Legionaries

Hydra

25 October 2018

At 22:12

My sense of smell was suddenly piqued by the distinctive aroma of medicine that reminded me of somewhere: The Hospital. In fact, the bitter-tasting scent in that throat had already confronted me before my consciousness had fully recovered.

Slowly, I opened my eyelids, but my vision was immediately disturbed by the glint of the lights that were too luminous. The light emanating from the light bulb pierced my sight and shut my eyelids tightly. In fact, when my eyes closed, the blinding light produced a glowing color spectrum reaction. But I didn't give up. I try to open my eyelids slowly. Fortunately, this time the light beam gradually weakened because it was blocked by a shadow that suddenly appeared to cover it. Gradually, the shadow began to reveal its true form. A man with reddish white skin appeared before me.

"You're sober?"

I tried to recognize that voice. That soft voice seemed not too foreign to my ears.

"Uncle Eddie?"

"Diandra?"

My lips are widening. In that instant, my chest puffed up with haru feelings. Not wrong anymore. That's Uncle Eddie. Uncle Eddie saved my teenage years by teaching me how to smile in any situation. Old Uncle Eddie hasn't been to a bunk house since many years ago.

Sumringah saw the presence of Uncle Eddie, I tried to get up to embrace him, but at once the pain immediately struck all over my body. A number of scratches and bruises tofu has adorned some parts of my body that are currently only wrapped in white T-shirts and three-quarters pants. I also felt my right arm go numb. A piece of white gauze wrapped around the entire arm and tied it in a hanging position.

"What's going on, Uncle? Why is Uncle suddenly here?"

"The whole story, Diandra," Uncle Eddie seemed reluctant to tell. "Obviously, you just had an accident."

"Accident? When's? Where's?"

"Two days ago. You fell from the fourth floor of the bunk house."

"Fall down?"

"A neighbor of yours who saw the incident firsthand told me, you fell down while trying to check the clogged sewer."

Uncle Eddie's description got me thinking hard. Falling off the roof? What did I do that day until I lost my balance and fell? It's clearly out of the ordinary.

Without being arrogant, even though my physical appearance is that of a woman, I think I am quite adept at climbing. That skill has always helped me in carrying out the tasks ordered by the Juragan. Moreover, I was also equipped with civil engineering sciences that I studied in college and always applied in my work. My calculations about the building's durability structure have never been wrong.

So, it is somewhat surprising that I fell from a height just because I was too late to take into account everything. After all, as I recall the last time I was in a conscious state, I did not feel that I was at the location of the flats where I was living. And Uncle Eddie? Why did he suddenly appear before me after disappearing for so many years?

“You are an adult now, said Uncle Eddie while wiping my crown.

“I'm glad Uncle is back here, ⁇ reply, wailing while holding back the crying of haru. "Uncle," I said to Uncle Eddie, who was sitting next to my bed.

"Yes?" Uncle responded to me with a tone as gentle as the sound of a violin. The voice that had been so long had never come to my ears again. Instantly, my past memories strengthened. My memory is still very vividly recording all the events of my teenage years spent with Uncle Eddie.

It was still fresh in my mind the days when the bule man, for the first time, visited the flats. At that time Juragan gathered his students in the first-floor hall. He then introduced Uncle Eddie in front of dozens of children who crowded the place. Unexpectedly, Uncle's eyes immediately sparkled when he saw me who was among the dozens of children. With a smile that radiated brightly, he approached and greeted me.

"Hello, Handsome. Wanna play?" he said at the time.

My short haircut like a boy often fooled many people, Uncle Eddie was no exception at that time. However, the first sentence he said was miraculously able to conjure my attention. Her loving figure seemed to exude its own charm. A charm I couldn't find in the Juragan who took care of me from childhood.

Since then, Uncle Eddie has been visiting me more and more. It didn't take long for him to catch my attention even though I was a typical teenager with a closed personality at the time. Although he was far above me, I felt like I had a playmate who could understand all my conditions and moods. The arrival of Uncle Eddie made my teenage years more excited even though it didn't last long enough.

On my 17th birthday, the European man no longer showed his nose. I hope he will come back to see me tomorrow and apologize for his absence on that special day. But I can only wait and hope. Unmitigated, my wait must last for many years. His sudden impressed departure broke my spirit, leaving behind a handful of fury, and unanswered question marks.

At this time, when I had long decided to no longer expect his presence, Uncle Eddie actually appeared at an undue moment. Right now I have turned into a girl far from her expectations. I'm no longer the innocent teenager who's sluggish on his shoulder. Somehow Uncle's reaction, if he knew anything I'd done with Juragan.

"Where have you been all this time?" my question, riled. To be honest, after more years I still have not been able to expel my anger due to his departure.

"Sorry, Diandra. At that time the situation was very complicated. I don't have much time to say goodbye to you."

"Diandra, if there's anything I can do to make amends, I'll do it."

"Eight years," I said again. My eyelids apparently can no longer hold a puddle. "No phone or mail. I barely even recognize Uncle anymore."

Slowly, Uncle Eddie's palm touched my wet cheek. There were tears that melted down my face. "You're strong enough to take this test."

"I'm lonely, Uncle."

"Yes, I know," he said, as he took a piece of tissue to wash the surface of my face that began to sink. "For that, I came here. I want to make up for everything."

Uncle Eddie's words caught my attention. I clasped his wrist to stop his busy hand wiping away my tears. With a curious face, I tried to look at her eyeballs deeply. Uncle returned my gaze with a serious look.

"What do you mean, Uncle?"

We both kept quiet. Slowly, Uncle pulled his hand out of mine. He placed the tissue that had been soaked by the tears on the table beside the bed. His eyes looked back at me with a very serious face.

"Do you enjoy the routine you do here? In this town?"

I was stunned for a moment. "To be honest..," I hesitated to continue. "To be honest I've taken care of that murderous dog, Uncle."

"Dogs?" Uncle Eddie was suddenly astonished.

"Juragan asked me to take care of it. I honestly can't stand everything. I want to go far."

"Germany" Uncle Eddie said slowly. His eyes turned towards the scene outside the open hospital window. "You want to go to Germany?"

"Uncle will take me there?"

Uncle nodded slowly. "I don't think your place is here anymore, Diandra."

"How about the Jagan? Are you sure he'll let me go? You know him, don't you? He won't agree to this plan."

"He had no other choice, Diandra. Your work here is done."

"You mean?"

I stared at Uncle's face with question marks. It was clear the anger that hit him. I know the silence he is displaying right now. That silence was what I encountered the day before his departure a few years ago.

"That's it. Let me talk to him later. I'm sure you'll come with me back to Germany."

With a smile that began to expand, I let go of the nod in agreement. There was excitement that erupted the moment Uncle returned my smile. I have long since missed that smile. So far, no one has been able to imitate that smile, except...

(Rama?)

Yes, Rama. Suddenly the name of the young man came to my mind. If my plan and Uncle Eddie to move to Germany is really done, then I must be willing to leave Rama. Suddenly, I was overcome with doubt. Am I ready to part with Rama?

(Are you ready to part with Rama?)

While my daydream was still wondering about Rama, I suddenly felt an incredible warmth. A pair of tiered arms slipped between my armpits. Rama? You it?

"Diandra," No, it's not Rama. "Why daydream? What are you thinking?"

"No, Uncle. I just...," For a moment I paused my saying "Just never thought, Uncle would come back."

Uncle Eddie smiled again. He touched my head with his broad palm. Until finally, he said a sentence that was not foreign in my memory.

"Hows it? Are you ready for an adventure?"