The After I Die
Mom's Arrival
If this night Kina passed with fear and terror of the figure of Narsih, dead bodies swell in the well, then Nukas just the opposite.
Nukas somehow felt sad, he could not remember when when the first time he set foot in this village, he also had trouble remembering the face of his mother, he also had trouble remembering the face of his mother, everyday that he often met was Grandma Niba and Miss Mursa.
He used to ask Ms. Mursa where her mother was but the woman only said her mother went to town to make money so she could eat well and have clothes of her size.
Nukas as a five-year-old boy certainly craved it. In Damung village there were not many children, but some of the children he met did not want to be friends with him. Nukas thought it might be because of his scarred body and his shabby, oversized clothes.
So he prefers to play alone, or occasionally meet a beautiful sister who has just come from the city. Nukas hoped that the brother would know about his mother.
But later Nukas found out that the big brother from the city knew nothing, he often looked dazed and confused.
The absence of a mother figure in Nukas daily life made him accustomed, he did not whine for attention, just silent and obedient.
A few days ago from behind her window, she saw a foreign woman sitting by the well, Ms. Mursa said that she was her mother. He had already called Mursa mother, so the woman should have been called mama? He wanted to call the woman his mother.
Then today people said her mother committed suicide. Hearing that, of course, his feelings were shattered. Why didn't his mother meet him before he committed suicide?
Nor did Nukas understand, when dusk came he was taken to the house of Pak Mursa and Bu Mursa, leaving Granny Niba in the big wooden house alone.
Who's gonna take care of Grandma tonight?
He was brought to eat by the couple, even fed by Bu Mursa, his head was lovingly caressed, completely spoiled.
This woman looks different, first let alone stroking her head, she is often whipped and beaten if caught doing wrong or accidentally talking. The woman always said it sounded like a frog in an ugly swamp, she hated hearing it.
Yes, Miss Mursa is the cause of Nukas always acting like a mute and also the cause of bruises along his small back.
“Eat a lot of dear.” Miss Mursa bribed him again, Nukas looked at him timidly.
“Sweetie why not talk?” smooth and soft voice, very different from the usual one, coarse and sniffy.
Nukas lowered his head, rewinded his body, trying to get away but the woman pulled him to sit on his lap. The Miss Mursa he remembered would not behave like this except in front of others.
But there was no one here, in the dim candlelit kitchen, in front of the table filled with food, just the two of them. Mr. Mursa had gone to his room a few minutes ago.
Is this woman testing it?
In his head was imagined to be beaten and whipped as usual, he did not dare to be presumptuous, so Nukas refused the last mouthful of rice, his eyes fixedly staring at the woman who was holding him.
One thing came to Nukas mind, this woman before him was not Miss Mursa. His face was exactly the same, his voice was the same, just softer and smoother, his body was the same, but if looked at for a long time the eyes were different, Bu Mursa had bright brown eyes, not a black hole.
Who is this woman?
Nukas tried to get up from the woman's lap trembling, the woman caught Nukas' hand and pulled her tiny body in one jolt. The boy grimaced, that firm grasp was right at the wound he had just carried earlier this morning.
“Sweetie hurts so much huh?” The woman took Nukas' hand and blew the bloody bandage away. Nukas was not used to the treatment making his heart become slightly warm.
“How dare that bitch beat you up!” He said growling, pulling Nukas's mousy clothes up, clucking at the sight of the boy's body full of scars and bruises. Nukas was shocked by the woman's change, he immediately cried between fear, pain and confusion.
The mama? mama's not dead?
Nukas was stunned, looking at the woman in disbelief.
“M...ma..?”
The woman smiled gently, “Yes dear, try to say mama.”
Nukas was silent and thought for a moment, afraid that his voice was ugly like a frog, but this woman was not Miss Mursa, was this woman his mother?
Did her mother really come?
“Mama?” Nukas made a soft voice, looking at the woman timidly. Usually Mursa's mom would hit him if she heard his voice.
It was unexpected that the woman hugged him gently.
“Iya darling, this is mama.”
The mama? This woman is truly her mother!
Nukas was very happy, his eyes sparkled, although he did not remember what his mother was like but he was sure this woman was his mother. His loving mother, coming to pick him up, he will not be beaten by Miss Mursa again, his mother will protect him.
Without a second thought he returned the woman's embrace.
“Relax baby, mom is here, not going anywhere.”
“Mama here?”
“Yes. Mama is here with dear Nukas mama.”
The woman kissed him lovingly, hugged him tightly, for the first time Nukas cried loudly, moved to vent the burning feeling of longing.
“Do not cry dear.” Mama kissed him again, erasing the trace of Nukas tears on his cheek, as if opium, clutching him and holding him, conveying an unbearable feeling of longing for years, humming with joy and joy.
"Mama loved Nukas very much" said the woman again, Nukas almost unstoppable feeling of happiness, "Did Nukas miss mama?" Nukas nodded, suddenly he remembered Miss Mursa.
"Mother? where's mom?" he asked uneasily, afraid of being caught talking, but here was his mother, surely he would not be beaten right?
"Mother is sleeping, Nukas should not be afraid because she is already here." as if understanding Nukas' concern, the woman replied while carrying Nukas on the bed.
"Mother sleeping?" Nukas asked to be sure.
"Yes. Mother was sleeping soundly so dear don't be noisy." the woman pressed her index finger against Nukas lips, the boy touched the woman's long hair, he nodded in affirmation. making the woman think Nukas agreed, but Nukas actually wondered inwardly.
Sleep on? Did you sleep in the well?
