SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Brutal

"You don't have to be happy, though. We'll go home later." The curly hair belittles the vexation of Sukma.

"I'm not worried, but worried! I don't think you realize that you've been rude in this forest," Sukma argued grumbling.

"What did you say? A kasarung? You think we're cosplay again so what's Lutung Kasarung? We're human, not langur!" said the man in the red jacket.

Sukma patted his eel while shaking weakly. "You do not understand, yes, the same means kasarung? I obviously, yes. You have entered another realm and cannot go home. Even if someone passes by here, you will not be seen, even screaming though it will not be astonished."

"Ah, who really?" ask the hair of the curls. His view was suddenly fixed on the group of climbers who came looking for them. "Well, there's a lot of people passing by. I'm calling you, okay?"

Seeing the search team being on top of them, Sukma grew even more worried. Time in the human dimension is already morning. He knew very well that time in the human realm runs faster than in the supernatural.

Meanwhile, the curl was still trying to scream while waving both his hands to call the search team. His efforts were still in vain, for those who were near them heard nothing. Both of his friends did the same thing with the curl. However, their calls were not changed.

"They're budeg times, huh? We have called very fast, but not astonished," said the man in a red jacket.

"Maybe we are far away, so it is not surprising" said the man in black.

"We're going there, yuk!" bring the curls.

The three rushed up to the higher side of the forest. Sukma explanation is only considered past wind. The girl tried to be patient, following her stubborn upperclassmen.

Arriving at the side of the forest near the seekers, the curl hurriedly ran up to a twenty-year-old man. He patted the man's back until he looked. Instead of realizing the presence of three missing children, one of the search team members was in a daze. He saw no one behind him and continued walking.

The curl did not want to give up and continued to pursue the search team members. He patted the twenty-year-old's back again, but his reaction remained the same. The curl just stood with a tightness that stuck his chest.

"Where? You guys still don't believe it?" ask Sukma with ketus.

"Thus ... We're really kasrung?" muttered the red jacket.

"If they don't realize we're here, how can we go home?" ask the black guy, start panicking.

"We follow the people, we must come down below" suggested the curl.

"It's not that easy! Even if we can get to the bottom, they will still nyariin us," denied Sukma growled. "Oh, yeah. Did you see the Principal too?"

"So I took a look, anyway. He again followed the big monkey in that direction, but it was not visible anymore," replied the black guy, pointing to the last time the principal left.

"Keep, now what should we do? Nyariin Mr Kepsek too?" ask the curls.

"You better come with me now. I will show you the way out" said Sukma.

The three men looked at each other. They appear to be suspicious of Sukma's invitation. However, they still followed the pale-skinned girl from behind.

In the human realm, news of the disappearance of the principal and four students spread rapidly. The bus group, which was carrying the students, had been back in town since dawn. The teachers contacted the parents of the missing students since yesterday afternoon. Obviously, that made the parents worried.

Hearing the bad news about Sukma's disappearance over the phone, Bu Inah's body trembled. His worries come true. Without realizing it, the phone just fell out of his hand. Atikah who saw the mother crying, immediately approached her.

"What's up, Mom?" ask Atikah to be worried.

"Group, Atikah ... Grandpa!" lirih Bu Inah with a choked voice, her eyes glazed over.

"Snap? What's the same with Dedek, Mom? Dedek's fine, right?"

"Dedek is lost on the mountain, Atikah."

Both Atikah's eyes were wide open. The girl looked shocked to hear bad news from her mother. However, he tried to stay calm so that his mother was not too sad.

"Mom, we should pray for Dedek the best, yes. Hopefully Dedek will meet," said Atikah, trying to calm the mother.

Ms. Inah shook her head. "We have to take Dedek there. I want to go to Mount Ciremai to meet Dedek."

"But how, Mom? We've never been there. Father's condition also does not allow for travel," Atikah reminded.

"What did Mom say? Dedek lost in the mountain?" ask Mr. Risman, then sit in a chair.

"Yes, sir," replied Ms. Inah with a whim.

"Yes, Allah ... How did that happen, Mom?" asked Mr. Risman with an anxious face.

"So his teacher said, in the middle of the night Dedek went back into the forest. The teachers were again busy with the lives of three students who had also disappeared since the afternoon," explained Bu Inah.

"What else does the teacher say?" asked Mr. Risman curious.

"Later if three days do not meet also, the parents of students will be escorted to the location," explained Bu Inah. "But I don't want to wait that long, sir."

"Then, be patient. Leave everything the same God. We pray for Dedek as often as possible, hopefully Dedek is found safe," said Mr. Risman.

"Father is right, Mom." Atikah. "We should fasten his prayer so Dedek can meet soon."

In the middle of their conversation, Mr. Risman suddenly felt nauseous. Unable to get out of the chair, the middle-aged man spewed blood from his mouth. Bu Inah and Atikah were stunned to see Mr. Risman spewing so much blood.

"Oh my God, Father! You better get taken to the hospital now. I signed the taxi online, yes," said Atikah, holding his father's hands carefully.

"No need, Atikah. You are fine," said Mr. Risman, coughing.

"What's all right, sir? I vomit a lot of blood, you know! Udah, mendingan Mr. nurut same who is healthy again," cerocos Bu Inah panicked. "Well, order a taxi online right now!"

"Good, Mom."

While Atikah and Bu Inah went to take Mr. Risman to the hospital, Sukma was still busy looking for a way out of the forest. Despite having the ability to return to the human realm, the girl still has trouble doing it in a foreign place, especially in a fairly haunted forest. In his confusion, he recalled Wanara's story about an old man who often showed the way home to climbers. He hoped to find the old man soon and return home soon.

As for Bu Ratmi who had been locked back in the former chicken coop, it suddenly went berserk and screamed hysterically. His mouth just kept mentioning the name of Sukma and asked Asih to open his confinement. The woman had a bad feeling about what had happened to Sukma since midnight.

Asih could no longer bear to hear her brother's screams from dawn. In a hurry, he picked up the rattan and hit the body of Bu Ratmi who could not stand still.

"Jemp! Jempee ...! Meni gandeng si Euceu ti fajr keneh. Ai Euceu hayang naon? Dibre dahar engeus, dibrerum nginum engeus. Ayeuna hayang naon?" snapped in high notes. ("Silence! Heather on! Noisy this brother from dawn. Brother wants what? Been eating already, been drinking. Now what else do you want?")

"Sukma, Yes. Uang slaves. Slave of kasasab on the mountain. Urang hayang ka mount, nulungan slave," pinta Bu Ratmi with a face of weld. ("Sukma, Yes. My kid. My son got lost in the mountains. I want to go to the mountain to save my son.")

"Euceu mah teu boga slave. Slave euceu mah geus dipiceun pan ku Euceu. Geus, ayeuna mah cicing we didieu! Where's kamana-where! Kamari ge ngadon ngagabrug slave batur," cerocos Asih began to lose patience. ("Sister has no children. Your son has been dumped by you. Already, just stay here! Don't go anywhere! Yesterday also hugged someone else's child.")

Moments later, Ms. Ratmi broke. As hard as she could, the woman hit the cage where she was locked up until the nails came off. Asih who is not used to seeing her brother rampage, just scared. Ms. Ratmi kept on roaring, calling out her daughter's name.

Amidst the commotion made by Bu Ratmi, her sister-in-law came with a face of wrath. His name is Endang, Asih's husband who works as a farmer.

"Cheers, Ceu! The cicing! Euceu teh taken care of me urang. Lamun embung nurut ka adi, sok kaditu indit," snapped Endang glaring at his sister-in-law. ("Whispering, Ceu! Be quiet! Euceu is taken care of by us. If you don't want to obey your sister, just pargi.")

"Aing mah ngan hayang nulungan aing slaves! Naha ai maraneh ngadon sonorous aing?" rebut Ms. Ratmi growled. ("I just want to help my son! Why are you even scolding me?")

"His saha is Euceu's slave? Apan slave Euceu mah geus maot," asked Endang. ("Who's the big brother? My brother's son is dead.")

"Sukmas. Aing mah's slave breathe! Kamari ge came kadieu," said Ms Ratmi. ("Sukmas. My son is alive. I came here yesterday.")

Hearing the words of his sister-in-law, Endang recalled the news circulating around the residents about four school children who were lost in the mountain. So did Asih, understanding which child was meant by Bu Ratmi. Endang also collapsed, then removed the shackles on the body of Ms. Ratmi.

"Jig geura the slave of Euceu. But tong nyieun caributan, his. Engke mun geus kapadjut, Euceu behind deui kadieu," Endang warned. ("There! Find your son immediately. But don't make a fuss, yeah. Later when you meet, Brother come back here again.")

Ms. Ratmi didn't bully him. He ran from home to find Sukma as soon as possible. Asih, who was upset by Endang's actions, beat her husband's body.

"Ai Aa kunaon make dileupaskeun si Euceu teh?" ask Asih with a face. ("Why did Aa release Euceu instead?")

"Keun we sina ngensar heula meh arurang jeung tatangga teu lieur. Engke mun hayangeun back mah da will return deui," replied Endang casually. ("Let him wander first, let us and the neighbors not get dizzy. Later if he wants to go home, he'll come home again.")