DUTCH HOUSE ON A GRAVE
Episode 11, EVENTS 20 YEARS AGO
On campus Gordi stories to Afgan, his new friend.
”You must believe my story, Fan. I'm not hallucinating. I really witnessed the terrible incident and part of my campus duties were wet with blood,” Gordi said seriously.
”You don't make it up, Dy. Didn't you not believe that all along? I don't want to get hooked on that silly story of yours. It's only in your story,”
”No, Fan. For this one I'm not lying. I'm serious,”
”Already ah. I'm really tired of hearing your story. Is there no other material we should tell about. For example about cute girls on our campus, or about beautiful lecturers who flirt with students?”
”Basic, you go to college just want to find a girl?”
”Huusstt... I again pedekate nih..”.
”Ughh..” Gordi complains. The Afghan did not respond to his silly story. Gordi breathed heavily. He was reminded of Riri's frightening stories. Is the house really haunted?
Gordi is late to return home. The afternoon came and magrib arrived. Azan's voice rattled. Gordi's heart started to throb. He hoped that the figure of–the terrible figure did not catch him.
Gordi walked across the corridor and the laboratory room. Mr. Damsit who usually closed the door, that afternoon was idle. He did not enter because he visited a family. At first glance Gordi smelled a fragrance mixed with pungent frankincense on his nose.
The sound of roaring whistles blurted. A headless body figure walked at the end of the corridor. His neck was cut off and he was spitting out blackish blood. Foul smell. Amis piercing sharp. The body was looking for its severed head. Gordi was unconscious. Suddenly the room was dark black. Mr. Damsit found him lying limp in the corridor.
”What else is it, Son Gordi?” ask Mr. Damsit astonishment.
“He came again, Sir,” Gordi said in a raucous voice.
“Already, now son Gordi rest first. Tomorrow son Gordi do not be too late to get out of the room,“ said Mr. Damsit advising. Gordi nodded slowly.
The ghost will appear when the magrib arrives. Their spirits are looking for each other, but the time is not yet right for them to meet. Gordi was fixated for the umpteenth time. It was as if those monstrous figures were still haunting him.
Since that incident Gordi never went out of the room before magrib. He did not want the terrible event to haunt his life. He only hoped for the ghost of the heaven so that he soon met his lover in the Baqa realm.
That morning Gordi rushed through the corridor, until he almost hit someone in front of him
“Oppss..” Gordi. That person was shocked as well. “Sorry, I accidentally,” he said. The man smiled faintly.
“Nothing. I'm wrong not to see you,”
“I'm really sorry. Where are you going?” ask Gordi for pleasantries.
“Laboratory,” says.
“Hmm... oh yes, I'm Gordi. You?”
“Andien..”.
“Andien? You're a new student?” gordi asked doubtfully.
Andien nodded. “Ya,”
“Same. I've also only been here a few weeks,” Gordi said.
“Oh..” Andien nodded. Then they chatted as a first introduction. Gordi told me about his experience as a freshman at the college.
***
Kriy.... The phone's voice rang. Andien was silent in his room. Then he moved with no spirit. He grabbed his cellphone on the study table.
“Halo...” say it with a heavy voice.
“Halo, Darling... How are you?” ask a woman named Faridah from across the street.
“Andien is fine, Ma,” replied Andien accordingly. He sipped warm tea on his mug.
“How's your new campus?” ask Faridah to know.
Andien was silent for a moment. “Yeah, passable, Ma,”
“Hmm... Alright. What matters is your choice, honey. Mama's going to Medan to visit you. It's been a long time since you married your father and lived in New Week,”
“Ya, preferably so, Ma,”
“Have you met your grandfather?”
“Not yet... Coincidentally Andien looking for a boarding place...
“Come, Darling... Don't make your grandfather like everyone else.”.
“Ya already, then you rest first. Mom wants to finish her job first. There are still many patients. Dag, Babe..”.
“Dag, Mom...”
Andien put his cellphone on the table, then his gaze was fixed on a dull piece of paper.
***
Faridah rolled her suitcase. He meets Fahmi at a crossroads.
“Faridah..?” father Fahmi was surprised.
Faridah turned her head, looking at the person who greeted her. “Fahmi?” farida was a little surprised. “You're here?” ask her with furrowed eyebrows.
“Well, I live in this city. Where are you staying?” Fahmy asked back.
“I'm in New Week. After marriage, I went with my husband, Mi,”
“Why are you in Medan?”
“My boy. My son wants to go to college in Medan,”
Fahmi. “I want to talk to you, Da. How about we find a good place?”
“I was in a hurry to meet my son, Mi..” cut Faridah, while refusing Fahmi's invitation.
“Just a moment Faridah,” said Fahmi begging.
“Good... But I can't take long,”
“Ya.. I promise.”
Faridah followed Fahmi's steps into a cafe near the intersection. Faridah still wonders what Fahmi wants to talk about.
“Actually what's up, Mi?” after sitting in a chair. Fahmi set his heartbeat pounding.
“Begini, Da... Lately I've been haunted by nightmares. My dreams always lead to past events. I'm worried,”
“Past events?” Farida frowned.
“Ya..”
“Didn't that happen long ago, Mi? What's the matter, actually?”
“I don't know, Da. Looks like someone opened that forbidden door,”
“Open that door? Who?” Farida's surprised.
Fahmi. “No idea,”
Faridah. He also knew of the tragic event and Faridah was one of the culprits. At that time they were still teenagers, but the torture they did was cruel.
“HH... We should not discuss the problem, Mi. I don't want to remember. I admit I was wrong at the time. I was too young and killed the woman sadistically,” Faridah's voice sounded raucous. Fahmi swallowed his saliva bitterly. His eyes stared intently at Faridah's face. There was hope emanating in his eyeballs. Hope nothing happens to her family.
“Bintara also returned to this city, Da,”
“Bintara?” he muttered with a heavy voice.
“Yes. I also don't know if this is a good sign or a bad sign for us,”
Farida's eyes glared far away. That was a fatal mistake. He's really sorry.
“Pray only, Da. May we always be protected by the Almighty,”
“My thoughts are messed up, Mi. Why didn't I realize it from the beginning. Why should I return to this city and obey my daughter's wishes,”
“I hope everything is fine,”
“Yah..”
Faridah still continued to imagine the events of twenty years ago. A tear soaked his cheek. Throughout the journey he was silent and glued. Daydreaming that he did not realize the taxi he was riding had arrived at his father's house. Chaotic thoughts became a mess in his heart.
***
