Short Story: Anak Ikan (little fish)

Anak Ikan (little fish) 

Fitra Yanti - Published 18 Januari 2009 

little fish

Whenever I put my head on his chest, I felt struck by a flash of fire? Wonder. There was a roar of boiling there. Instantly, I just want to be a fish kid swimming freely to the bottom of the lake.

I remember, that was the last dawn. I saw my brother pushed aside the blanket and kissed the forehead of the woman who always slept beside her. The woman woke up and tiptoeing to the well, fighting against the body's shock in the cold air.

I don't know exactly what they are doing. What was clear afterwards, they both changed clothes. The woman was wearing a sarong and a large veil that had been sewn. They lift and fold their hands on the chest. For a moment there was a hiss of their voices. Then he doesn't speak like a person reciting Al Quran. Soon, they looked down at their knees and kissed the floor.

Usually, I also come with them. I didn't wear a big hood like that woman. He wrapped a long cloth over my face by pinning a pin under my chin and the edge of the cloth of the small sarong he wrapped around my waist. I follow them move. For me this is an exciting game.

When they kiss the floor I follow too. But I let my head go to the woman next to me like reading something. It's not clear they read what. I move my mouth. Hopefully the same as what they read. Every now and then I'm tired, I just sit or I switch to a stand. While waiting for all movements to finish.

But, apart from being very cold, I still felt that there was something unfinished between me and the woman behind the brother. I just saw them from where I slept. After all their movements were finished, the woman kissed his brother's hand. A sincere kiss. I again saw a flash of fire lick my hands. I don't know what to call it.

My eyes just watched what they both did. The woman walked towards me. He smiled. Something similar to the stretching of the flames was increasingly felt, as if spraying my face. But when I saw my brother approaching my bed, everything turned cool and as usual returned.

"You already wake up," said brother before kissing my forehead. I just smiled while rubbing my eyes, which had been rather blurry and felt a little itchy. He extended his hand to me. I know this sign. Surely he invited me to wake up. I greet her hand. Hap! Now I'm in his arms. I rolled my hand to his neck. The warmth that flowed from his body did not completely eliminate my bite.

"Bak, it's cold ..."

"No problem. If you wash your face, the cold must be gone, "his lips suddenly stuck on my cheek.

"Now we wash our faces first !?"

I turned my face to his chest.

"Girls can't be like that. She must get up early, must dare to fight cold, " He carried me to the well and washed my face while teaching me to use a toothbrush. At the well, my older brother is already there. Abak told me to follow my brother's example. Later when I grow up, I'm also good at doing it myself.

Next, my second brother followed to the well. My sister followed number three. Next, brother number four. I haven't taught me about how much I have a brother. We all have five people, as many as one hand. All women. I am the smallest. My brothers have gone to school all. Soon, I'm going to school too. But, I don't know. I prefer playing to the lake, with the fish.

Abak then guided my hand in front of the woman who suddenly appeared from behind my brother.

"Mar, I'm going to the lake first," said brother

"Yes, Da," answered the woman.

"Bak, come along!" I didn't want to be left with the woman. I want to take part in going to the lake, raising trawl. I want to see fish in the trawling eye. He said, the entangled fish were large and could be caught. Whereas small fish have not been caught. If caught, it must be removed again. Let him play freely until big.

"Like you ..." said brother. (At that time he invited me to go up to the midwife) "... still little should not be hurt. If it's big, get ready to be hurt. Because there will be something that will hurt. "

"Can you be friends with the little fish, Bak?"

"May. As long as you are not evil with them. "

"The fish also has mak, huh, Bak?"

"Certain. The makings are always keeping them like they are guarding Idah. "

"But it's often evil to Idah."

"Mak evil to Idah. Hmm, that's not a bad name. That's because you love Idah ... "

Then, I told my brother about the flash of fire that was covering the woman's body. Abak even laughed, not believing. He pinched my cheek and banned me from thinking that was nonsense. But, you can't. When not near abak, the flash of fire was so real that it locked the body of the woman who (must) call the mak. So, every time I go to the lake, I always want to come.

"Where do you want to go? To the lake? Not now huh You are still small. "It will sink and be eaten by fish," said the woman while reaching for me in her arms.

"Yes. Later this afternoon I will bring the kulari fish, huh. We burn for your lunch. We mix the meat with samba lado. Hm, the children are already learning to eat chili. Just at home, with you, "persuaded my brother.

I insisted on releasing the woman's arms and following my brother. He was already wearing thick clothes that were already very worn. Torn cotton pants. Here and there are patches of mud. And a pandanus hat that he also used to bring to the fields.

"Saidah! You can't go! "He snapped at me. I kept silent while still staring at him from behind. If that's the case, I'll stop there. Withered where I was standing.

"Later in the afternoon, if you have time, you will take the boat to the middle of the lake, huh. Now accompany your mate at home, "I nodded with all my insincerity. Abak left. I'm still sitting there.

"Idah, come here. Help me, "although I was still horrified, I just obeyed while hearing his persuasion about me who would soon be attending school following my brother. Also the story is about a girl who shouldn't go to the lake and all the talk about complaining lately about me too often. I understand too.

He said, soon I will have a younger brother. He said again, being married to a lake fisherman was like changing a fish. Life only in water. While children continue to be born. How to explain the price of kitchen items that skyrocketed to him if he kept watching the lake all day long. Many more complaints that I have not been able to understand jumping up and down from his mouth.

He gave me some shallots and a small knife. I didn't really listen to his words because my heart was still pity because it was not allowed to go abak to the lake. He did not know how glad I was to be near my brother, seeing him pull trawl from the water. And on the trawler stick some fish, which are then placed in the black plastic bag that has been provided from the house.

When I was taken to the lake, because the woman who (I had to) call the Amak early in the morning had to go to a place that she said was very unlikely to take me. That's why brother cared for me.

At that time I felt another atmosphere. My body growled to see the fish stuck to the trawl eye. I often squealed with joy. My hand is reaching out to the fish I have taken. This of course makes the brother also scream. Not screaming pleasure, but screaming anxiety. The crook used is not shaken. Every moment he gave me a bite and sat on his lap with his left hand. While the other hand held the trawl so that it did not come loose. Because if it is released it will be difficult to take it again.

Since then, every time I go to the lake, I always want to go. In the morning it is usually not allowed. For whatever reason, I never said that he was afraid I would fall into the lake and he did not want his little girl to be swallowed by a lake and eaten by fish. But I never ignored the reason for the brother. What I always felt in my heart was to allow me to go up in the midwife and lock the ripples and the children of the fish that suckled into the bowels. I like that atmosphere, far more like being nurtured by a woman wrapped in that flame.

Actually, I want to complain to my brother. I did not feel at home for a long time near the woman. But, I can't say it again to my brother. Abak must have been unbelieving and would scold me if I suddenly told him. I want to say, that he is only good in front of his brother. He looked so obedient to his brother, but behind him, he changed. There was a fire wrapped around his body. From his eyes which looked very cruel to me also sprinkled sparks.

I also want to complain about the complaints that I don't understand too often from the thin lips of the woman. I fostered with grunts and pinches that redden the base of my legs. Sometimes with coconut sticks and hair traps near my ears. This one, of course, makes the unbeliever more faithful. Especially if I say to my brother, during my absence at the lake, the woman often leaves me alone at home, until my brothers go home from school.

Sprinkling of foam, and the children of fish that suckle into the belly, every moment waving miss me invites me to swim, sink into the coldest base.

Morning is still black. I saw sleep was so good. I was horrified at the thought of darkness dominating nature. But, I felt the footsteps of the woman who guided me were eager to get to the lake. He said, you can't know. He said again, he would take me to the lake early in the morning, because the fish children swam to the edge of the lake in the morning.

I spread my eyes. Every now and then it still remained swollen in my mouth. I can't wait, I want to see the fish children. We are now at the edge of the lake. My ankles began to touch the lips of the ripples. The woman still guides me. He took me to the midwife and sat me in his lap. Then he paddled the midwife into the middle of the lake.

"Wait, yes. Soon, the fish children will come, "he kissed me. From his eyes sparks sparkled. The flash of fire that wrapped around his body was unable to repel the cold I felt. I resigned, waiting for the fish to come.

The fish invited me to swim here and there. He took me to a place deeper and deeper into the darkness. Every now and then I surface. My body is now so light and no longer feels cold. But, when I reached the surface, suddenly my eyes were fixed on the woman. He roared on the edge of the lake there. He rolled. Then, many people gathered around him. Some people look very busy, wandering around the edge of the lake.

Strange. I don't see brother. However, not long ago, I saw my brother paddling his midwife into the middle of the lake, looking around in all directions while shouting my name. I reply to my brother's call. But my mouth is now full of water. No sound came out. Finally, the fish mothers who are now taking care of me guide my fins to swim to the side, bro. I see my eyes are red and swollen like people are angry. His lips did not stop calling my name. The rower in his hand shivered. If only I hadn't really become a fish child, of course I would go up to the big brother, accompany him to raise trawl while occasionally shouting excitedly. ***

Padang, April 2008I also want to complain about the complaints that I don't understand too often from the thin lips of the woman. I fostered with grunts and pinches that redden the base of my legs. Sometimes with coconut sticks and hair traps near my ears. This one, of course, makes the unbeliever more faithful. Especially if I say to my brother, during my absence at the lake, the woman often leaves me alone at home, until my brothers go home from school.

Sprinkling of foam, and the children of fish that suckle into the belly, every moment waving miss me invites me to swim, sink into the coldest base.

Morning is still black. I saw sleep was so good. I was horrified at the thought of darkness dominating nature. But, I felt the footsteps of the woman who guided me were eager to get to the lake. He said, you can't know. He said again, he would take me to the lake early in the morning, because the fish children swam to the edge of the lake in the morning.

I spread my eyes. Every now and then it still remained swollen in my mouth. I can't wait, I want to see the fish children. We are now at the edge of the lake. My ankles began to touch the lips of the ripples. The woman still guides me. He took me to the midwife and sat me in his lap. Then he paddled the midwife into the middle of the lake.

"Wait, yes. Soon, the fish children will come, "he kissed me. From his eyes sparks sparkled. The flash of fire that wrapped around his body was unable to repel the cold I felt. I resigned, waiting for the fish to come.

The fish invited me to swim here and there. He took me to a place deeper and deeper into the darkness. Every now and then I surface. My body is now so light and no longer feels cold. But, when I reached the surface, suddenly my eyes were fixed on the woman. He roared on the edge of the lake there. He rolled. Then, many people gathered around him. Some people look very busy, wandering around the edge of the lake.

Strange. I don't see brother. However, not long ago, I saw my brother paddling his midwife into the middle of the lake, looking around in all directions while shouting my name. I reply to my brother's call. But my mouth is now full of water. No sound came out. Finally, the fish mothers who are now taking care of me guide my fins to swim to the side, bro. I see my eyes are red and swollen like people are angry. His lips did not stop calling my name. The rower in his hand shivered. If only I hadn't really become a fish child, of course I would go up to the big brother, accompany him to raise trawl while occasionally shouting excitedly. ***

Padang, April 2008