Short Story (Cerpen)

Red Umbrella (Part 2)

Category: Fiction Fantasy Short stories

Title: Red Umbrella (Part 2)

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The dawn prayer from the mosque near the house woke me up. Stretching and yawning I sat on the bedside to gather my life. After feeling a little fresh, I took my phone that had been charged all night to find out the time. Apparently there was a message coming in. I read that message from Angga, the class president.

'Temen-temen, please doain our temen, Kiki. Now he's in the hospital. Asmaanya relapsed, said her brother because this afternoon was perfect for the rain. Kiki was in intensive care. Condition's bad. May Kiki get well!'

My feet immediately limp. I can't believe I read that message over and over again. But the result remains the same. Asthma Kiki relapsed severely due to yesterday's rain. And the red umbrella was in my hand yesterday. Oh my…

I directly cursed myself who had let Kiki rain so yesterday. Even I myself, the one who was last helped by Kiki, who had made her condition drop. Fear and anxiety instantly enveloped my soul. I don't dare go to school.

And suddenly I remembered Kiki's words yesterday at the stop. My bad guess came back, even stronger. My hands clenched tightly. Nah! That's not possible!

With great anxiety I darted towards the bathroom for ablution. Then, in turmoil I performed the Fajr prayer. My prayer was hanging out with my soft tone of voice. 'Oh Allah. Save Kiki! Let me apologize to her and repay her kindness! Please God, give me a chance!'

I wishfully pray for the salvation of the hereafter as the closing of my prayer. My heart aches to find that Kiki, my best friend, has not had as good a fate as her attitude towards others. And it was all because of my stupidity that had snatched the red umbrella from her 'even if it was with Kiki's permission.

Suddenly my phone shook. There's an incoming message. My heart immediately thumped uncharacteristically. It was in my mind that Kiki was lying helplessly on the hospital bed. I also tried to dismiss the notion that the text contained bad news from Kiki. 'I want Kiki to be okay…'

I was afraid to take my phone and read the message slowly. From Angga again.

'Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un…

One of our friends, Kiki, has returned to Rahmatullah on Friday at 11 pm after struggling to defend against his asthma. May his worship be received by Allah SWT.

We'll take the takziah to Kiki's house with the homeroom teacher.'

It felt like there was lightning striking this holy morning as soon as I finished reading the message. I can't comment on that message. My fingers are squeezing. My phone fell to the floor, along with me who immediately collapsed in prostration on my prayer mat while crying bitterly. Praying late…

—

I was alone in a sea of humans who also acted in judgment to Kiki's house. The green coffin lying in front of it contained the body of Kiki who had been wrapped in a white shroud. I can't stand the taste of the pain in my heart every time I see that coffin. I will find no more Kiki, who always had a big smile, who was always in the shade of her red umbrella with a stranger on the asphalt road to the school gate.

The atmosphere was silent. Only the voice of the Ustad could be heard reciting prayers before delivering Kiki to her eternal resting place. I still stood in silence, immersed in the sea of men while allowing myself to drift in sorrow and heartache without tears. I try and strengthen myself. I'm sure Kiki's departure is not my fault. But, God also played a role in determining Kiki's death. I looked up to challenge the sky. The morning sky was clean and bright, not a single speck of gray clouds were clumping. It's completely opposite to my mood right now.

While I was still immersed in silence, there suddenly seemed to be a small commotion from the side. I'm turning. I saw a middle-aged woman in all dark clothes from the robe to the veil trying to penetrate the static crowd. He continued to push forward until he finally arrived near me. He stopped, looking at me with pushy eyes. I could only stand still, not understanding.

'Dik Yudo Prawira?' ask the woman.

'Yes?' I answered softly while looking at the woman in astonishment. I saw both of his hands that seemed to be carrying more than one object. My breath was choked the moment I found the two things; kiki's red umbrella and my red jacket.

'It seems like sister already knows what it means to see sister like this, ' said the woman with a flat smile. 'Ma'am wants to return this jacket. Also, I'm about to hand this umbrella over to my sister.'

I was surprised to find the woman who was thrusting the red umbrella and red jacket at me. I didn't expect that woman would give Kiki's favorite red umbrella to me with my red jacket.

'Sorry,' I said. 'It's not that the umbrella has Kiki, mba?'

'Yes, this is Kiki's, ' the woman replied. 'But Kiki asked you to keep it…'

My eyes are rounded. Saving him? That means Kiki asked for this red umbrella to change hands with me? I nodded, a sign of disagreement.

'Sorry, I can't!' firmly answer. 'I have no right to that umbrella! because of that umbrella, I forgot the most important thing about Kiki's life! I don't want to!'

'But this is Kiki's last request, ' said the woman. 'PRECISEly before Kiki breathed his last.'

My hair bristles at hearing the woman's speech. I suddenly recalled Kiki's LAST words before we boarded the bus at the stop. My breath was back.

'If I can't bring that umbrella anymore, you bring it, will you?'

'You know the reason why Kiki wanted you to keep this umbrella?' the woman asked softly with tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

The woman once again thrust out Kiki's red umbrella and my red jacket with a smile of pain. 'You know why? Because, Kiki wants you to replace her duty as a protector for others. He wants you to carry on the goodness of this red umbrella. As long as you know, Kiki got this umbrella from her late grandfather, and her grandfather advised that Kiki spread kindness with this umbrella. Now Kiki's assignment is over, and Kiki has appointed you as his successor.'

I was stunned to hear the woman's story. My eyes were fixed on the two objects in the hands of the woman I thought was Kiki's older sister. My body shook violently when the woman mentioned me as the successor to Kiki's baton of kindness. That means, Kiki put great trust in me to be able to continue the kindness brought by her red umbrella. He doesn't care that I've made his life fly. My mind immediately felt sliced. I realized, it was the same Kiki was punishing me for what I had done.

Finally, in deep grief I received my red umbrella and my red jacket. The woman also passed. And right after the woman disappeared in the crowd, the green coffin lifted up. I jerked. It's time for Kiki to leave. I looked at the coffin and the red umbrella in my hand alternately. The newness in the heart is getting worse. Kiki's coffins began to be carried away, leaving behind a great sense of guilt and burden in my mind. I kept the red umbrella that now belongs to me with blurred vision. While accompanying Kiki's departure, my tears could not be contained, flowing down as hard as a raindrop.

—

A week has passed since Kiki's departure. The sky still befriends the rain clouds. Just a week ago I met a day that was completely clean of black-and-gray clouds. It was a really bright funeral day. It seemed like the sky no longer wanted to trouble Kiki in his last moments before he was returned to the ground.

I stood alone under Kiki's red umbrella. There's nothing I can help you with today. Everyone I saw was carrying their own umbrellas since Kiki's departure. Actually I feel guilty because I can't do the job that Kiki gave me well. I wanted to be like Kiki before, who easily thrust a portion of a red umbrella over the head of a stranger.

Suddenly, I felt the presence of someone who stopped and stood beside me. I'm turning. I almost jumped in shock at what I got. I saw Kiki, with long waist-length black hair down and long white clothes. His face was clean and bright. His feet were covered in a long white cloth that looked snaking. He looked at me and smiled like his style.

'Kki.. Kiki.' I stammered. I can't tell you how shocked I was to find Kiki's spirit standing next to me.

Kiki laughed briefly, then looked up at the red umbrella above her head. 'Don't I tell you not to be alone under this umbrella?'

I still can't speak in shock. I'm not sure if I'm really conscious now. But, this is all too real if I call this a dream. I could feel the water seeping into my shoes. Can I call this a dream?

This time Kiki looked at me while pouting. 'Well, I believe in you…'

Suddenly I was stunned to hear Kiki's rant just now. I recall what the middle-aged woman said on the day of Kiki's funeral. I remember him telling me to be a protector in the rain in place of Kiki. But, what have I been doing for a week? Instantly raging a sense of anger, disappointment and sadness in my heart.

'Sorry, ' I said softly with bated breath. My eyes suddenly warmed.

'I understand, ' answered Kiki.

I flinched at the instant of hearing Kiki's reply. I quickly wiped my blurred vision to see Kiki's expression now. This time he smiled softly, very gently. My heart is also full. My eyes blurred again.

'Here you go, don't cry, ' said Kiki while I was busy holding back the tears that spread at the end of my eyes so as not to flow down. 'I understand you're not used to it. Besides, I see now that it's rare for people to rain, huh?'

I just kept quiet while staring at Kiki's goal. My heart is still gray. My mood is too bad to help me talk.

'But don't worry, ' said Kiki again. 'While I haven't really left yet, I'll help you. I'll point you at the closest person in need.'

I took a long breath. I was just about to answer 'i wasn't sure' when I found out Kiki had disappeared. I dyed, looking around for Kiki while shouting her name many times. But it didn't show up either.

Suddenly, as if there was a strong impulse from my heart, I was forced to look back. I faintly saw the shadow of a rather stocky man running towards me. His hand was in trouble carrying printed books. I can guess he's a teacher.

My eyes widened to see this golden opportunity. This time I know what Kiki said before she disappeared. Immediately I ran up to the man and thrust a portion of my red umbrella over his head. Apparently he's Adi's sir, my chemistry teacher.

'Oh, what a coincidence!' exclaimed Mr. Adi happy as soon as he was protected by my red umbrella. 'Thank you, son'who?'

'Yudo, sir!' I replied firmly while smiling politely.

I also accompanied the journey of Pak Adi with interspersed with stories that Pak Adi conveyed. I continued to accompany him as Mr. Adi waited for the arrival of the bus towards his residence. On the sidelines of the story, I gasped as soon as I heard Mr. Adi mention Kiki's name. 'Usually, the boy carries an umbrella and shields the father like this, ' he said.

Finally the bus that was waiting for Adi arrived. After saying thank you again and smiling at me, Mr. Adi got on the bus. The bus drove away. The highway also happened to be deserted. I crossed over and sat at the stop.

While waiting for the bus to arrive in my village, I sat daydreaming while playing a red umbrella. I swirled the umbrella so it looked like a big red wheel that was rotating quickly. My mind floated on Mr. Adi's words about Kiki. I sighed, realizing how valuable Kiki and her red umbrella were in the rain. Perhaps only a simple help, but his kindness that runs constantly imparts its own impression in the hearts of those who see and know him. His services are not easily forgotten even though now Kiki is no longer seen in the eyes.

Tired of twirling the red umbrella, my gaze turned across the street. My breathing stopped for a while as soon as I saw Kiki's figure there, in the rain with no shade. However, unlike last tempo, now his body is not wet with raindrops. I saw clearly her smile, a smile full of pride in me. I can't stop smiling interspersed with haru. In my heart, I strengthened my promise to continue to carry on the Kiki relay by channeling the kindness of this red umbrella in my hand to everyone, anyone anywhere.

Kiki smiled wider and wider as she raised both of her thumbs, as if she had heard the promise I had just made in my heart. He laughed cheerfully for a moment.

'I think you've understood enough, ' he said from across the street in an ordinary voice 'which I can strangely hear clearly. 'Now I can go. Good bye, Yudo!'

I nodded with a smile, unable to say the word 'goodbye' to Kiki 'too painful. The feeling in my heart is getting stronger. My eyes warmed up again. Kiki smiled, then disappeared as if blurred in the wind or dashed in the rain. My tears flowed without my being able to control. And somehow the rain became my witness to the real Kiki's departure, and accompanied me all the way back home.