The Telltaler

Part 1

ALL LOOKS ORANGE. The dusk sun nearly sunk on the western horizon. The sky-colored by orange. The quiet sea wave reflects an orange color. The town"s old buildings look orange. The sand that stepped looks orange. The reddish-white c.u.mulus cloud looks orange.

Jim"s heart is orange. People stand in silence in the cemetery, at the seaside. Marguirette is crying. Rasyid gives her a handkerchief. Embrace her. Nayla"s coffin slowly placed into the reddish soiled grave. Amid restrained sob. Without words. Then slowly piled by grains of origin of life, soil.

Jim"s heart is orange. People stand in silence in the cemetery, at the seaside. Marguirette is crying. Rasyid gives her a handkerchief. Embrace her. Nayla"s coffin slowly placed into the reddish soiled grave. Amid restrained sob. Without words. Then slowly piled by grains of origin of life, soil.

The police and town physician do the investigation all day. Their conclusion is, Nayla die with her own volition. No one was can blamed. Marguirette"s Papa chooses to bury Nayla in that afternoon. Without waiting for her family to come. Anyway, no one sure Nayla"s family will pick their daughter"s corpse.

Not many come to the funeral. Not many town dwellers know that girl. Even they know, the news hasn"t spread throughout the city. Silence. Along with the sun that sinking in the horizon little by little, the crowd left one by one. Marguirette was the last that go, touch Jim"s arm. Hug him. Then whispered, give her condolences.

Jim weakly nod.

Rasyid which stands behind his wife restless muttered!.  He knows, without a doubt, tomorrow afternoon at the latest, a group of Beduin Tribe a.s.sa.s.sin will arrive in town. Ask about Nayla. Famous horse riders that renowned by their cruelty and atrocities will catch up soon after Nayla"s run from home a few days ago. And it will be a hard task explaining to them if Nayla decided to die. Even that was a solution that she chooses without other"s interference.

Dusk is getting ripe.

Only Jim left there, gazing at the tomb. Seagulls moan in the distance welcoming the night, back to their nest. The wind blows harder, make it cold. Jim lowered his head, his heart feels colder because of this wound, he complained inside, shouts at cemetery"s silence: His life is no use anymore!

It"s better for him to end all of this... Join her!

Part 2

SAME AS this morning in the town park. A thousand dragonflies suddenly fill the cemetery, with many colors, flying in a beautiful formation. And just like his departure this morning in the town park, that weird man appeared once again from nowhere. How it works, no one ever knows.

Just like that! And he was in the orange cemetery at the seaside. Stand beside head-lowered Jim. Relaxed with hands inside his coat pocket, look at the sun that will be completely sinking on the horizon.

"The pity is, you wouldn"t have the courage to do that, Jim!" The old man speaks softly.

Jim raises his face, turns around. That strange man again. "Don"t bother me!" Jim sneer firmly. He didn"t want his solemnity with Nayla tomb disturbed.

The old man muttered shortly, smile thinly. Okay! I yield, close his half-opened mouth. Step back. Sit at one of a big rock that scattered in the cemetery. Observe Jim in the silence.

Jim doesn"t care about him. Snort in annoy. He lost in many ideas in his mind. And suddenly his mind filled with question, how is this strange man knows about an idea in his mind and wouldn"t dare to do it.  After he left the park and meets this strange man, Jim takes out one big bottle of vineyard pesticide.  Sitting long under his room"s window, observe the bottle of pesticide. Measuring how many he must drink to kill him fast. His mouth filled by foam. His eyes opened wide. But he didn"t dare to do that.

One hour later, he hung a rope on one side of his room.

Holding the rope in a long time. Measuring. Calculating. Imagine his body dangling stiffly without life, with his tongue sticking out, join his soulmate Nayla. But he didn"t dare to do that. Never. Change his mind, he prepares a sharp knife that commonly used to peel an apple. Maybe it"s easier to do that with a knife. Calculate how deep he must slice the veins in his wrist.

Imagine the blood that will splat. His weak-limp body. Blood loss. Join her. But, once again he didn"t dare to do that. Look, how cowardly he is.

Jim is sobbing. Let alone take Nayla to run from her family house prison, even just remembering their promise in the chapel, he scared. His heart too weak. Fear of death.

Oh, how unlucky Nayla has a lover like him. Unfortunate girl. Sobbing.

"That"s why you were chosen, JIM." The strange man breaks the silence, just sound of evening breeze and flap of coconut leaves fill the seash.o.r.e skies.

Jim turned around, gulping.

"You"ll never have the courage to kill yourself. Your life option is very limited. To continue your life with grief all the time, crawling full of sadness. Or, continue your life with a belief in that wise sentence: A true lover will never give up until death itself pick him up... And hopefully that you will get a good explanation one day."

For the fourth time, all day, that strange man says that annoying sentence. Jim snorted. Decide to ignore. Turn his body around. Want to go away from the cemetery. Stay away from that strange man. The man instead engrossed knocked at the rock he was sitting on, don"t know what he does.

"My time is limited, Jim. I must do many other things. Busy. You can go and choose to continue to live with all the grief, or you can choose to talk with me for a moment, start tales about you..." That man stood up. Touch the tip of his nose. Relax. Smile happily.

Jim"s step stopped. He didn"t really understand what this strange man talk about, and he didn"t interested. Yes, he just decided to continue his life. With all the grieve.

So what? Didn"t know how long, he will try to survive without his Nayla. Bear all burdens. Jim gaze at that strange man. Waiting for an explanation. Not because of what he said. But because he didn"t know where he must go now. And that man, with his tone, somehow makes his step stopping.

"Good! At least with a pause, you still leave a little faith in your heart. Leave a glimmer of hope... Did you know, one small hope even can change the world"s fate. " The old man smile wisely. "Listen to me... Tomorrow, in the early morning, in the town harbor will dock Floating City Fleet that will explore to The Promised Land. They need food, water, blankets, tools, and new staff... I know, you have never been a sailor, but it"s good for you. New things will make you more-or-less forget your lover that"s was buried peacefully in this cemetery... Join them till The Promised Land. After the journey ended can"t be continued again, in the place when Floating City Fleet turns it helm to this town, there you will find the end of your tales..."

"Along the way, believe this wise sentence: A true lover will never give up until death itself pick him up. That"s was all that you need to do. Give the rest to the time. Let time do its part... Then you will get the most beautiful prize for your true love... Believe me, Jim!"

The old man steps away. Go away from Jim"s gaze in the dark cemetery before Jim opens his mouth asking dozens of questions. Jim intended to shout, call him, but the man has been disappeared in the cemetery gate. Vanished, together with a thousand dragonflies formation.

Tranquil. Just breeze of winds scrutinizes the earlobe.

A half-moon adorned in the sky. Covered in clump of thick cloud. Like Jim"s heart that halved and covered by gray right now.

Stifled to see.

Part 3

BIRD CHIRPS welcomes the morning. Thin mist hanging in the gap of pine tree leaves. Winter hasn"t pa.s.sed yet, but today"s weather is more friendly. The curled Jim in the bench park woken up by the sound of a busy town that starts the day. He fell asleep. Last night he walks aimlessly wherever his foot took. Sit alone in silence in the bench park. Stared at the hourgla.s.s. Reminisce the beautiful times in the past. Fall asleep.

Like always people come and fro hurriedly fill the sidewalk. Children running again, for the umpteenth times tried to pursue the sparrows. Children would never give up their desire, till the day their parents able to chase out that desire far away from their heart. Stoned theirself to become like other adults in common. Without dreams.

Jim wipe his dirty face. He hopes this morning the sadness in his heart decreased on span[10]. Yet instead decreased, it comes to pound his heart, increasing a thousand spans. He remembers his Nayla that lying cold on the bed again. Her frozen happy smiling for the last time. Jim"s lip trembling. Complaining.

One-two people that come and fro in the sidewalk near park talking about weird death in the inn yesterday. No one really knows the details of the event. Some know that girl is Jim"s lover, glance with pity at Jim that lowered his head in the bench park.

Ah, tomorrow or the day after, whoever wedding, Jom will happily play his violin again and will forget that neighbor country girl in no time.

Part 4

"SKY SWORD ARRIVED!" Someone shouted in the middle of town streets. Running through a pedestrian from harbor direction. His friend shouts happily too.

"Floating City Fleet ARRIVED!" The other shouted more enthusiastically.

Then the morning became lively. Heads come out from the window shutter. Open the door. Go out to the street. Ask each other. Murmuring full of curiosity. Laugh enthusiastically listening to an explanation. Join in the fun.

In this town, ship arrival and departure is not a peculiar thing. But it was different for this group of ships. Everyone is interested in seeing it. The news has been spread from last year, the sovereign decided to send an expedition to find The Promised Land. All of the citizens know that, feels honored and proud of the giant expedition that human never do before. Although pride does not always mean courage.

Everyone knows this expedition is a gamble with death. The difference with a common dice game is, for that cross the earth expedition, death symbol is on five of the six sides. This town was the last stop before the fleet began to leave the country, split the wide ocean that no one knows its edge. They still need a lot of people.

The true sailor not only has the courage to take merchant ships to pa.s.s through shallow strain. The true sailor not only about pride.

Jim smirked, remember his conversation with the weird person in the cemetery last night. it"s true. He doesn"t know what he must do from yesterday morning. His life is dark. Just sadness hung in his heart. But he will not stupid enough to go with that fleet.

Jim moves his neck, stiff. Move his foot back to his small rented room in the humid and dark corner of the town. Maybe he can stay quietly there, undisturbed by enthusiastic shouts about that stupid fleet. Think about his next days inside his damp room. Weep over this sadness.

Part 5

For a long time, JIM just sits in the corner of his room. Light from the sun that rises higher unable to penetrate gaps in the wall. For the umpteenth time, Jim sobbed. Curse his cowardice. Curse the bad luck that befell him. Curse his childhood and anything else that he can curse. This solitude made his heart even more hurt.

He sat curled up. Leaning. Hide his head deeply on his folded hand and leg. Sobbing. If he has even a little courage to join with Nayla. If he has an unavoidable reason and causes to die. This problem must be as simple as an old chapel legend.

Jim sobbing weakly. He didn"t aware of the death that he expected close in. Like a roaring sandstorm in the desert. The unavoidable reason and cause have been really close to him.

Neigh sound and dozens of horse clops break the hustle. People in the outside of his room shouted with fear. The atmosphere becomes chaotic on the ground. As if there are two or three Sky Sword Ship arrived. Jim raises his face. Rub corner of his eyes.

What happened? Lazily stand up. Try to take a peek from the window frame.

Exactly when his face seen from the outside, one arrow suddenly greets his head! Whizzing. Followed by another four-five arrow. Jim reflectively pulls his head before his head penetrated by a dark-black tipped arrow. Smearing by scorpion"s poison. The arrow stuck at the window frame. Thucked. Beduin Tribe a.s.sa.s.sins!

Jim"s heart suddenly stopped. Breathing raggedly. Aren"t they come too fast?

Trembling stepped back. His hand flailing reaches the table to support his leg. Twenty robed people like an Arab tribe in general swiftly come to this town. Like a tornado, they spur the best horses in the desert. Smiled coldly when Nayla"s family give a bag of gold as agreement, payment to behead their daughter and Jim.

Rasyid was mistaken. Marguirette"s Papa would never be able to explain to them. Nayla"s death clearly needs another death: Jim.

The most feared a.s.sa.s.sin in all Arab land and that subcontinent just understand one thing: Orders from the employer who pays.

They had injured the town guards which try to hinder. Marguirette"s Papa could only shout let them go.

Marguirette cried out in fear, "Save Jim, Rasyid. Please!"

But no one could hinder that cruel a.s.sa.s.sin go to the corner of the town, kick random people in the street, towards their a.s.sa.s.sination target.

Jim flinched instantly. Trembling. Is it good for him? Did death come for him? He will meet his lover soon? But otherhalf of Jim"s heart already frightened by the stinging stench of death.  Li-hadah, that a.s.sa.s.sin holding his more than one-fathom curved sword. His crosswise mustache and sideburns look scary. Their eyes stare like a hungry lion. And, they are already trotting try to go up to hunt him. 

Jim squeaked like a mouse in a trap. His hand flailing reaches something that can be used to defend his life. Small apple peeling knife. Jim"s hand trembled pick the knife. Fell on the board floor. He tries to stand up, pointing the tip forward nervously, to the door...

"You will never have a chance even if you have a thousand knife, my son... That group of Beduin Tribe a.s.sa.s.sin more than enough to finish one legion this town guard." That weird person again. Out of nowhere, standing in Jim"s room. Look at him with pity. Sighing. Like two meetings before, suddenly his room full of formation of dragonflies again.

Jim turned to him. His face was miserable. "Help. Please help me, sir!"

The old man grinned wisely. Exhale. The footstep of a.s.sa.s.sin became closer. They have been at the bottom of the stairs after a second ago decapitate the protested house owner. So sad, that house owner never aware of what horror he faced.

"Ah, I don"t know why I must involve myself this far, Jim ... More and more old the world, then more I must be involved in the fateful story... People become more ignorant! Never believe his fate quickly... Always reject and think that everything is a lie. Maybe later, I must fully involve in the story, waste my time to persuade." That old man sighing. His hand softly stroke one of dragonfly wing that floating in front of him.

Jim trembled to look at him, don"t understand what he says. But Jim knows, this weird man with a pleasant face will help him. Don"t know-how.

With a light step, that man walks to the door instead. "Follow me!" firmly said to Jim.

Jim squeaked. Go through there? Is it the same as killing himself? But Jim"s brain has been too full, he no longer could think that illogical escape way, quickly following limply.

The door opened without being touched. With thud.

The old man calmly walks down the stairs. Two stairs before him, eight Beduin tribe a.s.sa.s.sins go through with b.l.o.o.d.y sword, house owner blood. Jim trembled behind that old man. His small knife fell. Rattling.

Without words, one of the a.s.sa.s.sins ferociously jump forward, slash his long sword fast. Blood splashed Jim"s face and the old man in the sword.

The old man smiled shortly. Don"t know what he does.

Suddenly the sword movement stopped. Just stop. Stopped as you look at an apple fall from the tree, then floating before the ground.

The a.s.sa.s.sin that slashed his sword darted off hit the wall. Fell down with a thud. Without life.

They are not called a Beduin tribe if flinched after look at that incident. They never care for whoever the enemies they faced. How great they are.

Two a.s.sa.s.sins ferociously thrust their sword towards the old man. The other three pull their bowstring, set the poison arrows. Like before, the two swords stopped before touch the old man. Fall backward. Dead.

The weird man calmly steps down two-step. As if he was about to go on vacation. Three arrow shots, released. From that close distance, the weird only has a thousand seconds chance to dodge. And he didn"t have an intention to dodge. Lightly wave his hand. The arrows freeze in the air.

Step down three-step. Smiling. Jim who witnessed all that could only cry out restrained. Stunned. His eyes bulged. He is still very scared. Stumbled in his step. Holding onto the wall. The weird man in front of him swipe the arrows that freeze in the air. That three arrows fall with a rattle like a wiggle on the tree with ripe fruit.

The five remaining Beduin a.s.sa.s.sins in the corner of the stairs still didn"t care, shout angrily jumped with the next deadly attack. Three a.s.sa.s.sins prepare the next arrows.

Before they have a chance to pull the string, they had already fallen backward. They face deathly pale, without life. Then the two remaining Beduin tribes realized how great is the force the face. The slashed sword stopped halfway. Looked at each other. Stepping back trembled. Didn"t dare.

The old man went down at the stairs on by one, smiling. Two Beduin a.s.sa.s.sins stepping back too. Step by step. Until they reach the downstairs. In there, the other twelve Beduin waiting with drawn sword and straining bow.

"Who... Who are you?" One of the oppressed men hissed asking. Chanting to the other riders.

"The Telltaler" The old man said curtly. Friendly. Smiling. Jim moaning, the Beduin a.s.sa.s.sin will never know that name. They should run immediately while they watch six of their friends died miserably untouched. But their mouth gasped when they heard that name. The hand with a drawn sword trembled. The hand with straining bow trembled.

One person, likely their leader, step closer. His eyes look like the best hunter, stared ferociously although a bit of anxiety there. "Who are you, Sir?". Make sure. More polite.

"I"m The Telltaler!"

"Whoever you are... we didn"t have business with you. Sir!" The voice of the Beduin leader sounds hoa.r.s.e.

"You really didn"t have business with me, but you have business with this young man, isn"t it?" The old man pointed at Jim, smiling. "I"m sorry... but I have important business with him, so, if you"re bothering him, it will become my business too.."

The Beduin leader fell silent. Gulping. Calculating. Measure the enemy power. Remembering the old tales. His friends waiting restlessly. Looked at each other. Anytime though with trepidation feel, they are ready to slash the sword and release the arrows.

"If I were you, I will let him go, Tigris." The old man looks at him flatly.

The leader of the Beduin a.s.sa.s.sin bit his lip. Wry instantly. The weird man in front of him not joked. That legend turned to be true. Tigris? Only a handful of people knows his nickname. The old man nodded, relaxed walked go through the leader of the Beduin a.s.sa.s.sin, the head to the exit, Jim squeaked following, Look timidly, Worried that one of them will slyly attack from behind.

But no sword moved even a centimeter, no bowstring loosened even a finger. Look! The tip of the sword was broken without anyone touching it. He exclaimed weakly at his warrior, "Let"s go back!"

Part 6

"FOR YOU TO KNOW, I just appeared three times for every man that chosen to go through his tale, Jim. The pity is, your stubbornness makes that three opportunities wasted just for explanation, not for something with more worth, like help you to go through the various problem... " The old man look at Jim with pity. The standing face each other in front of the town harbor.

"I know you have questions. And for you to know, the wiser someone is, he has many unanswered questions... Ah, you too far to become a wise person, Jim. Because of that, many of your questions about me will be answered... whether by anyone." The old man chuckled.

Jim simpering, little creeps. Don"t know why he becomes really scared to look into this weird man friendly-eyes after various events in his rented house.

"Okay, like what I said before, the older the world, the harder it is to find the tale graver... So I will make a little adjustment for you. You can choose any time you want to meet me. Use it wisely, Jim. Because it can even save your life. Every time you need me, just call!"

Jim didn"t know had to nod or say something.

"Well, now go to those ships. Come with them to The Promised Land. Explore new places. New days. Sail through many things you never imagine before even in your dream. You"re the true young man now. Forget your miserable, weak, stupid, cowardice, and just complaining in the past. Change! Learn a lot!"

"Remember! Whatever happens. Whatever happens to you. Whatever anguish you face. Whatever difficulties you have to pa.s.s, remember that wise sentence: A true lover will never give up until death itself pick him up... Goodbye, Jim. Good luck carving your tale... I hope this universe with you..." The old man smiling for the last time. Turn around. Pull out the green ball from his coat pocket. Bounce it rhythmically along the harbor. The dragonflies whizzing in beautiful formation follow his step.

And disappeared in the harbor gate before Jim have a chance to even one word.

Leave Jim with confused, sad, lonely, and millions feeling that raging in his heart. These two days really the hardest days of his life. The saddest days, and weirdest and confusing days.

If only he has courage like the couple in the old chapel. That their death bell sounded every year, on the seventh, seventh month, seven in the morning. If he has their courage, this affair will be more simple.