Short Story (Cerpen)

Sprucewood

Category: Fiction Fantasy Short stories

Title: Pine Wood

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'Bram, we live in a third dimensional world, I, you, animals, plants and much more. Our universe is made up of many dimensions. Four, five or six, I don't know..' I momentarily laid down on the grass, then pulled my backpack to make a pillow. The atmosphere in the garden behind my house became quiet. It was just a night breeze that passed by in front of the two of us. Quiet but calm.

Bram was silent, he preferred to think first, rather than speak the original opinion.' Hm.. Don't you tell me about that. I am not a shaman or a religious expert, anyways it is the business of the creator, do not need to be debated. It won't blur our logic.'

'I don't mean to be sassy to discuss things we don't deserve to know, but..' My tears began to rise from his little mattress.

'But why?'

'I miss that guy.'

'your grandfather?' Bram.

I nodded, It's only been a year that grandfather left, the world feels different. I miss him when he talks about things, dreams, and hopes. I was indeed closest to him, it could even be said, we were both like father and son only.' I wiped my tears.

'Jean, no man is immortal, all must die. Now, it remains our effort to prepare enough practice before facing HIM.'

'I know that.'. My smile expands.

'If you want, tomorrow I'll take you to Bogor, to your grandfather's house, we'll make a pilgrimage for him'

'you mean?'

'Your grandfather doesn't want Jean to forget. We're souvenirs'. Bram smiled at me, glimpsing my eyes and his eyes glaring. I could see his bright brown eyes, emitting a deep sense of mysteriousness. But a relief for me.

This morning, before the hero came out of his bed, we both set out. It brings an unusual feeling of longing, between the third and fifth dimensions. I told you earlier that my grandfather and I used to be very close. My grandfather was a retired teacher. He taught at an elementary school in his village. My sister is friendly and always puts a smile on everyone she meets. But grandfather's quiet attitude, made him less sociable with the village people. Grandfather prefers to spend his time in confinement to reading a book in front of a warm fireplace. What I love is the huge collection of books. I guess that number is up to 3000 books. Literature, art, stories, novels, all kinds of books have been living on his already fragile bookshelf. Grandpa once told me he loved his books. She became his second wife after his grandmother died.

The grandfather's house is now guarded by Mang Paes, who used to work as a gardener in his house. Mang Paes was big, long-haired, his eyes defiantly blinking, dampening the guts of everyone who spoke to him. I kind of don't like him. As a lover of hospitality, I am very anti-anger, cruelty and colleagues. I'm not entirely right either. My principle is convincing not to judge people by their appearance.

We finally arrived at Grandpa's house. The wooden-floored house I miss so much, my imagination twists back to the past when grandparents were still alive here. As the two of them sat on the terrace every afternoon. Very peaceful atmosphere. But over time they get older and start to get weaker. Finally, he came home to call God. I really didn't have time to accompany Grandpa on his last night. All I felt was endless restlessness that day. It was like a wave was crashing through all the unrest in my chest.

Bram and I rushed out of the car to the terrace to sit around waiting for the housekeeper to open the door. The sun will soon descend into his lap. The twilight is getting closer. The mountain breeze was so cold it got into the shirt, the body then the bones.

'When's Neng Jean here?'. Suddenly Mang Paes appeared from behind the house. His voice sounded uncharacteristic, there was a hint of nervousness I saw from him. His eyes were red, with a sharp breath. His sweat poured out, while walking gontai towards us.

'Justjust now. Oh yes, please open the door mang'

'Good neng' Mang Paes took the key from his pocket, then opened the door of the damaged grandfather's house chipped wide.

Bram and I went inside at the same time. Mang Paes went to the kitchen to make a drink. We both sat in a guest chair made of rattan. Our eyes are watching each other over the state of this house. Very dirty, like an unkempt warehouse. I snorted in annoyance, because the Paes mang wasn't very good at guarding grandfather's house. Though monthly money I always send with routine. If asked to choose, I would like to stay in this house, to take care of it. Who does not want to live in this beautiful mountainous area. Still tied to the world of college, that's why I don't live here.

Suddenly from the kitchen came the sound of people falling. Bram rushed towards the origin of the sound, I followed behind him. It was seen that Mang Paes was already lying on the floor.His eyes bulged, his sweat splattered. I tried to lift it. But his body is so hot. Then Bram carried it while laying it on the bed. I rushed to the car to pick up the available medicines. When I returned to the room with a box of medicine. Bram was sitting on the floor. His body leaned against the cold wall. Her tense face implied fear and emptiness. Instantly I saw the bodies of people lying down, with the mouth bleeding blood was lifeless.

'Jean. he's dead.' Bram's voice blows violently.

The exposure of the morning sun comes wisely to wake up all the inhabitants of nature who are still asleep. Crowds of villagers passed by in front of this grave. Just paying the last respects to the mysterious death of Mang Paes. According to villagers, Lately Mang Paes is always restless, rarely talk and look lunglai. Rumor has it, Mang Paes died of black magic.

Mang Paes is known to have a wooden box stored in his room. He said the wooden box was made from fir tree wood in the haunted forest of the Sewu mountain area which is located not far from the grandfather's house. Mang Paes walked for days through the jungle forests, which is said to be lifeless trees and can move around. The poor man of supernatural knowledge can be caught up in his making. Many people have not even returned. There was news that they were mated by forest dedemits.

It looks like Mang Paes needs the box to store an heirloom. Keris, badik, spear eyes I'm not sure. The evergreen forest in the area of Mount Sewu is indeed a place of history that is still doubtful to this day. It is said that long ago when the Sunda kingdom troops passed through the area. They were in the throats of robbers who had the men of bloodthirsty giants. Instantly the army fell in one attack. Then his corpses became the food of living fir trees. I don't really believe in such folklore. Just imagining it makes me a little shudder haunted by an uncertain fear.

Outside, the night air was quite cold. The living were eaten by his bed. It was past midnight I was still awake, sitting in front of the fireplace just to smell my grandfather's books. The smell of dust was already like jasmine, piercing into the sense of smell changing into the scent of memories.

It looks like Bram came with two cups of coffee. That smell seduced me to glance at him.

'A friend's cup of coffee enjoys a beautiful evening, miss jean' Bram puts a cup of coffee on the table.

'By pleasure.' I took it and sipped it deep.

'About those nonsensical myths'.

'Hmm.. Could it be real, you know that the evergreen tree can live for thousands of years?'

'Really?, try to explain in more detail'.

'The tree of gymnosperms is highly admired by botanical lovers. In addition to being used as a decoration of gardens, the wood of the tree can be used as furniture. Structure is strong and durable. Look, you can see fir trees anywhere. Even in snowy areas, except for desert areas. No wonder the strong tree is used as a place of preservation of heirloom objects'.

'About his age?” I'm affirming.

'And what does this have to do with historical events?' Bram smiled wryly.

'yes, quickly explain!'. I'm getting curious.

'Seems like from earlier you listened to my words carefully huh. All right, jean, listen carefully.' Bram took it very seriously.

Maybe there is a truth to Bram's opinion, students majoring in biology that can not be underestimated now. Sometimes I like to argue with people, as if I forgot myself. But bram's words this time should be looked at as well. That evergreen trees may live up to hundreds or even thousands of years.

The sundanese kingdom happened to a thousand five years ago. Maybe when the bodies of those soldiers died. They were buried under a row of evergreen trees whose wood is now considered lucky by the people, and made into a treasure box by a radical black magician mang Paes.

It is fitting that the wooden box is stored on top of his high bedroom closet. I saw him just now. Yes, the spruce box, a dull brown with its twisted wood fibers. But this guts haven't had time to blaze wildly to burn my fear. I decided to open the box. A box of cypress wood with a million mysteries holds something very valuable in it.

This morning I am going to go to the grave of my grandfather in the cemetery of the village. My grandfather died of a heart attack. Residents said grandfather never left the house for a month, like performing a very important ritual in his room. Mang Paes also did not know about the activities of the grandfather at that time. I was taking exams at college. Then I and Mom and Dad rushed to the village. We can't believe grandfather would have gone far unexpectedly. I still wonder what Grandpa did at the end of his life.

Before leaving I took the time to look at the box. Slowly lower from the top of the closet. I didn't expect the box to be so light. What kind of thing is inside, I'm getting curious. I looked around the box. A white paper was placed on it, with a sentence:

'Of Bastian Sutedjo, everything that is precious will still be valuable if used properly, my treasure that I love very much'.

This box has a grandfather. I paused for a moment, what to do. Opening with unpreparedness, or putting it back up like I've never seen it before. Then this no man's box will be forgotten as time goes by.

'open it.'

'oh it turns out you're Bram.' I was shocked

'Don't be afraid Jean. Sometimes the things we worry about don't always correspond to reality, remember that.'

't't but.. Bram.'s.'

'Mang Paes died of bubonic plague, Jean. I expected it by looking at his physical condition at that time. Not because of black magic. I need more evidence to support my conclusion. And this morning when I was walking around the house, I saw a lot of rats running around. The condition of your grandfather's house is very supportive of contracting the disease Jean.'

'It turns out it's true that the story is just a joke.' I breathe a sigh of relief.

I turned away from Bram. My focus is only on that box now. With a pounding heartbeat, I opened the box carefully.

My eyes are still watching that thing closely. Not keris, spear eyes or badik, but just a pile of paper notes like a stacked journal withered. I examined it sheet by sheet, and on the largest piece of paper, it was written in red ink:

I've lived in the world for decades, thousands of books from all over the world I've been tucked away in the blocks of my otaku. Maybe this time it's time to fast read, many ideas have been wasted. It is not the job of the reader to learn the ins and outs of the world to write informing the readers of the recipients of knowledge. Of course, everything will not be in vain. Time keeps turning, the sun still faithfully scalloped the moon. I am not in the world forever. Only these writings became history for me in my youth who always procrastinated to write.

- Bastian Sutedjo -

The air around me seemed to stop blowing for a moment. I kept staring deeper. Paper by paper containing the writings of my grandfather I collected. In order for me to read to know the grandfather who came back to life in a box made of this lucky fir wood, yes I know that there are no clenical elements in this box. At least this box is still lucky for me, especially protecting this collection of precious grandfather journals.

Suddenly Bram grabbed my shoulder and whispered.

'Jean, that box does hold supernatural knowledge. As if I were talking something.'

'Huh?'

'He said that he has a new employer now.'