Mystery of Room 13
Part 61: The Terrible Dance Troupe

I slowly opened my eyes, not knowing where I was. The production room that was once bright and a lot of people now turned dark and silent. The cold was so pronounced that it pierced the skin. Where am I actually now? Did Gayatri take me to her world?

I searched the area around me, it seemed like I was in the forest or somewhere. There must be trees around here. Because there are leaves falling and hitting my body.

In the dark I tried to find a way out or a speck of light, in this silent place even the moonlight was unable to penetrate it. About fear do not be asked again, alone in a strange and dark place like this it feels afraid, panicked, and confused into one.

Be careful I walk, sometimes accidentally stepping on a dry twig to make a loud enough noise because this place seems to have no life at all, even a mosquito seems reluctant to live here. Actually what kind of place is this, so gripping.

The further my feet went without direction, I stared far ahead with a sense of relief because I finally found a speck of light. Not just a speck but there are some. I hope it's a village like I thought.

I sped up my pace in the hope of immediately asking for help to return to the factory where I worked. I don't care about the height of the shrub that scratched my body to get there.

The dirt road and full of bushes have changed with a rocky road. I also got closer to the light that lined up neatly.

My eyes widened as I looked through the village. I know for sure this is no ordinary village, this is an invisible village.

This is where I once got lost and met with a group of dancers and ghosts whose heads were cut off and at the end of the village there is a symb house, the keeper of this village. Ah, I have to find the symbiotic house but which way I have to look for it.

In my confusion, I chose the right because I believed that the right was a good thing. I walked carefully not wanting to be tripped by those sharp stones. If I notice the houses here are just walled woven bamboo. The distance from one house to another is quite far and is always limited by bamboo clumps. It is very strange if the bamboo grove is usually blown in the wind then it will sound a pretty melodious scream but that is not the case here. Everything was silent no sound whatsoever.

As my steps grew further and further swayed, I still did not find the end of this path. In my mind, it could be that I chose the wrong path, what should I have been to the left. If that's true then I just went into this gripping village further and further in. Ah, I'd better turn it around.

When I was about to turn around, from a distance I heard the sound of gamelan incense. I know exactly who they are, because I've seen how horrible they are before. The gamelan players have pale faces and a group of dancers whose skin has been partially peeled off.

I'd better hide, because it's not impossible if they see me I can be arrested and made like them. The group got closer, while I was still confused about where to hide. Ah, good thing I saw quite a tall bush. Maybe I can use the bush to hide.

My eyes peeked at the group closely. The dancers continued to dance even though blood continued to pour on his face. While the men whose eyes are white continue to beat the gamelan without stopping, not with a bat but with his palms until the blood was poured no less swift.

I smothered my mouth as the party stopped in front of me, I took a step back so as not to get too close to them. Besides being afraid of the foul smell that emanates, it feels like stirring my stomach to want to spill all its contents.

My eyes kept on a woman who was bowed weakly among the dancers. "Please, I can't take it anymore. Let me go home." The girl kowtowed and kissed the feet of the dancer who looked the most attention-stealing. There was a golden crown on top of his head, his face was broken but not shedding blood.

"Please, set me free, Nyi. I want to go home."

The voice did sound slow and slashing right but I felt familiar with the owner of that soft voice. My eyes squinted in the hope of seeing more clearly the woman who was begging. My eyes were round when I found out who he was. Intan, why is he also here and looks so clear. Is the dancer wearing the crown the owner of the powder pellet? Then what does that mean, I'm stuck in their world again?

"Going home? You will not be able to return to your world. You were my slave the first time the powder hit your skin. I've given you what you want, so now it's your turn to repay my kindness!" The words of the crowned dancer were so jarring followed by her laugh that was so terrible as to terrorize all ears that heard it. I saw some men coming near Intan and whipping Intan's legs. The sound of the lash went hand in hand with the voice of the pain cry from the woman.

I wanted to run out of my hiding place and help the mercilessly tortured Intan. But my courage is not that big. I was afraid that if I came out they would torture me and make me their slave. I abandoned my intention to help Intan, despite the guilt of remaining silent and not trying to help her.

I continued to observe Intan who was forced to dance nonstop. One by one the faces of the dancers I observed with the help of torchlight carried by several men, the torches used were also not made of bamboo but rather their hands that were either deliberately burned or indeed released fire. One face of the dancer I can confirm is Melati. I also looked at the faces of the gamelan men. Two of them were men who had forcibly killed Gayatri. One was a man who died from being buried by a roll of cloth, the second was Priyambodo, the man who saved Gayatri that time. Where's that straggling guy who's Melati's lover, shouldn't he be here?

As I was thinking out loud, I heard the sound of Intan's screams echoing. Her partially blistered skin was suddenly pulled over by another dancer, the woman being skinned by half of her face. I can't imagine the pain. I can't stand to see him tortured like that anymore. I was mad at him but seeing him as helpless as it hurt.

The dancer's laughter was so jarring as Intan cried out in pain, as if she was enjoying the pain that was whack of Intan. Because I was so afraid that I continued to retreat back into the forest until I unknowingly stepped on a wooden branch to make a loud enough sound and attract the attention of the group.

"Hahaha, apparently my guest has come!" The crowned dancer seemed to be grinning, while her fiery red eyes were scouring around as if searching for something. It must be me he was looking for.

No, I can't be caught by that horrible creature right now. I don't want to be that horrible dancer. I ran aimlessly deeper into the dark forest. There were no more number of times that I had slipped, the one thing that was on my mind right now was to get away from that dance troupe.

Long enough I ran, it seemed like I was far enough into the forest. I found a big rock. I hid behind that rock. I hugged my knees that were still trembling from running around without direction. I shed my tears. Tears of fear and anxiety. How do I get out of this foreign place? Father's half-sick face continues to be reflected in the eye pelupuk. How would he feel if he couldn't meet my youngest daughter.

Suddenly my sense of hearing caught the sound of footsteps approaching. I was prepared to run because I was afraid that it was one of those dancers.

"Sir, where are you going?" The voice was very hoarse but sounded reassuring. I slowly looked. My heart can be said to be quite relieved because apparently the figure in front of me is a symbol, the keeper of this magical village.

I hugged that old body. "Bok, they're there! Please take me home, Mbok. I'm afraid to stay here. This is not my world!" I cried on the woman's shoulder.

"They? Who do you mean, Nduk?"

"That terrible dancer, Mbok."

"Whose face was partially peeled off, you mean?"

"Y-yes, Mbok. I'm so scared. Hanna please, Mbok, take Hanna home."

Suddenly the smoke soaring high enveloped the body of the symbology, I chose to retreat to see what happened actually. The skinny symbok body had now turned into a beautiful and crowned female figure.

"Is this what you see, Hanna?"

In-he is not a symbol, but the dancer who is so terrible. His wide lips and jaw that almost missed him showed off.

"Armghh!" I wanted to run but this leg felt so heavy as it was stuck on the ground where I stand now. His long, black nails caressed my face.

"You're beautiful but since you're already here, you should know the absolute rules here. No one can match my beauty. Then your face should I smash first before you stay here!"

The long, black nails began to stick to my forehead. It was very painful and hot like embers that were attached to the skin. I can only let out my tears because my mouth has been smothered by a green shawl that is no less rotten than its master.

Fortunately, at a crucial time like this, I still remember having to ask Him for help. Among the breaths that began to be irregular, I chanted a prayer even if only in my heart so that all this would end immediately as I closed my eyes.

Slowly I began to hear people saying my name. I don't know whose voice it is that is mutually unpretentious, it's crowded. Slowly I ventured to open my eyes, this self could only hope that the future before me was not something terrible anymore.

This eye blinked because my vision had blurred maybe because it was too long closed. The forest that was dark has now disappeared. I was already in a very bright room but when I looked around I didn't seem to be in the production room. I rubbed my eyes to make sure where I was right now, I was in the spinning building. A building that's off-limits to entry but why am I here. I haven't got the answers to my questions yet. A man was walking up to the top floor of this building.

"Mas, come on, let's get out of here. This place is so scary." I tried to get him to talk but the man's gaze was blank. After I looked carefully, that man was Priyambodo, the man who once saved Gayatri. I kept chasing him until he ran fast and crashed himself into the window. From the window I could see clearly, the man was sprawled and covered in blood. Soon came Gayatri who was crying hysterically.

"Wake, Mom! Said you'd help me fight that dancer!" Gayatri's tears continued to decompose until it soaked the man's body.

The weak body tried to shake him to wake up but his efforts were in vain. Amidst Gayatri's cries, Melati who had turned into a dancer approached her. "There's no point crying over the man. It's your turn, Gayatri!"

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