Looking at my parents eyes that too, filled with confusion, we walk toward the woman that just scream a moment ago. Rather plump not excessively body, or more the typical milf woman beauty which as expected for Madam Lena ( We villager sometimes don't even know each others Housewife's name except for their child's and their family's head ) who married young, her face are now filled with a trace of tears and worry.
"Please calm down madam, I cannot explain if you keep shaking me like this"
Said the beardy guy with long wavy hair, traditional batik attire and eyes that keep screaming "I am a wise and powerful shaman" that now show a sign of helplessness.
'Or more like, why is that guy spouting nonsense here? He is our neighbour too so I doubt he is trying to lie to us but kidnapping is a bit...'
Even other people presents are looking at the guy with suspicion but it shift into interest once the guy showing the people around an empty drinking water with his both hands shakingly.
"Look! I just Interogate this powerful djinn and they said he is one of the retainer who has been sent to kidnapp your...Gahh! Please! I am not lying!"
But the mother of course have no patience to listen to such unbelievable thing especially when we fail to see anything whatsoever inside of it. She Keep shaking the shaman until his clothes started to tear and get scared with an animosity the villager show after hearing that sentence just now.
"OH SH*T!"
As the uncle keep being shaken, the bottle on his hand fall which make him scream in fear. Grabbing it on the soil ground in haste as if wanting to put all of his weight in including almost sitting on top of it, he struggle for a bit, then atmosphere around us take a turn to complete stillness.
*Kyaaaak!!!
...Especially when you hear a banshee screaming coming from that very bottle you just saw empty a moment ago.
"*Gasp"
"Hey, my ear didn't play a trick on me right?"
"Do you hear something like a scream just now?"
"Are you sure that scream coming from there?"
"No matter, I think it is bad news either way"
"...Ugh, I just remember leaving my child alone at home so, I am sorry, Bye!"
"...you forgetting that you need to go home alone. You not scared?"
"Oh my god! What should I do!?"
"Fear not, cause I will accompany you back home if you want! Of course I too will go back while at it"
...Just say that you start feeling scared, dude. Don't you know that muscle on your arm start to get ashamed of your deed?
It is really unscientific for me to say it but I did believe about ghost, curse, djinn, Etc. Some of them I witness myself while others from media but this is truly the first time for me to "hear" it from such close aproximity.
Well, I saw a few of them in my entire life though.
"Mom, what do you think?"
"...It must be real. Your grandpa use to be one who knowledgeable about such a thing and I experience it in while living under him there at my hometown."
"Though just now may be true, but this case still need to be treated carefully. I will try to talk with Mr. Bambang and see whether he will let us call the police. I want to ask Lena's friend whether they knew something too but it might be still to early to spread the news carelessly"
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Discuss both of my parents while expressing their worry about Lena's family. If we call the police, it might excalate further which something that might become troublesome. I doubt he will agree about it so what is left is to listen about that shaman explanation.
Maybe because Mrs.Lena thought the same thing such as me, she start to beg that beardy guy to tell her what is need to be done in order to get her beloved child.
"First thing first, I need to remind all of the women here to not participate in her search. Second...
"What? Why I can't!?"
"Please calm down, madam. Women are a being that very easily influenced with supranatural being because their inherent sensitive emotion. Second, women are pyhsically weak which, might weaken their contentration due to fatigue that might lead your mind even more easy to manipulate. Third, The number of guy here are enough to help me with the search so please help me with something else."
"...Dear, I thought of the same thing as him. You can help us by preparing anything that can ease our fatigue after the search"
"No. I need the women help to gather as much light source as possible and direct it toward the forest. While at it, please pray with all of your heart and as loud as posible while others try calling Lena with anything that can create a loud banging such as cooking utensil, bamboo gong, etc"
While the shaman and Lena's parent discussing something while being surrounded by villager hearing for the next plan, the sudden sound of flowing water make my body stand ramrod straight sending chill down my spine.
'The hell!'
Not understanding what is happened, I unconciously start to hug and rub myself while looking right and left for no particular reason. Somehow, the sound and the atmosphere start to ring a bell to me but I don't recall having such an experience about.
'...I did a couple of time in my sleep though...Wait?'
"...Mom, If I just have a dream saying that I must not go and then all of this incident happening rigth after, could it mean that this case will bring me harm?"
"What kind of dream you are having?"
"Well..."
Just as I want to retell it, the shaman and Lena's parent just finishing their discussion and call all of the people here to gather close and listen to their say.
"I am sorry everyone, but if you all help my family, then I will not forget it for the rest of my life"
"Please!"
Said both of them while bowing toward us. Of course we will help without even asked but he ask us that sincerely, we just want to work harder which really helpful to solve it as soon as possible.
"And you, Bagas. I know you just got home a couple of hours ago. We know because you often did like that, which is why I hope you not to partake in this search"
"That is right. Your mind already tired. I know you just rest it up, but I think it is better for you to stay and help with the housewive's here rather than searching in the forest."
"...Understand"
I am very thankful about it because I do am really tired. Preparing for the search by bringing a light, compas, a rope, chalk, and cooking utensil to make a noise ( Because djinn hate their resting place became noisy ) before the party start to go inside to the forest with only 10 people including my father. A few minutes after, I feel really glad to not participate to go to that dark places.
"KYAAAAK!!!"
"MGRRRR!"
...Because how difficult the situation here became, let alone for those who go inside.
"In the name of God!..."
"Bagas, go fetch a bowl of water. Hurry!"
"Yes!"
In the place where those who left behind, a scene of chaos ensues to our solemn and silence situation a few minutes ago. At first, the woman who keep praying suddenly start to laugh very quietly beside me. It is so quiet to the point of you would have a hard time realize it even if you just a few step away from her. I feel confusion flowing with how mismatched her laugh is with our circumtances, but pay it no mind because none of other people did. But, her laugh start to increase in volume untill it resemble a wail instead.
At that time we start to realize, she just got possessed.
Panic, fear, and anxiety overcome us whose attacked with something unkwon making our mind even more confused. One lead to another, the number of people that got possessed start to increase. Some are quite, didn't talk even a single word and just standing still with her head down covering her face with her droping hair, some become hysterical and flapping about, some become so happy that she start to laugh every single time then crying right after.
One, two, three, until it reach seven which making a few guy who left behind start to feel overwhelmed to hold them down because how strong one is after being possessed.
'...Just what is happening? We by pass this place for all we can remember but not even once this many people ever be possessed especially all almost at the same time."
We know just how absurd the situation is deep inside our heart but of not a single time can be wasted here or else it might escalate even further. After one relieved, other take her place. After a few housewive, the husband and young guy that too left behind start to get taken down.
We became too focuse to make the situation under control failing to realize that 2 hours have pass and yet not a single sound and news can be heard from within the forest anymore.