The First Mute Day

Darkness still surrounded Jagat's vision when a voice from Wisesa addressed him.

"You don't move much. The healer will be here soon."

The voice crept softly into his ears. It was faint enough to make his eyes open slowly, for it was as if a vein were connected to his throat, and it was very, very faint.

Jagat tried to stand up, but it only made his muscles tense so much that he screamed silently.

Yes. Screamed without a sound!

Somehow he could imagine himself screaming, but the sound was drowned out by the pain in his neck. The pain flowed through his throat and up to his vocal chords.

There was no sound he could make but tears of agony. He couldn't answer Wisesa's words when he promised to bring a healer. He couldn't nod because his neck felt as if it had been crushed by a large river rock. It was so heavy that he couldn't move it.

If Wisesa was going to bring a doctor, he wanted Ki Wardiman to come here and take care of him. With Gendis, of course. They had taken care of him before, and that would never change.

But how could he tell Wisesa, who was still standing at the door with one of his members.

His eyes could only stare at the sky, unable to move in any other direction. But from the looks of it, this room looks like an inn room. Clean and comfortable.

Without waiting long, the healer came with his equipment. His stature was old and his eyes were very aged as he looked closely at Jagat.

Jagat's neck was immediately examined under the watchful eye of Wisesa, who stood by.

The doctor held a rope and tied Jagat's hands to prevent his body from shaking during the treatment. Most importantly, there was no resistance from Jagat.

The healer gently stroked the skin of Jagat's neck and noticed the reddish color around the surface. Jagat's eyes narrowed and he winced in pain.

"Your friend's vocal chords were ruptured by a hard blow, but it didn't hurt his neck. The person who hit him is highly skilled. He just wanted your friend to be scarred for life."

That is eternal death.

So Jagat commented in his mind as he heard the sound of water boiling in the jug containing the potion. After confirming that it was boiling, the healer poured the contents into a bowl. The leaves and water that Jagat would likely drink were separated.

The leaf itself would be placed on Jagat's neck to relieve the pain in the neck.

There was a soft touch that slowly flowed over the surface of the neck. Especially after the healer drank the water brewed from the potion. A shiver ran down Jagat's throat. The pain had begun to subside, although Jagat still felt a throbbing inside.

For the time being, Jagat could not eat hard food. Perhaps only soft rice. No meat. Even fish must be beaten until soft.

But from everything that happened in this room, there was a nagging feeling in Jagat's mind. After decades of talking since he was born, it felt like everything was lost in an instant.

Jagat wanted to ask Wisesa about his purpose in coming to Swarnabumi and how he knew Jagat was there. And why did he save Jagat?

Because Wisesa was only a friend at work and never interfered in personal matters, let alone helped like this.

Like Wisesa today. He must be interested in Jagat.

For three days he was forced to remain silent with a pain in his neck. There was no explanation from Wisesa, although Jagat was sure that he had talked to the healer outside the room last night.

Would his voice ever return to normal?

There is no disease that cannot be cured. Jagat believed that his voice would return to normal. The important thing was to get used to the situation. To speak without words. Just hand gestures, and maybe when his neck stopped throbbing, the gestures would be accompanied by a voice.

Yes. Sound. Like the sound of birds and goats. Without words or sentences to accompany the sound.

Wisesa had asked him yesterday about the Book of Demons and the books he had stolen. Where were they? And to whom were they sold?

And how could Jagat answer in such a state? Wisesa seemed to understand and waited for his recovery. But for Jagat, it was time to think carefully. The herbal leaves given by the healer to ease his pain cleared his mind to ask questions in his mind.

Wisesa's question was the same as Druwangi's. Jagat had answered his honestly, but for Wisesa? Jagat thought again. Would Jagat's answer be the price for his help?

Not long after that, Wisesa came with food, as the doctor had ordered. The food was mushy and watery.

"Tell me what you need, Jagat?" asked Wisesa.

It was an unimportant question, for all Jagat needed was his voice back. But Jagat understood. Wisesa needed Jagat to tell him the whereabouts of the stolen books.

Wisesa took a paper called Daluang to Jagat. Wisesa was so clever that he didn't give me the paper from Lontar 1because he probably wouldn't wait for Jagat to write with the 'screwdriver' on its surface.

Not only Daluang, he also gave me ink with complete stationery. He seemed to think that all Jagat needed was stationery.

"Write quickly where you hid the books?" he asked. "And why did you carelessly take the secret book from Kebo Galungan's wife? Now you're wanted by Kebo Galungan's wife. You'd better stay here."

The demon woman must have thought that Jagat had trapped her husband in Alas Gunung. He had to leave as soon as possible. This place is not safe. Especially from Wisesa and the members who had a thousand plans for him.

He was able to catch the language of the lips that slipped through the crack in the door while he pretended to be asleep. And the words he understood were, "Keep an eye on him, don't let him get away.

"There must be a great interest behind all this. Jagat must first regain his strength before he can escape from this room. He was sure that he would regain his strength at least in the next two days. The only thing he can take out of this room is the Daluang 2paper. A replacement for his speaking mouth. It's sad when the mouth can only be represented by a piece of paper.

Jagat had worked out the schedule for the two members to always stand guard at the front. At certain times they would go inside to give his medicine.

And it was while they were administering the medicine that Jagat planned to immobilize them. He would first break the jar for use. The pieces were sharp enough to pierce his neck.

One person had already entered. Jagat pushed the table aside and the jar fell to the floor. He pretended to panic and the Wisesa members quickly removed the pieces of the jar.

At that moment, Jagat threw himself to the ground, picking up the broken jug and stabbing it straight into the member's neck.

*Shk!

Blood poured out on the floor. In a moment, it was flooded with blood. Wisesa had made a big mistake by assigning only one member to watch over Jagat.

He had nine lives that always escaped death, and now, in a different state than before, Jagat was reborn as a mute. He hoped it was temporary. He was sure that Ki Wardiman could cure him. And his heart was convinced. His footsteps were already firmly on the path.

After changing his blood-soaked shirt, Jagat went downstairs with the usual demeanor of other visitors. He was used to such situations. Infiltrate, hide and escape.

But things were different now. His neck throbbed with every step he took. Several eyes at the tables of the inn were watching them. The two tables across from them did the same.

Jagat wasn't sure if any of them would recognize him as the escapee from Wisesa's captivity. He walked forward. To where the horses leaned and stole him.

He didn't care if people shouted at him as a thief, because that was what he was.

If it was true that the demon woman was looking for him, it was not to be underestimated. I don't know why he had to go to Ki Wardiman's house. More than just to heal his wounds, there had been a nagging feeling since his fight with the demoness.

The shaking of the horse and the road full of curves and rocks made his neck hurt even more. How Jagat had to slow down to meet Ki Wardiman and Gendis quickly.

They were Jagat's only hope of speaking again. Ki Wardiman was a great healer. Jagat was sure of it.

But Jagat decided to leave his horse behind when the shaking of his neck became unbearable. He ended up walking to Ki Wardiman's house.

It took him several hours to get there. He was tired and hungry, but Jagat was sure it would all pass. As he walked, he thought of all the events that had happened to him. Wisesa picking him up, meeting Darka, meeting Mandana at his headquarters, and finally getting a copy of the secret book from Kebo Galungan's wife.

Of all the slanders that had befallen him, the most despicable was that of trapping Kebo Galungan at Alas Gunung headquarters. He was escorted in, but not through the front door. Was that their fault? How could they sneak through the front door? All thieves in the world have to go through the side door because the main door is more heavily guarded.

Jagat arrived at Ki Wardiman's house in the afternoon, after the farmers had returned from their fields. Ki Wardiman's house was noticeably quieter than the last time Jagat had left it.

Hopefully, there would be no trouble in this house, and indeed nothing happened when he saw Gendis by the well, untangling her long hair.

"Hmmmph!"

Jagat tried to call out to Gendis, but the sound he made sounded like someone gargling and made his neck throbbing even worse. He fell to his knees, trying to bear the excruciating pain in his neck.

"Jagat!"

Ki Wardiman yelled, running over to him.

"What's wrong with you?" His face was panicked as he looked at the neck where Jagat was pointing with a hand gesture.

The old doctor worked quickly to hug Jagat and lay him down in the treatment room. He worked alone with no one to help him. There was the sound of firewood starting to burn in the stove.

Where is Gendis? Why didn't she help her grandfather? Usually, Ki Wardiman would check on him while Gendis built the fireplace.

*(knocking) Tap!

Jagat tapped the wood on his dipan to call Ki Wardiman from his kitchen, but it was Gendis who appeared with a smile she had never given Jagat before.

"You must die today ...."

She held a knife. Ready to stab Jagat in the chest, who was still shocked by Gendis' transformation.