GROWINGS
50

Little Dafa was sitting alone under a shady rambutan tree in front of his house. Drawing with his crayon, while his mouth chattering merrily with his imaginary friends.

"If I were to grow up, I would build a very large and magnificent palace. Hhih..."

"Dafa, are you sure you don't want to come?" Sam poked his head from his bedroom window.

Dafa held his head up. Shaken with those clear round eyes.

"If you don't want to come, don't papa." Ardiansyah appeared with her box of fishing gear. "The mother and grandmother will be back soon, too.."

"Yes, dad..."

Sam jumped out of his bedroom window. "Well, where else is Rafa?"

"The same with his friends."

"The boy is getting harder to manage. Does he not know that we are leaving?"

"Son Sam don't be angry. I'm sorry for Rafa.."

Actually Sam was a bit anxious to leave his 6-year-old sister alone at home. But he believed it when little Dafa assured him that he would be fine, because there were friends who would always take care of him.

"If it rains, you just go in, Dafa. Don't forget the door is locked either." Sam shouted from his father's car.

Dafa waved his hand. "Don't forget to bring me the gulali, Brother Sam...!!"

Sam laughed when he heard it. He said repeatedly that he and his father would go fishing. Not the night market.

Dafa returned to drawing while singing cheerfully. A song that he knew where the lyrics came from.

Srekk..

The three boys observed Dafa from behind the bushes. They continued to whisper while waiting for the ancient antelope car to drift away.

"Your sister is weird, Rafa.." Said the fat boy with a tompel on his left cheek.

"When did he talk to the tree fairy? Haha...!" Timpal the skinny boy with a face filled with red spots.

Rafa ride apitam. He almost punched the two friends.

"He's not my brother!!"

"Ohh yeah? Then why is he in your house? And it looks like Sam loves her more than you.." Ledek the fat boy.

Rafa couldn't take it anymore. He soon came out of hiding. The plan this time should not fail again. He had to immediately get rid of the strange child from his home and family.

"Don...!" Rafa called. But Dafa did not respond. "You're deaf!!?"

Little Dafa is still engrossed in crayons and picture books. Till...

Rafa took out a handful of red earth, then threw it at the little Dafa.

"Mas Rafa why?"

"You are deaf?!!"

Dafa shook innocently. He cleared away the dry red soil that littered his head and picture book.

"Silver Sam and Dad went fishing. They'll bring a lot of fish later.."

"My friend and I want to see a chocolate fairy house. Do you want to come?"

The eyes of Dafa are round. Before going to bed, both her father and Sam always tell her about the brown fairy.

"Don't Mas Rafa know his house?"

"of course! Because I'm a good boy!" Rafa laughed proudly. He showed me some brown pieces wrapped in golden-colored paper. "I got it from the fairy because I helped the chick that fell from the nest.."

The face of the little Dafa grew brighter. "I also helped my grandmother water the flowers. Will the chocolate fairy give me candy too?"

"If you want to come, we'd better go now.." Rafa had already turned around with those two friends.

Little Dafa had already gone three steps. But he seems a bit doubtful.

"I have to go, guys. You know, I'd like some chocolate and candy, same chocolate fairy."

Rafa turned around again. "If I have a lot of chocolate, you can't ask for it!"

"Wait for me, Mas Rafa..." Little Dafa finally ran after his brother and two friends.

With his shoelaces removed, he fell twice as he ran after Rafa.

Rafa stopped his steps. "But you have to promise, you can't tell anyone this. Including dad and Sam...!"

Little Dafa nodded enthusiastically. Before he crawled through the iron fence, he took off one of his shoes which made him uncomfortable because the rope was loose.

Little Dafa continued to run after Rafa. He paid no attention to the thorns of the wild plant, which scratched his hands, feet, or face.

"Is it still far away, Mas Rafa?"

"Hurry now!! You're a slow-witted!"

Little Dafa held onto his chest. His breath was stinged irregularly. He kept going in and into the deepest part of the forbidden forest. To the extent that the sunlight could not penetrate, because of the dense foliage of the tall trees.

Rafa and his two friends are crouching behind a large, dead old tree.

"Where's the house, Mas Rafa?"

"Do you see that big rock?" Rafa pointed to a large rock covered in dry leaves. "You must stand on the stone and close your eyes."

Little Dafa nodded as if understanding.

"Then you have to say, 'chocolate elf came. I'm a good kid who helps'. You have to say it a thousand times.." Rafa whispers.

Little Dafa came out from hiding. Then he climbed the boulder with great difficulty.

"Like this huh, Mas Rafa?!" His shouting.

"YOU DON'T YELL STUPID!! YOU WANT THAT CHOCOLATE FAIRY NOT TO SHOW UP LATER?!!"

Little dafa nodded. Then he turned back to Rafa and his two friends. Like Rafa's instructions, little Dafa closed both of his eyes.

"Chocolate berries come now. Because I'm a good kid who helps..."

Rafa clenched both of his hands. With glaring and red eyes, he came out of hiding - running towards the little Dafa - and pushed it with all his might.

As if something was holding back, the tiny body of Dafa that should have fallen into the deep green watery swamp - it fell to the side.

"Mas Rafa's.." Little dafa grimaced. He tried to endure the pain in his feet and hands.

Rafa took a stone. His expression showed a great grudge. It was as if there was a single demonic figure that possessed that innocent soul.

"You're not my sister!!" He shouted while throwing the big stone.

Dugghs..!

Little dafa staggered. The stone landed right on his forehead.

"Mas Rafa's..." Little Dafa began to sob. "I--"

"You must die!! You must die..!!" Rafa pushed and continued to push Dafa's body, until finally the tiny body splashed into the swamp.

Rafa took another stone, then threw it to Dafa. And he just kept doing it blindly.

The tiny body drowned. His hand reaches anything, for him to endure.

"GO YOU SON OF THE DEVIL!! GO AWAY FOREVER..!!"

Bruulpp's.. Bruulpp's..

After ten minutes of trying not to drown, the tiny body slowly sank. It was as if the black swamp was sucking out its entire body.

The atmosphere of the forbidden forest became silent. The sounds of conscious wild animals were heard, now suddenly gone inaudible.

DDUUUAARR..!!!

The lightning just now was what awakened the three boys.

"Did he die?" Said the fat boy with a deathly pale face.

"What if we get caught by the police?!!" Then the skinny boy looked nervous and terrified.

"No!!" Rafa yells. "We will not be caught by the police and imprisoned!! As long as you don't divulge this matter!!"

"But, Rafa---"

"I'll give you all those toys, cookies and chocolates! As long as you have to keep this a secret!"

Sjssrttsss...

The rain was pouring with it. Along with lightning that snatched each other.

The three boys ran as fast as lightning. Penetrating the torrential rain with an erratic feeling.

"We can say that Dafa was kidnapped! And we can be safe forever!" Tukas Rafa separated from his two friends.

At the intersection of the road to his house, Rafa sees his father's car far away. He should be able to get home before his father. He had to cover up all this before any of his family suspected him.

Rafa quickly changed all his clothes and did not forget to hide his shoes covered in mud.

The din..!

The car horn indicates that his father and Sam have arrived.

Rafa opened his textbook. And as he had expected, Sam would definitely head straight for his room.

"Where is Dafa?!"

"You can't knock?!! This is my room, Sam!!"

Sam checked every inch of his sister's bedroom. Anger is mastering it. "Where are you hiding it?!!"

"I don't know what you mean, Sam!!" Rafa shouted no less loudly.

Sam grabbed Rafa's collar. "You tell me, or I'm gonna punch your teeth in until it falls out!"

Rafa gulped. Every word Sam said was no joke. Even ten of his friends could not beat Sam, whose age was only three years away from him.

"Stop, Sam!" Ardiansyah. He separated his two children.

"He must have done it, Dad!!"

"You must not accuse!"

"ENOUGH..!!" Ardiansyah's screams were even heard leaving the house.

"So Dafa is still under the tree, isn't it, Dad? And when my grandmother arrived, Dafa was no more. And I'm pretty sure Rafa did it!"

"That's it, Rafa?" Anggita Suryatama appears at the door.

Rafa denied. "Since I studied in my room, grandma!"

"Why is your hair wet, huh?!" Sam cut.

"I'm taking a shower..." Answer Rafa lightly.

"Where were you, Rafa?"

Rafa gulped as his grandmother asked that question. He sat back down to his desk.

"I'm preparing for tomorrow's replay.."

"Since Grandma and your mother arrived, we haven't seen you in or out of the bathroom.."

"So grandma doesn't believe me?!!" Rafa's voice is rising. "Actually this grandmother's granddaughter is me or Dafa anyway?!!"

"Oh Allah, Rafa.. Why do you have to say that again..?"

Sam rushed out. It seems he knows where Rafa usually hides little Dafa. He ran under the heavy rain. Towards the warehouse behind his house. Open every barrel and crate in it.

"Damn!! Where exactly did he hide Dafa!!?"

The day changed. But there was no sign that Dafa would return. One thing they can make a clue is, Dafa drawing tools are still left under the front tree of their house.

Mr. RT, Mr. RW and neighbors around to help make a living. They traced every alley and corner of the housing complex. Including empty uninhabited houses.

But until the third day, and the police unit was taken down, they still did not find the existence of Dafa.

The little boy disappeared like he was swallowed by the earth.

Until finally on the fifth day...

"We found blue shoes near the forest fence prohibition..!" A police officer reported to his commander.

The discovery caused panic in the Suryatama family. Especially when they came to the location of the discovery, and made sure that the shoes that had been dirty by the soil and mud were really Dafa's.

The search was extended to areas within the forbidden forest. No matter the heavy rain, the police and residents continued to search for it.

"We found a small bag on the edge of the swamp..!!"

Anindita ran in a hurry. He also fell limp with tears. He held her tightly to a small sling bag, which Dafa carried with him wherever he went.

Until the night before, they still could not find the whereabouts of the poor boy.

The next day, Anggita Suryatama told his people to dive in a deep black watery swamp and smell bad. Every way it's been put. If necessary, dry all parts of the swamp it will do. As long as his grandson can be found again.

Later that night, a member of the police told me again. That he found another pair of Dafa's shoes in the swamp.

Anindita fell unconscious for the umpteenth time. He was not strong enough to receive this heartbreaking news.

"Give as many people as possible!! Suck the water out!! Dry the swamp immediately!!" Anggita Suryatama's orders to his men.

Throughout the day Rafa continued to be silent with a deathly pale face. He did not know that all of his family members would be so worried about Dafa to the extent.

"Dafa's a submissive son, Dad. When I said that killing ants was a sin, he never killed an ant at all!" Tukas Sam's. "Especially he had to enter the forbidden forest.." Sam looked at Rafa. "He wouldn't have gotten in there, unless someone had invited him.."

If yesterday Rafa always denied every word that was uttered by his brother. This time, he seemed silent. The shadow of that guilt, every night always haunts him. Making his sleep can not be sound. Making school and its days chaotic.

Right on the seventh night, Ardiansyah's house was knocked by someone. Once opened, it turned out that Mr. RT came with many citizens.

"What is this, Mr RT?" Ask Anggita Suryatama.

"Bu Anggita - Mr. Ardiansyah - Bu Anindita, there is something that these two children want to convey.."

Rafa's eyes glared at the sight of the two close friends coming with their parents.

Not yet speaking, the two boys suddenly cried out with great urgency.

"Rafa pushed him into that swamp!! He also hit the head of Dafa with a stone until it bled...!!" Strangled the fat boy hysterically.

Hearing the words, Anindita was shocked not playing. He fell limp with tears flooding back into his face.

"What's that, Rafa?!!" Ardiansyah is starting to be unable to control her emotions. Retractable arm Rafa. "Father's air, Rafa!! Look at my eyes...!!"

"I could have expected it!! If he's the one!!" Sam also got his emotions back.

"I don't want to sleep in jail, Rafa! You alone are punished!!"

"Really! You're the one who made Dafa drown!"

"WHERE IS DAFA, RAFA?!!" Ardiansyah really can't control her emotions. One slap he slapped on Rafa's cheek. Makes the boy fall.

"Quick call them, Ardiansyah!! Tell them to look for Dafa there!! Hurry, Ardiansyah...!!" Anggita Suryatama is screaming hysterically.

But in such a chaotic and tense moment, something that they could not all have guessed happened.

"Assallamalaikum..!! Dad -- I'm home..!!"

They all of course immediately turned to the direction of that shrill and loud voice. And at that gate, a skinny boy stood with his innocent face.

"Dafa --" pale Ardiansyah not playing. He immediately ran. Hugged the boy tightly. "Where have you been, Dafa?"

Dafa's eyes blinked. Look at the people who fill the front porch of his house.

"Hhihi, Brother Sam..!!" Dafa waved at Sam with a brilliant smile. "I've met a brown fairy in the woods there..."

"Dafaa..!!" Anindita appeared and immediately hugged her husband and youngest child. "You're okay, right? You're not hurt?"

Dafa held his forehead. "Yesterday Mas Rafa hit me with a stone. But now she's healed. It was the fairy who healed him.."

"Dafa, is it Rafa who pushed you into that swamp?" Ask Sam.

Dafa nodded. "But, as Mas Rafa left, I was helped by a pack of bears - a rabbit mother with a family of squirrels." Dafa chattered innocently.

Of course none of those people believed him. Because of all those stories, it really doesn't make any sense.

However, they were all stunned as Dafa took out all the contents from inside his backpack.

"That one gave me a lot of chocolate, cookies, and sweets. Hiwii..."

"A lot, Dafa.." Sam barely blinked.

"If Brother Sam can take it. But Rafa can't. You see, the Chocolate Fairy said, Mas Rafa is a bad boy.."

"Dafa, that chocolate fairy doesn't exist.." Said Ardiansyah quietly while stroking the head of her youngest child.

"There's dad...!!" The voice of Dafa shrieked. "The "chocolate peasant lived in a huge palace. And just now, they drove me home..."

"They're who?" Ardiansyah turned her head towards the Dafa pointer.

"My new friends, dad.." Dafa waved towards the front street of his house.

"Nobody's there, Dafa.." Anindita.

Because indeed, none of those people could see the whereabouts of his new friends.

"Tomorrow we play again!! Because now I have to do schoolwork first. Da-dah guys...!!"

"Becch..."

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