SET DUSK
The Part 22
Ten months after the transfer of the headquarters to Palupuh, their struggle grew heavier. Headquarters were originally far from the reach of the Netherlands, in the end the defense was able to be penetrated by the enemy.
In those difficult times, many Lascars and Soldiers were falling. Not only because they were victims of the Dutch attack, but the dwindling reserves of food and medicine made their health condition even worse. They are forced to endure the condition of makeshift logistical reserves.
One morning, when Ida finished preparing rations for those at the headquarters, Rizal came to see her.
"When are you back?" greet Ida.
During this time Rizal is rarely in the headquarters, he more often went guerrilla.
"just now. The dutch are wary. It's getting harder for us to launch attacks" Rizal told me.
"You're with Shamshir?" ask Ida because she saw no sign of Shamsyr's presence. All this time they were always together.
"No, you miss?" goda Rizal with a witty smile.
"Can't I ask?" reply Ida with a pouting face.
"Haha of course you can. Coincidentally I was going to convey Shamsyir's care," said Rizal handed over a fold of paper.
"What's this?" asked Ida to pay attention to the paper she received.
"You just read it. I'm going to face Mahmud." Rizal passed leaving Ida who was still confused by the paper in her hand.
Without waiting for long, he unfolded the paper and read it. It turned out that the paper was a letter Syamsyr had written.
Bismilbornrahmanirrahim's.
Assalamualaikum Da,
I'm sorry if I took this letter for you. I just want to convey what I feel.
Every time I leave the base, my heart is not calm. There is a feeling your heart will have in others.
For that, let me ask that your heart may I have for me only. To calm this heart when I'm not near you.
I hope you give me the answer to light what is invisible and clear my attitude towards you in the future.
Marked,
Shamsyr
Ida was stunned after reading a letter from Shamsyr. To be honest he felt the same feeling, but his heart was not yet, ready when one day Shamshir would leave him like Rashid. He was still unable to treat the suffering of losing Rashid.
"Da, would you like to send me a reply to Syamsyr's letter?" Rizal breaks Ida's daydream.
"Will you meet Shamsyr again?"
"I can't promise to see him again anytime soon either. But if I see you again, I'll hand over your letter to Shamsyir" Rizal said.
"When will you go?"
"Maybe tonight I will leave again for Bukittinggi. If you want to leave a letter to Shamsyr, I'll wait until magrib."
"Yes, thank you." Ida left Rizal.
Ida wrote a letter to Shamshir.
Bismilbornrahmanirrahim's.
AssalamualaikumTuan Syamsyr,
May when you read this letter, you are still in good health and always protected by God.
I've read the letter that you left to Rizal. Glad for the attention you gave me. It's not that I don't welcome your feelings, but I haven't been able to open my heart. My heart when I linked it to this country.
But if God had indeed destined us to be together, I hope that time would have been when this land would have been free from invaders.
Such is my answer, may you take it well.
I always pray that God will answer our prayers for this country. So that we can be free from these invaders.
Marked,
Rosidahs
A little relieved he felt after writing a reply letter to Shamsyr. At least if later they are not destined to be together, he has conveyed his honest feelings to Shamsyr. At least later there will be no regret as he felt first to Rashid.
"May you always be given salvation and protected by Allah" Ida said when handing over her letter to Rizal.
"Yes, I hope your reply can be an encouragement for Shamsyr." Rizal's witty smile was back.
Ida returned Rizal's smile. Shamsyir's best friend always teased him, often even upset him. This time Ida inserted a prayer and hope that those who are struggling out there are given salvation when facing the enemy.
A month later, Ida was reassigned to the town of Bukittinggi due to the large number of wounded soldiers, overwhelming medical personnel. He could hardly rest, almost every day dozens of wounded soldiers had to be taken care of.
One afternoon on Thursday, December twenty-two, 1949, when Ida finished taking care of the wounded soldier, she heard the sound of siren roars from the direction of the fire clock. Not long after, the lighting car went around telling him that the Dutch had surrendered.
As if in disbelief, Ida tried to listen to the contents of the broadcast conveyed by the lighting car. After believing his sense of hearing was not wrong, and seeing the reactions of those in the headquarters made Ida unable to hold back her tears. Their struggle and prayers for a year were finally answered already. Their country they can have back
Ida bowed in gratitude with a bow of gratitude. He ceaselessly glorified the name of God. The tears and blood of those who have gone are not in vain.
Soon the siren roar sounded again. Then at the sound of the third siren, they saw a group of soldiers and Army students. The highlight of their excitement that day was when they saw the handover ceremony between the Dutch and the Governor of central Sumatra.
When Ida returned to the headquarters, the low boisterous sounds of the soldiers' joy being treated were still heard. When he was about to return to his room, he was stunned to see a man standing in the hallway.
"Ida ..." said the man.
"Tu ... Mr Syamsyir?" ask Ida to make sure her hearing is not wrong.
The man walked closer. Ida was amazed to see the appearance of the man before her. The sturdy body of the man was clad in military clothes, his usual gondrong hair had been trimmed and neatly combed. The hair that used to inhabit his chin had also been shaved clean.
Almost he did not recognize Shamsyir if the almond-eyed man did not rebuke him.
"How are you? I was about to charge a promise," said the man with a warm smile on his thin lips. The man showed a folded piece of paper in his grasp.
Ida was unable to answer Shamsyr's question, her throat seemed choked, her eyes heated up. He did not expect the man to hold the promise he had written.
"Why are you crying? Am I wrong?" shamsyir asked astonished when he saw the tears of his girl.
"My heart is too happy, so it spills through my eyes, sir," replied Ida sobbing.
"Haha .... I thought something was wrong to make you cry" Shamsyr's laughter broke.
"Can we go to your village tomorrow morning? I want to ask you to your family" continued Syamsyir.
"Well, I will ask the head nurse's permission to go home tomorrow" Ida said.
"Then you rest. Tomorrow morning I pick you up," said Syamsyir.
As promised, Shamshir has stood in front of the mess. The man was wearing an ivory yellow cotton shirt with brown wool pants. Again Ida was amazed to see the look of the man before her. Shamsyir's appearance that had been messy made Ida as if she could not believe that the man before her was the same man, the man who two months ago asked her to have.
They boarded a bus carrying several soldiers who were about to go to Banuhampu. A happy hue flashed on the faces of the bus passengers that morning. Faces filled with longing for their families.
"Oh yes sir, how is Mr Rizal? I haven't seen each other since he brought me your letter" asked Ida when she remembered Shamsyr's friend who had always been with her.
"After he gave you your letter, he left for Padang. I have not heard from him again" said Shamsyr.
"May she be okay."
"Yes, I hope so too. Three years since training to be a student soldier I've always been with Rizal. He was the only friend left out of ten people who were sent to help the soldiers in Indarung" Syamsyir recalled.
Arriving at Kubang Putih, the house still looks as usual nothing changed from the building. It's just that day at home looks a lot of people. From the sound of laughter, it seemed as if they were the arrival of guests.
"Assalamualaikum" Ida said when she reached the door.
"Waalaikum salam. Aaah, Ida my niece!" mak Dang Exclamation.
"Mak Dang, when is Mak Dang coming home?" greet Ida while greeting her mamak with respect.
"I just arrived last night" said Mak Dang with his distinctive heavy voice.
In the house there is also Mak Tuo, Mak Dang's wife and cousins.
"Who's that coming with you Da? Why didn't you tell me to come in?" mak Dang asked when he saw a tall man still standing at the door.
"Oh! The Syamsyir Mak. Sir, I'm sorry I forgot to let you in" Ida said nervously.
"Assalamualaikum, Engku," said Shamsyir greeting Mak Dang Takzim.
"Well! I forgot to. How dapper you look! Let's sit down," take Mak Dang.
After greeting Mak Tuo and his cousins, Ida leaves Mak Dang and Shamsyr, he goes to the kitchen looking for peace.
"Assalamualaikum Mai," said Ida when he saw amai was cutting lemang in the bamboo hall in the kitchen.
"Waalaikum salam. Ida!" amai exclaimed, put down the lemang he was cutting and then rose to welcome his grandson.
"Thank God you come home safe, Da," isak amai hugged his grandson.
Just as Ida was about to speak with peace, she heard the voice of Mak Dang shouting, saying,
"You want to humiliate our family, young man? How dare you ask for my niece like a man does not know custom." Mak Dang's face was red.
Ida ran into the front room, seeing what made her Mak Dang furious.
"You Ida, aren't you ashamed of being in a relationship with another man while you're engaged!" mak Dang shouted when he saw Ida coming.
Shamsyr's face flushed red, he turned to Ida as if asking for an explanation.
"What engagement does Mak Dang mean? I don't understand" Ida said asking for an explanation.
"Niniak Mamak has determined the date of your marriage with Burhan, our family has batuka tando* with the family of Sutan Rajo Mudo," explained Mak Dang.
"How can Mak? While Ida does not know the business that concerns Ida's life?" raung Ida's.
"You're a woman who doesn't know the customs! You should be grateful that there's still a respectable family willing to make you a son-in-law!" yell Mak Dang.
"I would rather die than marry Burhan Mak" cried Ida hysterically.
Then he turned around, looking at her who was still holding a knife. Ida grabbed the knife in her hand and slashed it against her neck with the knife.
"Yes!" shamsyir shouted followed by hysterical screams amai.
He felt the firm hand of Shamsyr holding his limp. The atmosphere of the house that was happy turned into panic. Ida still heard the rowdy voice of Mak Dang who was still berating Shamsyr. Mak Tuo's voice calmed her husband. At last his ears were ringing and everything was dark.
*Batuka tando \= a two-family deal to marry off their child marked by exchanging family heirlooms.
