RAHASIA HAMPIR BOCOR | ESP 10

RAHASIA HAMPIR BO COR

Pagi itu, Dukun Guntur berkemas dengan wajah tegang. Semalam dia tertangkap basah oleh Mbok Ranti, dan ancaman itu masih menghantui. Tapi sebelum pergi, dia sempat melihat ke arah bengkel Nini. Di balik pintu bambu itu, ada kekuatan besar. Kekuatan yang tak seharusnya ada di desa kecil seperti Karang. Dia melirik ke arah rumah Baran, tempat anak kecil dengan mata tajam sempat terlihat kemarin. "Anak itu," gumamnya. "Ada yang aneh dengannya." Tapi dia tak punya waktu. Mbok Ranti sudah berdiri di gerbang, menunggunya pergi. "Selamat jalan, Kisanak," kata Mbok Ranti dengan suara datar. "Jangan tersesat di jalan." Guntur mendengus, melangkah keluar gerbang tanpa menoleh. Tapi dalam hatinya, dia sudah membuat rencana. Informasi ini terlalu berharga untuk disimpan sendiri.

Di balai desa, Nini dan Mbok Ranti duduk berhadapan dengan Pak Teguh dan Baran. "Dia tahu," kata Nini pelan. "Mungkin tidak semuanya, tapi cukup untuk curiga." Baran mengerutkan kening. "Apa yang akan dia lakukan?" Mbok Ranti menjawab, "Dia bisa diam, kalau takutnya lebih besar dari ambisinya. Tapi Guntur... aku kenal dia. Dia lebih suka uang daripada keselamatan." Pak Teguh menghela napas. "Kita harus bersiap." Baran mengangguk. "Aku sudah pilih sepuluh orang. Asli dan pengungsi. Mereka akan dilatih diam-diam." Nini menambahkan, "Aku akan tingkatkan produksi alat. Bukan hanya untuk ladang, tapi juga untuk pertahanan."

Sore harinya, di bengkel Nini, suasana berbeda. Nini mengeluarkan cetakan-cetakan baru—bukan cangkul, tapi mata tombak. Mbok Ranti membantu menyiapkan campuran sihir yang lebih kuat. Joko, yang sejak wabah jadi asisten tetap, ikut belajar. "Ini untuk perang?" tanyanya lirih. Nini menatapnya. "Untuk bertahan. Kalau mereka datang, kita harus siap." Joko mengangguk, tangannya sedikit gemetar saat memegang mata tombak yang baru selesai. Di luar, Baran melatih sepuluh milisi pertama di tempat tersembunyi di pinggir hutan. Mereka berlatih dengan tombak kayu, mempelajari formasi sederhana. Jarwo, yang ikut dalam kelompok itu, bertanya, "Pak Baran, musuh kita siapa?" Baran diam sejenak. "Aku juga belum tahu pasti. Tapi yang jelas, mereka lebih kuat dari kita. Makanya kita harus siap."

Sementara desa bersiap, Kirun bergerak. Dengan alasan mencari kayu bakar, dia masuk ke hutan. Langkahnya cepat, matanya waspada. Setelah berjalan cukup jauh, dia sampai di tempat yang sudah ditentukan—sebuah clearing kecil di dekat sungai, tersembunyi oleh semak-semak. Di sana, seorang lelaki sudah menunggu. Lelaki itu tinggi, dengan luka bakar di leher—bekas pertempuran lama. "Laporan," katanya singkat. Kirun mengeluarkan buku kecilnya, membacakan dengan suara rendah: "Desa punya dukun kuat. Dua orang. Mereka produksi alat sihir. Dan ada anak—anak laki-laki sekitar lima tahun—yang tangannya bercahaya saat malam serangan tikus. Mungkin itu target kita." Lelaki itu mengangguk. "Cukup. Kapten Bara akan puas." Dia memberi Kirun sebuah kantong kecil berisi uang logam. "Terus awasi. Kabari jika ada perkembangan." Kirun menerima kantong itu, menyembunyikannya di balik baju. Lalu mereka berpisah, tanpa salam, tanpa tatapan.

Namun, mereka tak sadar—di balik semak di seberang sungai, dua mata mengamati. Bayu sedang memancing, seperti yang sering dia lakukan di sore hari. Awalnya dia tak sengaja melihat dua orang bicara. Tapi saat dia mengenali salah satunya—Kirun, pengungsi pendiam yang tinggal di dekat balai—dia mulai curiga. Dia mendekat perlahan, bersembunyi di balik pohon randu besar. Dan dia mendengar kata-kata terakhir: "Anak laki-laki... tangannya bercahaya... target kita." Jantung Bayu berdegup kencang. Dia tahu persis siapa yang dimaksud. Aryan. Sahabatnya. Dia menunggu sampai kedua lelaki itu pergi, lalu berlari secepat mungkin meninggalkan pancingnya.

Sore mulai gelap saat Bayu sampai di rumah Baran. Napasnya terengah-engah, keringat membasahi seluruh tubuh. Laras yang sedang menjemur pakaian terkejut. "Bayu? Kenapa?" Bayu tak menjawab, langsung masuk ke dalam mencari Aryan. Dia menemukan Aryan di ruang belakang, sedang bermain dengan Buyung. "Aryan!" bisiknya keras. Aryan menoleh. "Bayu? Kok kamu—" Bayu memotong, "Aku harus bicara. Ini penting." Dia memastikan tak ada orang dewasa di dekat, lalu berbisik, "Aku lihat Kirun di hutan. Dia ketemu orang asing. Mereka bicara tentang... tentang anak yang bercahaya. Tentang kamu, Aryan."

Aryan membeku. Wajahnya pucat. Buyung yang mendengar ikut diam, matanya membelalak. "Mereka... mereka tahu?" gumam Aryan. Bayu mengangguk. "Aku dengar sendiri. Mereka bilang 'target kita'." Aryan duduk lemas. Selama ini dia tahu rahasianya, tahu bahwa dia berbeda. Tapi mendengar ada orang asing yang memburunya... itu ketakutan yang berbeda. Buyung memegang tangannya. "Aryan, kita harus bilang orang tua." Aryan menggeleng. "Nanti mereka tambah cemas." Bayu menghela napas. "Tapi ini penting, Aryan. Mereka harus tahu."

Di ruang depan, Laras mendengar suara bisik-bisik. Dia mendekat, melihat Bayu dan Aryan berbisik dengan wajah tegang. "Ada apa, Nak?" tanyanya. Aryan menatap ibunya, lalu menunduk. Bayu yang berbicara, "Bu Laras, aku... aku lihat Kirun ketemu orang asing di hutan. Mereka bicara tentang anak bercahaya. Tentang Aryan." Laras memucat. Dia segera memanggil Baran. Dalam hitungan menit, Baran, Laras, Aryan, Bayu, dan Buyung berkumpul di ruang belakang. Baran mendengarkan cerita Bayu dengan wajah mengeras. "Kau yakin?" Bayu mengangguk mantap. "Aku dengar sendiri, Pak. Mereka bilang 'target kita'." Baran memejamkan mata. Selama ini dia curiga ada mata-mata. Tapi Kirun—pengungsi pendiam yang tak pernah menimbulkan masalah—adalah nama terakhir yang dia duga.

Malam itu, Baran memanggil Nini dan Mbok Ranti. Mereka berdiskusi hingga larut. "Kita tangkap Kirun sekarang?" tanya Baran. Nini menggeleng. "Belum. Kita belum tahu seberapa banyak yang dia tahu. Dan siapa yang mengirimnya." Mbok Ranti menambahkan, "Lebih baik kita awasi dulu. Biarkan dia bergerak, tapi kita catat setiap langkahnya. Baru nanti, saat waktunya tepat, kita tangkap." Baran setuju, meski hatinya tak sabar. "Tapi kita harus amankan Aryan." Laras memeluk Aryan erat. "Dia tak akan lepas dari pengawasanku."

Di rumah Kirun, lelaki itu duduk termenung. Kantong uang di tangannya, tapi hatinya tak tenang. Pertemuan tadi... apakah ada yang melihat? Dia ingat samar-samar, di seberang sungai, ada gerakan di semak-semak. Tapi saat dia menoleh, tak ada apa-apa. Mungkin hanya kera, pikirnya. Tapi di dadanya, kegelisahan tetap ada. Dia mengeluarkan buku kecilnya, menulis catatan terakhir: "Laporan terkirim. Tunggu instruksi." Lalu dia menyembunyikan buku itu di tempat rahasia, di balik bambu rumahnya. Dia tak tahu, di luar, dua bayangan mengawasinya dari kejauhan. Jarwo dan Slamet—dua milisi pertama yang ditugasi Baran—bergantian menjaga. Kirun sudah terdeteksi. Sekarang tinggal menunggu.

Di rumah Aryan, bocah itu tak bisa tidur. Dia duduk di jendela, memandang bulan. Di sampingnya, Buyung ikut duduk diam. "Aryan," bisik Buyung. "Kamu takut?" Aryan diam lama. Lalu dia berkata, "Aku takut bukan karena mereka mau celakain aku. Aku takut... kalau mereka celakain orang-orang yang aku sayang." Buyung memegang tangannya. "Kita akan lawan mereka bareng-bareng." Aryan tersenyum tipis. "Kamu berani?" Buyung mengangguk. "Kamu sahabatku. Aku akan lindungi kamu." Di luar, angin malam bertiup, membawa bisik-bisik perang yang mulai mendekat. Tapi di dalam ruangan kecil itu, dua anak bersumpah dalam diam: apa pun yang terjadi, mereka akan hadapi bersama.

THE SECRET NEARLY EXPOSED (English Version)

That morning, Shaman Guntur packed with a tense face. Last night he'd been caught red-handed by Mbok Ranti, and the threat still haunted him. But before leaving, he glanced toward Nini's workshop. Behind that bamboo door lay great power. Power that shouldn't exist in a small village like Karang. He looked toward Baran's house, where the sharp-eyed child had been briefly visible yesterday. "That child," he murmured. "There's something strange about him." But he had no time. Mbok Ranti already stood at the gate, waiting for him to leave. "Safe travels, sir," Mbok Ranti said flatly. "Don't get lost on the way." Guntur snorted, stepping through the gate without looking back. But in his heart, he'd already made plans. This information was too valuable to keep to himself.

At the village hall, Nini and Mbok Ranti sat facing Pak Teguh and Baran. "He knows," Nini said softly. "Maybe not everything, but enough to be suspicious." Baran frowned. "What will he do?" Mbok Ranti answered, "He might stay silent, if his fear outweighs his ambition. But Guntur... I know him. He prefers money over safety." Pak Teguh sighed. "We must prepare." Baran nodded. "I've chosen ten people. Natives and refugees. They'll be trained in secret." Nini added, "I'll increase tool production. Not just for the fields, but for defense."

That afternoon in Nini's workshop, the atmosphere was different. Nini brought out new molds—not hoes, but spearheads. Mbok Ranti helped prepare stronger magical mixtures. Joko, who'd been a permanent assistant since the plague, joined in learning. "These are for war?" he asked softly. Nini looked at him. "For defense. If they come, we must be ready." Joko nodded, his hands trembling slightly as he held a finished spearhead. Outside, Baran trained the first ten militia members in a hidden spot at the forest edge. They practiced with wooden spears, learning simple formations. Jarwo, who was in the group, asked, "Mr. Baran, who are our enemies?" Baran paused. "I don't know for sure yet. But whoever they are, they're stronger than us. That's why we must be ready."

While the village prepared, Kirun moved. Under the pretext of gathering firewood, he entered the forest. His steps were quick, his eyes wary. After walking far enough, he reached the predetermined spot—a small clearing near the river, hidden by bushes. There, a man was already waiting. The man was tall, with a burn scar on his neck—remnants of old battles. "Report," he said curtly. Kirun took out his small book, read in a low voice: "The village has strong shamans. Two of them. They produce magical tools. And there's a child—a boy around five years old—whose hand glowed during the rat attack night. He might be our target." The man nodded. "Enough. Captain Bara will be pleased." He gave Kirun a small pouch of coins. "Keep watching. Report any developments." Kirun received the pouch, hiding it in his clothes. Then they parted, without farewells, without eye contact.

However, they didn't realize—across the river, behind the bushes, two eyes were watching. Bayu was fishing, as he often did in the afternoons. At first he accidentally noticed two people talking. But when he recognized one of them—Kirun, the quiet refugee who lived near the hall—he grew suspicious. He crept closer, hiding behind a large kapok tree. And he heard the last words: "A boy... his hand glowed... our target." Bayu's heart pounded. He knew exactly who they meant. Aryan. His best friend. He waited until both men left, then ran as fast as he could, leaving his fishing pole behind.

Dusk was falling when Bayu reached Baran's house. He was breathless, sweat soaking his entire body. Laras, who was hanging clothes to dry, was startled. "Bayu? What's wrong?" Bayu didn't answer, going straight inside looking for Aryan. He found Aryan in the back room, playing with Buyung. "Aryan!" he whispered urgently. Aryan turned. "Bayu? Why are you—" Bayu cut him off, "I need to talk. It's important." He made sure no adults were nearby, then whispered, "I saw Kirun in the forest. He met a stranger. They talked about... about a glowing child. About you, Aryan."

Aryan froze. His face paled. Buyung, who heard, also fell silent, eyes wide. "They... they know?" Aryan murmured. Bayu nodded. "I heard it myself. They said 'our target'." Aryan sat limply. All this time he knew his secret, knew he was different. But hearing strangers were hunting him... that was a different fear. Buyung held his hand. "Aryan, we have to tell the adults." Aryan shook his head. "They'll just worry more." Bayu sighed. "But this is important, Aryan. They need to know."

In the front room, Laras heard whispering. She approached, seeing Bayu and Aryan whispering with tense faces. "What's wrong, son?" she asked. Aryan looked at his mother, then looked down. Bayu spoke, "Mrs. Laras, I... I saw Kirun meeting a stranger in the forest. They talked about a glowing child. About Aryan." Laras paled. She immediately called Baran. Within minutes, Baran, Laras, Aryan, Bayu, and Buyung gathered in the back room. Baran listened to Bayu's story with a hardening face. "Are you sure?" Bayu nodded firmly. "I heard it myself, sir. They said 'our target'." Baran closed his eyes. He'd suspected there was a spy. But Kirun—the quiet refugee who never caused trouble—was the last name he'd have guessed.

That night, Baran called Nini and Mbok Ranti. They discussed until late. "Do we capture Kirun now?" Baran asked. Nini shook her head. "Not yet. We don't know how much he knows. Or who sent him." Mbok Ranti added, "Better to watch him first. Let him move, but we track every step. Then, when the time's right, we capture him." Baran agreed, though his heart was impatient. "But we must secure Aryan." Laras hugged Aryan tightly. "He won't leave my sight."

In Kirun's house, the man sat brooding. The coin pouch was in his hand, but his heart was uneasy. That meeting... had anyone seen? He vaguely remembered, across the river, movement in the bushes. But when he looked, there was nothing. Maybe just a monkey, he thought. But in his chest, anxiety remained. He took out his small book, wrote a final note: "Report sent. Await instructions." Then he hid the book in a secret place, behind the bamboo of his house. He didn't know that outside, two shadows watched him from a distance. Jarwo and Slamet—the first two militia members assigned by Baran—took turns keeping watch. Kirun had been detected. Now it was just a matter of waiting.

In Aryan's house, the boy couldn't sleep. He sat at the window, looking at the moon. Beside him, Buyung sat quietly too. "Aryan," Buyung whispered. "Are you scared?" Aryan was silent for a long time. Then he said, "I'm not scared because they want to hurt me. I'm scared... they might hurt the people I love." Buyung held his hand. "We'll fight them together." Aryan smiled faintly. "Are you brave enough?" Buyung nodded. "You're my best friend. I'll protect you." Outside, the night wind blew, carrying whispers of approaching war. But in that small room, two children made a silent vow: whatever happened, they would face it together.

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