The River House

7. Eleven people

Mella returned to the living room shortly after Zainul's figure left. He felt his friend acting strange. Their faces looked pale, like they were frightened.

"You guys why the hell? Have you seen a ghost?" Mella asked curiously.

"Sstttt. .this is sitting here," Iva asked Mella to come closer.

"Ellie?" Mella just realized there was Ellie who had joined, sitting next to Iva. When Mella went to the toilet, Ellie hadn't arrived.

"Hi Mell," Ellie shook Mella's hand tightly.

"Mel mel," Iva spoke half a whisper to Mella.

"Just now, Zainul came to greet us" said Iva lirih.

"Oh yeah? Where is he now? I'd like to see you too" Mella looks enthusiastic.

"Don't be hard, Zainul will hear. She was upstairs," Iva put an index finger on her lips.

"Why the hell?" Mella's getting confused.

"Zainul became a mummy" Iva whispered while glaring.

"Huh? Ha ha ha ha. .what is it," Mella chuckled, her laughter broke, toned and echoed.

After the laughter subsided, Mella just realized the faces of all her friends look serious. They're not kidding.

"Ah, sorry. .seriously?" Mella finally stopped laughing.

"The whole body of Zainul was wearing bandages. Her voice was strange, just a serem," Norita added.

"Damn it! I just want to go home. This house is far away in the corner, which has a house appearance like a halloween party. Do not after this someone dies," Dipta looks riled up.

"Wooo, mouth. Never been kissed by a beautiful person like him" Norita said, glaring. Created to hear it.

"Had it been, soon the money promised would be transferred to Zainul. After that it is up to go home or what," Galang chimed.

"By the way, what money did Zainul mean? How would that transfer to us mean what, what for?" Knock Ellie. Everyone immediately looked at Ellie in astonishment.

"Isn't Zainul's invitation letter clearly stated that we will be able to get money if we are willing to come to this house?" This time, the lady asked. Everyone nodded except Ellie. Ellie looks confused.

"Ell, how does your invitation sound?" Bayu asked back.

"The invitation letter from Zainul says if I come here, I will be given one of his collection books. The book only had 100 copies in print" Ellie replied. From the look of his eyes there was clearly no lie.

"Huh? And you would come all the way to the far side of the forest, visit a house of horror on the banks of a river like this for the sake of a delusion printed on a stack of paper? Ohh, pretty dickhead, your brain, "Dipta chuckles at Ellie.

"You speak of your qualities, created. People who do not have any work, but his mouth slipperyly insult the work of others, let alone an original work that is much talked about and sought after. You're nothing more than a garbage can" Ellie said, her eyes staring intently at Dipta.

"What did you say?" Dipta stood up from her seat, her face looking crimson.

"That's enough, stop your debate," Bayu tried to mediate.

"Hey, what's going on? From the outside it sounded really exciting" a man stood in the doorway. White man, wearing glasses, wearing a jacket brand Seger. He is Hendra Asmara, also an alumni of XI IPA 5 working as a teacher of the elderly in an effort to eradicate illiteracy.

"Hendra?" Galang.

"Oyi, I just arrived and I saw you guys are already having fun chatting," Hendra smiled wryly.

The presence of Hendra dampened the atmosphere that had previously heated up. Dipta is back on the couch, while Ellie looks preoccupied herself with the book she just picked up from inside the bag.

"You came alone Hen?" Bayu asked.

"How many people have actually been invited here?" Tia this time made a sound, after being silent earlier.

"It seems that of the 40 students of XI IPA 5 only the eleven of us were invited. Eleven people from the exkul drama," replied Hendra flatly.

"Where do you know that we are eleven, when in this room only 9 people Hen?" Bayu asked full of questions. 

"Weeww, I forgot there was a cop here. So it's wrong with me," Hendra laughed casually.

"Yes when I saw you guys, I immediately guessed the personnel exkul drama XI IPA 5 invited Mr. Rich Man to this magnificent house," Hendra smiled meaningfully.

"Eleven people who have had problems with Zainul in the past, right?" Galang.

A sentence that makes an atmosphere of silence and silence for a moment. While Hendra put his luggage near the door. His clothes were wet with sweat. His breathing also sounded a little dull.

-

Half-five in the afternoon, as the atmosphere in the outer courtyard looked increasingly dark Denis returned to the living room. The musician walked while humming. He was quite surprised to see the number of people in the living room growing, there was Ellie and Hendra.

"Where the hell are you? For more than an hour you were outside, I thought you were kidnapped by the forest dedemit," Dipta asked with her usual, unheard sentence.

"Smoking, all bathing at times. The water was seger benerrr," Denis wagged his hair, like a shampoo commercial on tv.

"Yes? Mumpung daritadi atmosphere sultry and hot, shower fun times yes," Norita said.

"You got a bathrobe?" Dipta looked at Norita, like a lion marking his prey.

"Iihhhhh," Norita smiled mischievously.

Suddenly we heard footsteps from the kitchen. Mak Ijah came with a man behind him. A man about fifty years old. His stature was stout although not too high. His eyes were firm and looked a little fierce. He held a bag of crackles in both hands.

"Lord and Madam, it's already afternoon that I have prepared a meal. However, maybe you all need to clean yourself or take a shower first. There are 3 bathrooms on the back that can be used interchangeably" said Mak Ijah with a flat face.

"Behind me this is Mr. Mardoyo, gardener and keeper of this house. The towels please share sir."

Mr. Mardoyo immediately picked up the towel inside the crackle bag. Then share one by one with the guests.

"Later around six o'clock we gather in the dining room. If anything is needed or asked can be to Mr. Mardoyo. Excuse me first," Mak Ijah stepped away.

"Sir Mardoyo?" Bayu.

"Ah, Dalem Mas," replied Mr. Mardoyo. His voice sounded hoarse.

"Father is the housekeeper. Where was it when we came, Father was not there? We call and no one answers" asked Bayu.

"Ah anu Mas. I was in the back, pounding firewood Mas," Mr. Mardoyo looked a bit of a wave. As a police officer Bayu already memorized with the gurgle of people who lie or hide something.

"Wiihh, Mr. Police why the gardener's interrogation anyway," Hendra made fun of. 

Bayu did not finally continue his question. He took the towel in Mr. Mardoyo's hand and immediately headed to the bathroom. While Dipta and Norita seem to walk together out of the house.

"I'll take a shower and you'll take care of me. Remember just take care, don't macem macem," Norita whispered to Dipta.

"Yes, done. I just want to see what the hell if the angel is bathing in the river," Dipta grinned, her heart blossomed.

Norita landed a spoiled pinch on Dipta's arm. They both ran to the river. Without them noticing, someone was watching from the porch of the house. His gaze was so sharp, with teeth clashing against anger.

Connect ___