by Faulina Arif
Marsha raised her face and look back at Hafiz. "Yes, I can hear you." Marsha takes a short breath and then standing up with her book still in hand. "Never mind." she said while at the same time turned away and walk toward the door.
"Marsha, if you are doing all of this only for Reyn, forget it! He's not needing you even in slightest!"
At that time Marsha turned and glare at Hafiz "What do you say?"
"Reyn only regard you as a little sister. And we can find someone with your skill out there with only a little money. It's better . . . "
BRAKK!!
Marsha slamming her book in front of Hafiz, full of rage she said "What do you know? you sick! I will not leaving this place ever! remember that!"
Marsha go to her own room and slam its door.
Hafiz fall silent, he can only sighed because of Marsha stubbornness.
IRISE DELEGNERE
Words will not change anything. He cannot free himself, the longer he was there, it will make him fall to the abyss and drown himself in misery. No means to reach a safe place. Blinded by a toy that made fun of himself causing him to forget everything in his life. Something that was important becoming unimportant and vice versa. Only by destroying that toy, he will realize, someone was always waiting for him. From long time ago that someone was wishing, he will turn at him and realize. That someone is always needing him.
A footstep interrupted Reyn thought. That man takes a deep breath, still in his position, laying down in the floor cushioned by his own arms and with eyes closed. Enjoying evening breeze that comes from the widely open window.
"Marsha sleeping yet?" Reyn asked to that someone that just comes and sit beside him
"Hm-hmm" Hafiz answered. He drink a canned drink. His eyes gazing at the night sky outside the window.
Sometimes when their minds was restless, both of those young man liked to spend their times in this place. The room in the attic that they change to be a good rest place. A place to release a fatigued body and minds.
"Why? you can't sleep?" Hafiz asked and glance at Reyn.
Reyn sighed with his eyes still closed. "Well as you can see. How about you?"
"I have a fight with Marsha, she's so stubborn."
Reyn eyes opened "Yes, we all know that."
Hafiz exhaling his breath "Huh, I don’t know what to do anymore." Hafiz look toward Reyn "Won't you replace me to speak to her?"
"Well, I will try it next time." Reyn answered "You know it right? She experiencing a heavy trauma and a difficult time more than anyone, yes?"
"That's why I worried for her, for her future. I don’t want an anger or hatred blinded her."
Reyn laughed at that moment "Said someone with a biggest grudge here." He said with mocking expression.
Hafiz pouting and then laughed too.For a few second after that, his expression turn back to being serious. "At least let me take care of her burden. I don't want to see a young girl like her blinded by vengeance. You know it well what those vengeance will bring."
"Yes, I know, nothing good will comes."
Both of them fall silent and thinking inside their own mind.
"She . . . just like my own sister."Said Hafiz after that.He looked at the canned drink in his hand. Suddenly he felt pain and his anger emerge from his face.
"Do you recalling those memories? about your sister?" Reyn wakes up and lean his back to the wall in his right side.
Hafiz quiet still looking at his canned drink.
"You know, this mission could only bring us a death flag." Said Reyn.
Hafiz lift his face and looked at Reyn "You are the one that give me a reason to live. If not for that, it is possible that I will become a stupid vandal."
"Stupidity is common for human, a smart human is always controlling them that knows nothing." Reyn answered.
"For a human in general, to survive is the most important things. Like I was before that have nothing. I can only think how to survive, can I still eat a food today or tomorrow? Only that thought appeared through my mind. Living alone in this wretched world full of filth and stupidity. More over I must searching a money to pay for my sister medical expenses. My damn uncle that was trusted by our large family betrayed us. He just spend our heritage money to do gambling and wasting it." Hafiz squeeze the can in his hand then throw it outside the window.
"You sure have a difficult life." Reyn exhaling his breath then resting his head to the wall whilst both of his hand encircling both of his knee. "I never forget those times, Hafiz. Your change of attitude, all because you lost your family."
"Yes, my parents died in the car accident. And suddenly my life burden become heavier, at that time I'm just a 13 years old kid. At first I think that I will be fine, at least I still had my only sister Lisa. My one and only close family that made me strong and gave me a will to survive. But, because both of our parent passed away we are entrusted to my father younger brother, because we are still a child and not yet matured. And then Lisa health was deteriorated, since she was little she was prone to sickness, she had a weak body. That's why my parent become over protective to her. Meanwhile, my uncle don't even want to understand her condition."
"He was the worst animal, I recall."
"That animal never gave us a money and wasting our family money and heritage for himself. Until Lisa's condition become much worse and we don't have anything except our house. You know how does it like to be a slave in your own house, Reyn? Lisa and I must work hard just to get a plate of rice." His eyes glisten remembering those memories.
Reyn fall silent. He doesn't know how it feel to become Hafiz. But he knows Hafiz at that time. Terrible is the word that can represent his condition. A happy go fun child suddenly become a gloomy and bad tempered child, it indicating the heavy burden that he bear alone.
"Till her health condition become much worse. No doctor that wanted to cure a poor people such as us, when we arrive in front of their house. Those bastards will shove us away. In their eyes we are no more than a pests, no need to be pitied because people like us will only waste their time and money that they gathered for long time. And the most things that I regret, that scum of uncle sell our house, our last heritage and the sign of our family existence. That animal said to our other family, that he sold it for Lisa medical expenses. But, he only use all those money only for gambling and wasting it away."
"And . . . , that man comes?"
Hafiz heart rate increased hearing that question from Reyn.
"Yes, he appeared." Hafiz answered, his face become red and he growl angrily."Wearing an angel face, he, with that animal greeted us. With his kind smile, he promise me that he will save Lisa and cure her illness. Who will not happy after hearing that? I only just sign a contract and then my sister life will be saved."
Reyn still hearing in silent. He know how this story ended.
Hafiz let out a sorrowful smile. "I was too naïve. I believe that the content of contract was only filled by an approval of medication. I don’t even read the content. At that time I just think, even when I read that contract I will not understand its meaning. All the word that written there only using a foreign words.And at that time I was just a stupid and simple kid. I didn't care even though I can't see Lisa for a long time. I just wanted her to recover from her illness, that's why I accepted his help without thinking anything. And he immediately take Lisa away."
Hafiz raise his face and looked at ceiling, trying to hold his tears. For a while he become quiet and takes a deep breath, trying to withstand the pain that piercing his soul and always gnaw at his heart even now. Gave him an ultimate guilt and infinite regrets.
Feeling more better, Hafiz looked at Reyn "Then for a long time, I don’t see him, not even a day, a week, and a month. And I always asked to that scum of uncle, he said that, Lisa is still in medication. I tried to believe that scum, and then accidentally I meet that man again. And he said to me that Lisa had died. I regretted it all in my life, I even can't see her in her last time."
"Do you believe
in him?" Reyn asked.
"If I believed him why did I lurking around in this place?"
Reyn cynically smile. "And you killed that scum."
"That's because of his own foolishness. That night he got a call from who knows who. He think I was asleep in my room. But I heard him, and I can still remember what he was talking about. He wanted to sell me, same as he sell my little sister." Hafiz growling angry. His eyes sharpen with flame of rage, his fist clenched tight.
For a moment Reyn become quiet, then he smiled sour "Yes, you come to this place with clothes full of blood, it made my heart jump in surprise. If I didn't know about your circumstances and, if we are not a close friend, I will undoubtedly report you to the police."
"I stabbed him to death, exactly in his heart, Reyn. But, even now I'm not regretting my own action at that time. And if that bastard come back to life, no doubt I will repeat the same action. No matter how many times it need be. Whatever the method or whatever the risk, I will repeatedly kill him." Said Hafiz, his face shows an ultimate grudge.
"Well, you will get that chance Hafiz. I will make sure of that. Even though it's not that scum, alright?" And after he finished that sentence, only silence was surrounding them.
An Attack
"Want coffee?" Ahmad asking Zafar.
Those young men walked together after a meeting. Together they were leaving the meeting room to rest for a little while, to release their entire burden in the head.
"Alright." Zafar answered
Drinking a coffee is a good choice, it will made him feel refreshed and prevent him for being sleepy because all of his works.
Those young men walked toward the coffee maker & Espresso machine, then Zafar inserting a card to that machine. While they were waiting their coffee being made, both of them talking about the meeting topic that they study before, without a good solution and answer.
Suddenly Ahmad let out a sigh. “Gods know until when we'll be doing this."
"No idea." Zafar answered."But, we will not stop until we find the medicine."
"Yes, but when? I wish to have a new car you know."
"You already had it right?"
"Well, I wish to have a better one, Zafar."
"Hah! What a greedy fellow you are." Zafar taking his coffee that was done in making.
"As for you, you don't want to get married as soon as possible with Shela?" Ahmad elbowing Zafar's arm, he's trying to tease him.
Zafar fall silent, he's trying to figure his friend word that was said recently. Zafar really want to marry his loved one, no one should ask that. A well established job, wealth, a beauty and faithful wife, isn't that the sole purpose of human's life? To make Shela happy is one of many reasons Zafar worked hard all the time.
Zafar always wanted to share many things with Shela, like telling all of his feeling to her. But, he always seems hesitated to talk, he was never opened his mind to anyone. Since he was little, Zafar is always been an introverted person. Even though their relationship was established many years ago, but Zafar still can't expressing his feeling well.he was a bad talker and story teller. Maybe it was possible with marriage, their feeling will flow out and Zafar can give everything that for a long time he can never give before.
"It seems . . . the bonus is just a pipe dream." Ahmad taking his coffee after Zafar.
While taking a little sip of his coffee that still hot, Ahmad following Zafar that was now walking to search a place to sit.
Zafar was quiet and sit in one of a long sofa near there.
"How long do you think we can found it?" Ahmad sits near Zafar. He was imagining about the dream car that he long for, but he can feel that was only a dream.
"Well, if we had a hint, maybe we can have it only in a month." Zafar answered and then sip his hot coffee.
"We all are blind in this matter. We don't know what plant extract can be a formula for the medicine and . . . what ingredient will be compatible for it. Huh . . . “Ahmad exhales his breath. ”If it's like this, it will finished in hundred years." He complaint.
"Yes, all this time the medicine that we successfully produce can only increase the body immunity, but it still can't kill the viruses."
"That's it, even though many patient can survive for longer time, but we can’t disagree though. Many of them become resistant to the medicine effect after eating the medicine for a long time."
Zafar become quiet, he sipping his coffee. He takes Ahmad words and thinking.
"Akh! Isn’t there any hint for us?" Ahmad complaining while looking at the ceiling.
Zafar still quiet, he still thinking about Ahmad words, but suddenly he remembering something. "Maybe . . . , do you interested in myth and history?" Zafar looked at Ahmad.
"You mean??" Ahmad looked back at Zafar while his forehead crinkled.
"Long time ago I read about one ethnic group, they had an advanced medical knowledge."
"You mean . . . Something like Atlantis?"
"No, even though I know they too had an advanced technology, but they are not what I meant."
"So, the one that you meant?" Ahmad confused and at the same time feels curious.
"Have you ever heard of Gypsi?"
"Those mysterious group? Well, yeah. I know them a little."
"They have knowledge about much kind of plants and how to mix them. it was told, after they mixed those ingredients, they immediately try it to their own body."
"Then?" Ahmad becomes more interested.
"Potions that they made can make the body strong, especially from disease. Because of that they were rarely sick and if they are injured, the wound was quickly healed. Faster than any normal human. All of that was explaining that they had a good and strong antibody"
"But, as we are known. Those people origin is unclear, not many story was telling about them. Can you guarantee that your story was right? Those could be a rumor."
"That was only my own conclusion from the story that I read. But I think, if we can study their potions, it was possible that we can found a good solution to our problems."
"Ah! That was a myth. I can only hear a bad news concerning them. And, if your conclusion was right. That knowledge was only known by their ancestors, Gypsi people nowadays is far different from the one in the past. And then, about the book you read. How can you know it was telling the truth? No one can guarantee the content of the book. The things that I know about them now are only their culture of migration. Maybe that was the only thing they inherit from their ancestors."
Zafar takes a very deep breath then exhaling it slowly. "Well . . . I know, those people nowadays are more modern and civilized. In fact many of them settled in one place."
Ahmad nod "Right."
"But . . . , are you not curious? Why did those people never stay in one place in that time and age?"
Ahmad shrugged his shoulders "Maybe it's only a habit that turn into a culture, and then it was inherited by their descendants over and over."
"A culture will be formed because there was a reason that fundamentally starting the habit. Someone doing some activity is impossible without a reason, it surely because there was a good and clear reason behind all of that, so that's why those people starting that habit."
Ahmad pouted "I don't know, not much that I know. But still, it's impossible to hope the things that already lost. Do you ever hear about those amazing things in Gypsi people nowadays? None. They are a normal human. Most of them is poor, they had a low intelligence and many conflict was happen because of their strange habit. Unlike in your legend story."
"Legend??!" Zafar glared "I see it with my very own eyes!" He said that in anger without realizing it.
"Hah!!!?? What do you mean?" Ahmad looked at Zafar in confusion "Are you delirious?"
Zafar that known about his mistakes became silent. Zafar try to hold his anger that nearly overflowed because he was considered as a liar. Zafar is recalling Aria's word that night.Don’t tell this to anybody, that is your only way to survive.
L
ooking at Zafar quiet response Ahmad immediately laughing "Absurd! You are dreaming, the sun's still high, Zafar! hahaha!"
Zafar heart in a blaze.the most things he hate is to be considered as a liar and moreover he was laughing by his close friend. Try to hold his anger, Zafar ignoring Aria's warning and decided to tell everything that he was experiencing that night. For this moment he doesn’t care about the risk that he will take after.
"Listen, I'm not lying. A few days ago I meet with a strange young woman. She was wounded and with my very own eyes, I saw those wound closing fast. Her wound was recovering without even a little scratch."
Ahmad surprised. "P-pardon?Do you mean . . . like in a film? A very fast regeneration?"
"Yes. No doubt concerning that, I saw it with my own eyes."
"T-then, what relation did that woman had with Gypsi? Did she say to you that she was from Gypsi?" Ahmad smiled.
Zafar once again fall silent. He can't say 'yes' to Ahmad question. Anyhow all of those are only his own conclusion, and he can't lie for the sake of making his friend trusted him.
No voice was heard, and after a while Ahmad looked at Zafar then he sighed "Zafar listen, it was possible that the story you read is only a conclusion that was biased by the historian. Or maybe only a conclusion that was made in a hurry without a decent proof and good calculation."
Once hearing Ahmad stated opinion, Zafar face become red. Once again he felt that his heart in a blaze, and he was sure this time he can't hold his anger. Before Zafar will hit his friend, he decided to leave without saying anything to that man.
"H-hey! Where are you going?" Ahmad shouted, he was confused with Zafar that suddenly leaving him.
IRISE DELEGNERE
Aria growl angrily while at the same time increasing her sport bike speed in main road. Imbecile! She curses in her mind. Aria already can guess that man can't be trusted. Zafar nearly leak everything and no doubt he will bring misfortune to others.
Fortunately, since her first time meeting Zafar. She decided not to trust him, so she purposively installing a bug in his eye glasses. She installing it when Zafar placing his eye glasses in buffet while he was in the kitchen. So that she can oversee and heard every word that comes out from Zafar's mouth. Like now, she heard the conversation between Zafar and his friend.