pancason
51. Tragedy of Riri village

"What's that sound?" ask Ita and make everyone mute.

They all looked at each other while sharpening their hearing to be able to know what sounds were heard in the noisy rain outside.

"Somebody running outside, huh?" ask Diah for another opinion. It could be that what Diah heard was only he who heard it alone.

But apparently the other friends heard this. "Yes. I think there are people who play in puddles of rain, deh," said others argue.

This makes them curious. As a result, Dana moved from her seat. With a sagging step, he peeked out from behind the window. Everyone noticed Dana's movements as well as her facial expressions that would be able to explain the situation outside the house.

Of course they're all scared. Being in a dead village whose inhabitants are not human is the second bad thing they experience after getting lost in the forest. "Where, Dan? What's outside?" ask Hani curious.

"There ... person. Uh, people or demons, huh?" dana asked back. He himself was unsure of what he was looking at right now.

Seeing this Rea who had been curious since then finally moved to catch up with Dana. Rea saw what Dana saw. Outside the house, precisely in the courtyard of the house, there was a small child who was running in front as if playing in the rain. Rea finally understood why Dana could not answer with certainty for what she saw now. Because Rea felt the same way.

"Where, Re?"

"Eum, I don't know if a child is human or not. The condition of his face is not the same as other villagers. Let's see for yourself, "let's get Rea.

Everyone is now flocking to the window. Those who were curious finally ventured to see the figure of the little boy mentioned by Rea.

No one said a word. They only pay attention to the behavior of the little boy who is playing rain water like a normal human child.

" is he the only human being?" ask Blendoz.

" Well, there's a little kid who lives in this creepy place and can survive here for a long time?"

" yes, it doesn't make sense that he's human. But it looks like a human being."

" How do dong go. What should we do?"

" we're just samperin him."

"Re, don't be careless. What if he was a demon? Who knows if suddenly we samperin him, his form will change like another. It's a serem."

"Yes already. You guys just wait here. Let me be the samperin" Dana said firmly.

"I'm coming!" pinta Rea and immediately followed Dana who had now reached the door.

They both did not open the door. The two stared at each other as if they were gathering the courage to open the door and meet the figure of a child outside. Dana nodded followed by Rea as well.

Dana opened the door slowly. The creaking of the sound of worn wood sounded deafening. Rea remained standing behind Dana. Once the door was fully opened, the little boy who was still playing outside turned his head. The three of them looked at each other and remained silent for a while.

Dana slowly walked closer. But the boy was still standing in his place while watching Dana and Rea. Until finally they both arrived at the terrace of the house. Not dare to go any further especially with the heavy rain conditions outside. The little boy did not move from his position, making Rea finally wave, as a gesture for him to come closer. It was the least he could do so that the child would not feel afraid of him. Although actually quite the opposite. The young people of this city are afraid of this child. 

Seeing the boy's very innocent reaction, it made Rea start to soften. He even thought that if the child was indeed the only human being among the villagers it would make a lot of sense.  Given how perfectly normal the child looked and looked, there was no sign of the creepy mark as seen on all the villagers they had met since. Rea steps closer, but Dana holds him back while shaking his head slowly, a sign of a subtle ban for the girl. But Rea only smiled, as if telling the young man before her not to worry too much. 

The rain that was originally heavy and accompanied by lightning that struck turned to subside. Just leave a small drizzle that will not wet the body if it is under it. Without hesitation Rea continued walking towards the little boy. While the child had no signs of resisting or doing anything when he saw Rea approaching. He just stood up and continued to stare at Rea who continued to widen his smile. 

Once he got in front of the child, Rea then squatted to be in line with him. "Hi, I'm Rea. What's your name?" The question was not just a word, but Rea also did a physical touch by gently stroking the girl's head. Feeling no rejection, Rea then again asked another question. 

"You're all alone? Where are your parents? You live here?" 

The little girl looked back, then pointed to an empty house that did not have the equipment like other houses. Ever since they were in the village, the house the little boy had pointed to did indeed appear empty uninhabited.

"You live there?" ask Rea to guess.

But the girl shook her head quickly. "No. I live in the woods there, "pointing him behind her. 

Rea's eyes twinkled, apparently the girl started to respond to him. This also made Rea certain of one thing. He is a human. He is not like the villagers. 

"In the woods? You live alone?"

The little girl nodded slowly, clenched her hands together and played it as a form of an overflow of anxiety and fear. 

"Relene."

"Riri's? Our names are almost similar!" kepas Rea then let go of his embrace and looked at Riri's face that looked dirty unkempt. Rea looked back when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Dana who saw the dramatic scene was then curious about what happened. No more fear as before. And so with his other friends. One by one they went out of the house to see clearly who the little boy was being hugged by Rea. 

"Oh, yeah. That's my friends. Don't be afraid, yeah. They're good, '" Rea explained as she looked at Riri's slightly backward giraffe as Dana approached them. 

The other friends approached. Rea moved while remaining on Riri's side. Even Riri was now holding Rea's hand continuously. He felt comfortable when he was close to Rea. 

"Name Riri. He is human" Rea whispered. 

"What!"

"Seriously?"

"A little boy alone in this demon village? How can?"

The questions of her friends made sense, and Rea herself was also curious about what happened to Riri, to the point that she lived in the forest all by herself. Rea could guess it since no one else had been with Riri since earlier. 

"Go in first, yuk. Riri hasn't eaten, has she?" ask Rea gently. Riri shook her head, then followed Rea's steps into the house. 

Until inside, Riri was given food that is still there, and is worthy for human consumption. Ever since seeing the maggots and remembering that they had eaten them since breakfast, made their appetite disappear completely. But not for Riri. He looks very hungry. As if I haven't eaten for days. They just looked at Riri pity. How could a child like Riri survive in the forest alone. Especially with the condition of the village that is filled with zombies. Well, that's the name Hani keeps on giving since knowing everything. 

Riri had spent all their dinner rations that had been left alone. The little girl is full now. Even the burps that actually make it look funny, so they all laughed loosely after the terrible events they had been through together. 

"Happy?" asked Rea while continuing to pay attention to both eyes of Riri fixed. Riri nodded then smiled faintly. "Alhamdulillah."

"Alhamdulillah," cried Riri following the words of Rea. 

"Eh, want this?" asked Diah while thrusting the milk chocolate flavor box on the little boy. Of course Riri nodded quickly and looked very happy to get the drink. Riri's appearance as if like a coolant in times of gripping conditions that they experience. They started to forget a little about the fear of the villagers. Although not completely forgotten, only a little distracted.

"Oh yes, Riri. Can I ask you a few things?" ask Rea who started the interrogation. 

Riri nodded while enjoying her chocolate milk. 

"Who's Riri been living with all this time in the woods?"

"Himself."

Rea and his friends looked at each other. The answer sounded heartbreaking as it came from the mouth of an eight-year-old girl before them. You can imagine how Riri can live alone and live in the forest. It's not all that easy. 

"Where's Riri's old man?" ask Leni. Now everyone was sitting near Riri without any more fear and anxiety. 

"Udah does not exist. They're just like the other villagers."

"Jeez."

"What's really going on, Ri? Why did the villagers become like that?"

"Eum, that's ... Because there was a bad guy who came to our village a few years ago. He killed everyone, but everyone didn't realize they were dead." Riri also told me about everything that happened in his village. Regarding the arrival of the evil person that Riri mentioned earlier, it was enough to make them surprised. And they immediately remembered Fauzan who was now a terrible bad man, who lived in the forest. But the forest where Fauzan is located with the forest where Riri lives is not the same. 

The village is a prosperous, peaceful, and harmonious village. Although far from the city center, even far from other villages around, but their lives are pleasant. Unaffected gadgets and internet networks are not as long as it makes humans tormented. Precisely the villagers are more productive with various activities of farming, farming, and many other things. Because they are very productive, they do not need to go to the city to buy daily necessities. Vegetables just pick in front of the house. There is also a rice field. There are farmers of fish, chickens, and other animals. Like cows and goats. They do not need money as a means of buying and selling. Because most of them trade in a barter way. Everything has been going well for decades, even hereditary since their grandparents. 

The quiet life was disturbed when suddenly someone appeared to their village in a messy condition. His body was injured like it had been in a great fight with someone.

The man came from the forest. He then fainted while the villagers were starting activities every morning. Automatic everyone is anxious to see the condition of the stranger. They helped him too. Take the man to the village chief's house. At the village chief's house he was treated and given food, so his condition slowly improved.

No one knows where the stranger came from. His name is Jaka. But seeing from the character and attitude of Jaka, the villagers accepted it well. He was already considered like a villager like the others. Jaka lives in the empty house they are currently living in. He often helps in the field or even take care of livestock. There is no need for wages in the form of money, but Jaka is paid with the love of all the villagers. I no longer have to think about food. Because every day someone feeds him. Their lives were as normal as ever. Until one night everything turned into a disaster.

Jaka suddenly came out of the house in the middle of the night, and killed all the villagers one by one. No exception to the Riri family. Luckily, Riri was hiding in the closet. When the little girl saw Jaka kill her parents, Riri immediately went into hiding to save himself. Jaka who was in a hurry to kill all the villagers, forgot about Riri who had escaped his brutality. Riri kept hiding in the closet. She's terrified. That was why he did not dare to go out. From inside his house, the lyrics pay attention to all what Jaka does to the entire village.

Jaka gathered all the villagers in the middle of the road. Precisely on the rocky road in front of the house. Once all the bodies have been collected, Jaka read a reading that sounds strange in Riri's ear. The language used by Jaka is not Indonesian or regional language in the archipelago. Strangely one by one of the dead villagers rose again.

They behave as usual when they are alive. They all went back to their homes. Riri, who was frightened at the sight of her parents covered in blood, with the condition of the injured limb, even her neck was almost broken, could only hide in her room. Riri never left her house even out of her room until tomorrow.