The After I Die
Village Law
The fragrant aroma of fried bananas from the village road crossing stalls wafted, making anyone who passed by excited to stop by just tasting a cup of coffee with fried bananas. The simple shop belonged to Ibu Tura, a widow who had no children, the shop was only made of bamboo with a roof of rumbia, a wall of wicker bamboo potluck, a simple kitchen in the corner, containing a furnace with a burning fire, then two tables containing fried bananas and several cups of freshly brewed coffee
Sada, the male cattle farmer was still passionately telling his experience this morning, followed by Barka a fruit farmer who had just finished his fifth fried banana
“I'm really shocked!“
Either way the number of times he spoke like that, Barka who was beside him just nodded indifferently, between believing and not
“Maybe, his grave was unloaded by a stray dog!“
Kiah, an old man whose hair had turned white but whose gestures still looked dashing was in denial, not far from him Bu Tura was just listening carefully, she said, his hand moved to peel the banana and put it in a container
“Where might a dog dig a tomb that deep? It is impossible to do this without using tools!"
“Don't he rise from the grave?“
“Hiii.. Amit-amit why can I rise from the grave?!“
Bu Tura shuddered at the chirping from Barka, Old Man Kiah just chuckled
“Maybe he has black magic, his body is not accepted by bumi”
“What's black science? don't just if his family hears later it could be a problem”
“Halah, her family is just that boy" Sada chuckled lightly, as if what she said was nothing, she sipped her coffee, Barka just nodded her head
“But, pity too.. The boy had to take the place of his father's duty of wagging the bells“
Bu Tura said with glaring eyes staring at the bell tower that stood firmly behind the lush balrangeran tree that loomed in the middle of the village
The task of shaking the bell is not easy, not just anyone can do it, even to go up there are only certain people
“Yah..want how else ma'am, obligation “
Sada insists on his coffee counting the bananas he eats, then pays him with a few coins, he shoulders his grass basket, intending to find feed for his cows
Not yet had time to step, the bell in the village tower rang many times, everyone stopped the activity simultaneously staring at the bell
Bu Tura immediately put out the fire burning in the furnace with a bucket of water, tidied up the stall as quickly as possible, Barka and Sada left the stall and basket just like that, so did Old Man Kiah behind them
All of them, all of the villagers left the activity for a moment and went to the center of the village, gathered in front of the bell tower. There stood two figures who are highly respected villagers, Pak Mursa the village leader and the healer, Ni Lewun
Ni Lewun was aged, her hair was all white, her face was wrinkled, her body was thin, her bones were clad in a brown dress and sticks supported her body, her eyes were still sharp staring at each of the villagers who came
On top of the tower, Eda is in charge of ringing a large bell in place of the father. Lately Kina knew if the sound of the bell had a meaning, if the bell rang once it means the residents have to start/end the activity, if it sounded twice then there has been a disaster or someone has died. And for the bells that ring many times means there will be important announcements that require all citizens to gather
Ni Lewun looked at the residents who came one by one, this village was small, so it would be easy to know who did not come
Kina came with her mother and father, she couldn't protest much when her mother dragged her here while doing the dishes
Morsa signaled that Eda would stop ringing the bells, staring at the citizens
“Thank you kinsmen have gathered”
Mursa took a deep breath, the entire population silently listened
“Night hours will be enforced even tighter, for some time to come starting one hour before dusk”
An hour before dusk means five o'clock in the afternoon, the previous curfew rule is that residents should not do activities outside the house when dark comes, around seven o'clock in the evening, the residents began to protest thinking it was to their detriment, the farmers usually water the crops in the fields, the farmers still herding the ducks into the cages
“Quiet brother. This is only for a while”
GECK.. GECK.. OH..!!
Ni Lewun's wand was flicked to the ground, the old woman did not express much, only an unpleasant facial expression to look at
“All this will not happen if someone broke the village law last night!”
“Inflame?” Sada, who was the largest in stature, said, her voice loud
“Who would dare to break the laws of the village?!”
“We didn't do it! We always close the doors and windows at night”
“No one can break!”
“True we are all at home!”
Residents began to issue their protests, Kina clasped Dayuti's hand tightly
Me! I broke the village law! Should I confess?
“I saw someone breaking it!”
Yes it's me!
As Kina sat there, she felt a shadow blocking the sunlight towards her, her mother and father were standing behind her, hiding Kina from Ni Lewun's sight
Kina wanted to open her mouth but stopped when she saw the mother's eyes that signaled her to remain silent
Kina did not understand, what was wrong with going out at night? Does this have anything to do with the terror he had in the previous two nights?
“Who did it Ni?”
“Who's the sassy guy!”
Sada noticed one by one the citizens, counting their numbers, there were three citizens who were not present
“Niba Family! Did they?! They are not visible anywhere!”
Residents began to turn their heads to look for the whereabouts of Grandma Niba, Kia frowned
Are they crazy? The dying grandmother might be able to be present at a gathering like this
But the society in this village is a very important and sacred thing, everyone must come, that is what Kina heard from her mother
Discussions between citizens are inevitable
“I've guessed the old lady is hiding something”
“The shaman must be planning something!”
“Ah! Basic bitch is not dead!”
Kina remembered Nukas where the boy was now? He's worried
“Village law starts today!” Pak Mursa's voice made a moment of silence, the residents lowered their heads, then slowly returned to their respective places
Kina followed her parents before she turned and whispered
“Don't ask anything!”
