Creative Writing

Summary: Mika finds ashes in the urn which is bought in the garage sale. She realizes that the ashes is someone’s ashes. She investigates whose ashes is this?

The Mysterious Ashes

 “Everything is too late. You must regret of what you have done to me. Go to the hell”, the man closed the dialogue in the cell phone. At the night, he said something to himself which can be heard like, “You must get a result of what you have done to me”. My heart beat fast when I heard his conversation. I went home through the quiet way.

            I thought that Denpasar is safer than Bandung. In Bandung, I used to feel anxious by arrival debt collectors of my father. It was contrasting with Denpasar condition. “Wisnu, if you can’t payback your debts IDR 75 million, you will see what I can do on you,” Theo James, the debt collector, said. “You all have to move to Bali. Dad will manage his own problems. I’m sure that you all must be save there”, dad spoke in a hurry. “You must be aware Wisnu. Those debt collectors will look for you wherever you go. You have to manage these matters wisely. You need to look for an obvious way to payback those debts. Your brothers and your sister have been annoyed because of your debts. Your parents have sold their house which should be able to be shared with your siblings about the legacy”, mom had advised my dad more than thirty times maybe. “Hey Mika, don’t daydream! Come here. Help your mom to dry clothes”, mom made me realize from daydreaming. The house was comfortable enough. Denpasar was quite safe for us to avoid debt collectors. Although in this city my family and I have to change clothes many times, we could feel more relaxed. It had been two months since we left our home in Bandung. Mom surrendered about her marriage. One month ago, mom got divorced from my dad. My mom had looked for money by herself to buy daily needs. We rented this house by using mom’s savings. This house wasn’t too narrow. Each room seemed to be cleaned frequently by the owner. This house consists of three rooms and one bathroom.

I had three elder sisters, one elder brother, and two young sisters. My first elder sister name was Michelle. She used to use lipstick too thick. She used to walk around with her boyfriend. “My dear, my new husband doesn’t ever know that we are in relationship. I have been bored by everything existing in himself”, one time Michelle talked to her boyfriend in our new house. She thought that she could get more attention from her boyfriend instead of her new husband and family. Muthia was my second elder sister. When we were still in Bandung, her friends had been interested to Muthia’s behaviour. Her smarts was shared by teaching them. She also joined some organizations in her old school in Bandung. Mayasari was my third sister. She used to go shopping with her friends. She was hard to be ordered looking for jobs by my mom. Then, my elder brother was Miko who used to care about family matters. Since mom got divorced from dad, Miko felt having a responsibility to protect our family. My first young sister was Mila. She was in fifth grade in elementary school. She was so gloomy. She seemed not to adapt with her surroundings. She maybe got a bit stress along her childhood. The last one was Mitha. She was in third grade in elementary school. In contrast with Mila, Mitha was so content by playing kites, football, and badminton.    

            First day in new campus, I sat in the end of desk. I liked to wear a dark hat and dark clothes. I wanted to hide in this darkness. I argued that everyone has had a mask even both my mother and my father. Based on my parents’ experience, I decided to not involve with friendship in this campus. I could not really argue that my new friends in Bali have sincere heart be friends with me. “I really don’t know where Wisnu is, James.” By trembling her hand. “I get divorced with Wisnu. He isn’t with me anymore. After I went home, I heard that the debt collector had still chased my father.

            . In addition, I was amazed by existing mom’s boyfriend. I also saw that my first sister quarrelled with her second husband. Instead of watching them, I walked around to the garage sale. Suddenly, I saw an antique urn in the end of store. I remembered my cozy room that was less of decoration on my bookcase. After I had considered about the colour and the shape of urn, I bought that dark blue urn.

            In the next day, my young sisters, Mitha run around my room. The dark blue urn was dropped unexpectedly. Then, I almost got mad to Mitha. Troy, my mom’s boyfriend, used to come to our house lately. He seemed startled looking at my pieces of my broken urn. Then, I had just realized that there were ashes spreading in the floor. I remembered when I watched Korean drama. There were people who did cremation an actor. When I saw the ashes of broken urn, the colour was similar to that program TV. After I rethought about it, I grinned. It wasn’t possible. In the garage sale, there wasn’t sold the urn ashes even human ashes.

            Two days later, I felt desiring my father in Bandung. I tried to call him but his cell phone wasn’t active. In the night, I called dad again. There still wasn’t active. Tomorrow and three days later, his phone wasn’t still active. “Mom, why dad’s phone hasn’t been active since three days ago?”, I asked to my mother. “I don’t know darling. Your father may be busy all the time”, my mother answered by underestimating dad’s activities. “Our father is too busy to answer our calling. He works until the night and appears a lot of debts. We don’t have to worry. He always does something which is delight in. In the past, mom used to remind him about his job but he ignored her”, Mayasari suddenly appeared. In the past, this family was very harmonious but I thought this family begin to destruct. “Muthia, I can’t call dad since three days ago. Do you think that he is okay?”. I tried to ask Muthia although after mother’s divorce she hadn’t talked much. “Dad can survive by himself in Bandung. Now, I just want to focus on my academic matters”, she answered briefly. I worried about dad’s condition. When I thought about dad, I saw a ring in the corner room. I was confused why that ring was in my room. I took that silver ring. I hesitated that it was my father’s ring. Perhaps, it was possessed by an urn maker.

            “Miko, where are Michelle and Surya?”. I was restless by thinking Michelle’s quarrelling with her husband. Surya was Michelle’s husband. “They come back to their lodging on Jalan Gajah Mada, Denpasar”, Miko carefully answered. “Mika, are you sure that Michelle will be alright with her husband after that incident? They fought emotionally. I think their marriage will get worse”. “By the way, have you ever seen that dad wears this silver ring?”, I asked hoping that ring wasn’t dad’s. “Mika, where did you get this ring? I one time have seen dad wore this ring”, Miko asked surprisingly. “I think it is from the urn which I bought at garage sale. I think that this ring is unique. The ring is seldom found in some stores. So, who’s that ring? It must be dad’s. We have to investigate who did kill our father!!”, I revealed by appearing mixed feeling. I had experienced some troubles which were appeared by existing his debts. Although it was bad experience, I didn’t want my family to get worse. The killer must receive my revenge. My suspicions lead to two people, dad’s debt collector and Troy. First, I had to investigate Troy’s activities. If there was no odd thing, Miko and I would go to Bandung to look for finding the last people with my father.   

In the next morning, we worked in a group to find out my father’s killer. I ordered Mitha and Mila to ask Troy’s activities during three weeks ago. “Why I have to do that? I don’t want to know Troy. He is our mom’s boyfriend. This family has destroyed. No one can fix this ruining family”, Mila acutely said. “Mila, my beloved sister, Troy has damaged your father. You have to help this family. Then, Mitha, you must assist your elder sister, Mila,” I tried to persuade them to get some information from Troy. “I convince this is good for our family”, Mila finally followed my order. I didn’t want they knew about happening condition. “Mitha also follow Mila to ask Troy’s activities”, Mitha was so straightforward at her phase. She was too young to understand this complicated situation. Besides Troy, debt collectors of dad can also be the killers.

Two days later, the suspect had directed to Troy who was always jealous by mom’s relation with dad. Although mom got divorced from my dad, she used to text dad for our necessity. Nevertheless, Troy used to suppose in wrong way. I used to hear mom and Troy fought about something relating to mom’s ex-husband. Based on the investigation of Mila and Mitha, Troy revealed that “I went to Surabaya about two weeks ago. I have to manage some works. I also went to Jakarta. There is a problem Mila and what’s your name?”, Troy answered confidently. “Mitha”. “Oh yes, Mitha. Is there anything else? Oh yes, I almost forget. I brought some food and clothes from Jakarta and Surabaya. I was so busy there but I spent about two or three hours for buying your gift, this food and nice clothes”.

I was so confused thinking about that. How was the way to reveal that he was the murderer? In the Saturday night, Troy invited us including mom, Michelle, Miko, Muthia, Mayasari, Mitha, Mila, and I to dine in Puputan Restaurant. I tried calling Michelle many times but there was no answer. Finally, I disregarded about Michelle’s inexistence. In the restaurant, Troy attempted to be close with us as mom’s children. “My lovely children, mom will get married again. Troy has proposed me”, mom’s statement was like the lightning. This matter made me convince that Troy killed my father. I was sure that he desired having my mother wholly. “Troy, I know that you must be the murderer of my father. It is proven based on your activities about two weeks ago. Mitha and Mila have said that your statement seemed to be doubtable. How dare you proposing my mother”, I couldn’t control my emotion. “What happens to you Mika? Are you going crazy? Don’t frighten me. I still want to marry with him”. I couldn’t believe this. Mom still defended Troy.

I went home alone by public transportation. When I arrived home, I pick up some clothes. I thought there was no person who cares to dad in this family. I had to move to another place. I went to Michelle’s house. “Mika, why Michelle’s ring is here?”, Mila surprised me through the phone. “Milaa, what are you talking about? That is dad’s ring”. I was so panic answering Mila’s question. I guessed Mila took dad’s ring in my room from my bed. “You can ask Mitha even Michelle. Where are you going right now?”. “I’m on the way to Michelle’s house. Mila, how do you know that it is Michelle’s ring?”, I didn’t understand by this condition. “I think that dad has given that ring to Michelle”, Mila tried to remember. “It isn’t dad’s ring anymore you mean? Hallooo, Milaa?”, the phone disconnected. I knocked the door of Michelle’s house. “Surya, is Michelle here?”, I asked by looking for Michelle inside the house. “Michelle isn’t here. Several days ago she went to Bedugul to meet some old friends”. I thought something happened here. Michelle’s phone wasn’t active several days ago. I had realized that there was Michelle’s parfume on the table. Michelle used to bring her parfume wherever she was. Before she used up her parfume, she never left it in the house. She went to Bedugul without bringing her parfume. It was so strange.

Suddenly, I got one call from unknown number. “Mika, this is dad. I have been kidnapped by the debt collectors”, dad’s voice made me dizzy, I still didn’t believe what I heard. “Surya where are you during this month? Have you always been together with Michelle?”. “I am so busy lately. Three weeks ago until yesterday, I went to some cities”. Surya answered confidently. “I feel something happens in this house”, I spoke frighteningly. I remembered that Surya ever asked about the silver ring which was mixed with ashes. “So, what do you want now?”, he seemed to hold something. I tried to open the door. I ran as fast as I can. I tried to reach security office. There was someone. I asked for help but he smiled at me. It was 10 p.m. Surya got closed to me and this security didn’t seem to help me. I thought Surya and this security corporated. I tried to find the nearest police office in this area. After I arrived to the police office, I told him what was happened. I stated that Surya is the killer of my elder sister, Michelle. “Mika, you don’t have the proof of this case”. “Sir, you have to follow me to this man’s house. I think the proof is still there”, I hoped that the proof was still in that house.

I looked for the proof in all sides the house. I got one bottle in the end of the stove in the kitchen. It was strychnine. “Sir, I find this. I think this can be the proof of this case. Although Surya wasn’t in Bali several weeks ago, I think he could put strychnine in the beverage which used to be drunk by Michelle. Finally, Surya was arrested as long as he lived.         

Reference(s):

Detective Conan by Aoyama Gosho

The Story of Wayan Mirna

Word count: 2. 358 words