SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Susan the Healing Carrier

"Well, how do you want to move, anyway? What's my fault?" asked Sukma dumbfounded.

"I don't want to sit with Sukma. I'm moving!" giska said, followed by her increasingly violent cries.

Bu Leli who felt sorry for Giska, finally obeyed the boy's will. He looked at the front bench, where Asri and Nurul were sitting. Giska took her carry bag from the chair, then went to the front bench with Bu Leli.

"Nurul, you are sitting with Giska, yes" said Ms. Leli.

The little girl in the hood asked, "Why should I, Mom?"

"You're, right, a smart and nice boy. Even if you sit back, you can be smarter than the others."

Nurul turned his head for a while, looking at Sukma who was still sitting with a flat face and eyes flickering. For a moment Nurul pursed his lips while glaring. He had long sat on the front bench in order to understand the lesson easily and be praised by the teacher. However, Bu Leli's order to exchange places with Giska, was like a catastrophe for him.

"How, Nurul? You want to, huh?" asked Bu Leli, hoping that his students would comply.

"But, Mum. I will not be asked any more questions with Mom. Then, I'll also be a fool for sitting in the back."

"You won't be stupid sitting in the back. If you want to be asked a question, I'll love you."

"Really, Mom?"

Ms. Leli nodded. "Yes. Now you move there, yeah. You feel sorry for Giska, don't you?"

"All right, Mom."

Without much complaining, Nurul brought her carry-on bag. He walked to the bench of Sukma, then sat down next to it. Every now and then the hooded girl glared, taking out a drawing book from the bag.

Sukma, still astonished by Nurul's arrival, looked at his friend for a while. He is not used to sitting with new people. To her, only Giska is her best friend since entering kindergarten, while the other kids tend to stay away from her.

"Nurul, why are you talking to Giska? Go ahead again!"

"I was told to go with Miss Leli. If it wasn't for being told to tukeran a place, I wouldn't have sat with you. It's strange, I'm also," said Nurul ketus.

"I used to shampoo, really."

Nurul does not serve Sukma anymore. His eyes focused forward, listening to Bu Leli's teaching about drawing scenery. Meanwhile, Sukma just opened his drawing book. His gaze occasionally turned forward, then turned to Nurul.

"Nurul, you like to teach, huh?"

"If so, why?"

"Teach me."

Feeling that the friend next to her was not as smart as Asri, Nurul felt proud of herself. "All right, but just for a second, yeah."

Sukma watched carefully. Nurul begins to recite ta'awuz, while Sukma stares at the mouth movements of his compatriot's past-goals. After Nurul finished reciting ta'awuz, Sukma began to try.

"A'u .. a'u .. a'u ..." said Sukma, nodding his lips.

"A'uzubillah ...." Nurul tries to lead.

"A'uzu." Sukma turned his lips again.

"Billah."

"Billah." Sukma opened his mouth wide while reciting 'lah'.

"Himinasyshyaiton."

"Himinasy," imitated Sukma, his lips began to growl again. "Shyaiton."

"Nirrojiim."

"Nirrojiim."

"Well, now repeat from the beginning. A'uzubillahiminasyshyaitonirrojiim."

"Well, it can."

Sukma. Repeat ta'awuz again, with mouth and face movements that make it look funny. Finished reciting ta'awuz, he giggled amusedly at its success.

"Here, don't repeat! Your face looks funny."

"But I can do it, can I?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Tell me again, dong."

"No. Now I want to draw first. If I keep teaching you, I'll be stupid."

Sukma bowed lethargic while taking a colored pencil from his bag. Sometimes he recited the ta'awuz that Nurul taught. Again the boy giggled amusedly, feeling proud of his success today.

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

The last lesson is over. One by one the students kissed the teacher's hand, before leaving the classroom. When Sukma came out of the classroom, it appeared that Bu Inah was waiting for him near the gate. Soon he ran to his mother with a cramped face.

Bu Inah was relieved to see his daughter cheerful again. His face this morning looked lethargic, as if faded by time. When Sukma was nearby, Bu Inah led his daughter to return home.

After being quite far from school, Sukma remembered the doll entrusted by Maurin. He paused for a moment, picking up a shabby baby doll in his bag. Bu Inah glanced at his daughter while frowning.

"What is that, Deck?" ask Ms. Inah.

Sukma showed the doll. "So my new friend dropped this doll, Mom. Lookie! Funny, right?"

"Yes, Deck, but why is it so dirty, huh?"

"I don't know either, Mom. I think it's rarely washed."

"Well, what's your friend's name?"

"His name is Maurin, Mom. He said after school, he wanted to play at my house. I'll see you later, Mom, yeah."

"Yes." Yeah." Bu Inah smiled knots while touching Sukma's forehead. "Dedek no longer has a fever, huh? Thank goodness."

"Since Maurin left this doll, I've been feeling fine, Mom. My body doesn't lemes anymore. I also managed to pronounce ta'awuz in tajararin with Nurul."

"Ah, is that right?"

"Yes, Mom. I pointed it out, yes. A'uuuzubillaaahimi .. himinasysyaitooonirrojiiim." Sukma recited it fluently, but his funny face made Bu Inah laugh instead.

"Well, right! You're good at pronouncing it."

Amidst their conversation, Giska came panting. His mother, who was coming from behind, had to run to get her daughter. After meeting Sukma, Giska stopped.

"Sukmas! You walk very fast," said Giska, flanking.

"Giska, why are you nyamperin me?"

"Sukma, I want to apologize. I don't like you, but Susan. The doll moved and smiled at me. I got scared," explained Giska, squeezing.

Sukma stared at the baby doll in his hand. There's nothing weird about the doll. Never smile, blink only when the doll is moved by hand. For Sukma, it was impossible for the doll to smile at Giska.

"Yes, it's okay. I'm sorry, kok. But next time you don't throw Susan again, yeah."

Giska is just pensive. His desire to keep Susan away from Sukma, seemed impossible. Trauma at a terrible event several years ago, making it difficult to explain the catastrophe that will come to Sukma.

"I went home first, yes, Sukma," said Giska, then glanced at his mother. "Mom, let's go home!"

Giska's mother complied with her daughter's wishes. They walked ahead of Sukma and Bu Inah. Susan's doll held by Sukma, making Giska not want to linger chatting with his friend.

Meanwhile, Sukma and Bu Inah step onto the turn towards Hilman's house. While walking, Sukma stared at the baby doll in his hand. Every now and then he smiled, feeling that his body had been possessed by an enormous power that made him again eager to immediately arrive home and play with Maurin.