THE MYSTERY OF THE FOREST
#06
The voice of a woman's cry broke the morning silence. While passing the road and picking up the blue berry that fell on the ground, he was shocked by the figure of an old woman hanging with her tongue sticking out on the branch of an acacia tree. Suddenly the screams of the woman woke up the villagers who were mostly still asleep in their sleep. They immediately rushed in droves towards the sound and swarmed under the acacia tree. They quickly recognized the old woman hanging was Miss Sarmi. Haji Maemun shouted behind the crowd. He looked up and was flabbergasted to see the old body of Ms. Sarmi hanging above.
"Sukar, come here" said Haji Maemun when he saw Mr. Sukar was among the crowd. Mr. Sukar approached. Haji Maemun pulled Sukar's body to a quieter place.
"This must be the actions of the man who claimed his son, Mr. Marwi, was. Tell the people that the one who did this is the son of Mr. Marwi," said Haji Maemun while whispering into the ear of Mr. Sukar. Sukar nodded and went back into the crowd.
"Brothers, this is obvious. This must be the actions of Mr. Marwi's son," said Mr. Sukar averted the eyes of the people. He tried to open up the initial provocation to the crowd. He wants his efforts to provoke the people around the forest to kill Mr. Marwi repeated, according to Haji Maemun's direction.
"The son of Mr. Marwi, which is Mr. Sukar. Didn't they burn you in the house" said one of the crowd.
Mr. Sukar scrunched his forehead. His gaze seemed troubled by the words of one of them. But he tried to hold back. He did not want any new problems even though he was very disturbed. Mr. Sukar continued his words.
"Mister Marwi's son is alive. Two days ago he had a coffee in his stall bu Sarmi. Miss Sarmi herself told me the same story. Maybe he wants revenge for his father's death to the villagers. When he found out Mr. Jumerin was dead, he vented his anger on Ms. Sarmi," Mr. Sukar said trying to scare him.
"Don't be too quick to draw conclusions, Mr. Sukar. The case against Mr. Marwi alone many of us doubt the charges against him." Again, the same person strongly refuted.
Enraged at the answer from one of the people in the crowd, Haji Maemun again mingled in the crowd. His steps were in a hurry, like impatiently hitting that person. He stood beside Mr. Sukar.
"He, who said that," said Haji Maemun as he turned his gaze one by one towards the people in front of him. Sukar whispered something in Haji Maemun's ear. The sharp eyes of Haji Maemun led to a curly haired man in front of him. The person being stared at looks down their head. Haji Maemun slowly approached towards him.
"Ow so you're the smartass. Do you feel you have enough money to pay your debts. Remember, your farm and your house alone if collected as one will never be enough to pay off your debt. Sok jago you," said Haji Maimun. His eyes were sharp as if to******** discharged the face of the man in front of him.
Haji Maemun returned to his place. He turned his eyes one by one towards the people in front of him.
"Remember, all of us who witnessed this incident are witnesses. We'll all be asked by the police if this matter is reported. Do you want us not to go to the field anymore because we have to go to the police station to give a statement. It's good that we immediately bury Sarmi's mother," said Haji Maimun firmly began to master the situation.
"True brethren, besides the children of Sarmi's mother are not here. So it's good we immediately take care of the body of Sarmi ma'am according to religious guidelines. Soon," said Mr. Sukar. People nodded and began to lower Sarmi's body from the top of the tree. After that the body of Sarmi's mother they brought to his house.
"Sapri, here you are!" said Haji Maemun calling someone named Sapri who was seen walking the back. Sapri stopped his steps. He stayed in his place. He did not want to get out of his place even though Haji Maemun repeatedly signaled with his hand. Seeing Sapri disobeying his orders, Haji Maemun seemed annoyed. He and Mr. Sukar immediately approached Sapri.
"Bad you, called the old man silent. Do you want me to make you destitute forever" said Haji Maemun trying to threaten.
"You are indeed Mr. Haji's parents, but Mr. Haji has humiliated me in front of people. I did not fight because I still respect Mr. Haji as a parent. What I want to ask Mr. Haji, what is the reason Pak Haji said that my land and house are not enough to pay my fertilizer debt as Pak Haji," said Sapri began to dare to look at Haji Maemun. When Pak Sukar was about to pull his collar, he quickly hit the arm of Pak Sukar. Pak Sukar's face flushed with anger.
"This I explain. Listen carefully. The price of fertilizer one quintal one million five hundred thousand rupiah, Fertilizer you take ten quintals plus planting capital twenty million rupiah. Plus the debt period is approaching one year. One month the interest is five hundred thousand rupiahs. Now you go home and totally alone with your wife" said Haji Maimun. Sapri who was dissatisfied tried to resist.
"This is not at all in the agreement. I refused it," Sapri shook his head.
Haji Maemun and Pak Sukar smiled. I am happy to see Sapri's reaction.
"Indeed there is no agreement, but it is your fault that you want to spend the same time with me" said Haji Maemun mocking.
"Remove your head, Mr. Haji, this is a scam. Do not Pak Haji kotori kotori white coffee with fraud. God hates it." Sapri turned around and started to leave the two behind.
"Bad you Sapri. I'm gonna kick you." Haji Maemun tried to hit Sapri, but Pak Sukar tried to hold him back. Very upset Sapri left the place with a curse.
"Remember Mr. Haji, I will expose everything I know about Mr. Hajj's cunning, including Mr. Marwi's murder," said Sapri threateningly as he continued walking away from Haji Maemun and Pak Sukar who was still angry looked at him sharply.
"The brash kid, how dare he fight me, threaten me again" muttered Haji Maemun with roaring breath.
"After Sarmi's funeral, take Mistar and Bahram home. We have to discuss the incident of kamatian ma Sarmi at home," Haji Maemun told Sukar. Mr. Sukar nodded. The two then split at a crossroads.
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rojiun." Farhan and Sumarep were heard simultaneously saying the phrase istirja', after the sound of the announcement of the death news from the village mushalla was no longer heard. Wati who was busy making coffee occasionally glanced at his father and Farhan who seemed serious about talking about something on the sidelines of their break. After the coffee he brewed was ready, he then rushed to deliver it.
"Who's dead sir," asked a curious Wati.
"Maybe you've forgotten about Grandma Sarmi. If your brother used to play games to J-pro#, so he knows Grandma Sarmi," said Mr. Sumarep. Wati tried to remember something.
"That's you Dik who sold first at the intersection of the road to the Pink beach. That's, next to where we've been meticulously bidara," Farhan said, trying to help Wati remember.
Wati.
"Ow that, but Wati doesn't remember her face very much" said Wati.
Their conversation stopped. Two men dressed in all-white with black fissures were seen approaching towards them. After greeting, they sat down and greeted Sumarep and Farhan. Mr. Sumarep gestured with his eyes for Wati to make coffee for the two guests who came.
The two men whispered to each other. They looked at Farhan in a loud glance. Seeing that, Mr. Sumarep offered his two guests strawberries.
"I'm sorry, what's wrong, son," Sumarep told two people who looked the same age as Farhan. Mr. Sumarep looked carefully, trying to remember whether he knew the two people in front of him.
"I'm sorry before, sir. We're both distant relatives of Ms. Sarmi. We're here to invite you to attend Sarmi's funeral" one of them said.
"O yes son, if you may know what Sarmi is sick?" ask Mr. Sumarep.
"Mother don't know yet? Early in the morning, Sarmi's mother was found dead hanging from a tree not far from her hut."
Sumarep and Farhan were shocked. The two look at each other.
"Astaghfirullah, who would do it," sighed Mr. Sumarep as he rubbed his chest repeatedly.
Mr. Sumarep looked at his guest.
"Continue how the next process, son, whether this case has been reported to the authorities" asked Mr. Sumarep.
"I don't think so sir. Sarmi's children are not here and we agreed not to report them. Let the Lord avenge him" he replied, "O sir, I think we should hurry, there is still much we need to tell about this news, fearing that we will be buried." The two men then thrust their hands at Sumarep and Farhan.
"But son, the coffee is coming soon. Later the coffee no one drinks," said Mr. Sumarep trying to hold back.
"No sir, we both don't have coffee" said one of them.
Mr. Sumarep turned to Wati who was seen moving the pot from the furnace.
"Dear, coffee's not gonna be kid. The guest is leaving" shouted Mr. Sumarep.
#J-Pro: Japan-indonesia cooperation project in forest planting in the Sekaroh forest area east of Lombok in 1996
