SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Night Terror

Farah reached Albi's ear into the room. The boy asked for forgiveness while grimacing in pain. Upon arriving in the room, Farah let go of her jewel.

"Sick, Ma," whined Albi.

"Whatever hurts more than lying to you, huh?" ask Farah in a high tone.

"But I don't want tutoring. I'm tired of repeating, so play first."

"Oh, so, huh? You have been teaching since becoming a parent. Mama's in you les let pinter, so you can nerusin Papa's company. Do you want to be useless in the future?"

"I know, Ma, but I also need some rest to calm my mind" Albi said in self-defense.

"Already! I don't want to hear your reasons anymore! From now on, you can not join Atikah teaching. Not that it's a good influence, it's a bad influence."

"But, Ma. I'm ...."

Farah rushed out of Albi's room, then picked up the phone. Albi was sad and annoyed because he was not allowed to go to school again by his mother. In addition, he was fed up with his daily routine. There's no time to play. Everything is spent learning, learning, and learning. Actually Albi is not a wayward child and difficult to teach, instead he is very intelligent in all lessons. Only, Farah never satisfied with the achievements of Albi, to always pressure her son to be perfect.

So upset with Farah, Albi shut himself up until magrib arrived. For a moment, he looked out the window. Atikah was walking towards her house, with full Muslim clothes and a shawl bag on her shoulder. Albi, who was eager to join Atikah, finally broke Farah's orders and took a cocoa shirt in the closet.

Outside, Atikah stopped in front of Albi's house. When he saw her in the house, Albi had not yet appeared. In his heart was a fear of Farah. The anger on the woman's face was still overshadowed by her. Despite his hesitation, Atikah ventured to call Albi from outside.

"A Albi! A Albi!" call Atikah in a loud voice.

Shortly after, the sound of footsteps could be heard echoing from within. A beautiful, tall woman came out from behind the door. She was none other than Farah, with her face still creepy in Atikah's eyes.

"Do you want to call Albi? Today he won't pay" Farah said.

"Well, why wouldn't A Albi pay? She sick?"

"Not much to ask" hardik Farah. "You go there yourself! Don't ever talk about Albi again! From today he will never pay you again. Understood?"

Atikah. "Alright, then, I'll go first, Auntie. Assalamualaikum."

Farah did not answer the greeting of Atikah. He rushed to the kitchen to get food. Without realizing it, Albi was sneaking down the stairs. The boy looked cautiously at every corner of the house. Worried in case Farah finds out about his departure to the mosque.

When she saw her mother enter the kitchen, Albi quickly ran out of the house without being noticed by anyone. Sometimes he looked back, making sure his mother did not know where he was outside the house. Rushing he followed Atikah who had not far away from Hilman's residence. However, his steps stopped when he reached the gate.

"Den Albi, where are you going?" ask the security guard suspiciously.

"Shhh! Don't you say it out loud!" whisik Albi glared at the security guard. "Don't you see how I look?"

"Oh, you want a salary, huh? Was the permission the same as Non Farah?"

"Oh, don't ask too many questions! Now I want to go first. If Papa asks where I'm going, I can answer that."

"Good, Den."

Without lingering, Albi soon followed Atikah. He did not feel worried anymore after leaving the house, especially when he saw his father's car passing by. His heart was full of confidence, everything would definitely be fine if there was Hilman defending.

Atikah was surprised to see Albi following her from behind. "A Albi? B-not that said Aunt Farah ...."

"Not much to ask! I just want to study science. Now we go, come on!"

"But ... but ... How's Aunt Farah?"

"Don't worry. Papa I just got home, so I've got something to lose."

Atikah nodded, then continued on to the mosque with Albi. Secretly he felt restless when the only child Hilman puppet followed him. Afraid of being scolded again by Farah just because Albi was teaching. However, seeing the joy on the face of the employer's son's parents, Atikah's heart was a little relieved. Maybe it's true, with Hilman's return from the factory, everything will be fine.

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

When entering the turn towards the house, the rain flushed so hard. Atikah put the bag over his head, as well as Albi. The two ran as fast as possible, trying to avoid water spots that made the entire body soaked.

Arriving at home, Albi immediately entered by sneaking while rubbing his arms. He seemed to shiver in the cold after the rain. When he was about to climb the stairs, there was another voice of debate between his father and mother in the room. Albi doesn't care. The boy continued to walk up the stairs, reaching his room. At least with the debate between Hilman and Farah, he can escape the anger of the mother.

Meanwhile, Atikah immediately walked into the pavilion. Mom told Atikah to go to the bathroom. The girl nodded, then obeyed her mother's orders. Ms. Inah also brought Atikah's dry clothes to the bathroom.

Finished changing clothes, Atikah sat with Mr. Risman in the living room. Ms. Inah took the dishes and side dishes that will be eaten tonight. While Sukma is still engrossed in playing Susan's doll in the room.

When dinner was ready, Atikah went to the room to meet her sister. "Sukma, let's eat first!" bring him.

"You guys eat first. I'm not hungry" Sukma said, staring at Susan's doll.

Atikah approached Sukma, then took Susan's doll from his sister's hand. "Eat first, yeah, Deck. Later when you eat, the doll love you."

"Yaaah, Teteh ..." lamented Sukma pursed his lips. "Okay, I'll eat first. But then when you've eaten, the doll's back in, yeah."

"Yes." Yeah."

Sukma went to the living room, took a plate that had been filled with rice by his mother. Atikah put the old doll on the study table. Before exiting the room, he noticed the doll was fixed. For a long time the girl looked at Susan, until it seemed an evil grin from the lips of the doll. He was surprised, realizing that there was something strange about the doll. Soon he ran into the middle room with a frightened face and gasping for breath.

"What's wrong with you, Atikah?" tanya Bu Inah frowned.

Atikah shook his head quickly, then took out a plate that was already filled with rice. Regardless of his mother's question, he added tofu and sauteed kale on his plate. The eating of the food, while staring at Sukma who was eating voraciously.

Meanwhile, Ms. Inah recalled the incident earlier this afternoon. Even with Mr. Risman who is still in shock will clash Farah on his two daughters. He could not bear to tell the events that befell Atikah and Sukma to his wife.

"Mom, it was fitting Mr. again mowing the grass, Ms. Farah was angry with our son," said Mr. Risman.

"What's right, sir?" ask Mom Inah can't believe it.

"Yes, you see for yourself Mrs Farah said to them," Mr. Risman assured.

"Astagfirullahalazim." Ms. Inah stroked dadada. "So you tell me what's the same about Ms Farah?"

"Father said it's the same with Ms. Farah to not be rude with the kids, but she's a bitch."

Ms. Inah pensively thought for a moment, thinking about the fate of her family. She looked at her two daughters who were still eating, then turned her eyes to her husband. "Sir, when can we live more worthily, huh? If the cooperation of others continues, we must be mentally strong when treated arbitrarily by the employer. I want to someday open a business, sir. Culinary business for example."

"Just pray, Mom. God is not sleeping. If we have strong intentions and continue to work hard, God willing, what we want will be achieved."

"Aamiin, sir."

"The Father also will not cease tahajud, making a plea to the Almighty to be immediately given a decent life."

Hearing the conversation of his parents, Sukma was pensive while muttering. Sometimes he smiled widely, then kept the plate in front of him. After eating, the little girl immediately ran to the room and played again with Susan.

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

The night is getting stronger, the rain has not stopped. Cold air makes the eyes quickly closed and dissolve in dreams. However, calm did not approach Atikah tonight. Despite trying to close his eyes, he did not fall asleep. His face looked agitated, his gaze wandering around every corner of the room.

Thunderbolt struck, making Atikah aghast. Room lights that have been turned off since Mr. Risman's family slept, making the atmosphere even more tense. In the silence, suddenly there was the sound of falling objects. Atikah was again disturbed by the strange sound, then peeked out from under the blanket.

Faintly, a shadow of a baby came out of his room. Atikah frowned, feeling astonished by something she saw. On the other hand, he was frightened when he realized the shadow of the baby was Susan. Nevertheless, the girl remained curious about something the baby doll would do.

Secretly, Atikah got out of bed, then glanced at the study table. There were no baby dolls there. Now he was convinced that the shadow moving out of the room was none other than Susan's shadow. Slowly, Atikah followed the shadow away. Shortly afterwards, a loud noise came from the kitchen. Instantly Atikah's guts. The girl began to hesitate, between going back to the room or seeing something Susan did.

Apparently not only the noise is heard by Atikah. There was a sound of baby crying from the kitchen. Atikah who was still overwhelmed with curiosity, finally tried to find out. From behind the kitchen door, the girl peeked. Susan was rummaging through the dish rack, picking up a bottle of milk Sukma used as a child. Both Atikah's legs felt limp and trembling watching the puppet's behavior. While smothering her mouth with both hands, the girl caught her hunting breath.