DEAPECTRUMS
002. KARA

"Bee..." Call Jatnera who opens the door of a rickety hut made of worn-out boards. "Where's grandma?" Seven-year-old Jatnera asked, looking at me with a face soaked with tears.

I stepped inside our residence while Jatnera followed my steps.

"It's eat." I thrust the black bag I brought to Jatnera.

He picked it up and opened it for food.

"You're not eating?" Tanya Jatnera looked at me who was busy looking for a shovel in the corner of this not-so-extensive hut.

I didn't answer.

The shovel I was looking for I finally found in the sack that Grandma put behind the water barrel. I immediately ran out towards the fig tree that was behind our hut, a distance of about ten meters.

I remember Isbell's words to dig south of the fig tree but I don't know where south is. I was silent for a moment trying to make sense. I remember the Jatnera. He's a pretty smart kid because he always remembers directions. I rushed back to the hut to find answers from him.

Jatnera was eating voraciously when I entered. Even the food I brought was almost finished with a pack.

"Can you tell me where's south?" I asked with some hesitation whether Jatnera heard my voice coming out just hoarse because I was currently thirsty after running far away.

"You know a towering building with a red dome?" Jatnera looked at me who was standing in front of the door.

I could barely see his face because it was so dark and the hut was only lit by two candles. One candle in front of Jatnera and the other candle I used when searching for spades, it was on a water barrel.

"The building is heading south." Before Jatnera finished his words I ran back to the fig tree.

I saw the building that Jatnera spoke of. Once I was sure that was where I immediately stuck a very old wooden shovel into the sticky ground due to the rain. I shoveled the land many times, but the coffin Isbell was referring to had not yet been seen. It must have been so precious that Isbell buried it so deep.

"What are you doing?" Jatnera stood behind me. "You're so weird Bee, where's grandma?"

I still did not answer because there was no time to explain this to her now. I continue to lift up the lands with all my strength. Even my breath was almost broken if the chest had not appeared yet.

The shovel I used hit something hard. With my hands I dug the ground like a cat to get the box out. After the crate seemed all its parts I immediately lifted it from the ground.

A crate measuring about forty by twenty centimeters in color with brown wood paint is still locked with a small padlock hanging to hook the lid of the crate with the bottom.

"What's that?" Jatnera. Without a word I stood with the crate and ran back. I don't care about Jatnera who keeps calling me. The rain had started to stop even though the specks were still falling to the earth.

It was getting dark but my vision was getting used to it now so I kept running like I was being chased by a wild beast. It's so loud and doesn't care what happens to me if criminals see me now. My thoughts right now are just to see Isbell to find out the contents of this chest.

"grandmother..." Call me from a distance, hoping Isbell will answer my call but my hope fades.

I dropped the crate I brought to the ground and rushed over to Isbell. Isbell's eyes were closed and he didn't shiver in the cold anymore. He was calmer now than when I left him.

"Ne..." My voice came to a halt as I held Isbell's arm to shake his body.

His body was cold as ice. With a little fear I tried to put both my fingers, index and middle fingers into Isbell's nose. I held my breath to feel her breathing in my fingers. My tears came straight out wetting my cheeks when no gust came out of Isbell's nose.

"Neneeeekk..." Shouted Jatnera who ran over.

I stood up as she shook Isbell's body.

"Bee, grandma why? Why not wake up?" Jatnera looked at me.

I can't answer Jatnera's question because it would be very difficult for even the smallest girl to understand the meaning of death. I remained fixated with gazes at only one point while Jatnera continuously called out to Isbell with his tears and cries.

I don't know what to do now. All this time only Isbell protected me and Jatnera. If he doesn't exist it will be how we both live. Isbell left both of us before he could see the crate I had so hard to find. He hasn't even had time to tell me where the keys are so I can open them and find out what they contain.

It must have been so valuable that Isbell buried it in the ground. Surely Isbell wanted to show me the contents of the chest but his death already called him.

It's gonna be bright any minute, I have to do something about Isbell's body. I gathered the logs around the swamp. Climb trees to pick up dry wood that is not exposed to rain. In the Deapectrum every lifeless body must be burned to leave nothing behind. Because it will take place if in the grave so burning it is the best way.

The rain had stopped completely since an hour ago while the tree trunks I gathered were already quite a number. I assembled the rods and piled them on Isbell's body. My tears kept flowing as I covered Isbell's body with tree trunks and leaves and splashed a bottle of liquor I got around the street near Bordil House.

I can't believe this day is coming so soon. With a dry tree and a stone I used my skill to make fire. Without much effort I can start a fire. But throwing fire at the body of a person who is very valuable to me is very difficult. I controlled my tears by closing my eyes and throwing the tree trunk that was about to be swallowed by the fire into the pile of tree trunks and the body of Isbell. I looked at Jatnera who had been crying ever since.

Every time I hear her cry I get upset. I approached her to tell her to stop crying.

"Don't cry!!" My atonement.

Instead of stopping crying Jatnera even faster crying.

"Even if you cry forever Grandma still won't wake up!" Jatnera did not listen to my words.

I silently looked at him for a moment. All this time I and Jatnera have always depended on Isbell and now Isbell is no more. How will our lives be after this? I hugged Jatnera who was still crying and crying with her.

...@racing_al.aska...