Heart Darkness
Chapter 56 Down with The Sickness ....

"You're absent today?" reinha asked in wonder at Marya who looked so casual with jeans, t-shirts and jackets. He also wears sneakers.

"Yes, we're going somewhere."

"alright. Enjoy your date, Marya. Thanks for last night. I can really count on you."

"But that's the last one, Reinha." Marya warns Reinha and is answered by Reinha's "Ok.

Elgio and Marya board a car before the sun rises in Durante Land to a hermitage. They continue to fall in love with each other, leaving no space except for sweet feelings equal to love and affection. There is always vibration in every glance and gaze, lasting without pause.

They got there ....

In the valley of an outback among the dense forest, set a small settlement, about 30 old and ancient houses flanking with hermitages at the end of a vast field and an upright castle on the top of the hills, and, stand firm, shrouded in peace.

The calm flowing lake divides the grass into other forests in a series of hills inhabited by oak and maple trees. Settlements where your unruly hands are educated should not contribute plastic to nature and are strictly forbidden to pollute its innocence and purity. You can only visit, checked closely at the entrance portal of the settlement, where you know, you bring something that damages the order of life there. Amazingly they nurtured life well, perhaps one of the remaining ancient life on earth while the other had been stained. Areas with silent language, without anger and confusion, without depravity of behavior. No word can adequately illustrate the beauty on display except in two words, Heaven of the World.

Stepping through the plots of charming architectural history, urged by inner peace, Elgio clasped Marya's tiny hand in her coat pocket, along a path that seemed to invite them only to silence and silence. The quiet place there was no noise of the engine or the sound of horns even from the lawn mower, no motor vehicles passing and speeding. There is silence above silence.

Visitors restricted. A female reporter speaking in front of the camera is seen covering some sort of documentary news about the journey full of meditation and self-reflection. He seemed persuasive and confident in his words.

At the end of the road to the castle gate, on the West to the Old Village crossroad, by noon, the, an old man in a hat was busy moving a pencil in his fingers that began to wrinkle the groove of the sketch of the face on the canvas. His movements paused for a while as his myopic eyes were as sharp as daggers recording the image of the face of someone sitting on a park bench not far from him. He then danced back on the canvas.

The old man nicknamed Al Siva with a jolt, his fingers crossed the mind produce a frame that is touted, masterpiece. Not an ordinary masterpiece because he was awarded the talent to paint the look of a person, the mystery of the look including the future of one's soul mate. The harmony of meditation and long asceticism, faith and works, perhaps, the way he was blessed with that talent. He received wages however much, not demanding, he was only a true painter.

"Sit, Honey! I want to see you in a painting but we don't really know what the painter's gonna produce. Sometimes he paints a soul mate instead of your face" pinta Elgio.

"Why not the two of us?" ask Marya.

"No, I want your face painting."

The man went to the park bench to watch Marya. Amidst the peace, the delicate and frail Marya, pale yellow-faced and dark-brown, who was scattered; so fitting was this place. Elgio did not take his eyes off the girl even if it was just to blink. Marya was sitting clumsy while the old man's fingers continued to dance on the canvas. It didn't take long for Old Man to paint.

"We'll take the results later, sir. We will visit the monastery first" Elgio said slowly.

The old man nodded and began painting again, the reporter who had been covering the news, who then sat down gracefully on the chair. Elgio returned with Marya, and they went to see Sister Zelinda.

"Padre Pio called us asking, is it possible that I can cook rendang?I am the only Indonesian in the region. He told me, someone really wanted to eat rendang and I happened to be provided with canned rendang by my best friend when I was coming back here. It's flattering you like Rendang, Madam."

Sister Zelinda parades very Indonesia with the hospitality of two Indonesians, not stopping smiling with sincerity. He spoke very politely to make Marya feel comfortable because it was troublesome for others.

"You're so generous, Sister," said Elgio to return the veiled woman's sincerity.

"You can cook Rendang using raw materials of mutton or lamb in addition to cows, Madam. Use the recheado technique (cooking spices and mixing them with meat) then buisado (boiling) until the seasoning seeps. Indonesians cook meat in coconut milk and cook it until the seasoning soaks."

Sister Zelinda glazed over and spoke eloquently explaining the recipe makes Rendang and Marya who are very interested in digesting it well. The girl seemed to want to hurry back to Durante Land, catch a sheep and make Rendang even though she had hugged two cans of Rendang.

"Thank you for your kindness, Sister."

They left Sister Zelinda after exchanging phone numbers. Marya. He loves today for Rendang, Elgio and the journey full of injections of positive energy from the universe.

"Not just pregnant, cravings are strange especially later if actually pregnant?" Elgio grumbled unconsciously.

"Did you say something, Elgio Durante?" marya asked to look at Elgio.

"Oh .. Did I say anything?"

"Yes, you sound like you're complaining."

"I love this trip with you, Marya."

Elgio tied their fingers and hugged Marya in the middle of the road, among the most solemn silences they had ever breathed. She loves this cool ride and will take Marya later after marriage. They walk back to get Marya's painting.

"You don't want to be painted?" ask Marya. "I'll keep it as a memory."

"Is one magazine full of my pictures not enough for you to look at every night? If you want to worship me, you can come to my room and look at me as much as you want."

Samar blushing spray stopped by Marya's face, Elgio knew he often overslept with a catalog of Elgio Durante's face when he saw the man all day.

"Elgio, I'll buy you a drink .. Can you go there first?"

Marya nodded towards a conventional tavern, the only one there.

"All right."

They parted dozens of steps, Marya chose a drink and was interested in buying food. Admire drinks and foods that seem to be packed from easily decomposed materials. While Elgio put some money on the Old Painter, made small talk, thanked him and took the sketch.

"That's mine .. " cried a woman suddenly snatched the painting from Elgio's hand.

"Eh?!" Elgio was surprised and astonished. He turned around and found the woman, the reporter looking at him annoyed. "You may be wrong, Miss." Elgio asked back the sketch from the woman's hand.

"It's mine Mr. .. "he said again refusing to give it to Elgio.

"The painting's my wife's. Can we see together?!" Elgio tried to be patient with the reporter who had been sitting on the bench to be painted after Marya.

"It's my pu-nyaku" he said beginning to hesitate. He glanced at the painting, at the painter who was still focused on painting lovers.

"Can you show?"

The woman refused at first, she offered a painting and Elgio's face was seen there. Elgio smiled triumphantly.

"How can this be yours while this is my face painting? I was with my boyfriend, he was buying drinks. I asked to paint it but the result was my face."

Elgio is excited because Marya's future lover is her. Unlike the reporter who looked sullen because he had the wrong address.

"This is your painting, Miss. That one had a girl before you." Old man broke both. He handed the brown envelope to the reporter. "You can see later on your way home, your future lover."

The woman bowed apologetically over and over to Elgio and left there with an embarrassed face. He held tightly to the old envelope in his hand as if impatiently wanting to see who the man inside the brown envelope was. So, as he looked into the envelope, his eyes widened. He stopped in the middle of the street and turned in astonishment at a man who was seen waving at his lover. Because the man of his future ....

Marya ran up to Elgio with two bottles in her hand. Elgio waved the sketch on Marya making Marya more sparkling after seeing who the face in the painting. He hugged Elgio tightly.

"I love you, Elgio Durante ...."

The painter who looked at the two people who were hugging stared mysteriously. For the first time ...His hand is dancing on canvas painting the likeness of a man, one look, for two different girls.

***

Reinha entered the principal's room when suddenly Mr. Jerry called out to her.

"Can any of you go to Mr. Lucky Luciano's residence and deliver this material file? I've finished sorting and we'll see if he'll agree? He can't come because there's important business."

"Just me, sir!" reinha said excitedly. Mr. Jerry looked at him from the end of the glasses.

"Yes yes, I can see you are crazy about Mr. Lucky Luciano, Reinha Durante. Don't let your grades plummet because you're busy being fascinated by him" said Mr. Jerry.

"It won't happen, sir. I promise you."

"Yes, I hope so."

Reinha took the files that had been split in half for Elgio and Lucky Luciano and drove with her Lamborghini Aventador towards Luciano Castle. Isn't it too soon to see Lucky? Did he just call Augusto, ask him to Puri deliver the files? He just saw her last night?

"I have a reason ...on Jerry's orders," he told himself.

Reinha Durante sat behind the wheel and turned on the music. He enjoys the rhythm of Senorita songs. It didn't take long to reach Puri.

The housekeeper let her in because they knew she was their boss's lover.

"Where is Mr Lucky?"

"In the back garden, Miss. Let me take you."

"No need, thank you. I'll go alone."

Reinha stepped into the backyard following the house assistant's instructions, skidding around to give Lucky Luciano a surprise. Doesn't that guy always have surprises for him? He'll avenge that man now. The back garden was empty without any bodyguards and Lucky stood stiff while not far away, the girl Reinha saw in the telescope the other day, Queena, stood hugging her arms. He was sobbing and his shoulders were shaken.

"Will I come back later, huh?" Reinha stood worriedly observing the file in her hand. Why didn't Jerry send it by email? Instead of printing the file and sending it like this. They start conversations strong enough to be heard. No, Reinha will wait for them to finish talking and will interrupt.

"I can't accept this fact, Lucky. Too heavy for me. My father and mother were murdered. I got pregnant by that crazy son of a bitch and I don't want this baby at all." Queena started crying while Lucky was mute. "I will abort him" said Queena softly and heartbroken.

"Hey ... Pequena. You're a doctor, how can you say such bad things? You're not gonna do anything stupid to a completely innocent life." Lucky drew closer to Queena turning the girl's body half a circle before giving a consolation.

"I don't want that bad boy's baby. Oh, my God, this is terrible. I can't believe he left it in my body. That man has ruined me. How will I live?" The girl sounded desperate.

"No. You're not gonna kill that baby!" lucky exclaimed, his eyes narrowed. Lucky thought first before dangling the astonishing statement. "If you don't mind, allow this obscure man to marry you and become the father of your baby."

Queena raised her face, looking at Lucky with tears. Even Reinha was able to see Lucky's sincere gaze and from his slow but stressful tone. The sincerity that stirred Queena but had made Reinha crumble was dim.

Queena was still sobbing, "No need to sacrifice for me. What are we gonna do? We don't even love each other. What about your boyfriend?"

"I'll save you from embarrassment, Queena, don't kill the baby. We can raise her together and she doesn't need to know, who's her biogical father, hmmm?!"

Reinha overheard the conversation, hoping it was just drama and was glued to the spot when she realized it was a reality show. He didn't hear wrong. Reinha felt short of breath, as if something was squeezing her heart hard so she would die of oxygen depletion. His lover will be responsible to another woman who is impregnated by another man. Just last night he yelled "I love you, Baby?!". They kissed eight lines and the man was so sweet. How could he say he would marry another woman? They haven't even broken up.

Should he marry a widow and a pregnant woman without a father? Reinha held onto a heart that felt sore. So when he fell in love with that man, he, actually he gave Lucky a weapon with a muzzle pointed right at his heart and prayed the man did not pull the trigger but Lucky is doing it now even though he was unconscious. My God, what just happened?!

"Reinha?!"

Claire approached quickly. Claire's eyes were worried and frightened, she widened her hands and hugged Reinha in shock. While Lucky turned around and was stunned to see Reinha. He couldn't possibly draw his words to Queena.

"Hai Cla. .. I delivered a package from Mr. Jerry to your brother," he said moments after waking up, trying to hold self-control. Reinha grabbed Claire's hand and put the file in Claire's hand.

"His?!" Lucky and the long legs, approaching. Reinha took a few steps back as if she didn't want Lucky to touch her. Their sweet story was on the edge when the man proposed to the other woman in front of him. Or maybe it ends. Reinha doesn't want to hear excuses, she doesn't want to know. Lucky has been injured without knowing how bad the injury is. Lucky can say break up before making an important decision for their relationship.

Yes, Reinha forgot. That guy is a real jerk. Reinha wanted to cry but she bit her lips so hard it was salty. Lucky's eyes were soft, desperate and suffering. By no means, he could drag Reinha into the pain.

"Me or him, Lucky?!" lirih Reinha without further ado, she could not hide the jealousy, anger and pain that mingled in the pain.

"May ...."

"Jawab me! Are you gonna tell me if I don't come today? Are you going to disappear all of a sudden and make me wait while you're with another woman?"

"May ...."

"Me or her?"

Lucky Luciano stands halfway between the pain of Reinha's eyes and the restless Queena. The man was fixated as if his words were yesterday, "i want to be with you Enya" was just a word spoken in a hurry. Their eyes meet and he's a jerk if he can't see the pain in the clear iris of brown eyes that's starting to blur.

"I'll make it easy for you." Reinha approaches and tiptoes, after believing Lucky is giving up sooner on their love. He kissed the man for the end. His hand stretched down the arm grabbed Lucky's helpless hand, put the ring the man gave him at the Civic Center and closed Lucky Luciano's fingers. "Thank you for your love and affection for me. Let's break up ...."

"Enya .. hey .. "Erang Lucky was frustrated but he was unable to go any further when Queena's shadow was caught by the corner of his eye.

"Good luck, Lucky Luciano. You'll think of me all the time, I stick right behind you, ensnare you with our memories so you don't want to live but you can't die. That would be a curse from me for you."

Reinha went away from there while Lucky stared at the back of his girl who was away. He did not try to pursue because he had dropped the choice. Although the heavy decision was like a bomb that exploded from the inside and smashed itself to pieces.

Reinha rode in the car, wearing dark glasses, smiling at the flat-looking Francis. He turned his car around quite rough until the back of the car hit the garden decorative lights, which then collapsed and broke apart. They are him. His car roared as the gate had not yet opened and he shot away like an arrow coming off the bow as it gaped before him.

The man made her die last night for loving her too much, and it's unexpected that Lucky actually killed her today. How could it end like this?!

***

Oh I won't ask as usual, if you like this chapter, because there must be a lot of protest.....

I put NB here, in the country where Elgio lives, polygamous marriages are not allowed .... So, don't make conclusions.