The Groaning From Behind the Grave

chapter 1 beginning: the rotten land of death

...Thursday 2nd August 2005...

In the afternoon, the sky looked grim. The twilight bellows in the west of the central horizon whimper when beauty is covered by a gray cloud in the western sky. The whirling wind is like the sound of the sky that wants to convey its message of magic to the universe. To a soul that has been detached from the body.

In the middle of the twilight atmosphere, when the eyes of the universe are staring softly towards the expanse of the earth, visible people who walk to form an accompaniment. An accompaniment of the pallbearers who walked slowly to the tawhid rhythm that was sung solemnly by them, the pilgrims.

" laa ilaaha illallaah, laa ilaaha illallaah "

The sacred sentence sounded melodious from the crowd of people who were marching to a TPU (public burial place ). ushering someone who had gone home to his eternal home in the cemetery.

" patiently yes mas aryo.I am also sad when denger mbak kinan died, "a black-hooded mother said to a tall, skinny man.

Seemed the man named aryo was no intention to chimed in the words of the mother earlier.The man just fell silent while continuing to look forward.His handsome face was seen emitting a ray of voidness. The hilt that tightly wrapped his heart. A void of soul when he saw his beloved wife had once returned to the realm of waiting far and quiet at the end there.

Time after time passed, footsteps and holy cries sounded like a dark groan in the middle of the twilight wind.

A few moments later, after a long walk, they finally arrived here.

They stood high above the burial ground, the land of the dead reserved for those who had gone home.

Aryo just stood pensively.next to him, a middle-aged man with a white-fisted lung was both standing upright looking towards the ranks of the tombs arranged to form a row.

" we finally reached the aryo mas. Alhamdulillah god was still giving smoothness to us to get here, " said pak ustadz rahman to aryo. His white turban he used to wipe the sweat dripping down from the forehead. Understandably, the age of growing old makes the father of two children quickly tired.

tightness in the chest try aryo resistant. tears in the middle of the fertilizer he tried to stop. he did not want his sadness even bring new sadness to his late wife later.

" yes sir Rahman, I am very grateful to ustadz and other residents for being kind enough to take my late wife to.

Rahman understood the man's condition. The two were walking along with the others towards one corner of the cemetery.

"...to his final resting place here, " continued the sad aryo.

" although my wife.., " continued aryo slowly but still clearly heard by mr. rahman. The two people of different ages and statuses walk side by side. Leaving the congregation behind.

Mr. rahman - a person known to the villagers as a respected ustadz - just smiled knots, ' he said,

"it has become my obligation and other citizens to help each other mas aryo. Especially to fellow muslims. For allah swt himself says in the Qur'an that...,

" mr. ustadz...,"

Not yet able to continue his short talk, the voice of a man was heard from behind the finished grave. The owner of the voice was sitting on the edge of the grave.

A cigarette of shampoo squeezed sweetly between the two fingers of the moustached man.

seeing the man he knew, suddenly rahman made a friendly greeting, " oh sir hendra, how is the grave sir? Is it ready and can be used, "ask rahman. Although he himself knew if the grave that was far away and dug it, it was ready.

" already dong sir. Hendra kaleee. Although in an atmosphere of mourning full of sorrow, the man who had long worked as a grave digger was still cheerful without burden.

Choosing to point to point, rahman then said, "are there any obstacles during the excavation of the grave sir? " ask rahman curious.

some of the keranda carriers have arrived. Along with the arrival of other residents who helped deliver the body to the cemetery.

hendra was silent for a moment. While putting on a pose of thought, the man chimed in Pak Rahman's words, "hmmm.I think just a puddle of water as boisterous as the wind caressing aja pak, " concluded the man in the style of a poet wrong place.

No one said or laughed. People who just came just quietly pay attention to the conversation of two other people fate. Before it...

" mr. Rahman whether his funeral can start soon. Poor almarhumah you know, "cetus a mother named this to the ustadz. His fierce gaze glanced cynically towards Pak Hendra who was just a whimper.

" well if so, please let the fathers remove the bodies of the deceased. Let's just start the funeral procession, "the order of Mr. Rahman to the men.

The cloud in the sky was getting thicker. The rain is coming back, just like it was yesterday.

" duh why cloud it even more sugarcane yes mpok? " slowly exclaimed. an inseparable gaze from the black clouds in the sky.an occasional roar of anxious breath came out from the woman.

" aye also kaga tau bu, "a colleague next to him named ningsih, said with ketus, "does this have anything to do with the deceased kinanti huh? " squeak slowly ningsih. The anxious rails of the two women seemed to sink between the shoulders of the pilgrims who were watching the funeral of the deceased.

bu arah frowned, "you mean ape ning? " whispered bu arah.

" beh! Kaya do not know you. lu inget ama habits of the quinti pas still alive? " said ningsih half irritated towards his fellow mothers.

choosing to be behind, the two reliable gossipers instead drowned with the chatter of the two of them.

" so you mean, you know, the punishment is that?" guess bu aridahi was a bit doubtful.

" nah also connect you now, "typical ningsih rather circus. The fat-bodied woman was seen patting the small shoulder of the frying pan, making the master grimace in pain.

" ah that you really ning, not good you say that cake in a rich place gini, "reply annoyed buyeh. The thin, long-nosed woman took a quick glance at the group of mourners who were holding a joint prayer for the late lady.

" heh done well at last. If not for the manuhan bang jali, I'm ogah dateng here, "the scorn of the red hijab woman in his heart.

" yeh trouble believe not believe it's your choice, but.., "break up.

" but what? " tanya bu arid curious.

" woy ning, are you really dumb? Think of debt well, "sharp ledek buah. Intentions want to joke, but the woman with a cheek posture was actually astonished when she saw ningsih like a frightened person.

" what is napa lo ning? Rich to see demons? " tanya bu edah wonder. And he was more astonished when he saw the tremors of fear that spread like electricity all over the woman.

" b-b-bu disah g-gue back first ye, "after saying so, ningsih immediately turned around and left bu rasah who looked at him astonished.

" is nape the kid? " chick bu aredah wonders in his heart, "yes see his spirit the village jablay anyway? " the candle while laughing softly in the heart. His eyes glanced at the mourners who seemed to be about to rush home.

"... You die now, "a terculum smile adorns the woman's lips. Before he finally went with the others.

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

As time crept up, the blurry afternoon still curled up gloomily in a gloomy blanket over the sky.like a gentle caress of nature, the cold breath of the baby came smashing down on the man's back. Accompany him in deserted deck.

Aryo was standing looking blankly at a new grave.

" kinanti.., "his hissing slowly.The man's shoulder seemed to tremble slowly. Rain spots that are about to fall along with tears that come out of his swollen eyes.

"...dek why you are so soon ninggalin mas alone anyway, "whis whispered mute, " mas know really if what they say is just slander, "he added lirih.

Aryo smiled wryly as he recalled some of the grapevine news he had heard about his late wife, although some of what they said was entirely true.

" mas hope you can calm down there, "he said slowly.

" mas aryo, "greet a voice from behind.

Aryo who was reading a prayer sentence for his wife, then turned to the source of the voice. Netra brown her eyes saw a woman with a green veil bandaging her head. It looks like the woman is stepping closer to her who is still pensive alone here.

" dinda, "then aryo slowly, while mentioning a name that is familiar to him, aryo's memory back backwards, to a few years before.

" mas aryo you okay mas? " ask the woman named dinda when she was right next to Aryo. The owner's eyes look at Aryo with a soft look full of meaning.

" dinda, you're dinda, right? " said aryo half in disbelief.

dinda nodded slowly. Her hijab tail fluttered with a nod from the beautiful woman.

" yes mas, I dinda temen you first, " said dinda, "I also defend his condolences with his death mbak kinan mas, "he continued, his hand looks gently rubbed the man's shoulder.

Aryo rubbed rough tears from his eyes, before he smiled slightly at his past friend, "thank you, you never change, just like you used to, " aryo said while laughing softly.

Dinda only blushed in shame.the attitude of the woman so misbehaved when hearing the information aryo about her.

" where do you work now? " ask Aryo break the awkward atmosphere between two friends who long before meeting it.

After easing her awkward movements, the sweet-nosed woman replied, "I work at Purnama sari mas Hospital, as a hehe nurse," timpal dinda chuckled.

" ouh so nurse anyway, cool really besti me, " said aryo teasing dinda. a pinch softly felt on his shoulder, when dinda with a red face holding shame pinching his right shoulder.

" what the hell is mas! I'll be embarrassed, "half annoyed, said so to aryo.

It seemed that Aryo only laughed for a while, before his gaze returned to being sad.

"we'd better get out of this place soon. I think the rain will fall again" said Aryo, rising from his squat. When he was about to get up, aryo remembered something, " oh yes dinda, you now live where, "capper aryo wondered.

While smiling, dinda chimed in aryo questions, "i now live with pakde arjo and bukde maryam mas," replied dinda, "all holidays mumpung long leave heheh, "he said once again.

Aryo just nodded with a smile.

" well, the kaya already want to go down the test yes, the staggering cloud, "squeak dinda when looking up at the sky with a flabbergasted expression.

Aryo chimed in, "the name is also again the rainy season, so it's usual there is a thick cloudy, " concluded aryo while sprinkling the tomb with fresh flowers. while dinda only pay attention to the activities of the man in silence.

" was it? " ask dinda.

After finishing, aryo then said

"have you finished, you brought a vehicle? " ask aryo.

" take the mas, I bring the bike here, "reply with you.

Aryo smiled with relief. The shadow of the soaked clothes and the flu cough that attacked his body, it seems that will not happen.

Soon, the two men walked out of the cemetery. Leaving away from the sunken silence of this place.

Cloudy over the sky getting thicker covering the dim twilight light.spots of rain slowly fell from the sky. down wet the burial ground that the villagers call it by the name of weak bongko, the, the land of the dead as well as the eternal home for those who have gone to the realm of waiting.

several hours passed, heavy rain awaited also flushed the cemetery area.Wind gusts came shaking some trees.

TO BE CONTINUE