Rinai Longs from the Sky

When Something Should Be Decided

I want to challenge the fire that took the lives of my parents. I don't want fire victims to feel the loss I feel. I want to be a hero to them.

---

Almost ten o'clock. Riko and a few other college friends just got home. Bara returned to bed, but did not intend to sleep at all. He was waiting for Rana. Many times he checked his phone, knowing there was a message from Rana. There really isn't. Must be still on the road. He also intentionally did not contact her. He knows, Rana if riding the most anti-main hape car, he said easily drunk.

“I thought you were asleep.” Someone came. Bara hoped it was Rana, but it wasn't.

Dira put a plastic bag containing fruit on the nightstand, then filled the empty seat available next to Bara's bed.

“Pake bring all fruit. Like I'm sick again,” greet Bara while laughing lightly. He got up and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Well, it hurts again, right?”

“I'm okay. Even wanted to go home. But the doctor said tomorrow morning.”

Momentary silence.

“I just found out you're pyrophobia.” Dira started a topic that was quite curious since Rana said it on the phone earlier.

“Rather than phobia, I prefer to call it trauma. It's the same, but phobias sound more terrible. I hope to one day be healed, and consider fire no longer something scary.” Bara Feathers stand up when calling the word “api”. Yeah, that bad.

“Trauma? Any bad experience?”

Bara nodded. Her memory goes back to her childhood with Luna, on one tragic afternoon.

***

That afternoon Luna looked very sweet in a mini dress patterned polkadot. As usual, after a nap after school, it was time to play. Luna dragged Bara to the back of the house. There was a tree house that his father had just finished yesterday. He asked Bara to raise some cooking utensils that have been often played. Also a bottle of kerosene he smuggled from the kitchen. He said, to inaugurate the tree house, he would cook something for Bara. Of course Bara knew it was just a joke. Where can Luna cook? So far what he called cooking is only a collection of leaves that are picked carelessly, then boiled to boil. It is completely inedible. Nevertheless, Bara seemed enthusiastic. Because anything that is done with a friend from the birth of it, is always fun.

Thanks to good cooperation, all the equipment they managed to raise to a triplex-walled tree house that was no more than two meters high. Luna arranged the furniture. Bara complied when told to take this. Once considered neat, Luna prepared to cook. Armed with a stack of paper, he made a fire in a furnace made of used cans. After the fire broke out, he placed a pot filled with water on it. While waiting for boiling, he prepared ingredients in the form of various kinds of leaves. The embers also slice the leaves until they change shape into small parts like noodles. When she was done, Luna deftly moved her into the boiling water. That's when disaster happens. Luna's hand accidentally nudged the kerosene bottle that was right next to the furnace. It spilled and spread on the floor surface. In an instant the fire within the furnace instantly moved to the floor, licking whatever was around it.

The two boys panicked. They docked to the right side that had not been reached by the fire. Smoke began to fill the narrow room. They're coughing. Luna had been crying since. Bara pulls Luna's hand, invites her to jump as the fire grows larger and the heat begins to spread to their skin. But Luna clenched her hand. He did not dare to jump from such a high place. So, without having time to persuade again, Bara immediately jumped to save himself. The landing is less smooth. After hitting the ground hard enough, his body rolled several times. Instantly he felt his back hurt.His knee was bleeding. Her cheeks were scratched as well. But Bara doesn't care about any of that. He quickly stood up and tried to shout at Luna to ask her to jump immediately.

The shape of the tree house began to be invisible, almost completely engulfed by fire. Bara's voice began to run out, but Luna had not yet jumped down. Increasingly panicked, Bara finally ran home screaming to his mama-pa, as well as mama-papa Luna. Or anyone who can help Luna get out of there.

***

“Honey once, we're late.” Bara was bowed down to end his story. Eyes glazed.

Dira was also filled, not expecting the event to be that stragic. It is only natural that until now Bara is still traumatized. This man must have kept a deep sense of guilt for feeling that he had failed to save his best friend. Or if only he was not reckless to jump, at least Luna was not alone met death.

Momentary silence. Dira seemed to deliberately give time to Bara to calm down.

“Everyone has arranged. At least you didn't just leave it. You've been trying to pull his hand, haven't you?”

Bara did not respond.

Dira sighed softly. “When you find you shuffled in a corner, you are exactly a child who is afraid of being injected.”

Bara's gaze immediately shifted to Dira's face.

“You clench your knees tightly, then immerse your face deeply. You do not care at all about the screams of the firefighters who ask inside there are people or not.”

“Jadi ... you?”

“It wasn't me who broke down the door. I can't be that strong. But it was me who snuck straight inside to get you out of there.”

Want to not want those terrible moments back twisted in Bara's mind. Bara remembered, someone forced him to stand, then swept him to be dragged out of the room that began to be filled with smoke that emerged from the sidelines of the ceiling. Before he could get outside, Bara fainted, drooping in the person's embrace. He doesn't remember anything anymore.

Bara was quite amazed to find out, his savior was Dira.

“Pake show fainted all over again. You're such a jerky but it turns out to be heavy too, huh?” Dira laughs.

For a moment ignoring his amazement, Bara laughed. “Thanks, yes!” said later.

“Luck off, that's my job.” Dira smiles. “Revealed how people deal with bad events, different, yes?” continued.

“Means?”

Bara shifted his position slightly facing fully to Dira, as if it was convenient to listen to what the woman in the leather jacket would say next.

“Three years ago both my parents died in a fire.”

Bara jerked.

“I think they can still be saved, if only the workings of the firefighters who jumped at that time more deftly. It seems they are not compact, eventually leading to inefficient decisions.” Although the intonation of his voice was still firm, Dira's pair of eyes were already glazed over. “They failed to save my parents. Papa escapes from the circle of fire and manages to bring Kevin out. Then he went back inside to save Mama. Nahas, Papa is not out anymore.” Instead of tears, Dira smiled. Although Bara could not guess the meaning of that smile.

“Since then I aspired to be a firefighter. I want to challenge the fire that has taken both my parents. I don't want fire victims to feel the loss I feel. I want to be a hero for them.”

“And you really managed to become my hero,” by Bara.

Dira smiled flatly.

“You really look like Luna. He also helped me a lot, although in the end I couldn't help him.” The guilt is back in the Bara. I don't know when he can completely stop.

“You don't constantly feel guilty, yes, Bar. It won't change anything, other than making your condition worse.”

Bara nodded faintly. “Continue, Kevin's father, where was it?” Actually Bara was reluctant to ask this, afraid to be considered too curious. But it was Dira himself who started sharing, hopefully it's okay.

“Means?” Dira really doesn't understand. “Father Kevin, yes, Papa also.”

Bara's eyes are breaking. “Lah, how come?”

“Wait!” Dira raised his hand and faced his palm to Bara. “It looks like all this time you misunderstood.”

Bara's expression was still strange, perfectly wanting an explanation.

“It's natural that you think Kevin is my son, because he did call me mama. Everyone who just knows me thinks the same, kok.” Dira's little laugh airs for a moment. It's funny, and he's been through it a lot. “Seriously, Kevin is my brother,” he said later.

Miraculous. Just by hearing the confession, The aches and other unpleasant feelings that were still left in Bara's body, evaporated out of nowhere. He seemed to find a new reason to be more active in pursuing ideals. Instantly he saw the reflection of the future in the clear eyes of Dira.

“Pity Kevin, he only had me, never felt the true affection of his parents at all. Therefore, I did not mind when he considered me his mother. After all, it was me who took the role of mother for her all this time. Increasingly, he began to inquire about the presence of a papa. He often saw other children being carried by his father, and he also wanted to feel it. So, on his own initiative, he called papa to anyone. Including you, right?” Dira laughed lightly again.

Bara smiled broadly, recalling Kevin's funny behavior at that time.

“Makanya, she is very happy, tuh, if you manage to get attention like when you are sure to eat that time.”

“I'm shocked, tau. Suddenly there was a little boy calling papa.”

This time the laughter of the two went together.

“She can't be like that. Wait until he can be spoken to, I have to confirm, that I am his brother.

“Makanya, hunting cariin papa patent, let not everyone called papa,” sloroh Bara.

“You think finding a life partner is as easy as filling a quota?” Dira chuckled again.

“If you don't mind, I'm ready to be his papa.” Bara did not mean to be funny this time, evident from the expression he showed.

Dira instantly muffled her laughter. “What, anyway, Bar?” he shook his hands and turned his eyes elsewhere.

Without both realizing it, Rana was standing in front of the window. The girl had already heard many things, also seeing their interactions being so familiar. Rana turned around to leave. He felt he no longer needed to show himself. After all, Bara is fine thanks to Dira.

Rana wiped away the tears that suddenly adorned both of her cheeks. He reached into the bag to get the phone. He wanted to call Bian to ask to be picked up.

***

[Connected]

Assalamualaikum, dear reader.

I want to know your opinion after reading this far. Comments, yes.

Thanks though.

Greetings 😊🙏