SRI WINTALA ACHMAD" SHORT STORIES

THE STONE-WOMAN

By: Sri Wintala Achmad

I CALLED her Jonggrang. That name was suitable for whose face making me to remember with the stone-woman cursed by Bandung. Because, the words said by her were like the poisonous wine. As the result, many men hoping her love their heart was hurt. It was mortifier than sliced by thousands razor blades.

Many men had been Jonggrang’s boy-friends. They were not just Radi, but Kartiko, Yok, and Nunung. I ever became hers as well. Like others, I was left by her going away. Her reason was reason. The woman having of stone-body and heart never reached orgasm after making love on the bed of flowers.

I saw Jonggrang again after having separated for seven months. My leased house was behind hers in which she said that it was bought by her father. A retired official of mine was from side the island. The sense of sin was not appeared on her face, when she saw me at a small shop of cigarette.

In the evening, Jonggrang came to my leased house. She did not want to meet me, but Bin. The young girl I had married her since last month. From the working room, I knew what she purposed to. She wanted to look after one of five little dogs born by his mother two days ago. My wife who did not like those dogs giving one for her. The woman I was hater than snakes.

After Jonggrang was back, Bin came into my working room. She sat down closely beside me being busy with computer to write a review for the Reference Book of Woman to Subdue Men sent by Puguh Winarsa. "Excuse me, Baby! I have given Youngest for her. I am very jealous. You are lover him than me."

I did not answer. My angriness to Bin still flew together with blood and breath. But when she knowing about my weakness kissed my cheek, I saved data immediately. The computer I shut down. I took Bin by the hand to bedroom. No making love but I just caressed her lips parting like a pink rose. Up to my thirsty heart of butterfly was fallen asleep. "I love you, Bin?"

"Do you forever?"

"Yes. Will you?"

"No."

"Is there other man in your heart?"

"There are dogs in our house."

I stayed clear of fingers putting on Bin’s lips. Sucking of breath and throwing it out. "For love, take all dogs outside from this house! In order to my love for you shall not be divided."

"What true?"

I nodded.

Bin woke up from bed. She went out from bedroom after kissing my cheek more. I did not know what she shall do. One I just know. In the next morning, I did not see the dogs at home. They were my loyal friends, when she worked as a teacher of kindergarten, teaching human’s children was more difficult than animal’s.

***

No compromising the time passed away. No seeing of the dogs at home for six months, I felt there was lost in my life. As the result, my desire for seeing of Youngest looked after by Jonggrang might not be irresistible. When Bin having been pregnant went out to work, I spent time to visit Youngest. The dog never saw a sun. She put him in the bedroom forever.

Reaching Jonggrang’s house, I knocked the closed wood-door. When it was opened, my sexual desire raged immediately. It was caused by Jonggrang wearing towel to cover her sexual organs made me passionate. More than that, when I smell her fragrant hair hung down wetly after she had shampooed it. My heart beat faster, when looked at her body’s creamy yellow.

"What is your purpose to come here, Mad? Our love-story has been ended. Do not we precede it again! Be faithful for Bin! She is as the sea hiding pearl in her soul. I am happy, you live together with her."

"I just want to see Youngest."

"Seeing of Youngest just makes you remembering for our love-story. I do not like if you turn away from Bin’s love. The young woman makes me remembering forever for Pril. My pregnant girl after her father had raped her. Let me see him lonely. Thus, I can reminisce about you. The good man who ever love for me, the whore is. Be back, please! Work well! Shall your child be born next?"

Walking slowly, I left Jonggrang. At home, I had no desire to work in front of computer. My wish for seeing of Youngest raged in the chest. But it calmed down when Bin coming back from the school of Kindergarten kissed naughtily my cheek. Like a little child, she whimpered more. She requested me to caress her stomach.

***

In the midnight, Bin was fast asleep. I released her arm folding my chest slowly. Walking slowly, I left home to Jonggrang’s window of room, where Youngest was put in. Being carefully, I spied the room through slot of the brittle wood window. Feeling to be thrown far to the strange country, I watched that she having a shape of stone-sculpture was making love with the dog. It made my hair standing on end. Immediately, I left the accursed place by trembled steps.

"Where do you come from, Mad?"

"Toilet, Bin."

"Don’t you come from Jonggrang’s home?"

"No."

"Don’t tell a lie! It’s no good for our child living as an ascetic in the womb. Do you want in which our child shall be difficult to be born on next time?"

"No!"

"Therefore, don’t tell a lie!"

"OK. I have been from hers."

"Do you still love her?"

"No, I never love her?"

"You have tried to lie twice. She has ever informed about your affair of love. Don’t you ever love each other?"

"Of course, I ever do. But, I have come to hers for seeing of Youngest. I miss for him."

"I know, Mad. Cause that you have ever been a dog of lustful slave for the stone-woman."

"Why do you know well to all of those?"

"I am her child. Aprilia Binastia. Do you forget my full name, Mad?"

"Is it right?"

"Yes. I was the unfortunate girl raped by herself father, after my mother fled from home. She was making love from one man to others. In my raging problem, I killed fetus in the womb. The story ended. After from dukun’s home helping to my evil, I found my father falling headfirst in the kitchen near toilet. The knife stuck 

into his bleeding chest."

No words I said. Unknowing, what I shall do next. I was like a stupid person being able to give no stick or guidance for the blind. But I just felt to Bin’ sadness vibrating in the soul. Up to my nerve vibrated dreadfully. Bin who put her head on my lap mourned her last fate by crying. Her tears were like the rain spilled from sky.

Sanggar Gunung Gamping, 10022008

WAITING FOR NANA’S CALL

By Sri Wintala Achmad

IN THE MORNING, the hand-phone rang. Winarko got up. Walking to the working-desk in which it was put on. He took it up. For a moment, he saw a series of sender’s numbers on screen having not been saved in the phone-book. He pressed a key of ‘Yes’. His Heart vibrated. Winarko put closely the hand-phone to his right ear. "Hallo!"

"Wintala?"

"No, I am not."

"02746623372?"

"No, it is not mine."

"Excuse me. It is miscalled!"

Winarko pressed a key of ‘No’. He vexed. The hand-phone he put on the desk beside his PC Pentium 2. He was back to room. He could not sleep on. Being worried, when he waited girl’s call promising last night to make a decision in which she should receive or refuse his love.

From bed whose rumpled coverlet, Winarko got up. He walked to the working-desk, sitting down on chair. He did not press his computer’s button to open a program of MS word and to write about. He just took out cigarette from its box, set fire to matches, lighted the cigarette, smoked it as strong as possible, and blew off its fumes through his mouth and nose. Winarko waiting its ringing became more nervous.

The sun was moving up slowly, while Winarko had not been yet stood from the chair. His mind soared as a balloon adrift and buffeted by wind on the sky. His chest vibrated. The hand-phone rang. Immediately, he took it up. Put closely beside his ear. "Hallo."

"Are you writing?"

"I am waiting for statement."

"What is it about?"

"The love is."

"Who shall say it?"

"Are not you Nana?"

"I am Lina."

"Are you poet?"

"I am novelist."

"What is wrong with you?"

"I just make a question."

Winarko pressed a key of ‘No’. He was very angry. No question he hoped but statement. That was not from Lina but Nana, the divorcee who liked no novel. But her story of life was interested to be made a novel. Her former husband had made a dishonest with other woman. Her unmarried girl had been impregnated by her friend of school. At the latest, Nana went out from her leased home at Jemberan No. 20. It was near gas station in front of old terminal.

Winarko got up from the chair. He went to the door knocked hardly. At the terrace, Winarko found man having a spooky face and luxuriant mustache. His gaze was as sharp as tiger’s spying for young deer. His neck had a tattoo of jackal beside the former hurt scratched by sharp pocket knife. "Are you Winarko?"

"Yes, I am. Are you?"

"Jonet. Do you know Nana well?"

"Which Nana do you mean?"

"The divorcee is having thin lips. Her face reflects revenge. She likes stealing a glance of men’s pocket. The small mole is under her lip. Her straight hair is up to shoulder. Her skin is dark brown. She rents a home at Jemberan 20."

"Are you her former husband?"

"No, I am a victim."

"What do you mean?"

"She has deceived me. The whore has stolen my hand-phone and money. After last night, she made love 

with me in the cheap hotel near south beach."

"Why do you come here?"

"Cause that you are her boy-friend. Did not you call Nana last night?"

"Why do not you find to her leased home?"

"She had not stayed there again. People said that the leasing time had been finished since two months ago."

"Report that case to police!"

"Ok. Thanks."

Winarko inhaled. Then it was thrown out. Having no long thought, Winarko opened the phone book. He looked for a calling number used by Nana last night. The calling number of men’s hand-phone that had left his house. After it had found, he pressed key of ‘Yes’. What pity! No answers, but words: "You are connecting to mail box. Leave a massage, please!"

The curse of pig, dog, or whore Winarko said no control. His face was like burnt. His hands held firmly. As a large black hawk, he wanted to rip his caught snake. The devil having a divided tongue had shattered his hope with the unfulfilled promise. No seeing sender’s number, Winarko put his hand-phone on the desk. It was let up to the ringing he did not hear again.

On the chair, Winarko was like a cold marble sculpture. In front of his Personal Computer, he asked for God. The king of whole world he had forgotten more. "Do not you create the girl having golden-heart but Astuti? My friend of Philosophy Faculty I had refused her love in ten years ago. Cause that she often forbade me eating while walking. And she asked me to pray forever."

No answers from God, but the hand-phone that was with a quivering ring. Like the slaughtered chicken, it flapped. Winarko took it up. His heart beat faster when saw a series of numbers on its screen. It was used by Nana last night. He pressed key of ‘Yes’. "Hallo!"

"Are you Winarko?"

"Yes, I am. Are you?"

"I am police. You will be caught."

"What is wrong with me?"

"You are involved with Nana’s case stealing Jonet’s money. She has acknowledged, you have had her to 

transfer money into your account."

"Swearing by God, I do not do."

"Not care. Do not you try going out. Polices has being fetched you."

Winarko hit the desk when the door was battered down from outside. Two polices came into the house. 

Going to the working room in which he was appeared angrily on the chair. "Why will I be caught?"

"You will be free. If there is evidence, Nana does not transfer money to your account. We will immediately accompany you going to bank. Where, you save money."

As the prisoner, Winarko came into the patrol-car parked no far from his house. His face was the blackest cloud hanging under sky. When, he saw the closed neighbors smiled scornfully. His body was as light as 

cotton flying on the opened sky.

The patrol-car had reached to park-space in front of the bank. Winarko was dragged out by two polices from the car. In the bank, when he knew that Nana had transferred money into his account, he saw stars suddenly. Before being fainted, he cursed: "She is dog!"

Sanggar Gunung Gamping Indonesia, 29122007