SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Dreams of Mother Inah

Mentari rolling towards the contest. The night soon picks up, the sky darkens. After finishing with his task of arranging the garden, Mr. Risman permission to go home to Farah. Along with that, Hilman just came from the factory.

"Eh, you want to go home now?" ask Hilman from the front of the terrace.

"Yes, there seems to be no more work, sir."

"Oh, yes, then you can go home. This is money for you today" said Hilman, handing over two hundred thousand bills.

Mr. Risman frowned as he looked at the money that was about to be given to him. "Well, didn't you say yesterday you were going to pay me a hundred thousand?"

"Sir Risman, this is for the two daughters of the Father."

"But, Mr. .. the money that you loved yesterday is still there. I feel bad if I get paid more."

"It's okay, sir. Just take. I happen to have more sustenance today." Hilman pulled Mr. Risman's hand, then put his salary today. "Yes, sir, the day after you bring your family here, yes."

"I will try. I say goodbye first. Assalamualaikum."

"Getishalight."

Mr. Risman hurried away from Hilman's house. In his heart was a great longing for his two daughters at home. Gratitude he double-folded to the Almighty. Tired of working for a living, paid already by a daily salary that is quite large compared to when being a scavenger.

Meanwhile, Farah folded both hands while staring cynically at her husband. In a hurry he approached Hilman who was walking towards the room. As usual, Hilman was indifferent to the ketus reaction of the wife who thought it was quite annoying.

"Pa! Papa!" exclaim Farah with a frowning face.

"What?"

"Ngapain, anyway, give more money to him? Didn't Papa say last night to give him a salary of a hundred thousand?"

"It's up to me dong, Farah. Today the money from the buyer has been liquid, so I give Mr. Risman more salary. You are, a little bit of a problem."

"It's not so, Pa. Before giving alms to others, think of children and wives first. Is it enough or not?"

"There's not enough five million dollars a month I give you, is that it? All right, next month I raise the living money to you. It's not appropriate for you to be jealous of our new employee just because of money." Hilman whistled into the room, without caring for Farah who was getting upset.

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

There are good habits in Mr. Risman's family before going to bed. Ms. Inah prepared a dinner with a potluck side dish in the living room which was quite perfect for them. Together they spend time together, while eating food with tofu side dishes and sauteed kale.

In the middle of their dinner, Mr. Risman opened the conversation. He told me about his experience working today. Hilman is very good and Farah is quite jutek, not spared from the discussion. Ms. Inah smiled, while feeding Atikah.

"Their families are unique, yes, sir. Usually if the husband is good, the wife is good."

"Yes, but her son is also cute and adorable. Same as Atikah."

"Oh, they also have a child of Atikah's age?"

"Not the same age, either, ma'am. She's two years older than Atikah."

"Oh, yeah."

"Yes, Mom. Also Mr. Hilman asked you to bring Mother and our children to live in their pavilions."

"Father just said 'to be worked on', Mom. After all, it is not good to accept the gifts of others constantly. I've been given a good job, a place to live too."

"Yes, yeah. But, what if later Mr. Hilman follows here, continues to bring our family moved to the pavilion?"

Mr. Risman put his shoulders together. "So, whatever it is later. If according to my mother, how?"

"Mother is confused too, sir. If later Mr. Hilman invites us to live there, inevitably, Mother also has to work to help cook in their home. It's not good if you just stay doang mah."

"Yes, yeah."

Atikah who was interested in the conversation between the two of them, could not bear to join the conversation. This very strange morning, began to speak from her tiny lips.

"Sir, Sir! Sukma Deck was able to run while talking, you know!" atikah said enthusiastically.

"really?"

"Yes. He said to meet Mom."

"Not to be ignored, sir. It was just his delusion. Today it is not only Atikah who fantasizes, but Neng Putri as well," explained Bu Inah.

"Daughter Miss? Why'd he come here?"

"So Mother was serving Mr. Subekti, so they were entrusted to Neng Putri. When Mom came home, I knew this house was a mess. Don't know what they're playing at." Ms. Inah was feeding Atikah again.

"Obsually, Mom, her name is also children. Uh, she said I'm praying to Mr. Subekti. Mr. Subekti is dead, isn't he?"

"So morning Mr. Subekti's body was taken by ambulance. Neighbors said, Mr. Subekti's body was shapeless because of the attack by wild animals. I don't know for sure either, because his body was kept in a coffin."

"Innalillahi wa innaliaihi roji'uun. May he be received by His side and forgiven all his sins."

"Aamiin, Sir. Age no one knows."

After finishing eating, Ms. Inah cleaned the dirty dishes along with the remaining food. Mr. Risman is engrossed in playing with Atikah, while Sukma is already sound asleep. The baby usually wakes up before dawn, and of course makes Bu Inah forced to stay up late.

The older the night, the drowsiness comes. Pak Risman's family sleeps in the middle of the house with a foam mattress. Although mediocre life, they usually sleep very well. However, there is something different about Bu Inah. He does not usually feel restless in his sleep.

In dreamland, Ms. Inah walks among a pile of trash. Slowly he walked down the smelly and muddled streets. After leaving the TPS far enough, the woman saw Sukma crawling up the mountain of rubbish.

Feeling worried, Bu Inah approached the baby, then held Sukma. However, the figure of the baby in his hand turned into a demon. It was exactly the same as what Ms. Ratmi had seen when the baby was first handed over by the nurse. His entire body was jet black, his eyes were red, on his head were two horns like a cow, and his nails were sharp in black. Ms. Inah looked up to see her cute baby turn into a horrible figure. His trembling hands, dropped the baby into a pile of trash.

Sukma continued to crawl, even both legs were able to stand upright and support his body. Slowly he walked towards the top of the trash mountain, approaching the figure of an enormous giant. His hair was long and dreadlocks, his head was horned, and his body was black. His feet and hands were fitted with large gold bracelets.

"S-sukmas! Don't go there!" yelled Mom, scared.

The giant turned around, then raised a small baby that was walking towards him, using both fingers. As he looked up, his ox-like head appeared, from his mouth four long canine teeth. His red eyes lit up, staring intently at Bu Inah.

"So you take care of my daughter?" ask the creature with a grinning smile.

At once the power of Bu Inah's body fell when he found the terrible giant figure talking to him. His heart was pounding, his breathing was hunting. His entire body trembled violently due to his fear of the giant. Let alone helping Sukma, just stand he is unable.