The Three Chosen
9. Apologizing

Rafi's ghost reached out her hand to touch Marlia's head. She tried to wake her mother by whispering a few words. But unfortunately Marlia refused to wake up and went further and further into her dreamland. At first Marlia was pretending to be unconscious, but eventually Marlia fell asleep and wandered into a dream that she did not want to end.

Rafi put her hand away while looking at Faiq.

“ Mama don't want to wake up Om. Mama said, Mama wants to stop. Mama is afraid to wake up later Lafi will miss Mama again.” said Rafi with a sad mimic.

“ That's yes. Try Rafi say if Mama does not wake up, later Papa can come and mukulin Mama again..,” Faiq advice.

Rafi tries to follow Faiq's advice and reawakens Marlia. Just like earlier, Marlia remained silent and chose to continue ‘terstat’ further and further in the endless dreamland.

“ Hard Om, Mama don't want..,” said Rafi almost crying.

Faiq smiled and approached Marlia and Rafi. Gently he grabbed Rafi's ghost hand and placed it on Marlia's forehead. Meanwhile Fatur and Heru help by reading the verse al Qur’an and dhikr in the heart. Faiq also managed to get into the dreamland of Marlia.

In the dream Marlia can be seen if Marlia is busy staring at Rafi who is playing with her friends.

Marlia seemed to smile happily watching her child laugh happily. Faiq approached Marlia and greeted her.

“ Assalamualaikum Bu Marlia..,” greet Faiq.

“ Wa aleikumsalam. Who are you, what do you want here..?” ask Marlia in fear.

“ Don't be afraid Miss Marlia. I'm Faiq. I've come to see you and Rafi..” said Faiq.

“ For what. Don't bother me and my son. Go there...!” drive Marlia away and throw a pebble not far from her towards Faiq.

Seeing the mother attacking Faiq, Rafi immediately broke up.

“ Don't, Om Faiq good olang Ma. Om Faiq who will help us.” said Rafi while hugging Marlia's waist.

from behind.

“ Help Us, Rafi means what..?” marlia asked while looking at her son.

“ Said Om Faiq, Om Police have arrested Papa. So Mama smooth goes with Om Faiq bial Papa ga mukulin Mama again. Mama will come with Om Faiq..?” ask Rafi's ghost expectantly.

“ Why should I come with you..?” ask Marlia to Faiq.

“ Because you have to testify in front of the Police that it was Anom who injured Rafi first and kept you in the warehouse all this time.

“ Me..., I don't want to. I was afraid...,” rejected Marlia while shaking her head strongly.

“ But Mama smooth wants. Mama doesn't like me. Papa's Gala-gala, we can't see each other again. I can only see Mama but can not hug Mama rich first except in a dream.” said ghost Rafi sad.

Rafi's words made Marlia realize that at that time she was dreaming. Marlia turned to Rafi and looked at her. Rafi looks smiling then slowly transformed into the figure of Rafi who was in the memory of Marlia last time. A bruised body, a head full of blood from a stone wound, and a gaping wound in the stomach with his intestines washed out by the sabetage of Anom's knife.

Seeing Rafi's condition made Marlia scream hysterically. Especially when Rafi's body floated and away while staring sadly at Marlia.

“ Rafi..!” call Marlia who sits on the bed with a face covered in tears.

“ Alhamdulillah..,” muttered Fatur and Heru together.

Marlia turned to her right and left as if trying to recognize the room where she was. Marlia's gaze stopped on the figure of Faiq who was staring fixedly at him.

“ You...,” Marlia's speech is interrupted with the index finger pointing at Faiq.

“ Assalamualaikum Bu Marlia, how are you. We meet again yes..,” greet Faiq with a smile.

Marlia was stunned to hear Faiq's greeting to her. And Marlia believes that Faiq will help her.

“ I will comply with Rafi's request. Please help us...” said Marlia in a vibrating voice.

“ The important thing is now Bu Marlia recovered first and healthy again. After that, insha Allah Saya, Om Saya and My Brother the Police will help Mother demand justice for the late Rafi.

“ So Rafi has died already Mas..,” said Marlia with teary eyes.

“ Yes Mom, sorry...,” says Faiq is not feeling well.

Marlia shook her head then cried. His sobs rang heart-wrenching to make Faiq, Fatur and Heru pity.

“ I know Rafi may not have survived because the injury was too severe at the time. But I did not expect that Rafi's spirit was still wandering and curious.” said Marlia in between sobs.

“ Rafi is still curious because she can not hug Bu Marlia at the end of her life. As Bu Marlia's request before

kidnapped by Mr. Anom first, the residents took Rafi to the Hospital. But unfortunately Rafi died on the way.  Residents did not dare to take care of Rafi's body because they did not want to deal with the famous arrogant Pak Anom. Residents do not want their good intentions misunderstood by Mr. Anom later. Rafi's body was left in the hospital. After a month or so no one came to take care of Rafi's body, the Hospital decided to bury Rafi in the public cemetery.

“ It's not Miss Marlia's fault. Rafi knows that Bu Marlia loves her sincerely.

“ Thanks Mas. Now I want to put Anom in jail. He must pay for his evil deeds

this..,” says Marlia steady.

Faiq, Fatur and Heru smiled at him. They were proud that Marlia was willing to fight for justice for her son and another woman who was the victim of Anom's crimes.

\=====

Asti's ghost stared at Anom who was sitting daydreaming in a holding cell. Asti hates to remember his stupidity first. Slowly the ghost of Asti floated towards Anom who was surprised to see his presence.

“ Ka, You...” said Anom nervously.

“ How are you Anom...,” greet the ghost of Asti while approaching Anom.

Anom tries to calm down to face Asti who he believes is the ghost. The day after her marriage to Ria first, Anom got word if Asti died. Anom was sad because he thought Asti died by suicide. For a dozen years Anom lived with uneasy feelings with Ria and their two children. Anom is always haunted by guilt for the death of Asti who was suspected of suicide. Until finally the time he was worried about came too. That is the time when all his crimes are exposed and he must account for everything before the law.

“ I am good and always good when not with you.” said Anom ketus.

“ So. But what I saw was the opposite. Since not being with me you've not even been taken care of and looked far away

older than the age should be. What's up Anom...?” ask the ghost of Asti while holding a smile.

“ Well, it's because I'm busy taking care of the citizens who chose me to be the Chairman of RT. I almost don't have time for myself. But gapapa, I am happy to see the citizens happy and fulfilled his rights.

“ Sure it's not because of anything else Anom..?” urge the ghost of Asti right in front of Anom's face.

“ What do you mean..?” tanya Anom began to panic especially when he saw the beautiful face of Asti's ghost from a short distance.

Asti's ghost smiled meaningfully. From a very close distance Anom can see the change in the form of Asti's ghost until his eyes did not have time to blink. Slowly but surely, the beautiful form of Asti wearing white kebaya was changed to the last form when she died from the accident. The right side of the body, from head to foot, looks crushed and covered in blood. The skulls of his head and body skeleton appeared to be poking out with flesh that was almost dated. Two iron sticks on his face and eyes until penetrating to the back of the head also makes Anom grimace in horror. So afraid to see the ghost sighting of Asti makes Anom peck with a gaping mouth. Both palms also appear to expand as if dispelling the ghost of Asti who moves closer to him.

" This is my last form of Anom. And I want your life to be destroyed like my body...!" asti's ghost said before disappearing leaving Anom's stiff body motionless.

Anom remained in such a state for hours until the police who would interrogate him came in and saw him. The police immediately brought Anom's stiff body to the clinic to be treated.

\=====

Faiq and Fatur followed Heru who entered the clinic after getting a report from his men. When they arrived at the clinic they immediately met Anom who was being treated there.

Heru, Faiq and Fatur's steps were stopped in the doorway of the room where the anom was treated. How not. Anom was lying in a slightly strange position. Both legs are in a bending position with both palms that appear to be spread in front of his face as if ready to dispel something or foreign object that will approach him. Both of his eyes stared fixedly at the ceiling of the room without blinking. Faiq and Fatur who knew the cause of Anom acting strangely also seemed relaxed.

“ What happened doc...?” ask Heru.

“ Patient's accuracy is afraid sir..,” said the doctor.

“ Fear, time anyway doc..?” ask Heru again.

“ See from the expression of his face is so sir. But to deal with his stiff body, the patient can be taken to a neurologist because frankly this is not the field I Sir..,” the doctor advised.

Heru stared at Faiq and Fatur alternately as if asking for an opinion on the two.

“ There is only one way for Anom to heal..,” Fatur said.

“ How to Om...?” ask Heru curiously.

“ Meet Anom with Asti's parents. Ask him to apologize and fulfill whatever Asti's parents ask later.” said Fatur.

“ But where can we find Asti Om's parents.?” ask Heru riled.

“ Ask Anom. He always remembers the direction to Asti's parents' house compared to the direction to Ria's parents' house which incidentally is her in-laws.

“ Kok so Om, so strange..” said Heru while scratching his head.

“ That's Her fact. Anom should have done it long ago. Since she chose to marry Ria and annul her marriage to Asti unilaterally. Both Asti's parents continue to wait but Anom never came until this second.

“ What after apologizing Anom state can be normal again om..?” ask Heru.

“ Maybe yes, or maybe even will not heal at all..,” said Fatur.

Fatur's words make Heru understand if an apology can change the fate of someone including Anom.

Seriate