Ingsun: The Light

Nada parked her old motorbike in the driveway. The house wasn't anything special. It looked just like every other identical home in a middle class suburban neighborhood. In fact, it wasn't much different from her own. Unzipping her black jacket and adjusting the backpack slung over her shoulders, she walked toward the front door. A brand new gray skirt peeked out beneath her jacket, ending just above her knees. She was fifteen. Small. Skinny. Her sun kissed complexion leaned toward dark tan, and she knew perfectly well that no boy would ever do a double take because of her looks. She wasn't the kind of girl people called pretty, glowing, or gorgeous. If anything, she often joked that she was so thin a strong gust of wind might accidentally relocate her to another district. The front door opened almost as soon as she knocked. A beautiful woman in her early forties smiled warmly. "Is Benu home, Ma'am?" Nada asked first. "You're Nada?" "Yes, Ma'am." The woman stepped aside. "Come in. Benu's in his room. I'm his mother. I'll take you there." They exchanged handshakes and friendly smiles before walking through a spacious living room decorated with countless ornaments. They passed an enormous antique cabinet that looked old enough to belong in a museum before reaching an open bedroom door. From the hallway alone, Nada could already see Benu lying weakly on his bed. The boy's face immediately brightened when he saw her, although his pale skin and exhausted eyes made it obvious he was sick. They weren't close. In class, Benu sat in the very last row while Nada always occupied one of the front seats. This was actually the first time she'd gotten a good look at him. His face was covered with acne. Definitely not the kind of guy girls usually crushed on. Like Nada, Benu was small for his age. At school, he spent most of his time working on the school magazine and journalism club. "Did we have a quiz today?" he asked. "Nope. But if you skip school one more time, your semester grades might be a disaster. School's only been running for two months, and you've already been absent ten times because of illness." "He's had a high fever for three days," Benu's mother explained. "I still made him go to school on Monday and Tuesday, but today he said he really couldn't do it anymore." "That's why I asked you to come," Benu winked at Nada. "I'll make you something to drink, Nada." "Thank you, Ma'am." Once Benu's mother left the room, Nada set her backpack on the floor and took off her jacket. "My parents don't really believe this kind of thing," Benu said quietly. "But they're fine with it. Just in case... maybe you really can help." Nada simply smiled. "So... can you?" Instead of answering, she slowly looked around the bedroom. Something immediately caught her attention. "Do you play heavy metal really loud?" she asked. Benu frowned. "How did you know?" "They told me." "...Who?" "The ghosts." Benu straightened instantly. "The spirits around your house." His expression stiffened. "How many?" "Five." "Five?" "All women. They live in the guava tree outside." She glanced toward the window. Benu instinctively followed her gaze. The tree stood quietly beside the house. "They said you're too noisy. You blast music until after midnight." Benu froze. "My parents travel a lot. They're busy with their social organization. Besides, our house is pretty far from the neighbors. I didn't think I'd bother anyone." "You bothered them," Nada answered calmly. "They couldn't tell you directly, so they made you sick instead." Benu swallowed. "What should I do?" "Wear headphones," she shrugged. "Or at least turn the speakers down after midnight." "They... get annoyed by loud music too?" "They used to be human." Benu blinked. "So they're not... you know... ghosts like pocong or kuntilanak?" Nada shook her head. "There aren't any of those around your house. Just spirits of people who've died but haven't moved on yet." Benu stared at her. "How does this even work? Can you really see them?" "Yep. The same way I can see you." "When did you first realize you were an Indigo Girl?" "I was in kindergarten." "Weren't you terrified?" "I had a fever for a whole week," she laughed softly. "I was scared out of my mind. Eventually... I got used to it." "What was the first ghost you ever saw?" "A family. A husband, a wife, and their little daughter. My mom and I were visiting one of her coworkers in the hospital. While we were sitting outside the patient's room, those three sat beside us. They looked sick. Their clothes were covered in blood. They eventually walked into another room. That night I told my mom about them." Nada smiled faintly. "Mom said there had never been anyone else sitting there. It had only been the two of us." Benu's jaw dropped. "After that... I kept seeing people nobody else could see. That's when I realized they weren't people anymore. They were former people." "Have you ever talked to them?" "A few times. Like today. I asked why they were bothering you." Benu looked confused. "When did you ask them? We've been talking this whole time." Nada tapped her temple. "Telepathy." Just then, Benu's mother returned carrying a tray with a cup of hot tea and a jar of crispy melinjo crackers. The conversation paused. "Where do you live, Nada?" she asked, sitting down beside them. "At Griya Permata Housing Estate, Ma'am. Right behind the school." "So you're classmates?" "Yes." Nada smiled before taking a sip of the tea. It was warm, fragrant, and only lightly sweetened. "Nada sits in the front row," Benu said. "And I'm all the way in the back." His mother chuckled. "So?" she looked at her son. "Did you find the cause of your illness?" "They don't like me blasting music late at night whenever Dad and Mom are away." "They?" "The spirits around the house." His mother slowly turned toward Nada. "You can really see things like that?" Nada nodded. "I was born with the ability." "I've heard there are quite a lot of children like that nowadays. They're called Indigo, right?" "That's right," Nada smiled. "Sorry... may I use your bathroom first?" "Of course." Benu's mother immediately stood. "This way." They left the bedroom together. "Go straight through the kitchen," the woman said. "The bathroom is next to the sink." "Thank you, Ma'am." Nada headed toward the back of the house. As she walked, her sharp eyes quietly observed everything around her. The house was surprisingly spacious. Cool air flowed naturally through numerous windows and vents, making the entire place comfortable without air conditioning. The family room across from Benu's bedroom was filled with dark brown rattan furniture. Near the flat screen TV stood another antique cabinet, and beside the kitchen entrance rested an enormous carved wardrobe with intricate craftsmanship. Benu’s father must love antique markets, Nada thought. Once she entered the kitchen, however, architecture no longer mattered. Her bladder demanded immediate attention. She quickly found the bathroom exactly where Benu's mother had described. Right beside the sink. The bathroom door was closed. She knocked gently. Silence. No answer. Maybe they simply kept it closed out of habit. Nada pushed the door open. The instant she crossed the doorway, a blast of hot, dry wind struck her face. Her eyes widened. She looked around in disbelief. This wasn't a bathroom. It was... a marketplace.