Second Eye

Martha's Story

"Yumna, wake. Morning already. Pray, keep getting ready for the hospital and the police station" I said waking him up who was asleep.

"Huaaahhhhmm....., are you awake?"

"Well, can I still wake you up? Here's the towel, let's take a shower!"

I saw Yumna standing up, heading for the bathroom behind the house. I just stepped foot straight away, to the kitchen to help Miss Nuri.

"Hmmmmm..... Cook what, Mom?" I just enjoy the smell of food that seems so good.

"This is another fat rice."

"I'll help you, Mom."

"Are you not tired? That's the men who have been ready for energy from earlier," pointed Nuri's mom at Azzam and Rey's brother who was frying the beans and making the sauce.

"Yes, let them take care of the rest. How were you talking to me?" I said a little loudly, teasing the men who were focused on their work.

"Yes, it's best for women to take a break today. There's a little bit of the rest, isn't there, Rey?" ask Azzam for approval.

"Hmmm....," the answer is perfunctory, but later he must himself have to finish it. Because Azzam can't cook food.

"really? His intention was just to joke. But that's okay, once told the rich man," I said pulling Nuri's hand while laughing with satisfaction, seeing Rey showing her fist to me with a slight smile.

Nuri and I decided to sit on the front porch. While looking at the house that last night became a silent witness of dark events. Even though the high barrier covered us to look inside.

"Oh yeah, I know that Martha's been hiding out until she thought she was missing?" I said start the conversation.

"Know, he lives in the back room, my warehouse. But the husband said, leave it."

"Mom knows? Why don't you reprimand him?"

"Rather than later reprimanded and moved to another place. We can't even keep an eye on him, he's been safe or not all this time."

"yes too. But what if her parents are looking for her?"

"His parents are dead, having an accident during the holidays alone. Martha's still alive by chance again on the exam, so don't go with them."

"Oh, so he doesn't have any family? That's why despite living in mom's barn, no one's looking for her."

"There was actually his nanny, who was looking for him back then. Not having met, he finally decided to go home, leaving the big house now uninhabited."

"Mom didn't tell her?"

" I didn't know Martha was here at the time either. I knew after Martha's nanny came home."

"Now after everything is finished, surely Martha does not want to stay in my house again," continued Bu Nuri with a very sad tone.

"Prophey, Mom. Did you feel like you lost him, who used to live in this house even though it was usually just in the barn?"

"definitely. When he was here, I was very happy. There's a friend of his when the husband's out of town, even though I can't talk to him because he's always hiding."

Our conversation continued, until the loud voice of Azzam called us to taste breakfast.

" Heeemm's.... Very clever of you guys to cook apparently," praise Bu Nuri began to show a calm face, after telling a sad story about Martha earlier.

" Not 'you', but 'me'. Because he did nothing, other than continuously tasting the cuisine, before serving, "sut Rey quipped Azzam.

"Pillages stay a little bit laid out on the table. Though the feeling we had a lot of cooking," said Bu Nuri made us laugh together.

After breakfast, we all headed straight to the hospital where Martha and her sister were treated.

"Anjani and her baby could not be saved" police said.

Sadness and worry mix together. Saddened that Anjani was the victim of death last night, I was worried to imagine the state of Martha who had fought two years to save her brother.

We immediately rushed to the treatment room, where Martha was getting treatment.

" Assalamu'alaikun," my regards as we just opened the door.

"Wa'alaikumsalam," answered everyone.

"Martha, how are you?" tanya Yumna approached her, hugging straight to encourage her before Martha told her about the loss she had just felt.

"Maybe it's better this way. Anjani is calmer now" he said, looking blankly ahead, imagining something we didn't know.

"Take him. Maybe this is best for her" said Yumna stroking her skinny back.

"I'm so sincere."

Martha started trying to smile, to let go of all the sadness.

"Then, after this what's your next plan?" ask me to sit next to his bed.

"I don't know either. I have no family or relatives when I go home. My parents' family also did not care much about my existence in this world, after the arrogance I had done a few years ago," he replied beginning to look down miserably.

"Martha, I know that you're actually a good boy. Maybe your bad attitude used to be just an impingement, because it was often lonely. How about you stay with your mother, so that you are not lonely anymore," Nuri bargained with her friendly smile.

"Mother seriously?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" her reply made Martha shake her head while smiling happily.

This conversation continued, with Martha starting to tell the story. If before his parents died, Mr. Malik and his wife had visited his house, when he had just moved to the village.

They are old friends, with almost the same fate. It has no descendants.

Mr. Malik also told me that they eventually adopted a child from the same orphanage. And it turns out to find a twin brother, whose face is not too similar if not noticed. Martha and Anjani, new names already given after adoption.

Martha overheard that. She was in shock, and locked herself in her room. Although he did not dare to ask directly to his adoptive parents.

"So, maybe Anjani and you might be adopted as a lure in order to get pregnant huh?" my many.

"Yes. But something else surprised me. Mr. Malik turned out to perform a satanic cult ritual, in order to get children and wealth."

"Rituals to have children too?" manya curious.

"Yes, they told my parents to try it. Because they proved successful in having a biological child, namely Nabila."

Martha was seen taking a deep breath, before continuing her story.

"The ritual, by way of eating human fetal soup."

"Astaghfirullah," I said surprised to hear it.

"And my parents were tempted too, wanting to do the same. Go to a remote area, which specialized in selling food illegally on an island far from the city."

"So, your parents left without taking you, not for the holidays?" ask mom Nuri.

"No, but to try that fetal soup. And si*lnya, Mr. Malik and his wife are already addicted to it. Until the heart impregnates Anjani, to be taken as soup as well," Martha regretted considering the tragic fate of her brother.