The Monster In Me

The Road to Adira

“It looks like all these people are also heading to the same Playground,”, Irwan said after for a few minutes the car he was driving was hampered by the congestion that occurred on the big road to the Cakrabuana Playground. Many cars were caught in the middle of wet roads after a short but sizable downpour. “It's just that I'm speeding up if we end up stuck in this place.”

Since leaving the house, Irwan continues to try to drive his four-wheeled vehicles at high speed. Until the journey that should take more than two hours, he can travel much faster than that. It only takes a little more until they finally get to the Cakrabuana Playground. However, he and his family still have to be patient a little more.

“Quick find another way, Dad! We've spent too much time on the road!” tell the Goddess who is watching the video on her phone. A recording uploaded by an anonymous survivor who claims to still be trapped in the center of the Cakrabuana Playground. The video appears blurry, either because of a dirty camera lens or vibrations from the owner's hand. However, the Goddess was still able to see each image clearly. His entire body shuddered in horror as he looked at the state of the Playground that was no longer recognizable.

A tourist spot should be full of excitement. Colorful displays and accessories enliven the atmosphere from different sides. Many visitors sow smiles at each other, along with children who prance in excitement following the strains of cheerful music. None of that was all that the Goddess could see from the video still spinning before her eyes.

“Mother, it looks like any passing will be the same. I better get down and go first,” Adnan's advice sitting next to his mother. Previously, he did not choose to sit in front because he wanted to try to calm the Goddess who was still trembling with excessive anxiety, but it seemed that his mother had been calm enough to leave.

“No! Can't!” ban the Goddess while pulling her child's hand. Restraining Adnan to remain sitting quietly beside him. “Mommy won't let you disappear too! Adnan, don't do that to Mom!”

“I won't disappear, Mom. I will definitely be back soon with Adira.” Adnan rubbed his mother's hand which was still holding her. “Mother believes in me, right?”

Being questioned like that made the Goddess then speechless. His anxious voice now changed with a puzzled expression. He seemed reluctant to see his eldest son and chose to look at the face of the husband reflected by the rearview of the car. Irwan who realized that then took a deep breath and turned around briefly to the back.

“Already, don't mess around! Shut up and follow your mom!” decisively. “Didn't Dad remind you clearly that the last time you acted at will, things just got messier?”

“It was just one mistake!” This time Adnan decided to fight back. No longer could he hear his father constantly trying to make him inferior just because of a slight mistake. “In addition, how can I know that all this will happen right on the day of Adira's tour work? Father has no right to blame me completely!”

The Goddess was really uncomfortable watching how the father and son were arguing. Although not the first time, the pain that the Goddess felt remained the same. For a long time he stopped hoping that Irwan and Adnan would get along better.

He knew he should not give up on his own family. However, his weak heart did not want to always depend on false expectations. The goddess always made sure that she would only hold on to a dream rope thick enough and strong to hold her weight.

And this time, he actually knew that the possibility of Adira still struggling to live in the Playground there is really thin and almost impossible. If you follow the principle, the Goddess should have prepared herself to accept the worst possible. Unfortunately, he could not do it to his own son.

Realizing that, Dewi finally took a deep breath and released her grip to Adnan's hand.

“Wait ten more minutes. If until the congestion does not break down until then, you can go first,” said Dewi finally. He looked at Adnan with a determined glint of eyes that he rarely showed. “For now, we must keep fighting to go together. It's not just you who want to save Adira.”

Adnan was stunned for a while before nodding his head. “Alright, Mom. I understand.”

Meanwhile, the real Irwan was getting tired could only continue to concentrate on driving. Ensuring that he was swift enough to drive whenever the road before him was wide open.

It did not take long until the traffic finally broke down. Most four-wheeled vehicles opt to reverse course, leaving several others still insisting on continuing.

The closer they got to the Cakrabuana Playground, the more uniformed men were seen. One of the men had stopped Irwan's car, asking and conveying some information such as limited access to enter the Playground area. However, with a little force, Irwan managed to drive his family to arrive at the destination.

Errata. They were not allowed to approach the outer gate of the Playground, so Irwan was forced to park his car a few meters from the gate. There were barricades as well as many people blocking the road access in front of them. Many policemen also lined up to form a defensive formation. All that makes Adnan who has a high body though can hardly see the appearance of a large gate from the Cakrabuana Playground.

After trying hard to climb the roof of his own car and using his cell phone camera to clarify his vision, Adnan found that the inside of the first gate looked quiet and contained only a variety of four-wheeled vehicles. It seemed that chaos only occurred within the second gate, the gate that separated the Playground area with a parking lot.

“You just wait here. I will find out by asking people there,” Irwan said after Adnan re-entered the car. He pointed to a group of humans who were apparently shouting the names of loved ones trapped in the Playground. His forehead frowned as he realized some people were holding large photos featuring the figure of a girl who was the same age as Adira. Most likely they are parents of their youngest child's friends. “I'll be back soon. Adnan, take good care of your mother!”

Adnan nodded his head and grabbed a pillow in the trunk of the car to secure his mother's position. The goddess who began to feel extreme fatigue after all the worries she felt then closed her eyes. Although still he could not really fall asleep before making sure Adira was fine.

‘I'm sure, Dad won't get any information just by asking. The people guarding this place must have been ordered not to talk carelessly,’ thought the young man while staring at his mother's face that was soaked in cold sweat. ‘I have to do something immediately.’

***