Dul
020. Which Roots for a Lifetime

Dul doesn't talk much anymore. After parting with his mother in front of the house, he tidied up all his study supplies and went with a towel to the bathroom. His mother sat in front of a container drawer taking out clothes.

Just as the bathroom door closed, Mbah Lanang's voice sounded from the backyard. Very loud to resemble a scream.

“I told you not to follow. I'm forbidden to be colonized. I'll pay my debt. You've worn his girlfriend on that red motorcycle. Now my girlfriend doesn't come here anymore. Dul also did not meet with the man. What do you want again?”

“Don't scream! I can too! The same son of the same father did not know his luck! Lying and not knowing yourself. It was told to ngaca. Who wants to be the same, really? If he does not prostitute the same man, where might the man want to do anything to him. Sok-sokan pretended to be good to Dul. I still have a warning. If I keep putting my son away, I kill him. Now it's battered, I want to know what the guts are.”

Dul stood in the bathroom. It's not wrong anymore. It was the voice of Father and Mbah Lanang who were arguing in the backyard. The two discuss his mother and Bara.

Was it battered? Is Om Bara battered so not come together? That's why the mother stew? All because of Father?

Dul hastened his bath. He felt he had to prove the words he had just heard. He had to go to the police to find Bara. Then, he stepped out of the bathroom and found his mother standing close to the body in the living room with her index finger on her lips.

Dul nodded his head understanding that he should not make a sound. His father was in the back and did not know his mother was there. His mother's gloomy face now changed with a look of alert face. The woman who gave birth to him was exactly like a fugitive.

Her mother put on clothes and combed her hair in silence. It's impossible if his mother doesn't know that she hears all his father's words. After hearing the debate of Mbah Lanang and his father, his mother's face grew moody.

After his mother, he no longer had time to see where Mbah Lanang or Mbah Wedok. Or his father too. With her hair still wet and powder that her mother was touching, Dul half ran out of the alley. No one should know that he's looking for Bara.

The police station where Bara used to be was waiting for the news was only a few meters from the mouth of the alley. Arriving at the Polsek yard, his head wobbled. Many men look the same age as Bara.

Do I need to go to the motor park?

A little hesitant his steps approached the swarm of men sitting on the left side of the building. A man who had just gotten off the duck bike approached him. After mentioning Bara's name, some men said. Then, someone's voice gave her an explanation.

"Bara from Term.com, right? Not in. Long time ago. I'm here replace him.” The man stepped closer to her. “Nyariin Bara why, Dik? Om Bara is busy covering elsewhere. Not here anymore,” is obviously the man.

Coverage means work. Does Om Bara work? Not battered like you said earlier?

“Not there, huh, Om? Yeah, had. I'm home.”

“What's up? Anyone want to be sidelined? Let me call Om Bara.” The man offered to take out his phone.

What's he gonna say? He doesn't know either. Bara was no longer there, meaning that the man had no relationship with his mother. Bara is afraid to be around them because of the threat of his father.

Dul's shoulders sagged and his face was now as lethargic as his mother's. “Nothing, I just wanted to see you. My name is Dul, Om. If Om Bara says my name is Dul."

Furthermore, the days ahead are getting dreary. His mother came and was more silent. Give money shopping, bring a little snacks, and leave after cleaning up his needs. His mother rarely spoke. His smile was lost to nowhere and at that moment he really felt defeated. There's no hope.

But ... Dul wants to try again. Go to Polsek and complain of his luck. Who knows if there is a need to go there. Who knows Bara made Polsek as a reason to meet him there. Who knows .. Bara misses to meet him.

“Om Just not here yet, still busy. But Om Bara has something for you. Follow Om to the mini market opposite, yuk.”

After the Maghrib, Dul found the same man. Bara still does not exist. The reason is that it is still busy. He believes Bara is still busy. Good-natured embers are unlikely to make the word busy as an excuse to avoid it. Dul tried to comfort himself.

“Om Bara don't want to see me again, huh?” He had already walked next to the man towards the mini market.

“Mau, really. Message you, he said patiently. Om Bara will surely come to meet you. Now Om Bara is still busy.”

Dul doesn't know the name of Bara's friend's man. No one introduced themselves to him. But he must appreciate the man who has been bothering to take him to the mini market and thrust the grocery cart. Dul smiled widely. Utilize the busy shopping hawker to distract his mind. From the man he knew that Bara left him money to give him snacks for a week. Although actually ...that's not what he wanted. He just wanted to meet Bara.

With two plastic snacks on the left and right of her hands, her shoulders were led across the road to the alley of the house.

His father suddenly appeared at the mouth of the alley, rebuking him with a loud voice and making his heart instantly rumble.

“You're begging, huh? You begging people? Is it your mother who can doubt you eat it, do not ngasi you snack?”

“No, kok, Mas. Dul didn't ask. I want to buy it. Catch my friend too.”

Clearly Dul saw the man who accompanied him to the mini market talking in a vibrating voice. The man was afraid of his father who looked very angry. They were both equally scared that night.

“Throw it, discard it!”

The screams of his father had provoked some people to stop and look. Dul felt his eyes had already condensed. Her tears are ready to come out. He was very afraid, but he wanted to defend his rights. It was a Bara gift and he had to defend it.

“No way! It's from Om Bara. About the Bara that is kasi.” He hugged the snack pack with all his child energy.

Hearing the name Bara called, his father's face grew red. “Bara?! Throw that away now!”

Dul doesn't hear what Bara's friends have to say. Two freshly purchased parcels of snacks, snatched from his hands and dumped on the road. Dul wept to see the gift of Bara which he considered a precious treasure thrown away. Biscuits, fried potato snacks, wafers, and even chocolate that were very expensive for him and his mother were thrown away and crushed by passing vehicles. Isak Dul is getting louder.

“Ayo, home. Where's mommy? Have you been asked to ask her for the same? Huh?”

His father's screams had not been answered, but a hard blow had landed on his head.

PLAKK!

Dul was struck with his father's broad palm. It was strong because its head was pulsing. He was shocked and immediately screamed. His mother never hit him. Even if never.

“Sick, Sir …. Nonexistent. Mother never told me that. It's snacks from Om Bara.” Dul held his head as a form of defense. Just like her mother did every time she was beaten. He imitated what his mother did. Must survive the indiscriminate man's rough hands.

“Bara continue—Bara continues. Your mother whores that man you don't understand? What do you think you are the same guy? What?”

His father was getting angry. Now Dul's ears were pulled and dragged into the alley. Along the way he roared while holding his father's hand. Trying to loosen the man's torment on his ears.

Mom ... sick, Mom …. About Bara …. I got hit like Mom.

His roar was heard all the way to the house. The people in the alley looked out of curiosity. But because the culprit of the commotion was his father, again his neighbor was silent. They consider all the violence a family conflict that they cannot interfere with. Besides, his dad looks pretty scary. It looks like a market thug who always swears.

At the door of the house, Dul felt a little help with the emergence of Mbah Lanang. He was just trying to explain to the man what was going on.

“Om Bara is good, she just pranks me jajan.” The crying gets louder. Back to remembering the gift of Bara which is now destroyed in the vehicle.

PLAKK!

Dul felt his gaze dark for a second. Then followed by a numbness and his lips pulsating. His father's huge palm landed hard on his face. Tried to slap her mouth, but it hit all over her face. A salty liquid came out from between his lips. Mouth's bleeding.

“Aduh, Sir …. It hurts! Pain …. Mother …. Mother …. Pain ...”

About Bara …. I'm hit. Om Bara .. This is sick ….

To Be Continued