They're Here

Chapter 13: The Events of 1999

The boundaries of truth seem to be getting blurred. Who's right, and what's really going on, I haven't found a point yet. Wants to leave, but it's impossible to just let go of Robi's consciousness.

I woke up with a sick and sick body. When my eyes were wide open, I was shocked in disbelief. I tried to slap my cheeks many times slowly. Was my meeting and trip with Mang Sata a dream?

My position was beside Robi who was still lying helplessly. From behind the window, bright sunlight caressed this village. I try to remember again carefully every detail I did before experiencing terrible things with Mang sata.

Kurogoh mobile phone in my pants pocket to see the time. There aren't.

Then, I examined the clothes attached to the body. Dirty and feels wet at the end of the pants.

Is correct. This isn't a dream. But how do I get to be in my room? Was Mang Sata the one who delivered me?

Uh! I better change clothes first.

After all my consciousness gathered. I pat Robi on the shoulder. It's sad, because he still doesn't respond to my touch. His face was losing color.

Then, I tried to check his breath and pulse. The tears rebelled out. The body trembled, the heart grimaced hoping for a miracle.

There's no sign of life in Robi. “Bi, wake, Bi! Don't try to kill me, Bi! I promise I'll take you to Jakarta soon,” my screams are hysterical.

I came to Citiis to find the whereabouts of three of my friends who were allegedly turned into collateral. Why am I now taking down Robi?

HAAAAHHHH!!!

I picked up and grabbed Robi's body while constantly calling for her to open her eyes immediately. Why should there be lives at stake? Why don't I obey Mom and Aisah's orders? If I don't force myself to go home, surely misfortune won't befall Robi.

Is this destiny? Or did my stupidity and stubbornness bring about this disaster?

“Your friend is alive. It's just, I don't know how long he can last,” explained the Mother when she entered my room. He came with Aisah.

“Really?” many ensure.

“Iya,” replied Aisah as she approached me. “Nafas, pulse, and A Robi's heartbeat stop for a moment, because maybe he lost consciousness again,” he explained.

I checked Robi's breathing and pulse again. I also put a hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat.

Alhamdulillah! I laid Robi back with a somewhat relieved feeling.

“How can you be with him?” Mother glanced at me cynically.

“Dia?” I don't know who the mother meant.

“Mang Sata,”.

Hem! So, Mom, Aisah, and Mang Dendi saw me and Mang Sata last night.

Should I be frank? What if my honesty backfired? I still can't trust Mom and Aisah a hundred percent, even if they're so good to me.

I don't know! The trauma of the past makes me feel suspicious of others.

“For three nights you were taken by him. We were so worried about looking for you here and there. Fortunately, the Almighty gave us a clue. We were able to find you by the river under the bridge, before being taken again by him,” said the Mother who made my sense so jolted.

Is that how I've been gone? Though, I guess it was only in a matter of hours together with Mang Sata.

I asked Aisah to show the display of time on her phone. Is correct. At 09:30 am on Sunday.

“How about the Robi deadline on Friday? I left him for...” I have trouble continuing my words. Sadness felt in piercing the chest until the mouth was not able to say much.

Aisah rubbed my shoulders. The touch seemed to have two camps of meaning. First, ask me to calm down. Second, ask me to be sincere.

The atmosphere was quiet for some time. The gloom of perching fills the room. All pairs of eyes looked twisted and confused.

“Mang Sata is targeting you by charming your friend,” said the Mother after a long time we were silent.

“Cannot be. Why is Mang Sata after me? He was very kind to me. We used to be neighbors and live in harmony,” my rebuttal.

The mouth that was originally unable to say a word, suddenly had the power to not accept when the mother accused Mang sata as the mastermind over the fall of Robi.

The mother stood at the door. His eyes were fixed straight on the road.

“If you think we are not human and this thoroughly changed village is another dimension, I will tell you everything now,” the voice of the Mother was sent to grief.

“Mah...” Aisah embraces her mother.

I prepare the ears and mind to digest the exposure of the Mother. Then, I asked him not to look away so I could look at the honesty from the look in his eyes.

One breath in her heart before starting to separate. I was a little tense waiting for whatever he would describe.

The mother took me 14 years back or rather to 1999. He said, at that time blowing news that was quite electrifying citizens, namely about the coming of the doomsday. I don't know who first heard the news, but the spread covered one province.

That said, the world will be destroyed in the number of all 9 aka 1999 month 9 date 9 at 9 am. Some residents were also panicked. Some prepare themselves by strengthening faith and piety. Some moved to their family in the city. Some others consider the issue of the apocalypse is a figment.

When that day came, darkness and mist enveloped Citiis and Cibatu. The wind was so strong that it almost toppled the trees and blew the roofs of the houses. The animals were running around with strange behavior. The phenomenon also does not necessarily make the citizens become so frightened. Resolutions and panic stir in the soul. However, some say to keep them inside the house.

The apocalypse was true, but only hit Citiis Village. Screams of fear were unpretentious in the air. Bodies strewn with fresh blood rained down on the ground.

A resident named Mang Sata wandered into the homes of residents with a hoe on the shoulder and a sharp machete tied around the waist. He blindly killed almost all the citizens indiscriminately.

It is suspected that Mang Sata suffered from depression due to being left behind by his son and wife. His son was not found when he lost playing in the excavation area of the bridge construction. His wife died mysteriously and was found under a bridge. He was angry with all the citizens, because he thought no one cared about his suffering.

The events of 1999 became the most terrible tragedy in this village. Survivors of the Mang Sata massacre chose to emigrate elsewhere, but no one knew where they moved.

Mang Sata had been hunted for quite some time. Unfortunately, he mysteriously disappeared.

Circulating news, Mang Sata studied black magic before committing a massacre. He is protected by the jinn and demons who are his allies.

However, there are also those who claim Mang Sata died because of a duel with one of the residents. Only, his death was never proven. To date, no one has found his body.

Citiis village is known to be peaceful to be haunted and filled with mystical stories. Livestock of dead people are not taken care of. Houses and gardens were abandoned to death.

Year after year passed. The district government initiated the rebuilding of Kampung Citis. The reason is, this village has a fertile and prosperous land. The government also wants to remove the grim negative image embedded in the region.

This place is back with a lot of changes. Residents who now live on average from areas outside the district who do not know about the 1999 tragedy.

However, in the first year of Citiis Village experienced a revolution, many disturbances were received by residents. There were those who saw a figure that Mang Sata suspected of wandering around at night; walking towards the rice fields area or standing on the river bank under the bridge.

In addition, interference from those who died violently was often felt. Such as the sound of crowds appearing in the middle of the night or early morning, and the screams of distressing pain. This village, then, is called damned for harboring unsolved mysteries.

Therefore, it was decided that residents who currently live not to move outside the house at night or when the dark dawned. The goal, to avoid invisible danger and respect the previous residents whose spirits are still not calm.

My body is shaking violently. I can't stop thinking that Mang Sata is so sadistic about killing the lives of the natives of this village.

“So, now please think for yourself whether we are human or not. One thing you should know that Mang Sata has been waiting for you to come back here,” concluded the Mother after preparing the story of Mang Sata along with the background that became the peculiarity of this village.

***

The mother kept me in the room all night. She was worried that Mang Sata would come up to me again. I was also asked not to be tempted to make sure anyone's voice and anything echoed outside the room.

“Yana!”

Just finished parseing the words of the Mother, I gasped to hear Mang Sata's song. I talk about it in my heart. He seemed to come because my mind was inviting.

“Please Mamang, Yan!” ogre.

Don't check! He's not human. I am firmly in my heart.

I then cornered away from the area that might have hypnotized me to welcome Mang Sata. The fear and curiosity that tried to bite the mind, I clashed with her apparition that was terrible. Yes, two sightings with crushed face****** almost all my sense performance.

Mang Sata knocked on the door, then moved to slap the window glass. He became aggressive, because I might not have chimed in on his call.

I dropped the body next to Robi. Gedoran Mang Sata getting louder, I replied by reciting short surahs. Only to the Creator, this self proposes to be kept away from all temptations that lead to danger.

However, another surprise scatters my concentration. Suddenly Robi sat down with an innocent look. “Why are you, Yan?” tanyakanya.