Devi’s Journey (Nunil 1)

By Edy Priyatna

I’d been standing at the Giwangan bus terminal for fifteen minutes. It was already three o’clock. My phone still hadn’t buzzed a reply to my message. I was unsure, but I decided to stay put. We’d agreed to meet here at exactly three. She had promised. Then, finally, my phone buzzed in my hand. A message. It was from her. “Just left the boarding house”, it read. I smirked. It seemed I’d been waiting on that old excuse. Whatever. I pulled a book out of my bag, just to fill the time. Rather than wait in silence.

By the time I’d finished nine prose pieces from the anthology of works by MPK, I looked up. There she was. She was standing at the terminal entrance. Smiling that smile. A smile that still betrayed an air of sadness. The question I had was who was the stupid guy who had left a woman as sweet as you.

“Been waiting long, Mas Bowo?” were the first soft words that came from her mouth.

“Yeah,” I said. “Since I sent the text message. How come you’re here so soon? Where’s your boarding house again? On Magelang Street, right?” I replied.

“I stayed at a friend’s place last night,” she replied. “I needed a change of scenery.”

“Ohh..,” was all I could say.

We started to head for the minibus stop. We decided to go straight to the campus. Earlier in the day she’d promised to show me around the campus. Well, it was really just an excuse. So I could hang out together with her. We rode mostly in silence in the minibus. From time to time I could steal a glance at her. That was all the bravery I had. All at once I was such a coward.

We finally reached the IMY campus. It was a breezy place, large trees here and there. Immediately I felt a sense of relief. It had an atmosphere that wasn’t too different from my campus. We walked past he faculty where she was studying, the faculty of social and political sciences. We wandered over the campus, passing the faculty of medicine, and ending up back once more at the faculty of social and political sciences.

By the time the sun was dipping low, we’d decided to break the Ramadan fast at a canteen not far from the campus. I ordered rice and stewed jackfruit, chicken curry, sweet kolak as a dessert, and iced tea. She ordered only sweet kolak, and a drink.

“Aren’t you eating?” I asked.

“No, Mas, I’m just not hungry,” she replied.

“So, when are you going to eat?”

“Maybe later, maybe ten, if I feel like eating something. Or tomorrow morning, for breakfast before starting the fast.”

“Be careful you don’t make yourself sick..” I said from concern, without thinking.

“All right, Mas…”

“You’re looking a little pale, Dev,” I added.

“I’m fine, Mas,” she said, trying to manage a smile. But still the sadness was clear in her face.

If only I were allowed, or even could, I’d wipe away that sadness. If only there was a way I’d have done it in a heartbeat. I couldn’t help myself. What sort of a guy could leave you feeling this way..

(Pondok Petir, 24 Agustus 2011)

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Source: Perjalanan Devi (Nunil 1) – Cerpen Edy Priyatna, Kumpulan Fiksi Blog [Accessed 09/12/2024] Edy Priyatna is an Indonesian writer known for his poetry and prose. He was born in Jakarta on October 27, 1960, and works as a civil engineer while pursuing his passion for literature. He has been writing since 1979 and has published works in Indonesian newspapers and literary anthologies. His notable publications include Gempa [Tremor] (2001), a collection of short stories and poetry, and several collaborative works such as Curahan Hati Nunil [Nuril Pours Out Her Heart] (2011) and Prosa Kolaborasi Dalam Puisi [Collaborative Prose In Poetry] (2011).

Edy Priyatna’s poetry often reflects his experiences and surroundings, many of which he crafted in his home in Pondok Petir, Depok, outside Jakarta. His book Lihatlah Negeri Ini [Look at This Country] (2020) contains 50 poems and serves as a potential resource for literature studies. In addition to his literary pursuits, he is an active community member and frequently shares his thoughts and writings on platforms like Kompasiana and personal blogs​. JAKLITERA JAKLITERA Goresan Tinta Edy Priyatna

His personal blog is Goresan Tinta Edy Priyatna.