ADJOINING REALM
IJUK VILLAGE

Somewhere far away, an outbreak has claimed dozens of lives in recent months. They had been overwhelmed for a few days, but finally the elders who trusted the residents gave a hope. Although they do not know of course how to eliminate the outbreak, but at least they can prevent the bad things that originally continued to take dozens of victims.

"Jang?! Where did this tea snake come from, Nyak? I'm saturated with this beast" said one of the young men who had just managed to kill the snake in front of him. He and some of his friends always go around the village to hunt for the source of the plague that has lasted for months.

"Yes, Sep. Where has the man who has been waiting for his brother come until now," replied one of the young men next to him, they were talking about someone who was waiting for their elder, who said he could ward off this plague when his dur came.

"We go to Ki Karta's house again yuk, Jang. We ask again, who knows he's been there," said the young man then they put the carcass of a snake in the fire, he continued to set foot toward the elder's house not far from where they burned the snake.

On the way to the elder's house, the young man had killed two more snakes before arriving at his destination. Kampung Ijuk is really being hit by a disaster. Although not only this time they experience it, but now is the worst time they have ever experienced, compared to before.

"Assalamu'alaikum!" shouted one of the young men while knocking on the door of the house.

"Wa'alaykumussalam!" the old man replied as he opened the door, then asked the two young men in front of him, "Asep? A wedge? What do you need this afternoon?''

"Look, Ki. More and more these days. What is the person Aki is waiting for yet to come?" say Ujang directly to the point.

"No, Jang. But soon our helpers will come. My friend told me a week ago. Sok oruh enter first," replied Ki Karta briefly then invite the two young men into his house.

Asep and Ujang went straight into Ki Karta's house. They then sat in the living room, accompanied by three glasses of bitter tea that had just been served by Ki Karta's daughter.

"Thank you, Neng," said Asep as he continued to look at Ki Karta's daughter.

"It's nothing, Kang. Sorry for the drink" said the woman after putting the tray on the table, and immediately headed for the next room again.

"eeeeeeee! Sep's eyes! We don't want to tease Neng Gayatri!" ketus Ujang murmured after seeing Asep did not blink looking at Gayatri.

Seeing the behavior of the two young men, Ki Karta only chuckled softly and then allowed the two young men in front of her to immediately drink the tea that her daughter brought while still warm.

"What's real, Ki? That the snake we killed wasn't a real snake?" tanya whispered a little. His eyes were beautiful, he was afraid that his words would be heard by the snake that he considered to be the case.

"That's an ordinary snake, Jang. They just don't act on their own will. Their leader gave the order," Ki Karta said briefly then grabbed the glass in front of him.

"In just four months how many collisions did he get, Sep? And he lived for hundreds of years. If he intends to kill me, he can do it at any time" Ki Karta said with a serious look.

Hearing Ki Karta's words, Asep and Ujang were instantly stunned. They can not speak silenced, because for them Ki Karta is a person who can always be used as hope, if it is related to mystical things.

"You guys take it easy, who will come here is not an ordinary person," continued Ki Karta slightly smiled, because she already knew that Darto would come to take care of all the problems that were being hit by the village.

"Hopefully this is the last time, Ki. I'm tired of having to bury snakebite victims every year. This year is the worst, even though half the population has been displaced," Asep said while shaking his head. Remembering himself had buried dozens of corpses in just how many months.

"We're still mending, Sep. The village next door almost half the village is dead! Though from the beginning at the foot of the mountain only our village that always has a snake bite victim, but this time a lot of villages are attacked by the animal," continued Ujang with a face began to sweat, he felt scared after remembering the bad news he had heard from his friend in the next village.

"Yes, Jang, they have no preparation because they were first attacked by snakes. Different from our village, which is always alert if you want to enter the first day of suro. That's why half the village can die in just one night" said Ki while shaking his head, he felt sorry for what his village neighbors experienced.

Hearing the words, Asep and Ujang immediately shuddered, they imagined the creepy events experienced by the residents of their neighboring villages. Seeing the frightened behavior of the two young men in front of him, Ki Karta could only smile then invite them to go to the saung, because it was getting dark.

After Ki Karta proclaimed the Adhan, several men came to the saung with sarongs and peci they used. Everyone seemed to be carrying a small yellow bamboo in their hands, for a vigil if they saw a snake in front of them.

After everyone gathered, Ki Karta led the magrib prayer in the saung. When the second rakaat was being performed, the sound of the roar of the car engine suddenly sounded beside the saung.

A young man and an old man rushed out of the car. They immediately ran towards the direction of the shower, took ablution and joined the magrib prayer despite only getting one last rakaat left.

Everyone who had finished praying was immediately stunned by the arrival of two people behind them. They continued to pay attention to the two while continuing to whisper to the person next to them. The same word was almost spoken from all the mouths in the saung, they said "Has that man not heard from our village? Why do they still dare to enter here?"

Everyone seemed confused to see Darto and Mbah turahmin who were continuing their rakaat, until finally their confusion split, when Ki Karta approached to bring a group of men behind him.

Looking at Ki Karta who was smiling and immediately approached the two men who were currently doing the final superstition. Asep and Ujang immediately realized, if the two strangers in front of them were the people their Elders were waiting for, for months.

Be connected,-