Is It Possible To Fill This Empty Space In Ourselves?
Chapter 3

Get up from his position while patting gently on the palm to clean the remaining pieces of peanut skin that stick, Arsyana saw that the day was getting late and the light of the sun dimmed because it had been mostly hidden in the horizon even the sound of insects at night began to sound.

Seeing the newcomers who still enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the afternoon, Arsyana did not forget to remind, “you should immediately go inside, will be many mosquitoes that come out when dark.”

“How about the inside of the building?” asked Ernest a little curiously.

“I use some spices to prevent it so even if there is not as much outside.”

“So.”

Seeing that Ernest was still sitting and had no intention of going inside, Arsyana let him and instead asked, “do you still drink?”

Ernest looked at the cup and found there was still less than half the water in it, feeling the intention of Arshana who wanted to improve Ernest taking his cup and drinking the rest of the water before putting it back on the tray, “thank you.”

Arsyana did not say anything just take the tray and bring it inside. Ernest himself felt bad because he only enjoyed the treats given but did not help especially when he saw the pea skin that was still piled on the ground.

Sighing and intending to stand up to go look around and look for a tool that can be used to collect garbage, Ernest saw Arsyana coming out again carrying a broomstick, pengki, and bucket made of bamboo, which is a little bit like a little bit of water, looks like he's cleaning up trash. Guilt is growing because of it.

“Because you still want to sit there better as well as clean up the garbage,” said Arsyana without hesitation handed the object she brought to Ernest which, as an additional note, was, it's the guy who's still hurt.

Ernest received the cleaning equipment that was handed over with a slight confusion. It was not that he did not want to do it, even he had intended from the beginning, only to be stunned by Arsyana who would actually tell the wounded to clean up.

Ernest stared blankly at the broom he was holding for a moment and looked up at the woman, “I was injured.”

“It's not like I told you to go around cleaning it, you can stay sitting there,” Arsyana rolled a relaxed eye, “use one of your healthy legs to hold the pengki and collect and direct the garbage there with a broom using one hand that is still useful, then remove the broom, lift the pengki that has been filled with garbage, and then remove the broom, and pour the contents into the bucket, ease it?”

“I'm not stupid.”

“Then make yourself useful.”

For a moment Ernest regretted ever feeling guilt towards this woman in front of him. Obviously a cruel woman, she lamented inwardly.

Arsyana turned away without even confirming her approval. Seeing the woman walking towards the sunken lampit and understanding that Arsyana still had something to do, Ernest felt lighter to do as he was told. Well, from the beginning he won't refuse either.

But obviously the level of acceptance will be higher if you know the person who commands you is busy doing something too and not just keeping quiet.

Arsyana lifted the lampit from the clothesline and walked back inside the house and when passing by his side, Ernest heard the woman say, “let the stuff there,” without even glancing at it.

At least the woman had little consideration for not telling him to bring these things back inside, Ernest thought he remembered himself still limping in walking.

*

At night when the sun had completely replaced the moon Arshana lit a candle and called Ernest who was sitting checking his sword in the room to go to the kitchen

The woman's words are, “you are aware and I am not your servant, if you want to eat go to the kitchen.”

Did the woman never think of the possibility of her wound bleeding back from moving too much? Ernest wondered a little about Arsyana's lack of consideration, not that he wanted to be served either. In fact, he is more comfortable like this than having to be cared for and feared every time he does something.

Dinner is still boiled sweet potatoes like last day but with the addition of a simple cassava leaf anointing. Ernest will not complain, this food is filling and has a spice taste in it is not only bland or bitter natural plant.

There are not many activities that can be done at night with minimal light. After eating Ernest was still in his stool and with dim lighting he noticed Arsyana who was piling up and cleaning their old equipment.

Ernest retracted his gaze and turned to the glowing hot spot on the candle wick, “what are you doing after this?”

“Moreover all that can be done besides returning to the room and sleeping,” respond Arsyana without stopping the move put dirty equipment near the furnace, “ah, you can go first there, you can, just bring the candle if you are afraid, there should be no problem with your wound if you only bring candles.”

“Who is afraid!”

Arsyana laughs at the resistance, “then go, you are not needed here.”

Ernest scowled at the humbling plunge. He did not move away but frowned at Arsyana long enough until the woman turned and faced him.

“What?”

“We... go to the same room?” asked Ernest hesitatingly mixed in shame.

“If not? Other rooms in this house have not been repaired,” replied Arsyana lightly explaining, “after all you just thought about this problem now?”

“I just don't want to guess carelessly!”

“Then you don't have to guess. It's the only room that can be used for a break unless you want to sleep in the kitchen or the hallway because I won't throw myself out of my own room.”

Ernest wanted to say no problem, he could sleep anywhere, but think of the darkness around, not only the darkness within the space but also the darkness of the forest surrounding this building, he said, and the fact that there was indeed someone who had died in this place made his spine goosebumps.

Although he has wandered alone for more than a year and more often to spend the night in uninhabited houses than inns or houses of benevolent citizens, but it was an empty house because the owner who fled during the chaos of war was not because anyone died there.

Although it was embarrassing but this was the truth, even with all the denial he had made, Ernest knew better that his fear with the mystical beings was real. He could not stop his instincts from shivering every time there was a lever about ghosts. Perhaps his own subconscious always reminded him of the life he had taken.

Ernest blushed, turning his gaze everywhere except for Arsyana, “if you don't mind,” he muttered softly.

“Heh,” Arsyana snorted mockingly, “I guess you will be polite and say to stay outside the room, or are you too afraid of the owner?”

The heat on Ernest's face peaked in embarrassment, grateful that it was nighttime with minimal illumination or perhaps the woman would see red on her face clearly.

Although it seems that Arsyana does not need to see it to feel her shame because now the woman is laughing hard.

“That's you first mentioning about staying in the same room!”

“Oke... okay..” slow kekeh Arsyana after easing her loose laugh, “go first to the room, I want to check around first.”

Ernest frowned but this time he got up from his seat and intended to follow the woman's advice, “what is the candle only one? You don't need it to check?”

“Until yesterday I just stayed alone so there is no need to have many candles and just take those candles to the room, I'm used to dark.”

“Oke.”

“And also Ernest,” call Arsyana when see Ernest take the candle and about to leave.

“Ya?” Ernest felt his body stiff as he heard his name coming out of Arsyana's lips, giving a strange vibe to him. It had been a long time to hear someone calling his name in a normal tone.

“Do you want to wear the same clothes?”

“Ah?”

“I didn't need to take off your clothes yesterday because I didn't see any blood signifying the need for treatment there other than the one on your arm and calf, so I just need to roll up the necessary part and guess that the rest is just bruised,” explains Arsyana, “but aren't your clothes dirty?”

Realizing the state of his current clothes Ernest rather grimly agreed with Arshana's words, "you're right," but his meagre luggage, including his change of clothes, had been thrown out of nowhere as he fought the bastards.

Only the gilden placed on the inside of her current clothes, which she had checked before, proved that Arshana did not touch her clothes except in the part needed to treat her.

Ernest looked at Arsyana and said honestly, “I don't remember where my whole thing was thrown.”

“I can see it,” said Arsyana flat, “all the belongings of the owner of this house were left alone before including clothes, his family did not dare to take anything for fear of still carrying diseases, he said, I've washed some so you can use it.”

“What is no problem?”

“What? Still afraid of being cursed?”

“Not so!”

“Terupon, after all the owner has died, not in vain all these unused goods?”

Ernest paused for a moment and said blankly, “you will be cursed.”

“Yes of course, only one other curse from his other soul increased,” Arsyana responded lightly, “if you are worried about his illness I already washed and suntaned him earlier this afternoon so no problem, no problem, the family of this owner is only afraid of excessive even though as long as the items used by people with the disease are washed and dried in the sun the remaining virus will die.”

“You seem to know very well about this respiratory disease?” Because from the beginning the woman always sounded very confident in what she said.

“Nah, happened to have met a kind doctor who wanted to share his knowledge.”

“Very lucky then.”

“Ya.”

“You are from one of the provincial capitals?” ernest's question sounded ordinary but in his heart he was very curious because not all doctors had such extensive knowledge, he said, even in the city that Ernest had passed even though the doctors still advised to throw away the items used by people with this disease. Or Arsyana may have come from the capital of the country because that's where the knowledge center circulates.

Arsyana stared blankly at Ernest and did not answer for a while, in the end she ignored the question by saying, “his clothes are on the chair, and he is not, if you want to change immediately do it before I go back to the room or I'll kick you out.”

Ernest realizes Arsyana's reluctance to talk about herself so she doesn't force it, after all they're just strangers.

*

The clothes that Arsyana put on were a shirt and trousers old, dark, and rather rough on the skin, Ernest accepted it quite contentedly, it would have been more satisfied had he been able to erase his memories of who this outfit belonged to before, considering his own was not much different.

With the dim light of the candle he placed on the table, Ernest changed his clothes as quickly as he could. Do not want to test the truth of the threat posed by Arsyana before.

Looking at the clothes on the floor that he had previously worn, Ernest thought about whether to store or throw them considering the presence of blood stains that are quite a lot and have been absorbed in the fibers all day, which would make it difficult to clean. Not to mention the existing tear needed to be sewn before it could be used or he would look like a beggar with torn clothes

But he did not have much more money that could be used to buy new ones. Food will always take precedence over new clothes, especially if the old ones can still be used even though their feasibility is somewhat questionable, followed by residence.

Ernest also needs to think about the payment for Arsyana's treatment all along and the cost of her meal going forward until she can move around unobtrusively in order to keep her wounds from reopening. Ah, only now did he really feel the difficulty of his poverty.

Sighing in a frustrated breath Ernest temporarily put his dirty clothes away to the corner where his sword was, he would think of a way out of the thing tomorrow as the sun shone so as to allow him to examine more clearly the feasibility of the outfit.

Done dealing with the problem even if only for a while, choosing to sit leaning against a wooden wall a few feet beside the door Ernest noticed that the rattan lamp that was carried earlier this afternoon Arsyana had now been stretched between the entrance and the mattress where he had been lying before.

Did that woman sleep there last night? Ernest somewhat did not expect that Arsyana would hand over her bed to a stranger considering how few petitions the woman had since.

Geck.

One sound from the knock on the door almost made Ernest fall in shock, before he could calm his heart which was now beating very chaotic when one second ago almost stopped the voice of Arsyana first heard from outside.

“Ernest, are you dressed?”

“Of course!” ernest cried embarrassed to hear the question even though he knew what Arsyana meant.

“Only ensure.”

The door was pushed inwards and when he turned his head Ernest saw the woman enter with her light steps. Now Ernest remembered why he was too often surprised by the appearance of Arsyana, the woman walked too finely barely making a sound in her every move unless Ernest intentionally noticed or Arsyana deliberately let herself be noticed as it was this afternoon when the woman came out carrying the tray.

Ernest increasingly realized how unusual the woman was. The ability to walk without making a sound to reduce the sense of existence like that of Arsyana is not something that comes just like that, let alone it seems to have become a daily movement by Arsyana. What makes this woman have such a habit?

“What?” asked Arsyana who felt Ernest kept staring at her from entering to passing the lampit and sitting on her mattress, “I will definitely kill you if you think of something obscene.”

Ernest gasped in horror at it, “I don't! And also are you not ashamed to say that word!”

Arsyana ogled bored and asked with full sarcasm in her tone, “So what only men can say obscene words?”

“Not so I mean!”

“Ya... yes..up to.”.

Hearing the woman's indifference made Ernest involuntarily frown. Where the hell this woman was raised to be so free in words, other women will be embarrassed to say obscene words especially in front of a man.

“Do you still not want to sleep?” asked Arsyana while throwing one of the pillows and blankets that were previously arranged on the mattress to the lampit next to him.

“Do you usually sleep at this time?”

“Moreover all that can be done here when you are alone.”

Ernest nodded in understanding, “sorry to wake you up yesterday.”

“I'll add it into your payment later.”

“No problem, it's just that I seem to take a long time to pay for it given my current state.”

Arsyana smiled with an amused spark in her eyes that gave a sign that she knew, “it's clear. You are too poor and useless now.”

Ernest glared at him but rudely still admitted it, “you're right I'm poor and useless.”

The woman laughed loudly for it.

Ernest snorted at her.

As the laughter subsided leaving a small ruckus at the end, the amused and resentful lightning met a glance in the dim light of the glowing candle.

“You can sleep there,” said Arsyana slowly pointed at the stretched lampit.

“Yes, and sorry to make you leave your bed yesterday.”

Arsyana did not answer just the smile on her face became wider and her eyes looked funny Ernest who moved to the place in question.

“I didn't leave my bed.”

Ernest's movement that was laying the pillow properly stopped, he looked at Arsyana who was still looking at him with a naughty look, “what do you mean?”

“I live alone and do not need the lampit so all this time just let it be dusty, just washed today.”

Ernest stared blankly at the woman.

Arsyana ignored him and stood up then walked past the top side of the bed both towards the shining candle on the table.

“Hey you did not mean to say yesterday we—” Ernest was unable to continue his words out of shame.

“What?” the amused tone in the woman's voice was heard clearly echoing amidst the darkness as their only light source in the room had been extinguished and left only the silver hue of the moon peering out from the vent in the above window.

“You're kidding aren't you?”

“No.”

“You—!"

“Are you ashamed?”

Ernest heard the rustling of clothes as the woman returned to her bed. Her eyes that are slowly adapting to the darkness capture the silhouette of Arsyana, “you are a woman!”

“Very clear, so?”

“You can't carelessly—!"

Arsyana snorted at the embarrassment in Ernest's aggressive cry, “Don't think of anything dirty or I'll kick you out.”

“I don't! And also it's you who should be careful not to imply anything!”

“But am I wrong to tell the truth? Your head thinks everywhere.”

“It! Your words make me feel what I think is the truth.”

“Clean your mind then.”

“You—!"

“Go to sleep and hope your head will be clear when you wake up tomorrow.”

What Arsyana did not say was that she did not leave her bed last night but let Ernest sleep on the wooden floor of the room right next to the mattress and only after the morning did she move the man that's. Blame your unconscious self when moved with such a big gesture. Although Arsyana knows the reason why the person did not wake up may be due to previous blood loss.

*

Ernest had been lying down for a very long time but the drowsiness had not yet come, probably because he had been sleeping too much all day. Glancing to the side, he could see the shadow from the sleeping Arsyana body line.

The woman's breathing was very calm in the darkness of the night which gave a sign that Arshana had entered into a deep stage of sleep, however, Ernest was very sure that if he did something bad, the woman would wake up and attack him. From their interaction one day, behind all the words of temptation that often embarrassed him, Ernest realized how wary Arshana was.

Ernest was also unwilling to try his abilities and ruthlessness. A woman who dares to travel and live alone and is not afraid to bring someone who is injured especially the opposite sex into her residence whether that person is kind-hearted but stupid and naive or has confidence can protect itself. And Arsyana is definitely not a fool let alone a naive person.

No, the woman was a bit rotten to be a naive person.

From the way Arsyana who unhesitatingly talks about payment for his help but not carelessly in the treatment of his wounds, yes, although he also did not hesitate to order and insult her but the woman avoided orders that could cause her injuries to tear back, Ernest could still see that she was a realistic person.

Sighing, Ernest pulled his thin blanket up to his neck and flicked his hand to repel the mosquitoes buzzing in the ears. There are still bad mosquitoes that escaped even though there are already repellent spices in this room. Maybe because some parts of this building itself is not maintained so that it becomes a nest of mosquitoes.

In the end Ernest closed his eyes trying to pull in sleepiness to come and make him sleep even with all the chaotic thoughts in his head. The melody of the night insects and the gently screeching mountain trees blowing in the wind was at least enough to help calm him down.

This one day passed pretty well.

***