Mystery of Room 13
Part 60: The Dancers' Slaves

I put my phone back in the bag though there were still a lot of questions running through my mind about my guess if the dancer was jasmine. However, the long bell as a sign I should start working already echoed.

"Come, Han!" bring me June while patting my shoulder.

"Wait, Ma'am!" I sped up my steps to catch up with the woman I had initially been afraid of. It turns out that it is true the saying 'do not judge people by their outward appearance', although Mbak Jun looks fierce woman because of her firm jaw but I can make sure she is a kind woman. Several times saved me from the terror of Gayatri's ghost who locked me in the spinning building.

I was struggling with the cloth and the pile of work I had to finish. Occasionally chiming in jokes that continue to be unpretentious in a room that contains hundreds of people with various kinds of traits and backgrounds.

"Han, the tumben cypress is not wandering here at all?" ask Ma'am June. A cymnic? How could I forget it was Ridwan's nickname at the factory. According to the story of Mbak Jun, when first entered this factory, Ridwan's body was so thin with a thin mustache that adorned his face. Plus at that time he was the youngest technician because he had just completed his Vocational High School education. He has not yet graduated but he has been accepted to work in a factory of this size.

"So if it is not wrong, take his family Indah to the celebration of his cousin Indah, Ma'am. This is lo, Melati's sister."

The woman looked surprised by my words. He turned off the sewing machine he was holding, and then he walked over to me.

"Lo, is the relationship beautiful with Melati?" whispered Ma'am June.

"Swings, Ma'am. Didn't June know?" The woman shook her head. Mumpung Mbak Jun is near me, better I make sure again the woman in the photo is Melati.

"Mbak Jun, is it true that the woman on my phone was Melati?"

"of course. I know him even though we are different. He often comes in here."

"Sir, have you ever heard the story of a dancer who was killed by her best friend and left a grudge on her powder box?"

"I know, even Gayatri used to wear it. I thought all this time it was just a myth. Why why?"

I told Mbak Jun that a few days ago, Gayatri seemed to show me what happened in the past. He was once chased by a dancer whose half of his face was peeled off and if he paid close attention to the dancer was Melati.

"I have indeed heard that all those who are taken as slaves by the dancer will turn into dancers as well. I also heard that the owner of the powder pellet always takes lives in even numbers. The first is the wearer and the second can be the man or woman captured by his lover if the woman holds a burning grudge. However, why in the case of Gayatri were three lives taken?"

I could only shrug my shoulders because I knew the dancer had not only taken three lives, but five lives, Gayatri, Melati, and the three men who had forcibly killed Gayatri. I dare not tell you this incident because in reality this incident is just a secret buried with the death of the five people.

"Han, you don't daydream. Magrib lo, be careful." The woman shook her head to leave me and return to her machine. While I was back struggling with my work as if calling to be touched again. I took a rough breath before continuing my work, while I put my thoughts away about Melati.

Azan Magrib lirih reverberated from the mosque outside the company complex. Some employees make sure the machine to perform prayer. We used to take turns while doing it because the place was limited.

"Han, do you pray later or now?" ask Ma'am June.

"Later on, Ma'am. Very little more."

"Yes, I'll be together." I continued my work again. It only took me fifteen minutes before my new job started again.

"Bak, come!"

Mbak Jun immediately turned off the engine and walked towards me. Along with me and Mbak Jun and some employees took turns to the musala in front of the building. After taking the ablution water, I prepared to perform the prayer. Musala was empty just me, Mbak Juni, and some of our friends. Mbak Jun prepares to lead prayer.

"Han, are you praying?" I immediately searched for the source of the voice I was so familiar with.

"Newly will, Wan. You want to pray, right?" I haven't had time to answer Ridwan's question, Mbak Jun interrupted our conversation.

"Here I want to pray, Ma'am."

"Yes already. He's our priest!" Mbak Jun invited the tall man forward. Ridwan walked in the leading position separated by a dividing curtain.

"We'll see if he can be a good priest for you later." The whisper of Ma'am Jun made me blush in shame to cause a red hue on the cheeks.

"Ciye, shame on ye!"

"Already, Ma'am. Don't tease me. Here we want to pray."

The temptation of the New June Mass stopped when Ridwan began to pray. My heart felt calm when the man who always slengean was in fact when reading the prayer and chanting the holy verse so melodious. From start to finish it feels really good.

"The sound is beautiful, Ma'am. It's so sweet it's in my heart."

"That's why you take the cypress, so that he can be your priest forever and not turn into a wild feral cat."

I was blown away by Ma'am Jun's remark about the big cat. However, the laughter came to a halt as I walked into the production room and was immediately greeted by the fragrance of the so-called setaman flower that it burst out and pierced my nose. The smell that makes the atmosphere crowded but so gripping.

I pulled out Ma'am Jun's hand and took a few steps back, out of the room.

"What's wrong? Why are you taking me out? You want to meet Ridwan, he said he's doing a lot of work."

"No-no, Mother. Didn't June just kiss when we went into the production room?"

"Don't you? Smell what? The stench of sweat may be." The woman could have chuckled as I was being wracked by this terrible fear.

"There's a very sharp smell of flowers, the time when Mbak Jun didn't smell it?"

The woman took off my handrails and walked into the production room sniffing everything near the door.

"There's nothing, Han." He came back to me and grabbed my hand. "Come, in. There's nothing."

Slowly I entered the production room, the smell was still pungent. Now not only the smell but also the sound of a very clear cry was heard.

"Sir, something is crying" I said with a trembling voice.

"There's nothing, Han. Just pray everything's okay." The woman kept wiping my arms. He sent me to the table. My eyes widened as I found the disfigured woman sitting on my desk. I retreated running after Mbak Jun who had returned to his place.

"Mr, there's a-a Gayatri on my desk. He was stroking the cloth on my desk crying."

"Really?" I nodded as I occasionally glanced at the lookless ghost.

"What should I do, Mother? Though it's not your night yet, still this hour has appeared."

"You read the prayer. Let him go. If you have big guts anyway, ask her what she wants so she doesn't bother you anyway."

My eyes were round looking at the woman who was sewing. The first proposal could have been accepted, but the second tried to ask the terrible creature it felt impossible.

"No, I don't want to talk to him."

"Why are you being bullied the same? Do you want to?"

Of course I don't want to. Ever since living in that thirteen-room bloody index, it felt like my life was not calm. I have to deal with ghosts every day.

"Hanna isn't you, Ma'am, but she doesn't want to talk to that flat-face either."

"Whatever, if my advice is better you just ask what it wants rather than keep on terrorizing you like this." I am adamant in my opinion. I am an ordinary human being who is sometimes weak in faith, of course, afraid if I have to deal with this terrible creature.

I kept squatting hiding next to Mbak Jun. Every now and then I look at my desk, the woman is still there. Sometimes she cries but sometimes laughs. I closed my eyes hoping she would leave soon so I could continue my work.

Suddenly the left ear seemed to blow. This must have been a prankster Juni seeing me hiding when my work piled up so much.

"What the hell, Ma'am? I'm afraid again" I said to Mbak Jun. However, when I looked to the left was not the face of Mbak Jun that I found, but a face without appearance.

"Help me, it's so dark in here!"

"Let's!" I can't hold myself back anymore. I ran in any direction and even hit some machines but the lady without looks kept chasing me until everything turned dark.

...----------------...

...-connect-...