WHITE DEVIL

65 Ghosts of the Past

Arif raised his hands high while yawning, straightened his body and rubbed his eyes which still tell a trace of drowsiness. Arif and the others this time slept in Melati's house. It was a room reserved for the three of them.

His hand grabbed his leather bag and took out a pack of hair-blackening powder. Rambuat Arif is not white now, but in this way he does not need to worry in case the black color suddenly fade.

Mixed with a little water, Arif began to rub and flatten it all over the head. Tastes fresh.

Arif looked at Sheiny. Arif looked at him for a long time. Her cute face made Arif's spirit quickly recover. The woman who gave him a reason to keep getting better, Sheiny.

Arif smiles at her while combing Sheiny's hair covering her bangs. Arif then ventured to kiss his wife's forehead, it should be a natural thing for him, but it was very difficult for Arif to do.

As a young couple, Arif hopes to be closer to Sheiny more than this.

Feeling the warmth on her forehead, Sheiny opened her eyes slowly. “Eh...” Arif immediately froze and quickly exited the room.

Sheiny who was still half conscious did not understand the behavior of her partner.

His eyes then glanced at the bed across. His father woke up first. The blankets and everything on the bed were neat. “Maybe Arif wants to follow Mr.” Sheiny muttered as she prepared to tidy up the room.

The air was still cold, the light of the morning sun emerged from the clouds, bringing new warmth and vigor.

People left their rooms and started to get busy with their jobs. Haz's sister this time was on one of the residents' estates. He took a walk while enjoying the fresh morning air. The flight schedule has not been started, so he wants to enjoy the atmosphere of this village first.

His arms crossed in front of his chest and then took a strong breath. He did not choose wrongly to wear long-sleeved clothes, the air here felt colder than in Rakatta Village.

“Oh new people yes.” Sapa a short-moustached father at a crossroads.

Die wear caping and plain white t-shirt. His skin was slightly dark with his body still freshly stocky. The proof-of-work muscles are present all over the arms and legs. Seen as if he was going to go to the rice field.

Kak Haz replied with a nod, “I'm the doctor the village chief ordered.” Reveal Brother Haz briefly.

“Oh so what the residents mean is father. The village chief was very helpful to us. Many health experts have been called but cannot handle Mr. Kades' disease. I wish you success mr.” Reply to the father, from his tone he seemed directly familiar with Kak Haz.

“Sorry I can't take long, I need to go to the rice field early in the morning.” The father said again and left Haz.

Brother Haz thought for a moment, because the conversation about the village chief made Kak Haz unable to calm down if not immediately return to his work. He rogoh his pocket, a copy of the note Arif made, not all of it just for him could be used as a clue to diagnose Mr. Kades' disease.

The air blows faster, the yellow and green leaves fall off. Beside him Arif came suddenly with a hunting breath.

“What's so hurry?” Asked Kak Haz glanced at Arif who was setting his breath.

“Don't tell me you ran away from Sheiny.” Guess Brother Haz. Arif froze and laughed short. Her right tangn scratched the back of her head which was not itchy.

“My daughter turned out to be a pain.” Ledek Kak Haz by squinting.

Not yet Arif reply, his sentence was cut by Kak Haz.

“I know you're very bad in front of women, but learn to be close to Sheiny. She's now your legal partner, you're obligated to protect her and that you can never do if you're away from Sheiny. Understand.” Sister Haz puts emphasis on the word understand.

Since Arif became his son-in-law, Sister Haz has spoken more often to nag Arif. Give him advice and lead him in the right direction with Sheiny. Haz felt obligated to do so.

Arif slightly bowed then nodded. “If you already understand help me solve this problem.” Sister Haz invites Arif to pull over.

The two sat down on the grass. Brother Haz pointed to the important words in the note and then expressed his problem to Arif. Arif put on a thinking mode, eyes closed with the right fingers touching the chin.

“Oh maybe_” Arif explained his thoughts.

Brother Haz is listening very well.

Kak Haz's facial complexion changed immediately as Arif finished his sentence. “We can't risk that far.” Said Haz, voice up.

“But we don't know yet if not tried.”

“Can't Arif, this business could be about life and death.”

“Yes, but sometimes we have to take risks.”

“You...” Brother Haz's words stopped, he could see the steadiness in his son-in-law's eyeball.

Over twenty years, Haz has devoted herself as a doctor, only this time she has a very difficult problem to face.

“Give me time to think.” Brother Haz stood up and started to step around in front of Arif.

Arif watched him, looking forward to his next answer.

“Doctor is please to return soon.” I heard a familiar voice. Arif turned his head, he held his breath as his oral mentioned, “Kak Melati.”

Kak jasmine wore long dark clothes patterned with flowers. Sheiny also looks like she has been gracing clothes.

Haz's sister was shocked at the woman's arrival. His self-esteem as a doctor keeps his adrenaline racing and thinks faster until the last second.

“Indeed not yet. Kak Melati invites us to have breakfast together.” Said Melati with a surprised face.

Arif and brother Haz can breathe a sigh of relief.

@@@

After breakfast, Arif and Kak Haz's work continues.

Mr. Melati was back lying down where he was before. Haz began by checking his body temperature and pulse at several points.

The journey now experienced by Mr. Melati is not much different from yesterday. High fever up to several times hallucinating, abnormal breathing, and sweat that flood the entire body. In addition, according to Melati, his father's head feels very heavy and dizzy, some points on the body feel numb, and the body feels hot-cold.

Sister Haz is trying to handle this better than yesterday. He did Arif's advice by giving certain drugs to drink to him to bring up certain symptoms so that his disease can be diagnosed.

However, what happened was the opposite. He started coughing loudly, even coughing up blood. The room was immediately boisterous by panic.

After the situation was under control, Mr. Melati opened his eyes slowly, something that Kak Haz considered a miracle. Everyone in the room could not hide his surprise.

Everyone looked at him with a grateful look.

Slowly the village chief digested the surrounding conditions. He smiled faintly at his sons and then turned to Sister Haz and Arif.

“Can all those in this ru-ang go outside in tara.” He said, his voice was very weak and stammering. Anyone who hears it will feel sorry.

Without asking everyone moved away from the room, leaving with bowed eyes and glazed eyes. I don't know, gratitude or sadness is being etched on their faces.

“Ke-cuali ka-lian.” Appoint Father Melati towards Arif and Sister Haz. His hands pointed with trembling.

Arif looked at him who was lying weak.

His mind is rewinding the old memories, the ghosts of his past.

When he was stoned and trashed for no reason, he called him a cursed child and a demon child.

So painful.

Remembering those times made Arif want to stay away from the cruel man before him, but some of him tricked it. Strange, that was the impression he had of him choosing to help the man who had sculpted him.

Replying tubal water with milk.

In that room also lived Arif, Sister Haz and Mr. Melati.

Mr. Jasmine faced the two with a weak gaze, dry lips, and with no signs of improving.

“Will you guys hear my story?” Said Mr. Melati suddenly. His words sounded self-imposed, he endured the pain that gnawed at the body. His body language cannot lie.

Arif and Sister Haz just nodded in disdain as they got closer.

“I used to know a child of human descent white hair. Name's Arif. He's a kid who doesn't understand anything, always makes trouble. Can't position themselves. Residents hate it including myself.” Arif felt a strong jolt in his chest. His molars crept, emotions almost blinding his mind.

“White hair man is known for being able to give bad luck_” Arif withstood the overflowing hatred by forcing himself to nod.

Arif's breath can be heard, like exploding like boiling water. Both of his hands squeezed, trying as hard as possible to withstand all of this.

“Such trust is unsettling and puts Arif in an unfair position. So if you meet a white-haired human named Arif, please kindly convey my apology to him. As a leader, I was never fair to him and maybe that's what made God lower this disease on _” The end of Mr. Jasmine's sentence was spliced by a bloody cough.

Arif and Kak Haz who were shocked immediately did the handling.

@@@

That night the sky looked beautiful with the sickle plume there. The clouds that move quietly with the night wind complement, but under the peace there are many sobs that fill the heart.

The news spread like a flood. Residents flocked to his house, praying and mourning the passing of someone who was like a hero to them.

Right, Mr. Melati is gone. His body was wrapped in a shroud.

His passing invited a thousand sorrows, a thousand wounds, even for Arif himself, he could feel there was a hole in his heart.

Tears melt without a word said. In the night of the sickle, Arif realized that he had judged Mr. Melati badly as if there was no place for him to take shelter from the sins of the past.

“If you feel right, it will be difficult to justify.”

That is the sentence that the village head taught Arif through the intermediary Kak Melati.

His sadness flows with tears.