Flavour Bias

Blood Spotting at the End of the Tape

I saw Brother Edgar was in the living room, maybe he asked Grandpa and Grandma for permission. Hopefully the two old men won't let Brother Edgar out tonight.

I'm getting close. And sure enough he was persuading Grandpa and Grandma to let him go.

“If Brother Edgar comes home tonight, I will come,” I said interrupting his words.

Edgar looked at him immediately. I saw Grandpa and Grandma looking at me in wonder. I forgot to tell them that I was here to pick her up.

“Cha, you just arrived this afternoon,” said Brother Edgar.

“Indeed why?” just pissed. “Kak Edgar deliberately avoids Icha? Or does Edgar not want to room with Kak Iyash?”

“No, it's not so. Icha will not understand.”

“Then it is, leukain, let Icha know.”

He pulled my hand and took me away from the living room, then passed by the living room and I saw Kak Iyash standing not far from there. His gaze was directed at me and Brother Edgar.

Edgar stopped on the front porch. He then let go of his grasp.

“Why do you have to get into my life?” ask the man.

My heart is breaking hearing Brother Edgar say so. “What Brother mean?”

“Listen, I can solve my problem. My life experience is so much more than yours. You shouldn't be here.”

I wet my throat. My chest is like a dagger. I caught the gist of what Edgar said. He didn't want to see me, so maybe that's why he left tonight.

“Icha to here nemenin Kak Iyash, kok.” I looked inside and I saw Brother Iyash still standing there looking and maybe he heard our conversation. “So I can't see his right hand with a gunshot wound, it's all because he wants to protect Icha.”

Edgar turned in the other direction.

I'm bowed. “Icha is indeed just one reader of thousands of loyal readers Kak Edgar. Icha know Icha limitation here, so–”

He grabbed me and held me in his arms. I felt a thump behind his chest.

“Thank you.”

Slowly she broke her embrace. Then I clasped both of my cheeks and immediately stared at his face. “Nothing happens to be in this world, but I wish Iyash was just a person who happens to be present in your life just like any other.”

Heart's sniffing.

Edgar lowered his face even more, so close to mine. My heart fluttered, but, I didn't want to soar too far, I wasn't sure if he was really going to kiss me.

“Icha,” call Granny Alma from the inside.

I looked up and saw him standing not far from the door.

“Help Grandma open Iyash's hand brace. Said he wanted to change clothes.”

“Oh. Yes.” I immediately left Brother Edgar until I forgot to say goodbye to him. “Kak Iyashnya where, Nek?” ask my Grandma.

“In his room maybe.”

I nodded and immediately went after Brother Iyash. Grandma didn't lie, I see that Iyash's sister was having a hard time removing her armband. I immediately went in and grabbed the arm sling rope and helped the man let go.

“Why is it here?” ask Brother Iyash.

“I'm okay.”

I was stunned to look at him. He forgot his formal attitude by changing my word to me. But that's not the most important thing for now.

“Ngak-no.” I shook my head and immediately touched his forehead with the back of my hand. “Kak Iyash forgot to take medicine?”

“Do not care,” snoring while going near the closet.

I'm pissed off. “If you don't want anyone else to care about Iyash, why did Iyash care about me at the time? And you can let Marlo shoot me? Then, ‘kan, I do not need to bother caring for Big Brother, I just care about myself.”

“Now there is no need. You can care about yourself and your own interests, besides you are here for him, ‘kan? So, no need to bother taking care of me.”

I don't care what he wants to say. “Where is the cure?” manyworry.

However, Brother Iyash ignored me and he instead opened the closet and took out a sea blue t-shirt. I went over and grabbed the shirt, and helped her put on the shirt.

“Semenyusthennya Brother Iyash, I will not forget what Sister Iyash did. Because I should have felt that pain. I should be the one in Sister Iyash's current position.”

I don't see how he looks at the moment. He had to obey me. “Don't move much, Kak Iyash's hands are swollen. What if this is a symptom of infection?”

I tried to ask him again where he put the cure. But again, he ignored me. I don't care about his obvious haughty attitude I can't forget how he pushed me until the bullet went through his arm, how about it slip through his chest?

He sat on the edge of the bed. While I chose to ransack his backpack, however, it was a pity that I did not get what I was looking for, but my eyes were fixed on a pink satin ribbon, at the end of the ribbon was the letter C. Just like mine. I pulled the ribbon and showed it. “This?”

Brother Iyash turned his head and immediately snatched it from me. “I forgot to bring the medicine,” murmured the man.

I was stunned staring at the ribbon that Brother Iyash was holding. The letter C written on the end of the ribbon was not intentional, but a blood patch. It makes me sure that the tape is mine.

It took me a long time to remember all of that. Now I see him laying on the bed without explaining why the ribbon was in his bag?

“Turn off the lights and close the door, I want to break.” Suddenly I heard his tone and formal style of speech return. I could only sigh and follow his orders. But I really can't let him be alone.

“Kak, if you need anything, say yes,” my door is soft. I then took a step towards the door, closing it after turning off the lights, but actually I didn't really get out of the room. Just turn off the lights and close them. I really can't leave him alone.

Suddenly I heard her long cry and it made me panic. Moreover, he shivered in the cold. I quickly got up and left the chair and approached him. Brother?” I felt his body getting hotter than before.

“Icha will ask Grandma to call Doctor.” I got out of the room immediately, but I was surprised by the presence of Brother Edgar at the door.

“Cha?” Brother Edgar said my name. But I couldn't respond to it and could only pass it by. In my mind right now there is only Brother Iyash, I am afraid something worse than this is happening? What if he had a seizure, or lost consciousness?

“Nek, Cake,” call me panic.

“Why?” Grandma looked more worried than me.

“Kak Iyash fever.”

“What?”

I can only nod.

“Begging Sugeng to call Doctor Seto,” says Grandpa.

Grandma nodded. Then go to the back. While Grandpa and I went back to Brother Iyash's room. Again I saw Brother Edgar standing at the door, but the man was silent. Why didn't he try to see his own brother's condition? Suddenly I was upset by his attitude. A while ago he wanted to leave, and then he said that he wished that Iyash was just a coincidence like the others. Wh why?