the Mystery of Caraka Family

 Ceu Engkus felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. That eerie feeling was always there when she was alone to clean up the dusty bedroom of the Late Dimas, Rani's brother. The bedroom of the Late Dimas was located in the second house which was always empty. This second house was only used to receive guests, not inhabited.

 "Gosh, God! The Late Dimas is no longer here. How can his unoccupied bedroom have to be cleaned up every day? It just adds to my already heavy workload. It gives me goosebumps all the time," Engkus grumbled while hitting the blanket hard with a broom.

 When Ceu Engkus raised her head, she saw something swinging outside the small window that was located high near the ceiling of the bedroom.

 "What the heck is that? Is there someone sitting outside the window? Could someone is a thief," Ceu Engkus said to herself. She climbed onto the chair while holding her mop tightly. Ready to attack if the stranger really was a thief.

 "AAARGH!" Ceu Engkus screamed. Her body fell to the floor with a thud. The mop fell with a clatter.

 "What's wrong, Ceu Engkus?" asked Mrs. Caraka who rushed into the late Dimas' bedroom. "Why did you fall like that?"

 "Um, Ma'am… Umm…"

 "What?"

 "The Late Dimas is alive again," whispered Ceu Engkus in a hoarse voice.

 Mrs. Caraka's face immediately turned pale. "Nonsense! Dimas died and was buried seven years ago. You're just hallucinating."

 Ceu Engkus cleared her throat as if there was a frog stuck in her throat. "That's right, Ma'am. No mistake. That's the Late Dimas. I saw him sitting right outside that window," Ceu Engkus reported while pointing to the small window in question.

 "Gosh, Ceu Engkus. There's no way a human could sit outside that small window. There's no balcony. Besides, it's only 5 meters high. You must be seeing things wrong."

 "But…"

 "Let's drink some hot sweet tea with me. Calm your mind,"

 "Madame, that's true the Late Dimas. Maybe the Late Dimas is not at peace in the afterlife. Earlier he smiled sweetly at me. He was also wearing his favorite clothes. A white Gun's n Roses T-shirt and denim shorts."

 Mrs. Caraka clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Ah, it's just deja vu."

 "Dejavu? No, Ma'am. It's the Late Dimas."

 Mrs. Caraka gave a glance as sharp as a stiletto until Ceu Engkus was unmoved. Every mother such her would be offended if her child was labeled a wandering ghost.

***

 Ting! Ting! Ting!

 Ceu Engkus, who was tidying up the Late Dimas' bed, raised her head to look for the source of the sound. Her shoulder-length curly hair swayed as she was busy turning her head left and right. 

 Ting! Ting! Ting!

 As if challenging, the ringing sound was heard again. The innocent Ceu Engkus approached the source of the sound. Then, she screamed hysterically because the guitar strings moved on their own.

 Ting! Ting! Ting!

 Unable to bear the tension of her nerves, Ceu Engkus immediately went out of the ate Dimas' bedroom. In fact, she slammed the bedroom door so hard because she panicked. She immediately chased after Mrs. Caraka who was watching television in the first house.

 "Ma'am, I'm so scared. The Late Dimas doesn't like it when I clean up his bedroom," Ceu Engkus reported while holding back tears. "Anyway, I don't want to clean up his bedroom if I am not accompanied."

 Mrs. Caraka shook her head at her household assistant's behavior. Surprising! Still stubborn.

 When Mrs. Caraka entered the Late Dimas' bedroom with Ceu Engkus, the guitar was lying on the floor. "As the guitar fell, it played by itself."

 Ceu Engkus shook his head. "No, Ma'am. Earlier the guitar didn't fall when it played itself. I saw by my own eyes, the strings moving themselves."

 "What are these?" Mrs. Caraka asked as she picked up the pieces of paper scattered on the carpet.

 "There wasn't any earlier, Ma'am. This is the Late Dimas' handwriting. Maybe he wanted to convey a message to you."

 "Ah, it's you. You really make my head spin. How could this be a message from the deceased."

 "Ma'am, the writing is very clear. MURDERER," whispered Ceu Engkus. Her face was as pale as a corpse.

 Mrs. Caraka was stunned. She read another piece of paper. CRIMINALS. Was there someone who wanted to terrorize her? Impossible. Someone must have imitated Dimas' writing and scattered it on the carpet. Could it be Ceu Engkus? How could this loyal household assistant have the heart to do that. Just for avoid the task?

***

 Approaching Maghrib (about 6 pm), Mrs. Caraka wanted to take the large dark blue umbrella that was usually draped on the corner wall of the terrace. But, the umbrella was not there.

 Where is that umbrella? Mrs. Caraka grumbled because she had to bend down and search under the terrace table. But, the umbrella was still not there. Suddenly she realized the strange sight in the front yard of the terrace.

 Accompanied by the drizzle, the umbrella appeared to be dancing in the air. The umbrella floated about 1 meter high. Are there any mystical creatures who want to play with umbrellas in the light rain?

 Mrs. Caraka refused to believe in mystical things. She immediately took headache medicine.

***

 "Neng Rani, the Late Dimas keeps showing himself," said Ceu Engkus.

 "Really?" Rani responded while devouring her hazelnut jam sandwich. "How come my late brother never showed himself to me?"

 "Your mother doesn't believe me. How come Neng Rani doesn't believe me too? There weren't just Ceuceu who saw it, but also the neighbors around. Mr. Ramlan, Mrs. Umi, and Aunt Titin saw the Late Dimas sitting on the roof tiles of the second house."

 "When did they see him?" Rani asked. She tried to look enthusiastic to please the loyal housekeeper. Maybe Ceu Engkus missed the Late Dimas too much. Usually, Ceu Engkus was the one who prepared all of Dimas' needs when he was still alive.

 "Not necessarily. Sometimes in the morning or around Maghrib."

 Rani was pensive. If it was really the Late Dimas, why did he only show himself after so long time?

 "I am very afraid to clean up the Late Dimas' bedroom. The guitar is strumming by itself, pieces of paper are scattered, not to mention the apparitions. Just yesterday afternoon I saw a motorcycle helmet spinning in the air."

***

 Approaching 10 pm, Rani felt a bit hungry. Therefore, she intended to inspect the dining table in the dining room. As far as she knew, there was still some fried chicken left.

 The house is not usually quiet. Caraka family usually sleeps around midnight. Meanwhile, the household assistant after 7 pm, usually sleeps in the third house. The dining room looks so mysterious dark, but Rani can still see the dining table, etc. Thanks to the moonlight that penetrates the glass door on the right side of the dining room.

 Rani frowned. Why was the food cover moving? Earthquake? But, she didn't feel her body shaking. Or, was there a mouse on the dining table?

 The strange sight that happened next, made Rani was stunned. The food cover lifted itself from the dining table about a meter high. The food cover floated in the air and spun slowly. Really, a magic mouse could do that?

 Because of curiosity, Rani turns on the dining room lights. In an instant the dining room was brightly lit.

 CRASH!

 The serving dining-cover fell with a loud thud onto the table. At first glance, the tuyul looked like he was grinning with fried chicken between his blue lips. His shocked face looked funny. Then, the pieces of fried chicken fell and scattered on the table. It seemed like the little tuyul also wanted to snack on fried chicken at night like Rani!

 Argh, what's been bothering Ceu Engkus all this time, Tuyul? Can Tuyul take on the form of the Late Brother Dimas?

 ______

Note:

Ceu= a calling for elder sister or elder female in Sundanese language.

Tuyul = a ghost who appearance likes a boy with bald head. He just wears a broken white boxer pants.