with Sandra's book.

"How good do you think it is, Del?"

"Just go back to her locker, Ma'am Sekar, secretly. After all, Auntie didn't deliberately take the book. But because of whose fault it was .. hmm, Rio, who thought it belonged to Auntie," Adel proposed.

"But why is Sandra's book the same? What is their relationship exactly?"

"Maybe it was unintentional to find the book. Aunty remembered, yesterday we went to the house of Sandra and when the bike broke down, we saw Mbak Sekar enter the yard of Sandra's house."

Diandra nodded. True too, it could be Sekar found the book there. But what was their relationship, until Sekar came to Sandra's house? Why did they meet at the checkout at that time, as if they did not know each other?

Diandra has decided. He will return the book through Rio.

After dropping off Adel's school, Diandra who happens to be on her day shift and has yet to leave for work, calls Rio. Today he's off, Diandra asks him to meet in the square.

"What's up, Di?" Rio who just arrived, immediately approached Diandra in the gazebo.

"Sorry, yes I'm a nuisance. About the book you found in the break room yesterday. It's not mine, it's Sekar's. Please help her, yeah. And don't tell me you gave me the wrong yesterday" said Diandra, handing over the book.

"Oh that .. I'm sorry. I didn't notice his name. Uh, but really got Sekar? This ... Sandra's? What's her name Sandra?" Rio wonder. Diandra tried to find a reasonable explanation.

"Emm .. maybe that's another name. But yesterday I saw, this book was right in her bag."

Rio bagged the book without asking much. Fortunately, he was not a man who was always curious about other people's affairs. So, even the book could not be opened carelessly.

"Yes, I'm going home first. You want to go home too?" ask Rio.

"Yes. I also went straight home," nods Diandra.

The sun was getting hotter, but it was only 8 in the morning. Diandra rushed away after confirming Rio towards the way home. I don't know why he's worried about something as unwanted as last night. Did Sandra throw glass with a rock? If true, that means, the girl has not been to Jakarta. But why and how did he know that the book was on Diandra?

***