Episode 4

"MY CHILD...

Bu Dian's agonizing cry didn't cease. She couldn't bear to imagine her child's brutally dismembered body. Who could have done such a thing, tearing her child apart piece by piece? Tomo remained silent, tears streaming down his face, as did the rest of the family gathered in the house.

Sukma's siblings were too choked with grief to speak. The sound of Bu Dian and Delisa's sobs filled the air, their hearts heavy with the loss of their cheerful Sukma. Delisa recalled Sukma's promise to buy her a red dress. Her younger sister always had simple wishes, excited by any little extra money their father could spare.

"Father, were her internal organs… were her eyes still there?" Razi, their eldest, asked Tuan Tomo, his voice trembling.

"Her eyes were there, Zi! But I… I didn't see any internal organs," stammered Tuan Tomo, his voice filled with shock.

"What if she was kidnapped and killed for her organs?" Razi exclaimed, his voice laced with fear.

"Weren't they in the suitcase, Kang?" Bu Dian asked her husband, her eyes filled with a desperate hope.

"I didn't see any organs, I didn't…" Tuan Tomo admitted, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks after Razi's question.

"It must be someone from the city! But Sukma was still here yesterday afternoon," Reno interjected, his voice shaking.

"Reno is right. Sukma was here yesterday afternoon, and she only said she was going to Lala's house," added Bu Dian, her voice a mix of confusion and despair.

"Ask Lala if Sukma went to her house yesterday afternoon," ordered Tomo, determined to uncover the truth.

Delisa quickly grabbed her phone to call Lala, the village head's daughter. Lala and Sukma, being the same age, were the best of friends. They often played together and even slept over at each other's houses. Sukma frequented the village head's house, and Lala was a regular visitor at Tomo's.

"Assalamualaikum, Kak," Lala answered the call.

"Waalaikumsalam, La! I want to ask, did Sukma happen to come to your house yesterday afternoon?" Delisa asked directly, her voice urgent.

"No, Kak! I waited for her until almost Isha'a prayer, but she didn't come. I thought her father didn't allow her to come," replied Lala.

"So, she didn't come to your house?" Delisa reiterated, seeking absolute clarity.

"No, she didn't! But my father said that Sukma… that she passed away. Is it true?" Lala asked, her voice trembling with shock.

"Yes, it's true. It seems she was kidnapped on her way to your house," Delisa confirmed, her voice heavy with sadness.

"Ya Allah!" Lala exclaimed, devastated by the news of her friend's tragic fate.

"Okay then, La. If you hear anything or find something that could be evidence, please let us know immediately," Delisa pleaded, her voice laced with desperation.

"Yes, Kak. I will let you know immediately if I find anything," promised Lala.

Sukma had indeed planned to sleep over at Lala's that evening, leaving around five in the afternoon. Lala waited at home, but her friend never arrived. She assumed Sukma's father hadn't allowed her to come over.

Lala couldn't reach Sukma on her phone either. She was afraid to call back, fearing Tuan Tomo's anger. But then, the horrific news reached her that morning. Her heart sank, realizing that her friend's silence was due to something far more sinister - she had been abducted by her murderer.

"I will find the killer even if I have to search to the ends of the earth!" roared Tomo, his voice filled with rage and anguish.

"How could they be so cruel? To cut her body into pieces like that?!" cried Bu Dian, unable to shake the horrifying image from her mind.

"This must be the work of a skilled killer. It must have taken them a long time to do something like this," Delisa said, her eyes filled with horror as she turned to Razi.

"Of course it did. It takes time even to cut up a chicken!" replied Razi, his voice heavy with the weight of their loss.

"How could someone be dismembered like that? I just hope she was already dead when they did it," whispered Reno, his voice trembling.

"What are you saying, Ren?!" shouted Tomo, unable to bear the thought.

"Father, think about the pain if she were still alive! It's better to think she was already gone, so she didn't have to suffer," explained Reno, his voice filled with sadness.

A heavy silence fell upon them. There was no good scenario in all of this. The only solace they could possibly find was the thought that Sukma didn't suffer. The mere thought of her child being alive while being mutilated sent Bu Dian spiraling. She collapsed, her body and mind unable to bear the agonizing thought any longer.

"Tell me the truth!" Bu Dian screamed, clutching at her husband's shirt.

"What are you talking about, Bu?" responded Tomo, frightened by his wife's sudden outburst.

"You didn't do it, did you, Kang? You're not like Juragan Adi, are you?" shrieked Bu Dian, her mind flashing back to the cruelty Maharani's stepfather had inflicted upon his own daughter.

"Are you out of your mind, Bu?!" exclaimed Tomo, appalled by the accusation.

"Just answer me! You didn't do it, did you?" she demanded, her voice sharp with suspicion.

"No! Do you think I'm crazy? Sukma was my daughter!" roared Tomo, incredulous at his wife's accusations.

"Mother, calm down. Don't let your mind wander," Reno said soothingly, putting a comforting arm around Bu Dian to prevent her from further distress.

Overwhelmed by grief and suspicion, Bu Dian fainted. Her heart shattered, the pain of losing her child in such a horrific way, coupled with the unbearable wait for answers, proved too much for her to bear.

"***************"

"Where have you been, Bang?" asked Zidan, greeting his brother while carrying gifts.

"There was a discovery of a corpse over there. I went to see," replied Zayn, returning his brother's greeting.

"A corpse! Oh no, that's just going to complicate matters," sighed Zidan, already anticipating the unfolding drama.

"The body was dismembered and placed in a suitcase. It was Tuan Tomo's child," Zayn explained, his voice low.

"Ya Allah, how could anyone be so heartless and cruel?!" exclaimed Zidan, his heart heavy with sympathy for the grieving family.

"Isn't Purnama with you?" Zayn asked, looking around for his sister-in-law.

"She couldn't make it. She's very busy with Arya," replied Zidan.

"Mama is busy, so Uncle shouldn't disturb her," chimed in Zahra, Zidan's niece.

"Yes, Uncle was just asking," Zayn chuckled, looking at his talkative niece with amusement.

"She may look like Purnama, but her personality is entirely different," whispered Zidan.

Zayn nodded in agreement. Zahra, with her warm and friendly demeanor, was a stark contrast to her mother's cold and aloof personality. Purnama rarely engaged in conversation unless she was in the mood.

But despite her arrogance, aloofness, and intimidating demeanor, Purnama possessed a kind heart. She never hesitated to help those in need, even if it meant putting herself in harm's way.

*Writing this while attending a wedding, guys.*

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