Hear My Wish's
Chapter 3 - January
A reddish orange color covers the sky of Jakarta, a city with a million
busyness and job opportunities. No wonder people from many villages
wander. But, dear thousands, all desires cannot be
granted. Quite a number of them ended up pitifully, bound by fate
ill-fated, to have to beg on the side of the road. They rarely exist either
who decided to become the usurper of others' labor.
As time went on, things like that grew.
Adults who fail to wander prefer to be busy having fun.
Many of them are abducting, picking up children who are outcast in the streets,
scattered like rubbish. Then, easily and without pity,
exploiting them. Utilizing their submissive nature, draining energy
they are making money for their own benefit. Gamble,
drunk, as long as they're happy!
What a shame the fate of those children.
Edwin sighed. None of the many vehicles are four-wheeled
that's what moves. Yes, indeed this is not a foreign sight anymore if you live in
Jakarta. Driving on the streets of the capital takes extra patience. If not
stuck in traffic, there must be traffic violators who drive at will,
no matter the safety of themselves or other drivers.
The young man was pensive again. Nothing other than about ‘anak street’
who lives in his mind. Since he was in SD, he has been reading
many stories have come forward about them. Not only that, but enough is enough
articles from various sources were read Edwin. Until now, he could only
hope, dream, pray for those who are there.
Suddenly his daydream was spoiled by the sound of a car horn behind him. It
hurriedly caught up with the cars in front of him that were quite a distance away from him.
***
The thick-bodied middle-aged woman ran over, her hands clasped
pull door. “Eh, mas Edwin home. Come, mas,” his smile beamed, “Aibi
make tea first yes, mas!”. It is no stranger to be done by the
domestic assistant when welcoming the return of her employer. The same as
bi Nara welcomes Edwin, the youngest child of her employer.
“Eh, no need, bi! Edwin will make aunt bother. Aunt is her job
many,” push it smooth.
Bi Nara scratched her head. “Okay, auntie so not good, nih. Time, Mas
Edwin came home this evening no aunt love anything”
“Nothing, Bi” said the young man as he closed the door of his house. “But
aunty can cook for tomorrow right?”
He nodded, “Can, Mas.
It can! Would you like aunty masakin what?”
“So much Aunty, dong. Kan aunty who cook” said Edwin in a carefree tone,
it was as if he was joking with the middle-aged woman before him.
“Duh, don't answer that, Mas. Aunt so confused”
The young man chuckled softly, “Yes already, auntie cook food that will not be
stale if Edwin take it until noon, or maybe afternoon.”
The smile on the woman's face slowly faded, eliminating the second look
dimples on the tip of his lips. “Mas, if Mas Edwin wants to feed the cat, then,
no need to wear a side dish. Surely the cat just ate the rice, Mas”
Hearing the strange explanation coming out from Bi Nara's innocent mouth, Edwin
laughingly. “Not a cat, Bi. Anyway tomorrow, aunty masakin yummy yes, Bi!”
He thumbs his thumb and hurriedly climbs the stairs, leaving behind the woman
the confused person is alone.
“Mas Edwin weird, deh” murmured slowly, “Well to feed the cat
must wear side dish”. Strong head supporting strands of black hair mixed with white
it's waggling. He clicked his tongue.
Supposedly, Bi Nara need not be surprised like that anymore. Edwin is one
a unique person. Since childhood, the sense of care in the child as if not
it recedes like sea water in a certain period. Always high and
solid like a cliff. Ignore the criticism and satire focused on
himself, Edwin always shared love without a reed, be it human or
animal. His heart was always eager to see the suffering of God's created living beings
encountered.
Glanced at the ancient clock that clanged loudly seven times in a row.
‘Time for dinner’
***
The raindrops began to fall, like a thousand sewing needles falling together.
There was clearly the sound of squealing rats, running hastily in the rain
the one who soaks himself, seeks shelter.
“Eh, that's it!” shouted one of the children while pointing at the bearer creature
that disease. Despite being barefoot, he ran without fear of slipping over
muddy and slippery ground. Another boy followed the footprints
Ryan's Stroll. Not to be outdone, he quickened his footsteps. Like, like,
they are two male lions competing for a zebra
vast open grasslands in Africa.
Noel's steps came to a halt when a hand pulled him. He looked, he looked,
showing her shiny hair, drenched in rainwater.
“Feedback!” the voice rebuked him like a rumble. Although he is
preoccupied with competing with Ryan, inevitably he relented before his cheek was punched
until bruised. “Giliran not fed, directly weld the same I” murmured
the sour-faced girl while dabbing her waist.
Ryan immediately pouted, eager for his mouth to come snatching. Honey, guts
in him it is too small, just like his body. The mouse that
run potang-panting not necessarily that direction. He sat in a small post that was not
manicured, right next to Denis who was busy picking one by one
his ugly little guitar strings, making sure his tone was right.
“Kusut very face lo” Denis said while continuing to pluck the strings
almost broke it up.
“Ryan tofu, bang!”
His hand stopped strumming the strings, he leaned the guitar on a post post post, and,
“Why order, anyway?” asked the smashing-haired youth who was cut carelessly.
“Sylvia is so cute! Noel's time was getting angry, even though he was fun again
play with Ryan!” protest the boy loudly.
“Stt!” Denis hits the boy, giving him a signal to shut up. “Pelan-pelan
dong speaking! Later if he heard I was also asked!”
“Ih, sucks bang Denis, here! Scared time same chick,” led Ryan while
ablaze.
“Yes, I don't want to fight girls. We're guys, bro! His duty
that guy, make a girl protect!”
“Halah”
“Although you dare?” Denis asked back.
Instantly Ryan was nervous, his left hand scratching his head. “Yes...
how ya...”
“Lo itself is also not brave, tuh!” The young man was shocked
naughty, as if to hit back at Ryan.
***
Cloudy clouds blanketed the sky, blocking the view
people to see the day sun that should shine brightly. Colour
gray looks so dominant. The weather seemed to be less supportive of Edwin
to travel outside, the young man kept his promise to Noel.
The gray cotton seemed to shake his head at the students
this stubbornness. In fact, in a moment he will be thrown all out by
rows of gloomy clouds, followed by flashes of lightning ready to cry out, told him to
to home.
Honey, their hard work seems futile. Edwin
he ignored the ultimatum aimed at him. He just sat on the bench
the same garden as the previous days, put a black bag beside him
and waiting for Noel to appear.
Luckily, Noel arrived shortly after. Her body
it was filled with sweat that poured out profusely, even more profusely than last night's rain
which engulfed the city of Jakarta.
“Come too,” murmured Edwin slowly. He smiled happily, though,
proving to the gray clouds how strong the determination in his heart ended
materialised.
His hand pulled out a small lunch box
shiny stainless steel is beautiful without rust like silver.
Although always appearing with facial expressions are almost always the same, without a smile,
with meaningless eyes, this child was quite easy to read. Of course, you are,
his heart felt so happy. If he is an expressive person, he is certainly
will jump while screaming in excitement, then hugging Edwin, like
an abandoned person was rescued by a member of the SAR team.
“Spent, yes?”
The boy nodded. He closed the eating place very
looks more luxurious than ever. Half a serving of white rice, with two
cut chicken katsu, complete with
vegetable lettuce, tomatoes, and a little grated carrot mixed with white radish.
“Kalo fed, say thanks!
Don't be fooled doang!”
The words flashed in Noel's mind, as if Sylvia was present, too,
stand near him, just to remind the boy how to
good manners with fellow human beings, despite his own behavior
far from the word ‘sopan and manners’.
“Kak... Edwin..”
It was the first time Noel had called out the name of the young man
that's.
The dark brown-haired student turned his head, looking at the child
the one who called his name a little staggered. “Ya?” saith.
“Thank you,” he said slowly, barely audible, without
raise his head to look at each other, look at each other
few seconds.
Edwin smiled faintly, as if implying a reply
words from Noel.
For a moment he was silent, letting the breeze blow
his face, waving his short dark brown hair, in the middle of the sky
gray. In his mind, he came here with another purpose, which
it should be his main purpose. Noel cannot be made
the speaker, as needed to get various basic ideas and
important information to complete the script.
The young man sighed slowly. Although himself
looks like a relaxed person who lives without problems, but actually
his life was complicated, as complicated as putting together hundreds of puzzle pieces scattered everywhere.
“How
how can you get information if not by interviewing Noel?” he murmured in the heart.
It's like looking for a diamond in the middle
rice fields full of rice trees. It is not impossible that diamonds can be found in between
the mud? If it works, the diamond may be thought to be just a stone
worthless.
Edwin's hope and spirit were never thrown away
raw, burned until lost track of it so. He kept thinking.
“Kak... Edwin..?”
The call dissolved his concentration, obliterating a shadow
rice fields full of rice among the green environment of the countryside.
Edwin.
Noel closed shiny silver box
that and gave it back to Edwin.
The water droplets began to fall.
Suddenly, an idea came up. The diamond was found and washed
clean until the shine is visible again. It's exquisite.
“Noel want to go home, yes?”
Noel shook his head.
“Why? Drizzle, you know,” Edwin raised his hand, accommodating the dots
rain water on his palm.
The boy showed both his empty pants pockets springing up, without
a coin or a coin.
Edwin hurriedly took out a red piece of paper, then
the money was given to Noel. “So here is enough?”
Noel was stunned again. Not just once, but twice! “This person has been twice in a row
told me to come here, just to receive food and money! Without having to
sing it a song or put on a hearty facial expression asking for mercy
kasih,” Noel thought in his mind.
With Noel's little hand. Edwin put the money in his palm
and forced the hand to turn into a fist like a stone.
“Back home, yes! In a moment, it must be raining more. You will be sick!”
his persuasion this time sounded like coercion spoken nonviolently
except for the subtle tone.
Inevitably, Noel finally decided to agree. His mind doesn't work
and perfect. Noel had no right to speak out for rebellion. It can only
listen to orders and obey them. Because that vision was already instilled in his mind
since childhood by the people who mastered it.
The rain is falling more and more. Edwin should have run fast, come in
get back in his car, start the engine, step on the clutch and gas pedal, and then
heading home. However, this time he fought the rain, for the first time in the
his entire life. With no umbrella or raincoat, Edwin follows Noel
walk a few feet further away from him.
A shortcut to the slums.
It smells really bad. The view is not beautiful at all, either,
there are only the remains of discarded wood plywood and piles of plastic bags
full of garbage some of which had leaked until the contents overtake outside.
His condition was completely unfit and much worse than his attic.
Dust and cobwebs look better, don't you think?
The steps are already too far from Cattleya park, while the rain is getting more and more
torrential.
“No, no! It's not time to go home!”
Somehow, at once Edwin turned stubborn, though
it will last for a moment and will disappear afterwards.
Although his goal could only be seen from afar, the young man's pair of eyes
can see it clearly. How surprised he is. The place considered
Noel ‘home’ looks very alarming. Not really worth it
live in, no matter the population is human or animal.
Honey, this time the rain prevented him from capturing the moment
a photograph.
Doesn't matter. From tomorrow, he will do something
the same, or maybe he could persuade Noel so that the child could let him
come, with or without reason.
***
The morning sun had risen, the light was so warm it felt through the curtains
the hanging white shut Edwin's room window. Even though the sky looks blue
bright, so contrasting from the gray sky last night, Edwin was reluctant to move on
his bed is soft. Not that he intended to be lazy all day.
His body felt so heavy, not only that, small fireflies filled
his gaze as the pair of brown eyes opened.
Tok...
The echoes of that gentle knock passed, the bearded said excuse me, about to
passed in Edwin's ear. “Masuk” the voice of the youth sounded less
heavier than usual, like someone who refuses to talk.
The door slowly opened. Seemed the figure of a middle-aged woman
the hard-earned sling carried a shiny black tray with a cup of tea
warm and a plate of bread from behind the crack. Put that tray on the table
small next to the bed.
His hand held the forehead of his master's youngest child just to feel
warm.
“Aduh, mas Edwin fever,” Bi Nara moved her hand, put down her back
his hand on the young man's neck was also warm. “Mas, breakfast eaten
once, huh? Aunty goes to the pharmacy first, want to buy medicine.”
Both of the young man's hands supported his body to rise. He forced
himself, about to stand up, though it felt that today all his strength was gone, was gone
without a trace, his body became such a heavy burden. “Do not, Bi!”
He shook his head slowly though it felt a little throbbing, “Edwin
no need to buy drugs, bi” pair of eyes that seem tired staring bi
Nara's.
“Ah, yes. This kid is the hardest to persuade
take medicine”
“Sick as I think you should take medicine, Mas. Later the fever gets worse, you know.”
That persuasion sounded so classic in Edwin's ears. Since he still is
small as Noel, it was only that sentence that Bi Nara said that child
close his mouth tightly when the medicine should be ready to be downed,
and that was enough to hypnotize him, forcing his mind to nod
agree. He had already stepped on the head of two. But still, his tongue
refusing to come into contact with the white caplet with the taste he hated the most,
bittersweet.
The young man fell down. He doesn't know he has to make excuses
what kind of again. This middle-aged woman had already made him lose decisively within
argued.
Bi Nara smiled, “Well, auntie wants to go first. Breakfast first, yes,”
the message was just before getting up and going outside.
“Be careful on the road, Bi”
