CLOUDS ROLLING IN THE NECK OF THE SKY...
The sigh of the wind at the top of the tree is like a breath chasing to embrace freedom....
The branches of the trees swayed in soft, lulling and sometimes rough blows, until they were unable to hold back the leaves which were falling off piece by piece...
The sun seemed restless in the crush of gray sky. In a state of half-naked body, he tries to disturb Mega with his weak light.
But he was helpless in the embrace of the black clouds that rolled around, and swallowed his half-naked body whole!
The beautiful twilight could no longer be illuminated with its red light, because the black clouds looked so wild and mighty carrying the seeds of rainwater to be sprinkled and sown in the womb of the earth.
After being preceded by flashes of lightning that painted the sky, interspersed with booming sounds in the sky, the rain fell heavily, accompanied by the roar and blow of an increasingly crazy storm...
O Nature!
***
In the crazy rainstorm, a figure seemed to be running up and down.
She is a woman with brown hair.
His face was pale from the pouring rain water that flushed his body. A strong gust of wind made his body stagger.
I don't know how many times he complained about falling, but he got up again... Then he continued running with a short breath.
About fifteen spears behind him, a figure was seen walking quickly through the bushes as the rain and storm chased ahead. As a flash of lightning painted the air, there was a glimpse of who the figure was.
Turns out he was a burly, bare-chested man. Bearded face. His eyes were as fierce as those of a bloodthirsty wolf. His hand was holding a dagger.
What happened? At first glance, one could guess that the boy was chasing the girl earlier. Will the naked dagger in his hand be used to kill his prey, or is it just to scare the girl. Who knows!
What is clear is that this bearded man continues to run fast through the crazy rain and storms to chase the girl...
Meanwhile the girl seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. Several times he fell down. His body started to shiver with cold. He got up again to continue running. However, his knee bones ached.
His legs were getting heavy to walk.
Meanwhile, his breath was getting worse. His heart was jumping up and down because the fear and anxiety was eating away at his soul.
It was at that moment that the croaking voice behind him seemed to get louder and louder. He saw the bushes sway as the hands of the burly man kept on chasing him.
This girl felt her heart stop beating. His eyes started to water. Her hope of being able to save herself from the hands of that man is getting thinner...
It was then that a flash of lightning split the sky. That flash of bright light had made this girl's eyes widen.
"I saw an old building in front... Oh, I can hide in that place..." he gasped to himself.
The hope that was originally dashed suddenly appeared again. As if he just got the strength just like that, he got up and ran quickly towards the old building in front of him.
In a moment his feet had stepped on the slippery, mossy stone steps. While the storm had died down, the rain was still going crazy.
He saw the door of the building was half open. Without hesitation he immediately stepped in with half dragging his body.
Strange! He saw that the empty room was lit by two lamps. But again strange! He saw two lights seem to be moving closer, while the room behind the lights was pitch black again.
Suddenly. “Ngeooooong!”
This girl almost screamed in shock. Because the two lights are a pair of eyes of a black cat. The beast meowed and the pair of strange lights disappeared!
This girl felt a gust of wind passing between her legs. He almost fainted from the shock. It turned out that the black cat had crossed out of the door he opened.
Now the room was pitch black again! But this girl's heart was desperate. It doesn't matter if this old building is a ghost house or a devil's house.
Instead of being chased by that bearded man, he'd rather be strangled to death by a ghost! So he thought. Quickly he closed the door. Then his arm fumbled around looking for anything that could be used to lock the door from the inside. Luckily he found the doorstop. Then he quickly used it to block the door.
For a moment he could breathe freely. Now his eyes are trying to penetrate the darkness. He saw another door that led to another room. Hurriedly he stepped carefully and heart pounding. But without fear anymore. He was only worried about tripping his feet and falling backwards.
Meanwhile, the bearded man continued to walk quickly through the undergrowth. His eyes searched for the girl he was chasing. For a moment he stood still and looked around in the raindrops.
“Bastard! Where did that woman go...!” muttered the man in his body shaking because of the cold that penetrated into the bone marrow. His trembling voice was mixed with anger. It is certain that this bearded man's goal is to destroy the girl's life.
“Damn rain!” This man is cursing. His arm moved to brush away the rainwater that slid down his forehead. Then after guessing which direction he should chase, he immediately continued walking quickly and half running to catch up with his quarry.
“Hm, he won't be far from around this place...! Or he could have fallen unconscious without me knowing..." this man thought in his mind. In such dark weather and heavy rain, how could he possibly find a person who had fallen unconscious in such thick bushes?
However, the curiosity in the bearded man's heart made him not stop looking.
"Strange...! There were no signs of movement or the sound of his breathing anywhere around here. Did he really faint?” this man said to himself. When he turned his steps to the right, his foot suddenly hit something. He groaned, and almost fell over. Luckily he managed to support his body with both palms pressed to the ground.
"What did I trip over my foot?" the bearded hissed. At that moment a flash of lightning split the sky. This man's eyes widened. And he gasped in surprise when he saw the mound of earth in front of him. Without realizing it, he had stepped over a human grave, and his foot tripped over a tombstone until it tilted and was almost torn open.
“Crazy! Apparently I got lost in an old cemetery...!” cursed the bearded man with the nape of his neck slightly creased. Now his heart began to have doubts about finding the girl, because besides the night was starting to encroach, he also felt reluctant to explore the surroundings.
But just as he was about to leave the place, his eyes suddenly widened when he saw an old building visible through the bushes. At that time the rain began to subside somewhat. And not long after that the rain stopped completely.
“An ancient building...? "Ah, it turns out that in this forest there is an old building hidden..." hissed the bearded man. Suddenly he grinned. This bearded man said to himself.
"Ha ha... if he doesn't hide in that place, where else...?" With a certain hope soon he hunted to that place. His eyes wandered around the old building.
At that time the moon began to appear even though the light was not so bright.
This man began to walk up the stone steps. His eyes fixed on the footprints. His grin appeared on his lips again.
With slow steps he followed the footprints full of dirt. Only then did he stop his steps, right in front of the door of the old building. His grin widens.
One arm stretched towards the door. Then move his arm to push. As he had expected, he found the door locked.
“Hm, you think I can't open it...?” said the beard in his heart. He took two steps back and took a stance. And...
Brrkk!
There was a sound of creaking boards. The hard kick he used with all his strength shattered the door of the old building, which was already rotting, into pieces, along with the door latch which was stuck from the inside.
The next moment he had jumped in. His eyes wandered wildly in the darkness of the room. With sure steps, the bearded man continued to go inside. Meanwhile he listened carefully to hear sounds that could let him know where the girl was hiding. But the dark room, which was only lit by the dim light of the moonlight streaming through the door of the building, was so quiet.
***
The girl's body trembled when she heard the crunching sound. In the dark room his face was pale.
“Alas...!?” he hissed. What will be done now? Meanwhile, his ears heard steps that were getting closer.
It turned out that the bearded man actually stepped into the room where he was hiding.
The girl was holding her breath as hard as she could. His chest seemed to be undulating, and his heartbeat was hammering again. He pressed his body against the wall of the room. However, this girl gasped because something crawled on her leg. Of course, he didn't feel his mouth making a sound, which was accompanied by lifting his leg.
“Squeak...! Squeak...!”
A mouse jumped, and disappeared in the corner of the room. Because of the rat's actions, the bearded man immediately found out where the girl was hiding.
“Haha... come out of your hiding place, sweet...! I won't hurt you if you talk nicely!" said the bearded man.
"You... won't kill me..?" heard the girl answered in a voice mixed with sobs.
“Believe me! I won't bother a single hair on your body, as long as you talk to me nicely!" repeated the bearded man. Answered the bearded man. But in his heart this man said otherwise.
"Haha... after I failed in the robbery, if I didn't get the warmth of the body of the child of a Demang who would be the Duke's young wife, I wouldn't be Warok Sobrah the Begal from Gunung Kidul! Count the redeemer of my bad luck...!”
The wild bearded man's eyes glinted staring at the door of the room where the girl was hiding. Suddenly he was banging loudly again.
“Hurry and get out! Or will I come in to drag you in?”
There is no other choice, leaving or not leaving is the same. Then slowly the girl appeared. The bearded man's eyes flashed as he saw the girl's drenched figure. Even though the light was dim, he could still see the curves of the girl's body.
"Good! Come closer, sweetie...! Ah, poor thing... you must be really cold...” said the man while keeping his dagger behind his back. "You promised not to bother me, right?" said this girl in a trembling voice. Hearing the girl's words, this bearded man burst into laughter.
"Don't worry! WAROK SOBRAH will keep his promise!” said this man as he stepped closer. It seems that this girl really believes in the words of that ungodly man, even though secretly her heart is throbbing.
For a moment, Warok Sobrah stared at the girl who was standing in front of him with her trembling body.
"What's your name, mother...?" he asked softly. “Sumanti...!” said this girl.
“Ah, what a good name, as good as the person…” The bearded man's head was nodding. The other hand brushed his face wet with rain earlier.
"Why did you run away from your father's house, Ki Demang Sunggoro?" Suddenly Warok Sobrah asked. The girl wiped her tears welling up.
"I don't want to be married to the Duke who already has four wives!" said this girl with a sobbing voice. Then continued his words.
"Ki Demang is not my biological father..." "Not your biological father?... Hm, so you don't
know about the robbery?” "Robbery? Who was robbed?” come back
asked the girl named Sumanti. His face seemed to turn pale.
“Hm, it turns out there are many things you should know. I'll tell you about it soon. But... you wait here. I'll check out this old building, who knows, I might find some old cloth to replace your soaked clothes. You seem really cold..."
Indeed, at that time Warok Sobrah saw the girl shivering several times from the cold.
Finished saying Warok Sobrah immediately walked away to check one of the rooms. Meanwhile, the girl named Sumanti stood transfixed staring at the bearded man. There was a sound of slow breathing.
Her worry suddenly disappeared when she saw Warok Sobrah's unexpected attitude.
After checking room after room in the old building.
It seems that the bearded man found a set of old clothes in a cupboard that was rotten and used as a rat's nest.
He jumped out carrying a pile of clothes in front of the girl.
And dropped it on the floor. Two small mice apparently got caught in the folds of the old clothes. When Warok dropped the clothes on the floor, the little animal jumped up with a squeak. Of course, this girl gasped again a second time.
"Hahaha... only two mice don't bite!" said Warok Sobrah while laughing. "Now! You look for clothes that are suitable and good enough to replace your clothes. I'm going to look for dry wood to make a campfire!” finished speaking again he entered a room. Not long after, he came out again carrying a piece of rotten wood. He crushed the wood into small pieces.
Then collect them on the floor. After piling up the wood chips, Warok Sobrah's arm groped between his wide belt. It turned out that on the leather belt there was a small pocket where a fire maker could be stored.
"Hm, luckily this fire maker didn't get wet in the rain." muttered the bearded man. Didn't wait long to use it.
After several tries, the fuse on the device lit up.
While Warok Sobrah made a campfire, this girl picked out old clothes and examined them one by one.
By the light of the campfire that Warok Sobrah had lit, this girl found an old piece of clothing that was still quite good. That is a long kebaya. Also a piece of cloth which isn't too bad. Even though the color is dull, the fabric is still quite good.
Sumanti quickly stood up when she saw the bearded man approaching.
"You've found it?" asked Warok Sobrah. This girl nodded.
“Now, quickly change your clothes…!” But this girl seems to be confused or awry. Because there was no way she would have to change clothes in front of that man.
Warok Sobrah smiled, then pointed his arm and said.
“Change your clothes in that room! Don't be afraid of demons! The only devil is me!" For a moment Sumanti stared at the bearded man. But she immediately looked away because she saw the man's eyes looking so sharp at her, as if they were peeling her body.
Without hesitation, he immediately walked quickly to the back of the room. In a room that was not so dark because of the light from the campfire, this girl quickly took off her clothes. Then replace them with old clothes.
A musty smell hit the nose from the clothes.
His heart was relieved, because until he finished changing clothes, Warok Sobrah seemed to be still squatting and choosing clothes to wear.
Seeing himself appear, the bearded man turned his head.
"Wow! You're so pretty in that ancient dress...!” he said with a smile. "Now! You sit near the campfire to warm your body."
It seems that Warok Sobrah has also found a set of old clothes. It's not very good, there are even rat bite marks on several parts of the hem of the black pangsi pants. But that's all that's still intact. Others are out of shape. But he was lucky because he got a large neckless shirt that was also black and made from thick, tough silk. It's no wonder it's still intact, because rats' teeth aren't strong enough to gnaw it.
Seeing that Sumanti had moved closer to the campfire, he immediately took off his wet trousers. Just then the girl turned around while squatting.
Of course his face immediately turned red.
He quickly turned away.
Warok Sobrah just doesn't care about wearing those (newly worn) trousers. Then he finished putting on his trousers, his arm grabbed a black silk shirt, and he immediately put it on. Only then did he tie his waist with his wide leather belt. It seems that this bearded man is very happy to get clothes that suit his taste. After standing still, he immediately turned around and moved closer to the campfire.
"Let's see, do I look good in these clothes?" asked Warok Sobrah. Sumanti turned to look at the man.
"You look dashing in those clothes..." he said in praise. Compliments are not just compliments. In her heart, this girl was secretly praising him truly. Although the man did look old, at least in his forties, his stocky body and the freshness of his face did not reveal his age. Even if the man shaved his jembros, he would certainly look younger and dashing.
Warok Sobrah seemed very happy to receive the praise.
His nose appeared to be flaring, and his lips immediately appeared in a wide smile.
“Is it true that I still look dashing? Hm, am I not as old as the Duke? "Still younger and dashing, where am I and the Duke?" asked Warok Sobrah.
This girl smiled. It seemed that this was the first time he was able to smile because he saw the chubby man's funny attitude. "Of course you are younger and... you are much more dashing..." said Sumanti honestly.
"Really...?" asked Warok Sobrah, looking at him increasingly sharply.
"Really!" said Sumanti. Inevitably, their two pairs of eyes met. But Sumanti quickly averted her gaze.
Suddenly he felt a strange vibration in his chest. The fat man's eyes don't seem as wild as those of a wolf. That gaze seemed to contain a deep meaning that penetrated the recesses of his heart.
Was it because she was starting to trust him? Who knows! What is clear is that he feels he has escaped the danger he so feared...
***
WHAT IS actually behind this event?
Whose family experienced the robbery? Let's take a look at the story behind before the appearance of the ugly man Warok Sobrah who chased the adopted daughter of Ki Demang SUNGGORO, who had run away from his house...
The rumors heard by the villagers of Kuto Anyar were getting louder, that Ki Demang Sunggoro's daughter, Sumanti, had been proposed by Adipati KUNCORO SETHO DENING PROJO to be his fifth wife. Even though this matter was kept secret, the news could not help but reach the ears of the people.
It turned out that the villagers of Kuto Anyar and its surroundings did not like Ki Demang Sunggoro secretly. Even the Duke of Kuncoro Sheto Dening Projo put too much pressure on the people with heavy taxes and various regulations imposed on the people.
This has been going on for a long time... until the people's condition is getting depressed. Besides that, they saw that Ki Demang's life was getting more luxurious.
The building was enlarged, complete with warehouses to accommodate sacks of rice, copra and other tax proceeds from the residents.