SET DUSK

Part 47's

Entering the rainy season, the weather in Kuantan Bay has begun to cool. It has not been felt for almost a year Ida lived in Kuantan Bay. It was before the celebration of the Prophet's Maulid, the people around the Kuantan river began to hold a routine event to welcome the Maulid. One of the events that are routinely held is pacu lanes.

The path in question is a type of long boat that is used by local people as a means of water transportation to reach areas on the banks of the Kuantan river that is far from the reach of land transportation. At the time of the runway event, the lines are decorated in such a way and are contested speed.

Batang Kuantan River which is located not far from the house of Mak Halimah began to be crowded with residents who prepared the path to be used for the race.

The day awaited also arrived. Laili and Fatimah were so excited to watch the runway. Last night they wondered about the show. As soon as the chickens crowed, they immediately woke up without waiting to be awakened. Get ready from morning, pick out clothes to wear to the celebration.

"Andungs! Am I beautiful?" tanya Laili twisted her body that had been wrapped in a pink channel shirt with a ribbon on her chest. Her thick, curly black hair had been well oiled and neatly braided.

"Okay, pretty grandson of Andung. Where's laili going?" ask mak Halimah softly.

"You see the runway. Andung's not coming?"

"Anything at home, there's still a lot to do. Laili don't be naughty, yeah."

"Andung, I'm beautiful too." Fatimah who just came out of the room, also wanted to be praised by her grandmother. He mimicked Laili's style of twirling his body in front of his grandmother. The clothes he was wearing were similar to Laili's. His short hair was well oiled and neatly combed.

"Ouch, pretty-beautiful grandson andung. Later you guys do not get far from amak and abak, yes. Beautiful children like this will be kidnapped if alone," advice mak Halimah.

"Iya Andung" said Laili and Fatimah in unison.

The race was about to start when they reached the banks of the Kuantan river. The crowd crowded on the river bank, making Burhan and Ida forced to hold Laili and Fatimah so as not to be stepped on.

"It's a good thing that Salma didn't get brought in, sir" Ida said as they got the best spot to watch the race.

"Yes, I didn't think it would be this many."

Before long, the sound of cannon bangs as a marker of the race will begin. Laili clutched her brother in surprise. The lines that will participate in the race begin to prepare at the initial track line. After the third bang, the paths began to move as the boisterous sounds of spectators giving support to the race track. Path rowers are so eager to row in order to defeat their opponents. The sound of a cry of cue from the path charmer sounded earthy to encourage each other on the members of the rower.

"The front row was champion two years ago, Da." Burhan slightly shouted at Ida to beat the noise of the audience.

Ida who was not so fond of the crowd began to feel careless. Burhan noticed Ida's facial changes.

"We'll just go home, Da?"

"Didn't you want to watch it until it's over?"

"You look uncomfortable" Burhan said.

"Yes, I don't really like crowds. But the kids still seem to want to watch."

"I'm going home, Mom." Laili also started to look uncomfortable.

Without waiting for the race to finish, they left the runway with all the fanfare.

"Why are you home?" ask Mak Halimah when she sees her son and granddaughter have returned.

"Hot, Andung," said Laili wiping his forehead which was filled with sweat. Fatimah was asleep in Ida's arms.

"Salma's fussy no, Mak?"

"No, it was just a little whining because it was sleepy. Now he's asleep in Madah's room."

"Thank you, Mom."

"Just leave him in Madah's room, Da. Don't you move."

"Yes, Mommy."

Leaving the hubbub of the runway, Ida returned to her daily routine. Helping Mak Halimah and her workers in the kitchen.

***

Two days of Kuantan Bay showers incessantly, causing the waters of the Kuantan river to rise.

"Sir, do you still want to walk with weather conditions like this?" asked Ida to express her concerns.

"It's not the first time I've been away in this weather, Da. No need to worry." Burhan tries to calm Ida down.

"But I see, Kuantan's water has gone up. Wouldn't it be dangerous?"

"God willing, you just pray."

As in the previous days, Burhan and Mak Halimah reload their merchandise to the car that will deliver to the boat dock. Ida who also helped, still feel anxious. He repeatedly objected to Halimah and Burhan delaying departure.

"Nasi is cooked, Da. If I don't leave, then stale everything. You just pray, as Burhan said, this is not the first time amak went with the weather like this," comfort mak Halimah saw the worried face of Ida.

"Yes, Mommy ...." Ida took a long breath.

"I'm leaving, yeah." Burhan kissed Ida's forehead trying to slightly alleviate the worry that weighed on his wife's feelings.

"Yes ... Sir beware" said Ida lirih.

Ida looked at Burhan and Mak Halimah who were away with the car that carried her merchandise. Trying to ease any discomfort that rumbled in his heart.

"You don't have to worry too much, Da. You'll be sick later. From yesterday I saw your eating was also irregular." Medah began to worry about seeing Ida who kept looking at the streets.

"Uni Yes. I feel less calm." Ida wiped her warm eyes.

"Salma also felt your worry, you didn't see from yesterday she kept crying."

Ida just patting. His feelings were increasingly uneasy, because since the departure of Burhan and mak Halimah, he kept dreaming of his in-laws asking for help. The same dream every night makes the feeling that from the beginning is not calm even more chaotic.

The third day after Burhan departed, the rain still flushed Kuantan Bay nonstop. The cool air due to the rain was not able to relieve Ida's increasingly restless feelings.

"Accoland ...."

The sound of greetings at the door stopped Ida's activities that were winnowing rice. He put the big blue that he was holding onto the floor, moved into the front room to see who was coming.

"Waalaikum greetings ... Sir looking for who?" asked Ida astonished, because she did not know the guests who came. A well-built man, looks like a member of the military.

"Is this really Halimah's mother's house?" ask the man.

"Yes, right. But amak's not home."

"Can I meet his family?"

"I'm his daughter-in-law. What's up, sir?" the feeling of unease began to creep up again in Ida's heart.

"What's up, Da?" The new Midahs coming from the market looked at the astonished male guests coming to their homes.

"This master is looking for a family of amak," said Ida.

"Yes, what's wrong, sir? I am the eldest son of Mak Halimah" said Medah.

"I from the police station want to convey that the boat that Halimah's mother was riding yesterday overturned in Air Molek. We're here to ask the family to identify the victim."

Like hearing lightning, immediately Ida pias' face heard the explanation of the guest who claimed to be a policeman. The ground he was walking on felt crumbling. Midah was no less surprised, his face was like blood loss.

"How is my mother, sir?" ask Mida later.

"Mrs just come with me to the office, I can't tell you right now."

"Uni, I'm also coming," Ida's pinta tried to gather her strength to stand up.

"You're home, Da. Pity your children," forbid Madah.

"My kids just put Nur away. Sir, I'm coming too, my husband is also in the same boat as Mak Halimah."

"Yes, let's go."

"In a moment, sir." Ida ran into the house, "Nur ... Nur ..." call him.

"Yes Brother?" Nur came to hear Ida calling him in an unusual tone.

"I'll take the kids first. I was going to the police station, the boat capsized," Ida said, her throat felt choked.

"Oh my God, how do you keep raging?" Nur was no less surprised.

"I don't know either, you go with the kids first." Ida walked back to the front door.

"I-iya Brother."

Along the way Ida tried to dampen the feeling that was increasingly raging. Recalling her dream a few days back, she remembered the faces of her husband and in-laws. The tongue next to Ida began to sob. The trip to the police station, which is only two kilometers from home, felt so long for Ida.

Ida jumped down when the car carrying them reached the police station. He walked as if he were not walking. They were immediately escorted to the storage room of the corpse. The hope of meeting the person they love instantly fades. Mak Halimah's body bag was first opened. Mak Halimah's shady face looks like sleep, a smile that is always soothing is still imprinted there. As soon as Ida's body was limp, her bones felt pulled loose from the body, next to her, Madah was hysterical.

Ida rubbed her eyes, "Sir, can I see my husband's body?" tanyanya then tried to strengthen herself.

One by one the body bags were opened. Each time a bag is opened, Ida breathes in so she can accept reality. Up to the last pocket, Burhan's body wasn't there. Between relief and worry, "where is my husband?" asked Ida with a dazed face.

"Only these were the ones we found around the scene, Halimah's mother was the furthest away, our members were helped by the local people already leaving the riverbank, no more victims were found," police officers accompanied them.

Either be relieved, or sad. Ida stared at the corpse in the room. A little hope that Burhan is still alive infiltrates into his heart, but he brushes, he does not want the hope that appears to be torn apart when it must be faced with reality.

"Is it still possible to search again, sir?" ask Ida a little hope.

"Yes later after we identify how many passengers on the boat, then we do a search again."

"Is it not too long?" ida protests.

"Today, if the weather permits, we will do a riverbank sweep ...." Ida could not catch the officer's conversation, her mind was stirred.

If Burhan's body doesn't exist, then where's her husband now? Is Burhan still alive or is his body carried away by the swift flow of the Kuantan river? At the moment Ida only hopes to find out the whereabouts of her husband, alive or dead.

"Oh my God, what other destiny should I live. Why am I never allowed to taste my happiness a little longer" he cried in his heart.