Harto pushed himself past the stretcher-bearers and joined the discussion. With all the voices echoing in the hall, Melati couldn’t hear what was being said, but Wahid spoke to him several times while raising his finger, as if telling a child to be quiet.
“They say they have orders to scan everyone and people without ID have to stay here,” Uncle said. He stood a bit closer to the checkpoint, holding his corner of the stretcher.
“They can’t be serious,” Ari said, looking over his shoulder. “All these people? It’s a funeral procession.”
But it wasn’t really, was it? A lot of people in the procession didn’t know Rina and were no friends of the Rudiyanto clan. Many of Ari’s sekong friends were in the crowd; they were marginally related even if Grandma didn’t like it. But there were also lot
