THE WOUNDED EARTH

DISHEARTENED

*********

RIDWAN POV

After parting ways with Ririn, I also stopped by the hospital to visit Annisa.Walau anyhow, I feel the responsibility to give her spirit so that she can fight at least be able to survive the disease she suffered.

Tok.dok..

I knocked on the door politely.

The door opened, Kak Yoga smilingly welcomed my arrival.

"Withow's in."

"Ma, my brother."

"How's Annisa doing now, sister?"

"It's still the same as yesterday's wan, no change yet."

"Wan, I'll stay a while.."

"Good sister" said I took off Kak Yoga at the door.

I step slowly towards Annisa's bed, I look at her pale face that is still asleep.

"Defend ca, I'm here for you, "my inner self.

I pulled up a chair to take a seat nearby.

Slowly I held her fingers gently, there was pain in my heart.

The girl I used to know was friendly and jolly now lies weakly helpless.

The sweet smile that always decorated her face now seemed very difficult to attend.

"Oh my God, why do you always test it," my inner voice cried.

I slowly saw her eyes open.

"Ca.." I said softly while wiping the top of his head.

"Would you like to eat fruit?"bargained.

Her gaze was flat looking at me.

"Aa.a.a.a.." there was a soft voice.

I kept quiet trying to understand what he meant.

"Aa..aa.aa"just those weak words came out of her lips.

A moment later, tears dripped from both of his cheeks.

"Why sad ca, will I already be here, I will always be there for you.."Consolor me while sweeping the rest of her tears.

"Don't be sad, we live together" I kissed her forehead hoping to give her a strength in her fragile self.

"I love you, I promise I won't go again"

"Ica loves Ridwan too, right?"I whispered by trying to hold tightness in my chest.

He nodded and tried to smile back at all the words from me.

"Oh yeah, I got something "I took off his hand and took a little album from my backpack.

I open sheet by sheet the album pages, there are photos of our childhood first.

I look forward to giving her the spirit of life while recalling the wonderful memories of our childhood.

He pointed at one of the photos...

"This..?"

"I bought you ice cream, and you were crying because a little boy was pulling your braids"

"And you remember, I got angry at the teacher's mother for hitting the nosy child" my story evokes her memories.

She kept smiling hearing my story about the memories in the photo one by one.

"Wan" his cold hand grip stopped my story.

"Why ca?"his eyes closed like he was enduring pain.

"Dizziness" he answered almost inaudibly.

"Sleep" I whispered softly in her ear.

I noticed her breathing started to get regular indicating she was starting to fall asleep again.

I went back to opening the album, all of our childhood photos I accidentally kept here.

I don't know why I used to love taking photos with him, being with friends at kindergarten school.

There's always me and Annisa.

This silent atmosphere began to cause drowsiness.I bowed my head beside Annisa's hand, closed my eyes for a moment so that this drowsiness disappeared.

My soul floated far away, flying through the colorful space.

Until I dropped in the beach sand.

The sound of the carefree laughter of the little girl forced me to rise to find the origin of her voice.

"Capture Ica, ." she runs around sometimes trying to hide teasing while still in the accompaniment of her little laugh.

"Ca" I said in silence.

He stood looking at me.

"Come wan, we'll play again"he's sulking with a pouting face.

"Ca, wait" call me while running after her.

But the shadow disappeared quickly.

"Ca..., where are you ca?"I screamed my eyes in all directions.

"Wan, I'm here" said the girl I know very well.

I turned my body around to find her whereabouts.

Seemed to be standing in front of me a beautiful girl with a sweet smile on her face.

"Ca"murm me.

"Don't go again, wan, accompany me.." she said softly as she stretched out her hands.

"Yes ca, I will not go again.I will always be with you" I hugged his cold body.

"Wan, I love you."

"Me too" whispered me.

"Can you repeat again" she asked.

"Annisa Az Zahra, I've loved and loved you since we were kids."

I gently rubbed his head that was leaning in my arms.

"I'm tired wan, I want to sleep" his weak voice was barely audible.

"Sleep, baby, sleep...."

"Dream is beautiful."whisper me and kiss gently on her forehead.

I felt his body getting colder and slowly turning bright into a shadow.

I looked at her calm face with my eyes closed.

"Ca, wake up ca.." I said with a panicked heart.

"Ca, wake up ca.." yelling at me who can no longer reach it.

His shadow slowly flew swept away by the wind that was blowing slowly.

I was like a madman running around, screaming his name.

"Ca, don't go ca..."

"Don't leave me!"

"Annisa.

"Wan, wake wan"

"Wan, wakeup!

A hard pat on my shoulder forced my self-awareness back.

I breathed and wiped the cold sweat.

My gaze immediately fell on Annisa who was still asleep.

"Why do you want to dream?"

I still can't answer his question.

It all feels so real.

But Yoga's words just made me believe that it was all just a dream.

"Yes, brother, I fell asleep and seemed to be dreaming."

"Maybe you're tired, better go home and rest first at home.Let me take care of Annisa."

"No one's coming home, let me be here."

"Don't be stubborn, go home and rest.There's still tomorrow" cut Kak Yoga by patting me on the shoulder.

I finally couldn't go against his orders.

I put back the little album I brought.

"What is wan?"ask Kak Yoga.

"Oh this, the album when we were little, sister" I explained.

"Can you see?"

I smiled too, "can you stay here, sister so Annisa can see it again."

Yoga smiled looking at the photos on the album.

"His mood has been since childhood you stole Ica from me,wan" said sister Yoga without reducing the smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, brother" I replied in error.

"No lady, I should be the one apologizing to you.I should have been looking for you to explain her earlier about Annisa's circumstances."

"As a sister, I've been too selfish.Since our parents were gone, I lived only with Annisa.She's the only one I have in this world."

"I'm afraid of losing his attention and his love.Especially when I know he's close to you, any chance I have of making some distance between you."

"Now I realize, in this life everything is arranged."

"I'm sorry,wan"

I can only nod in affirmation of his words.

I can understand and feel how he feels,...Love a sister who wants to protect and is afraid of losing.