SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Paranormal Instruction

Darkness is shrouding the night. The clock shows nine o'clock exactly. Mr. Risman and Bu Inah are overwhelmed serving customers who come more and more. Not even a few who queue outside angkringan. Some ordered to eat on the spot, some asked to be wrapped just brought home. Usually at times like this the two daughters of Mr. Risman helped. Not infrequently they have to sleep late at night because it helps both parents trade.

Until the customers one by one began to decrease, Bu Inah advised his children to go home. Tomorrow he still goes to school, worried that his two daughters lack rest. However, Sukma insisted that he wanted to help his father and mother sell until angkringan was completely deserted.

"Mom, you know, it's still eleven and a half. Not midnight yet," pinta Sukma.

"No, Deck. Dedek must go home with Teteh. It's not good if you two stay up late. Come on, go home with the Teteh! Tomorrow you also have to go to school" said Ms. Inah.

"Come, Deck, we're home! We also have to clean up first at home before going to bed," invited the brother to pull Sukma's hand.

"No, ah. The end of the semester is over, why go to school?" ketus Sukma.

"If Dedek does not want to go home, the same mother will not ngizinin Dedek go on vacation from school. He said there will be a vacation to Mount Ciremai," threatened Bu Inah began to get anxious.

Hearing his mother's words, Sukma began to melt. He did not want to miss about a vacation to Mount Ciremai, especially to say goodbye to Wanara who will not come back with him to Bandung. The girl nodded, then went home with her sister.

When he was about to leave angkringan, Sukma accidentally passed a man in a black jacket with batik jug on his head. The man is a psychic who used to eat at the Risman angkringan every midnight. For a long time he noticed the awkwardness in the place of his subscription catfish pecel, until finally now found an answer after passing with a pale white girl a few moments ago.

With reverence the man sat on the bench, lighting a cigarette in his hand. Bu Inah looks to prepare pecel seasoning, while Mr. Risman rested for a while after cooking catfish. The psychic waved at Mr. Risman, as if to convey something.

"What's wrong?" asked Mr. Risman sitting opposite the psychic.

"I want to ask, was the daughter who passed by was the father's son?" asked the man in the black jacket softly.

"Yes, his name is Atikah and Sukma. Atikah my eldest daughter, while the youngest is Sukma," replied Mr. Risman with a faint smile.

The paranormal man nodded. "Look, Sir. I have long wanted to convey something important to you. About the youngest son. What was his name? Sukma?"

"Yes. What happened to my youngest daughter? Did he ever make trouble with you?" asked Mr. Risman began to worry.

"No, sir. Precisely I am worried that Sukma is making trouble for the family of the Father," replied the man with iket batik casually.

"Well, how is it my family? He is my son, we should have educated him with good things. Even if my youngest daughter makes trouble, my wife and I will teach you a lesson not to make mistakes again" said Mr. Risman interspersed with a small laugh.

The paranormal man nodded again. He understood very well, that the family that raised Sukma is really a good family and upholds the religious and social norms that apply in society. However, again the thing that had bothered his mind so far, again encouraged the paranormal empathy to save Mr. Risman's family.

"I'm sure, you can educate your daughter well. But there are things you need to know. My youngest daughter is no ordinary child. There are many problems that will arise later if the family continues to take care of it," explained the psychic with facial expressions began to seriously.

"Much trouble? What's the problem?" asked Mr. Risman frowning not understanding.

"Come ... Actually I already know that Sukma is not your biological daughter."

Mr. Risman was stunned, as well as Ms. Inah who suddenly fell silent to the paranormal speech. No time Mr. Risman asked, the man in front of him has opened his mouth again.

"There are many secrets from him, even if you want to hear, you will not be able to. One of the secrets is already known by your wife" explained the psychic.

Mr. Risman looked back, looking at his wife questioningly. Ms. Inah could only stand glued, staring at the stranger who said so much to her husband. The middle-aged woman recalled the nightmare that had appeared after Sukma made trouble. Instantly, Bu Inah shuddered in horror and shook his head quickly. He quickly finished his catfish pecel dish for this last arriving customer.

As for Mr. Risman again looked at the paranormal man with curiosity. "What secrets does my wife know?"

"Don't your wife ever tell you?"

The man in the black jacket took a sip of his cigarette for a moment, then said, "Then let me tell you."

Mr. Risman began to listen. Ms. Inah who has finished preparing catfish pecel, immediately put the dish on the angkringan table. Not to forget, he also poured a glass of tea water and kept it near the psychic. Furthermore, Ms. Inah pretended to be busy cleaning up the merchandise and did not want her horrible dream to be recalled.

"Sukma is no ordinary child. He is a deception of the devil sent to mislead men. The devil never likes it if you keep leading him on the right path. Therefore, this human enemy makes bets through the dream of the Father's wife. If you continue to take care of it and Sukma gets better, there will be two chances of bad things happening. Father's family will be finished off or Sukma must die" explained the paranormal man with a serious facial expression.

"What does it mean that my family will be finished off or that Sukma must die? I really don't understand."

"Sukma is the result of a perverted ritual. Satan wants to make Sukma his puppet in this world to mislead mankind. You've taken your daughter down the right path, and the devil doesn't like that. So the stakes, between the Father who must die for the devil's purpose to be achieved or Sukma who must die and return to another realm," explained the paranormal man.

At once Mr. Risman's chest felt tight to hear it. Similarly, Bu Inah, who shed tears when he recalled his nightmare a few years ago. Both of them loved Sukma as much as Atikah. Sukma has been a part of their lives since it was first discovered in TPS.

"Father must be ready when your youngest daughter is about to turn seventeen. It will really happen" the paranormal man warned.

"Is there any other way that Sukma would survive and our family would be saved?" tanya Bu Inah. The look on his face was still anxious, hoping that there was the best solution to their upcoming problems.

The paranormal man nodded and smiled. "Of course there are," he said. "If you do not want this bad thing to happen, then let Sukma live alone. But there are consequences you have to accept."

"What are the consequences?" ask Mr. Risman.

"Sukma will behave very badly and your family life is no longer prosperous now. Are you ready to live poorer than ever?" said the paranormal man, then ate the pecel catfish on his plate.

Mr. Risman and Ms. Inah exchanged glances. They feel heavy-hearted if they have to let Sukma live alone and immoral. It seems in vain that Bu Inah's efforts took pains to educate his youngest daughter to behave well. As for Mr. Risman who slammed the bones to meet the needs of his family, not willing if he had to lose his daughter and catfish pecel business. He is very regretful if the business he pioneered for a long time with various facilities in it, must be in vain with the departure of Sukma.

After the plate was washed off, the paranormal man rushed home. While giving a note to Mr. Risman, he looked for a moment at angkringan pecel lele across the street.

"Forgive faith and health, yes, sir. It seems like someone is starting to envy the efforts of the Father," whispered the paranormal man as he patted Mr. Risman on the shoulder and smiled knot.

Mr. Risman turned his head with wide eyes. The paranormal man simply passed by after handing over the money to the angkringan owner. Mr. Risman also returned to settle his merchandise, seeing that the catfish was completely exhausted.

While cleaning the bench, Mr. Risman began to dare to ask Sukma's secret to his wife. Although tired, he could not escape thinking about the words of the man who stopped by earlier.

"Mom, when did you actually know that the devil made a bet about our youngest child?" asked Mr. Risman a little lethargic.

"It's been a long time, sir, when Dedek was still a kindergarten school," replied Bu Inah.

"Keep, why don't you tell the same stories? If you know for a long time, maybe we are ready to face the bad possibility that will happen to our family," said Mr. Risman regretted.

"Once again, sir? I was so scared when I had that nightmare. I thought it was just a sleeping flower, it had no meaning. But now I'm sure that Dedek is not an ordinary child," said Bu Inah stopped for a moment while rubbing his waist.

"Now we must think of a way to keep Sukma alive and our families intact. Until anytime, you will never be willing to let our children live alone without direction. Let the Father sacrifice so much that our lives may prosper."

"But how, sir? I still remember, if until Father, I, and Atikah are finished, then Dedek will still lose direction. Dedek will go the wrong way," said Ms. Inah.

"Hm, that's right, too" said Mr. Risman. "Ah, we better get home now. You will sleep for a while, then pray Tahajud. Let God guide us in all our troubles. God is the best place to complain."

"Yes, you're right."

After finishing cleaning the merchandise, Mr. Risman and Ms. Inah went home. Both of them were very tired after facing so many customers tonight. About the problems that will come, they can only resign and ask for guidance from God alone.