Asti Girl Carrying the Curse
Chapter 6. The Fire of Burning Fury
The story of Bude Ayu continued after they finished praying Magrib congregation and simple dinner ala village people.
Even Mas Kusno was forced to stay at Lek No's house. Because if you go home a little night, it will be even more dangerous as long as Mas Timbul has not been caught
Now the listener of Bude Ayu's fairy tale increases another one, namely Bulek Ratih, who only nods. Because he came to this village after marrying Sarno and helping the Harjo Winangun family. Because he had to take care of a tiny baby left by his mother to return to his hometown. The baby was born after his father died a month earlier.
Mr. Junaidi whose original name was Jasman Rajiman felt harassed, because his proposal was rejected by Ayu and his father Harjo Winangun. The question was conveyed to his father who had just been appointed as an official in the district and headed a financial agency for village development.
As the son of the official and the richest man in his village, Ayu's refusal was considered insulting to his dignity and family. Especially a year later, he heard Ayu was married to his fiancee who was a soldier. Soon Ayu Sulaksmi was taken by her husband who was assigned to an area on the island of Sumatra.
Pak Harjo Winangun was re-elected by the village community of Sendang Mulyo to be the village head. Various programs are almost all carried out for the progress of village communities. But the village road project submitted to several related agencies was not responded .
It turned out that the road construction project had been manipulated by Mr. Baskoro. Because it was filed back, but the funds were corrupted in various ways.
Mr. Junaidi's father felt that it was the right way to repay his son's heartache. Moreover, the man had also heard about the myth or rumor of the ban on opening the bamboo forest . While the village road was opened by Mr. Harjo Winangun with his own business.
The man tried to cover up his fraud for misusing the village road construction funds for his personal gain. He also had to shut up some officials and certain people with big money.
Rumors about the bamboo forest curse were also several times conveyed by Mr. Baskoro in his speech, while campaigning to several other villages for his candidacy to be the next regent.
Pak Junaidi's father needed a very large capital for the election activities. Most of the cost of the campaign was taken from the funds for the construction of village roads in Sendang Mulyo and other villages. Though the road opening project has been done by Mr. Harjo Winangun with village funds, community assistance also uses his personal money.
Maybe because of the money corruption or indeed Pak Baskoro is less worthy to be regent, in the election he lost. While the man has spent hundreds of millions of rupiah. Even the young Pak Junaidi was finally married to a woman from the son of a rich businessman who had a factory and various food processing products, namely, Sriyatun.
Pak Baskoro's family rose again after his defeat. He even further expanded his business by owning farms and handicraft businesses, so that the economy lifted. But the issue of embezzlement of road construction funds began to be investigated by a provincial supervisory team, several years later. Pak Baskoro's name is recorded in the recipient of billions of rupiah funds
He did not dwell when one by one evidence of his involvement was found. Also his name and signature on the project. Evidence - that is the evidence presented to the legal table. Mr. Baskoro was found guilty and sentenced to a long prison sentence. All of Pak Baskoro's wealth was seized by the government from various businesses, factories, houses in the city to his car collection.
Mr. Junaidi was forced to bring his mother, wife and children back to their origin in the village of Sendang Ranti. It's just that not a year in prison, Mr. Baskoro died of severe illness.
The news used to be a scene and became a public conversation by the local community. But years later it began to disappear and be forgotten.
" De, I tried to ask Mrde Sanjaya who was there, huh? "
"For what, sir? " said Lek No's wife was a bit anxious.
" Yes, that's it, ma'am! The banana that was behind my house took ya, Bude. Make by-by!"
That's my cousin, Bude Ayu. Want to take anything always ask permission first. Though Ninuk's father who diligently planted all their yards and gardens with a variety of fruit and vegetable plants for kitchen needs. Also who took care of their gardens and rice fields during this time, after Bude Ayu's father came home.
They sleep very late. Mas Kusno sleeps at Lek No's house. In the house there were several bedrooms that used to be the rooms of his children and some workers who came from various villages far away.
Mas Kusno continued to bathe after lying in a room made entirely of wood. How evil the family of Mr. Baskoro and his son, to avenge Bude Ayu's rejection with a terrible destruction.
The next morning the Lek No family woke up after hearing the morning dawn at the mosque. The man did not dare to harass Kusno who he said was non-Muslim. Because Koh Edy's family always gives a basket cake to customers of his gold shop or the shop owners next door to celebrate the Chinese new year.
They left for the market after enjoying the porridge of sambel overlap cooked Bulek Ratih from morning . As a complement is a decoction of various green vegetables that Bude Ayu picked yesterday afternoon in the backyard. There are Kenikir leaves, papaya leaves and cassava leaves. While yesterday afternoon Si Bude still bought bean sprouts and kale.
Sweat drenched Mas Kusno's forehead as he finished his signature meal in this area, with his last mouthful. Lek No sat in the corner of the room while enjoying his cigarette puff. He also saw that Asti and Bude Ayu had already made preparations to leave for the market.
The sound of Mas Kusno's motor roared as he accompanied Asti's motorbike with Bude Ayu sitting in the boncery behind him. The man just drove up to the front of the market gate. Because Mas Kusno intends to go home to change clothes. Even though he had taken a bath at Lek No's house
Ms. Nanik did not know that Asti was observing them. It seemed that a parking attendant was pointing towards the shop where Asti was selling. But there is no way that Ms Nanik does not know the shop! Because Lebaran last year, the woman still bought some dress that always called the market or cheap. But Mbak Nanik still insist on asking for a big discount even though he only gave three pieces of dress and three veils rectangular color with the gamis he bought.
Asti quickly returned to the store. Kusno was not seen there either. While Koh Edy came along with the girl who was wearing a Kindergarten uniform that was inside the store. Maybe the man just picked up his son from school and took care of the store.
Almost an hour waiting, Asti did not see the presence of Mbak Nani and the old woman in the front area of the store. What is Mas Kusno looking for? Want to do what's more, Madam Nanik.
While the gossip blows with some criminal acts that began to occur on some of the main roads that are a bit far from this area, during this week. They estimate the crime group is a begal group led by Mas Timbul.
Thought Asti might be a hot bullet fired by a police officer, just to stop the lunge.
" Buck! Lek No hasn't come home from Pakde Sanjaya's house, has he ? " asked Asti when she went to the man's house. Asti had just returned from the market while bringing the woman's sidekick of brown sugar.
"Lek No was told to stay there. Pakde Sanjaya said that in the area it is increasingly unsafe for night trips on a motorcycle!"
Asti finally conveyed the information, when he saw the arrival of Mbak Nani this afternoon in the market.
" When he's looking for Kusno, what's up, again ?"
" Maybe ask to withdraw the report from the HP snatch to begal motor .."
" Sst. no need to talk about it. Let alone. The fool and the keblinger felt most right about his actions."
Mas Kusno has rarely been seen in the store since he returned from his stay at Lek No's house. Even Pakde Sanjaya who met Asti and Bude Ayu in the market. Her late mother's brother looked older with hair that was entirely bleached.
" Your health, Asti?"
" Healthy Mbah Kung."
" Get your Budemu, will you? If anything call me or Pakde Cahyadi who lives in Purwokerto!"
Bude immediately bought sugar, coffee and various kinds of food to take Pakde Sanjaya home later as a by-by. A young man in police uniform came.
" This is my granddaughter. Yesterday just returned from Bandung duty" said the man was proud. While patting - pat the shoulder of a young man who is the son of Bulek Widyati who lives in Purwokerto.
Back then when Mbah Harjo Winangun was still around, his house in the village of Sendang Mulyo became the center of the visit of two large families from the original Pak Harjo and was born in the village with the family of his wife who came from Boyolali. Every day, all relatives come from various cities in Java.
Sometimes for days the mansion was filled with guests. For Asti's grandfather was an elder and highly respected by their extended family.
" You, Nastiti, huh? How, the bigger the prettier ?" Said a young man named Satrio Wibowo.
Bude Ayu laughed amusedly at the trivial seduction from his nephew. Moreover, the old man called Asti, Mbah Kakung Sanjaya until he coughed - coughed to hold his laugh because he was smoking.
It turned out that the young man had picked up his grandfather to return to their home. All the groceries Bude Ayu had bought were stored in the trunk.
" Nastiti keep my number, yes, I'll call!" Said the Satrio again, winking his flirtatious eyes.
The Asti can only pat his forehead. After meeting a man who still has kinship, silly and has a very rude flirtation