The secret

Teguh Winarsho AS

It was a murky dawn as the burly tattooed man staggered along the narrow alley.

Running along the side was the ditch with muddy water. Unless he watched his step, the brawny man could fall into the channel and drown, only to wash up in a distant place hours -- days -- later. And nobody would know him.

With one leg seemingly longer than the other, he weaved along. With an angry stare, he saw a dim light on the porch of his house.

His legs threatened to give way when he walked up the steps to the porch. He panted for breath, but nobody responded as he knocked on the door. With no sign of anyone opening the door, he paced back and forth. After a while he walked toward a couch on the porch, falling asleep and snoring loudly.

***

The woman lay fast asleep under a blanket on her bed, until the noise of the snoring outside stirred her.

Her heart pounded. Hurriedly, she woke the man next to her.

"Wake up! Wake up!" she whispered, shaking him.

The young, handsome man opened his eyes, blinking hard at the light.

"What's wrong?" he mumbled. The woman put a finger to her lips.

And then he heard the snoring, and knew. He jumped out of bed, hurriedly putting on his underpants and suit. His face was white with fear. The woman opened a window silently and beckoned to the young man to climb through the opening.

He shivered as he stealthily crossed the side yard, turning briefly to snatch a look at the man snoring on the couch. He felt sick to his stomach.

Still drowsy, the young man trod carefully along the narrow lane. For at the side was the ditch full of muddy water. He had to watch his step or else he could fall into the channel and be drown, perhaps never to be identified.

* * *

The woman took out the blanket to cover the muscular man on the porch. The tattooed man slept more soundly with the cover, snoring harder.

She went into the kitchen to cook him something for when he woke up, but there was nothing to be had.

She checked her empty purse in the room, but then remembered the young man had left her some money under her pillow.

After tidying her hair, she left for the market through the narrow alley, with the ditch at its side carrying the muddy water. The face of the young man was still in her mind, making her stumble now and again. She had to be careful, otherwise she could fall and drown in the stream, perhaps never to be identified.

* * *

The tattooed man sat on the porch after bathing, his hair neatly parted. On the round table beside him was a cup of hot coffee. But the man looked uneasy for he had no cigarettes.

The woman came back from the market, carrying a bag of groceries. The man smiled to welcome her, winking at her to show he needed money. She gave him five thousand rupiah.

"Still a lot more left?" asked the hefty man, rising from his seat.

He had never asked her such a question before. She hurriedly looked in her purse -- there was about one hundred thousand or so remaining.

"No, it's just enough for tomorrow!" The woman quickly dropped the purse into the plastic bag.

The man smiled and nodded. But his knowing look made her nervous as he scurried away to the nearby kiosk.

* * *

The young man handed over some money for his coffee, cigarettes and boiled noodles, but the stall owner took his time finding change.

Then he felt the pat on his shoulder.

Shuddering and frightened, the young man bent his head. He didn't dare fight, for he was bound to lose.

The burly man stared at him and took his arm, leading the young man across the street. Nobody heard what the tattooed man said as the young man remained silent, making an occasional nod, but no longer frightened.

* * *

The woman was asleep, the blanket covering her body. But all at once she was awakened by the snoring outside.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

The man next to her only writhed around, his eyes closed. The woman rocked his body harder until he woke up.

The young man looked surprised to see her frightened face.

"What's the matter?"

"My husband's back! Quick, get out through the window quickly!" she whispered.

But the young man did not get up, but held her in his arms.

"You're nuts! My husband will cut your throat!" she hissed.

The young man laughed. "It's OK, sweetie. Your man let me do this, he knows about us. I gave him some money yesterday," he said.

The woman was stunned as the man began caressing her body.

It was the crack of dawn. The tattooed man lay on the couch, snoring loudly, a faint smile forming on his face.

Translated by Aris Prawira