Fire of Revenge
Fire of Revenge
By Teguh Winarsho AS
What Kunti really needed were only a few clothes, a bag and a
pair of slippers. Then she could hurriedly leave, without
bothering to ever look back again.
But, 20-year-old Kunti was still standing, motionless, before
the bedroom of Ibu Sam, her employer. She felt hesitant. Three
years working in this house was no short period. She also knew a
new job would be hard to find these days. If she quit, where else
could she work? But she had to go. Right this morning!
It had been half an hour that Kunti had been standing there
still as a statue. She was still restless, like a defendant
waiting for a verdict of capital punishment.
She became more restless every time she recalled how Ibu Sam
hurriedly went into her room, saying, "Kunti, you must leave
first thing tomorrow morning." Kunti could not say anything. She
wondered what mistake she had made. She thought she had always
done her job as instructed. Why to quit? What was wrong? Was Ibu
Sam fed up with her? Did she want to find a new maid? A host of
questions crowded her brain, not allowing her to sleep a wink.
That's why she was still standing in front of Ibu Sam's
bedroom. She wanted to ask her why she had to quit. The door was
shut fast. She hesitated: To knock or not? She was afraid she
would wake up Ibu Sam. She did not have the heart to do so. But
she was overwhelmed with curiosity.
She regretted not directly asking Ibu Sam this question the
day before. If she had, she could have simply left the house.
But, then, did Ibu Sam ever give her a chance to ask? No way. She
slammed the door after telling her she had to leave the next
morning.
Feeling foolish standing motionless before the door to the
bedroom, Kunti took a step forward. She tried to stand erect and
was bracing herself to knock on the door.
But, then, she hesitated and lowered her hand again. She took
a deep breath. Her heart beat faster than usual. Do I need to
knock on the door and ask her the question? Why don't I just
forget it and leave the house for my village?
Kunti was tortured by a variety of questions. She mustered her
courage again now. Taking a deep breath. Shit! My heart is
beating fast. She found it hard to breathe. Her face was wet with
perspiration. She forced herself to put out her hand. It was
trembling slightly. For quite a while, she put out her hand ready
to knock on the door. Just a little more force and she would
knock on the door. Unfortunately, she suddenly felt weak, losing
all her energy. She lowered her hand again, and shook her head,
tired.
Kunti left everything to God now. She gave up her desire to
knock on Ibu Sam's bedroom. I'd better leave this place as soon
as possible, she said to herself.
She began to feel hot, as if something was burning inside her.
As she turned to pick up the goods she had packed in a black
plastic bag, the door to Ibu Sam's room opened wide and the lady
appeared. Her face showed she had slept too much. Still, Kunti
trembled in fear. Her face turned pale.
"Why are you still here, Kunti?" Ibu Sam said in a tone that
to Kunti sounded like the booming sound of a clap of thunder.
Kunti looked down. Silently, she endured the pang of being
banished by her employer. Her chest felt hot. Slowly she
approached her room, and took the black plastic bag. Fleetingly,
the faces of her parents back home and her childhood friends
Ijah, Ulin, Romlah, Narti appeared in her mind.
***
Kunti did not feel the scorching sun on the way home. When she
tried to enter the house, she fainted. She was unable to grab the
pillar on the terrace. She fell down face first at the end of the
stairs.
Emak (mother), hearing the thud, immediately shouted
hysterically "Kuuuuntiiii!", rousing her neighbors. Not knowing
what to do, Emak sobbed, every now and then shaking the
motionless body of Kunti.
Neighbors came to offer assistance. They carried Kunti's body
into the house and laid it on a dilapidated bamboo bench used as
a makeshift bed. Some women were trying to comfort Emak, while
others were taking care of Kunti. They applied medicated oil on
her body and massaged her legs. Still, Kunti was unconscious and
Emak became hysterical, sobbing even more loudly.
More and more people came to see Kunti. After a brief look at
her body, they went outside and exchanged words on the terrace.
Kunti's house, usually quiet, was buzzing with activity.
"I'm sure she has been tortured by her boss," one said, his
face serious.
"Yes, yes, yes. Look at her bruised face. And her thin body,"
chimed in another.
"Was she also raped, perhaps? And now, pregnant, perhaps?"
"Hmmm, maybe. Look, her belly is big."
"Yes, yes, yes, this is not a new story. Before, we had
Rukhis, the daughter of Pak Mali. Then, Munah and now, Kunti.
Come on. Who will it be tomorrow? Hey, Bargo, tell your daughter
to stop working as a housemaid.!"
People suddenly turned to Bargo, who, out of surprise, could
only stammer, almost inaudibly: "Well, I... I ... I ... will send
her a letter soon."
People outside Kunti's house began to talk about Kunti again.
Suddenly they saw Pak Sukro, Kunti's father, returning home from
his paddy field. Someone hurriedly approached and embraced him.
Pak Sukro knew something was wrong with his daughter but he kept
his composure.
When he saw his daughter's condition, he trembled with rage.
Saying nothing, he left the house to greet the people crowding
the road. His eyes were two gleaming balls of fire.
Meanwhile, on the bamboo platform, Kunti began to move. She
had regained consciousness. Seeing this, Emak rushed toward Kunti
to embrace her.
***
A truck pulled up. Inside the house, Ibu Sam felt worried. She
turned off the television and rushed to the sitting room. From
behind the curtain, Ibu Sam, could not help trembling upon seeing
the mob of angry people standing at the back of her house. Who
are they?
Ibu Sam did not have time to scrutinize their faces. In panic
and fear, she telephoned the police station. Before she could get
through, several stones were thrown through the window. Broken
glass hit the legs of Ibu Sam. Bleeding and limping, she left
from the rear door. In her heart she cursed her husband for
coming home late.
The mob began to break through the door. As if assisted by
some supernatural power, they brought down the teak wood door.
Wild and uncontrollable, they entered the house brandishing their
weapons -- swords and machetes -- shouting wildly. Inside, they
destroyed an aquarium, two earthen vessels and flower pots.
Chairs were thrown upside down, curtains were torn. Where are the
occupants? People simply kept this question to themselves.
It was not clear who first began it, but the people later
looted valuables from the house. They took all the goods they
could lay their hands on into the truck. The angry mob had turned
into a gang of thieves. Faces beamed, expressing thanks. Nobody
owned a 21-inch TV set, a VCD player, a tape recorder, a water
dispenser, a gas stove, a spring bed, a sofa, a carpet -- well,
this was the opportunity of a life time. Everybody had to take
part.
Outside, darkness began to descend. People returned to the
truck when a thick cloud of smoke wafted from the kitchen. There
was the smell of burnt plastic. Bottles exploded. Wooden beams
broke. Flames of fire were like a dragon moving along the roof of
the house, licking the dull evening sky with its fiery tongue.
The truck slowly moved on, its buzzing sound drowning the
laughter of the people it carried.
Meanwhile, at a roadside, not far from the house of Ibu Sam,
Kunti stood silently. She smiled, stroking her belly -- well, she
told those people she was pregnant. She dragged her feet looking
for a public transportation vehicle that could take her home. She
knew the police would be here soon. They would ask her many
things.
She knew she would keep her mouth shut, just like Ibu Sam
refusing to tell her why she had to quit. But Kunti did not want
to get home too late. She saw her father and his friend carrying
a 21-inch television into the truck. She wanted to watch
television and also enjoy the refrigerator and spring bed.
Translated by Faldy Rasyidie & Lie Hua