Dwarf
3. Raina

Tok

Tok

Tok

The door was knocked slowly making a girl with her eyes closed on the blue mattress wake up from her sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and paused for a moment to think about who was knocking on this early morning.

"Yuranoooo!!!" the sound of hoarse screams was heard along with the knock on the door of the house.

Raina got up from the edge of the bed and moved her feet toward the door that had been porous wood.

"Yourselfish!!!"

The voice of the scream that was calling her name was heard again making Raina immediately turn the nail that had been used as a door retaining tool so as not to open.

Raina looked up in shock at the body without a thread was standing in front of her. The gray-haired old woman was seen hugging her own body with a pale shivering body.

"Indo!!!" surprised scream.

The old woman named Saoda stepped into the house past her granddaughter who now looked confused. Raina closed the door and approached Saoda who stepped into the room.

"Where's the indo from?"

Saoda didn't talk. He was silent like a mute while his hands were busy looking for clothes in the closet.

"Where's the indo from?"

Saoda looked over with the clothes already in his hands. He looked at Raina who was still looking at him seriously.

"Indo doesn't know either, son."

Saoda put on his clothes and stepped closer to the mattress with an old bed made of teak wood. He sat down and laid his body on the bed against Raina.

"Don't tell anyone that Indo's coming home at dawn!"

Silence, after she spoke suddenly Raina did not speak anymore. Raina was afraid of Saoda if she asked a lot. Saoda often does this and there is no different answer almost every day if Raina asks.

...****************...

Raina walked through the wet streets, many puddles of water everywhere after a night flushed by the swift rain. Raina stopped her steps, she placed the grocery basket next to her and grabbed the thorn-pierced flip until it pierced her flip. Understandably, in this village there are many thorny grass.

Raina re-installed her sandals and returned to the market which was a little far from where she lived, which was squeezed by the forest and the gardens of the villagers.

Raina slowly looked at the white cloth in front of Edi's house, the man who married three years ago. Who died?

Raina slowly moved her legs while her two pairs of eyes spread throughout the residents who were sitting and whispering to each other and there was even a look of writhing in fear while talking. Raina doesn't understand them all.

Raina turned to look at some mothers who were whispering to each other to make Raina approach. His curiosity couldn't bear to not ask.

"Mom, who died?" raina asked, making the three mothers look at Raina.

"That's the same wife of Edi's son who died last night."

"Huh? Why can?" bemused.

"Yes, he said it was eaten with Parakang."

...****************...

Saoda stopped the movement of his hand which was holding a knife to cut the red onion that had almost rotted. Saoda was speechless with his pale face staring at the trees outside the kitchen window.

Saoda took a deep breath and looked back at the onion he cut back slowly.

...****************...

"Then Parakang?" ask Raina.

"Yes, last night it happened."

The mothers let their feet go away leaving Raina who was now silent. Who is this creature called Parakang? Why his name is always the reason for the death of someone in this village.

Raina continued her steps past some people were also whispering to each other the name of the creature named Parakang. This was not the first time Raina had heard that name, but this was already a hundred times.

Who is Parakang and how does it look? Why he always scares and disturbs the citizens without looking at the fur. Today the wife and baby of Edi were snatched away, two days ago the grandmother of his best friend, Erni who died after many years of illness, but Erni said that her Grandmother's death was not because of her pain but because of Parakang.

Raina opened the jug filled with water and watered her calves and feet that were hit by the splash of mud that littered her skin. Raina stepped up the steps made of black wood to enter the wooden house.

Throughout the journey Parakang name continues to be the scourge of conversation villagers, ranging from the market to the village hallway. It does not feel bored they discuss the same thing, namely Parakang.

"Indo!" call Raina.

Raina smiled to find Saoda washing the rice. Saoda is Raina's grandmother who raised Raina from childhood until she was 17 years old. The word Indo is the nickname of Mother in the regional language and Raina calls Soida with the call of Mother so that Raina can still feel the presence of her mother who has died.

Said Saoda, Mother of Raina died because of the actions of Parakang who had eaten her mother's spirit while giving birth to Raina's sister. While his father also died as he tried to pursue Parakang. His anger leads him to death and until now tells about Saoda and Raina who live in this simple house.

Raina sat on a small bench while looking at Saoda who was putting a black pot on a stove made of clay and wood as a burning tool.

"Indo!"

Saoda turned his head and smiled looking at Raina. Saoda turned his head again as his busy hand arranged the wood to make it easy to burn.

"So I passed by the village hall."

Silently, Saoda was still busy with his firewood.

"The wife and son of Daeng Edi died."

Saoda's hand movements stopped for a few seconds with both of his eyes wide in shock. Not long after he again pushed the firewood that had been burned by the fire.

"Why can?"

"She was eaten by Parakang."

Saoda turned around, he stepped closer to Raina's grocery basket and pulled out some groceries there without ever staring at Raina.

"Indo, what is a retard?" ask Raina carefully.

Saoda glanced at Raina who was still looking at him seriously.

"Never ask that question! There is no such thing as a parakang in this world."

"But why do so many people say that his wife and son Daeng Edi died of -"

"Parakang?" cutting off Saoda made Raina nod then Saoda laughed.

"Why, Indo?"

"One's death only God knows."

"But why does the name Parakang exist if it never happened?"

Saoda sat on the board hugging his knees waiting for the rice water to boil. He looked at Raina who still wanted to hear an answer from him.

"There used to be but now there isn't."

"Why can?"

"Indo also does not know, there is no need to mention the name often. No fine! Because maybe he could come."

Raina glared in fear. Does that mean the Parakang creature knows that he is being called?

Saoda laughs to surprise Raina. The sound of Saoda laughing why suddenly made her become scared like this.

"Why laugh?"

"You believe?"

Raina nodded.

"Don't be too trusting. That dorsal is extinct."

Raina fell silent after hearing Saoda's speech. He looked up at Saoda's departure. Does this mean that the figure of Parakang exists?

Where's she?

And how's his life?

This will Raina find out.