SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

The Birth of the Devil's Daughter

Heavy rain has been pouring down on Bandung since this afternoon. The atmosphere of the night became very gripping, plus thunderbolts that struck. Some areas experience lights out, houses light candles as lighting. Likewise with the luxurious house of Mr. Burhan, not usually the residence of the textile businessman was experiencing a light switch. The middle-aged man told his two aides to light a candle, then put it in some corner of the room.

Meanwhile, in Mr. Burhan's room, it appears that Mr. Ratmi, who is pregnant, is stroking his stomach. His face grimaced in pain, feeling heartburn. After twelve years of waiting, finally came the time to have a baby. Today they should have met the midwife, because it was time for the baby to be born. However, bad weather is not supportive of going to midwives. Ms. Ratmi kept moaning, calling Mr. Burhan who was lighting up some corner of her house. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Burhan came in haste.

"Mom, relax. You are here" said Mr. Burhan sitting on the edge of the bed, then hugging Mr. Ratmi.

"Mr, I'm not strong anymore. Looks like you should now meet with the midwife. Mother's stomach was heartbroken once," complained Bu Ratmi with a breath of breath, her face still showing unbearable pain.

"Mom's patient for a minute, yeah. Father phone Midwife Yusi first. Hopefully he can come here."

"It's better to hurry, sir."

Without waiting for long, Mr. Burhan reached into the cell phone from his pants pocket. Immediately he pressed the power button, but the phone screen did not turn on at all. It turns out the battery is up. Mr. Burhan cursed, then threw his cell phone into the bed.

"What should we do, sir?" ask Mrs Ratmi restlessly.

"We have to go to the midwife, ma'am. Father's cell phone is dead."

"Gosh my god."

"Strong mother, yes. Our two helpers will help you get to the car."

Ms. Ratmi nodded slowly. Mr. Burhan immediately went out of the room while calling his two aides, Minah and Sari. However, no one said at all. Feeling impatient, Mr. Burhan looked for his two aides to another room while carrying candles.

Surveying every corner of the house, from the living room to the kitchen. They both did not meet. A few minutes after searching the living room, Mr. Burhan heard a shrill laughter from the second floor. The candle is directed to the stairs, until it reaches where the sound came from. From the second-floor guardrail, there appeared a long-haired woman wearing a white negligee swinging her legs.

"Minah? Why are you sitting there?" asked Mr. Burhan to scream.

The woman only replied with a laugh that was no less terrible than before. He floated off the fence, then came down to approach Mr. Burhan.

Realizing something was wrong, Mr. Burhan ran towards the room. His body was shaking violently. Fear rushes to make the hair bristles. Meanwhile, the woman behind him continued to drift after him. From behind his long and dreadful hair, his eyes stared intently at Mr. Burhan.

Arriving in front of the room, Mr. Burhan hurriedly opened the door. He slammed and locked the door when he entered the room. His eyes remained staring warily, his squeezing legs even retreated slowly. Fear was clearly reflected on his sweaty face.

"What's up, sir?" asked Bu Ratmi, still holding her stomach while grimacing.

Mr. Burhan hurriedly approached his wife. "Sssst ... outside .. d-outside," he whispered trying to explain.

"What's up, sir?"

Mr. Burhan has not yet explained, the sound of a woman's laughter was again heard clearly. Frightened Ms. Ratmi immediately embraced her husband's body. His heart was pounding violently, his hair bristling. His eyes widened, as if wary of the arrival of the female owner of the shrill laughter.

"P-Pak .. Who is it?"

"Sst .. don't talk much. We wait until the lights are on, and we go out to see the midwife."

"But, sir, I'm not strong anymore."

"Patience, Mom. Otherwise, we'll wait until he's gone."

Amidst their fear, there was the sound of the door being pounded. Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi are getting more and more hugs. Their breaths were hunting as the woman's giggling voice approached.

"Araya in jero?" asked the white-painted woman with a buzzing voice.

Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi were increasingly shaken in horror. The thunder from outside shocked them. Shortly after, a growl of wild animals sounded from behind the window. The curious Mr. Burhan immediately turned his head towards the direction the voice was coming from. When the lightning flash flashed, it appeared that a shadow of a large tall black figure was standing outside the window. The middle-aged man's breathing was increasingly hunting.

"Sir, Mother is no longer strong," complained Miss Ratmi with a sigh.

Things are getting gripping. Mr. Burhan increasingly tightened his embrace on Ms. Ratmi, to stay strong to hold the heartburn until the lights turned back on. Meanwhile, the two maids that Mr. Burhan had called from earlier, were apparently in the room. Both of them fainted after discovering that there were so many terrifying-faced creatures roaming around inside the house.

The birth of the baby is welcomed by many dedemits. Strange sounds by sounds were heard increasingly boisterous outside Mr. Burhan's room. For a situation like this, Mr. Burhan recalls the advice of his herbalist. He said dedemit would be easily conquered with a spell. Immediately Mr. Burhan remembered the shaman's incantation spell, then began chanting it.

A few seconds later, the atmosphere of the house was quiet again. The slings on the door were no longer heard. Mr. Burhan believes the creatures are gone. He carried his wife with him, and opened the door of the room. His lips did not stop casting spells, until they reached the garage.

Without much thought, Mr. Burhan put his wife in the car, then opened the garage. Soon he drove the car, then told the security guard to open the gate. Rain is still pouring heavily into the city, it is feared that slippery roads make the wheels of vehicles slip. However, Mr. Burhan who was already panicking made him drive like a racer. Ms. Ratmi did not stop moaning in pain, stroking her distended stomach.

"Sir, when will we arrive?" asked Bu Ratmi with a weakened voice.

"A little while, Mom. The patient mother."

"But I'm not strong anymore, sir."

When the spell was no longer cast, Mr. Burhan, the figure of the terrible creature came back. One of them is a large and hairy high-bodied creature. He jumped on the roof of the car and banged it to a dent. Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi are getting panicked. Every now and then they peek in the rearview mirror, to find the answer to his curiosity. From the back of the car, there was a puff of black smoke along with the supernatural creatures of the inhabitants of his house, running after the car.

Frightened, Mr. Burhan drove his car faster. However, when about to enter the highway, suddenly there was a female figure crossing in front of their car. Mr. Burhan also floundered and swerved. His car hit a tree on the side of the road, until the windshield broke. Mr. Burhan was unconscious, his forehead was spitting out a lot of blood. Even with Miss Ratmi who had been groaning in pain, immediately fainted and her water broke.

...****************...

The rain slowly receded, the lights of the houses began to light up one by one. Mak Asih who was the owner of the house near the accident site of Mr. Burhan, hurriedly approached the sound of a bang coming from. As she exited the gate, the old woman screamed at a dented car that had hit a tree. Soon he ran asking for help from the people around.

One by one the residents of the complex arrived. They immediately pulled Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi out of the car. Mr. Ramlan, who happened to be passing by in a car, would gladly take Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi to the nearest hospital. Together with Mak Asih, they left the accident site.

"Sir Ustaz, how is this? I am afraid of being disturbed by subtle creatures" Mak Asih said in a trembling voice.

"Keep reading his short letters, Mother. Trust me, God will always protect his servants. The power of God is greater than that of the jinn. Keep surrendering and calm," persuaded Mr. Ramlan while focusing on the streets, then re-read the verses of the Qur'an.

Mak Asih continued reading his short letters. His efforts were quite fruitful this time. The sound of growling and giggling from the roof of the car began to diminish. Similarly with a loud bang that his voice just disappeared. Mak Asih is grateful that everything is improving along with a sense of surrender to the greater power of God.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Mr. Burhan was taken to the ICU. Meanwhile, Ms. Ratmi who started to roar, was taken to the surgical room. His strength was drained due to great fear and accidents, so he was unable to deliver normally. For administrative matters, Mr. Ramlan has handled it well. He sincerely paid for the care of Mr. Burhan and Mr. Ratmi, hoping that the lives of both could be saved soon.

"Sir Ustaz, I'd better wait for Mrs Ratmi. Poor him, there is no family waiting for his delivery," Mak Asih said in an anxious tone.

"alright. Then I'll see Mr. Burhan in the ICU. Let's just pray, I hope everything's okay."

"Aamiin's."

Then walk them in a different direction. Mak Asih asks for the nurse's instructions to reach the surgical room, while Mr. Ramlan searches the ICU room himself. Their prayers go out along the corridor, hoping that the condition of the twelve-year-old married couple improves.

Arriving in front of the surgical room, Mak Asih tried to see Ms. Ratmi. But when she opened the door, a nun prevented her. Mak Asih who is worried and curious about the condition of his neighbors, continues to try to enter the surgical room.

"I beg you, Sister. Allow me to enter to see Ratmi," asked Mak Asih with a clear face.

"Sorry, Grandma. At this time the patient has not been found. You just wait here."

"But, Sister, what if she's all right?"

"Trust me, Grandma. We'll handle it as much as possible. Grandma should wait here, we will inform you if her condition has improved. Just pray, that Ms. Ratmi and her child will be safe."

Mak Asih sat on the chair, squeezing both his hands. The anxiety had not subsided from his mind. Sometimes he looked at the door, praying for the safety of Ms. Ratmi and her child.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ramlan found the ICU room. From the window of the room, he looked at one doctor with two male sisters examining Mr. Burhan. His condition was so critical that doctors used pacemakers to improve his patients.

Feeling sad to see the condition of Mr. Burhan, Mr. Ramlan did not stop offering prayers to the Powerful. But destiny says something else. Mr. Burhan's life is no longer helped. The doctor and the two sisters shook their heads weakly while rubbing their faces. The look of disappointment was clearly drawn on their faces so that made Mr. Ramlan worried.

When the doctor came out of the ICU, Mr. Ramlan approached him. He seemed impatient to know the condition of Mr. Burhan.

"Doctor! Doctor!" exclaim Mr. Ramlan.

The doctor turned his head and asked, "Yes, sir. What's up?"

"Sir, if you may know, how is Mr Burhan? Is he still curable?" ask Mr. Ramlan worriedly.

The doctor bowed lethargicly, then sighed heavily. When he looked at Mr. Ramlan, his eyes seemed to imply deep disappointment at the failure of his efforts to save patients.

"Say, Doc! Can Mr Burhan's life still be saved?" asked Mr. Ramlan with a little urgency.

"It's unfortunate, sir. His life is no longer helped. He's gone" the doctor clearly stared in lethargy.

Jolted inner Mr. Ramlan knowing the bad news. "No way, Doc! Couldn't the doctor try any harder to save her?"

"What's our power, sir? We have tried our best, but apparently God has other wills. Life and death are God's business, we can only try."

Mr. Ramlan let out a long breath.

"Preferably Father just pray for him to be calm in nature there. I say goodbye first" said the doctor, then sauntered down the corridor.

After the doctor died, Mr. Burhan bowed lethargic. His eyes were blank, his legs were squeezed to the point of making him sit in front of the ICU room. Her heart was so devastated, especially considering that Ms. Ratmi was about to give birth to her first child. His mind was open, imagining if the bad news reached the ears of Mr. Burhan's wife. Mr. Ramlan could only sob, while occasionally staring at the door of the ICU room.

Shortly afterwards, the nurse from inside pushed Mr. Burhan's bed out of the room. Mr. Ramlan got up, then followed the nurse who brought the bodies of his neighbors. With a whim, the religious leader tried to stop them.

"Wait first! I want to see the body for the last time" said Mr. Ramlan.

"Sorry, Sir. She had to be taken to the morgue immediately to be taken care of" one of the sisters explained.

"Just a second. I beg you," said Mr. Ramlan with a clear face.

For a moment, the two sisters looked at each other. They looked back at Mr. Ramlan, then said, "Alright. Just a moment, yes, sir."

Mr. Ramlan nodded quickly, impatiently wanting to see the face of his neighbor for the last time. A nurse removed the blanket from the corpse's head slowly. The pale face of Mr. Burhan, his nose and forehead are still bleeding. Mr. Ramlan's tears spilled again, unable to withstand the sadness that stuck in his chest.

"All right, now you can go."

The two sisters pushed back the bed towards the mortuary. Mr. Ramlan tries to get rid of his sadness for a moment, to find out the condition of Mr. Ratmi who is both between life and death. He quickly ran down the corridor. His heart can't wait to know about Ms. Ratmi's condition.

Arriving at the surgical room, Mr. Ramlan did not find Mak Asih. When a nurse passed by, Mr. Ramlan stopped her for a moment.

"Suster, do you know where Ms Ratmi is now?"

The nurse nodded, then drove Mr. Ramlan to where Mr. Ratmi was. Mr. Ramlan continued to strengthen himself, putting aside his grief over Mr. Burhan's death. While praying, he tried to remain calm in the face of the reality he would see later.