Christmas Spirit: Motivating Yourself for a Better 2025
A short story is a compact and complete narrative that typically revolves around a single character or event. These brief works of fiction aim to convey a compelling story, evoke emotions, or explore themes and ideas within a limited word count. Short stories often focus on a single plot, character development, and may conclude with a twist or a thought-provoking resolution. They are a literary form that allows authors to deliver powerful and concise narratives.
“You have to study here until you graduate from Madrasah Aliyah. After that you can study in Cairo. Mother in the village will continue to trade to collect fees for you to go to school. Please, son, don't disappoint Mama!" That's the message from Mother that she always says when she comes to the pesantren at the beginning of every month.
Why Mac? What's wrong Mac? Why is Emak so persistent in trading to raise money so that Muslims can study in Cairo? When Muslim expresses all the questions in his heart, Mother is silent and then cries. Mother's cries will be even more heart-wrenching when Muslims ask who are their parents and where are they? Or have they died? People say that Muslim is not the grandson of Mak Kholifah. People also say Muslims are the children of a couple of criminals, and they are still alive. Mother never answered. Muslims are left to answer all those questions on their own. Is there anyone who is not related by blood but loves Muslims very much? Should people's words be considered at all times and prioritized over Mak Kholifah's affection?
"Forgive me Mac!" asked the Muslim heart. “Last night there was a TV show that showed two prisoners who were about to be put to death. Tomorrow they will be shot. Today, they are waiting for their child. His son was named Muslim who was raised by Mak Kholifah. They showed me a photo of me when I was in elementary school. Turns out that person was right. Both my parents were criminals. My father is a terminal thug who sells drugs. My mother is a prostitute who also sells drugs. Their sins are deepened because they also join the terrorists who often blow up hotels and public places in this country. Sorry Mak, I ran away from the pesantren to meet my parents for the last time. Only one day, Mak, after that I will return to the Islamic boarding school and study well," promised the Muslim heart because Mak Ifah's face is always in the picture. Not only can I imagine Mak Ifah's face, Muslims also feel that they are being chased by sin for violating their grandmother's advice.
Muslim villagers who have just come to Jakarta. He's lost. He was late to see his father and mother. When he came to the Penitentiary, the receptionist gave him the last letter from his parents. The contents of the letter, his parents defended themselves. It's okay for people in Indonesia to label themselves as criminals, but Muslim children should know what the real problem is. Warni is a victim of trafficking in women who were framed and forced to distribute illegal drugs. Darjo, roams the terminal not as thugs but as hawkers forced to sell illegal drugs. The people said they knew Warni's whereabouts and would persecute Warni if Darjo didn't want to be a drug dealer. Darjo insists on living in the terminal because he hopes to one day see his wife who was kidnapped by criminals appear in the terminal. Darjo is exhausted and has no money to look for Warni anymore. Terminal is Darjo's hope to be reunited with his wife. It turns out that they met in prison, and were sentenced to death together. Their life did not end happily. To be able to meet his only child at the end of his life is impossible.
Muslims do not keep their promises. He did not return to the pesantren or return to his hometown to meet his grandmother. Muslims have even become terminal bums who often go back and forth in brothels. A fifteen year old boy, lives in terminals and brothels with a vengeful fire. Even though he was educated in a pesantren for four years, his mental instability, anger in his chest, made Muslims no longer fit to be called Muslims. Muslim himself realized that and proclaimed himself named Dazal. Dazal who likes to play battling. Dazal who likes to play with girls. Dazal who is increasingly becoming Dazal.
"Ha ha ha! It's a really good day! After five years of searching, it's finally found! I enjoy doing business with you thugs!” said Dazal happy because the person he had been looking for was getting closer. It's true that he's only just met his minions now, but he'll be seeing each other soon. The grudge in Dazal's chest immediately flared up. But Dazal doesn't only want to kill the criminal kingpin who has harmed his parents, because Dazal also wants to eradicate all family members, even all the criminal's minions. Exterminate to the root!
The waves in the ocean that came first will be crushed by the waves that came later. If Dazal waves, then Dazal will crush the criminals who have harmed his parents. Dazal has justified every means to satisfy his grudge. I don't know who taught acting to find the perfect face and cunning that is slippery like an eel. Dazal enters the enemy's stronghold as a friend but he builds strength and destroys from within. One by one the minions of the criminal kingpin are sent to prison or directly sent to hell. One by one, the food and weapons warehouses were blown up. The assets of the criminal kingpins, such as hotels, restaurants, plantations, transportation fleets, and supermarkets were scorched. How Dazal is a genius with a strategy to beat the opponent. But so far, Dazal's actions have not been able to lure the criminal kingpin out. Dazal doesn't even know for sure whether the criminal kingpin is a man or a woman.
Let the criminals be a husband and wife. Dazal chased them all the way to a castle on the top of a cool and quiet mountain. Dazal was surprised because the husband and wife were people he knew very well. They are Mama Kiai and Mak Kholifah. What is this? Dazal was astonished not to believe what he saw, at what was happening in his life. What kind of play is this?
"Mama! What does all this mean?” Dazal asked but he was sure his grandmother would not answer. During this time his grandmother really loved him but was also very mysterious. Mama Kiai is also as mysterious as grandmother. “Waaa!!!” Dazal screamed as if he wanted to release the annoyance in his heart.
"Don't be surprised Dazal!" suddenly a strange voice boomed. The voices of two people saying the same sentence. "I'm coming! I've come to close a drama that's been on for more than twenty years!” they said in stern voices and cold expressions on their faces.
"You?" Dazal recognized them as prisoners sentenced to death.
"Ha ha ha ha! Only two dolls were shot! Remember, money is more powerful than the law, my dear child!” said Warni as he approached Dazal.
“They are indeed your real Muslim parents! One of Warni's mistakes was not recognizing the poor me as her biological mother. Warni was brainwashed by Umar who also did not recognize Mama Kiai as her father. Kiai's mother and mama are besan. You are my mother's grandson. Mama Kiai never talked about this in order to protect her pesantren from public accusations.”
Dor! Dor! Two unexpected shots. Kiai's mother and mother fell on the ground. Dazal begins to understand the storyline of his life's theatrical stage. Mother strictly forbids Dazal to meet even just asking about his parents because both of his parents are criminals. Truly a criminal who hurts the heart, to the point of killing his own parents.
“They have such a powerful influence! Don't be swayed by his tricks! Both of your parents are demons in human form," said Mak Ifah haltingly. “They get lost and get lost more and more. Allah is the Greatest!" Mak Ifah's voice was getting softer and her breathing stopped.
The old woman who forbade Dazal to cry easily is gone. Dazal did not shed tears. He silently stared at his grandmother's face. From behind him, Mama Kiai tried to reach Dazal's body. He wanted to say that Dazal doesn't have to go to Cairo to study far, because learning the Koran itself can start by listening and practicing one's conscience.
"Go!" Dazal chased away his parents who were grinning with a glint of evil eyes like the devil.
"Go!" expelled Dazal once again, then he hugged his grandmother very tightly. "My goodness, my goodness!" Dazal asked, unable to contain his tears. The tears of a man who are very sorry for violating his grandmother's loving prohibition. Supposedly, he doesn't need to be Dazal who has held grudges for no reason. "I'm Muslim mom! I'm Muslim Mom!"
The man's screams and tears actually made Mak Ifah smile. But his eyes were filled with tears. Tears of happiness. Unfortunately, as fast as lightning Mak Ifak to heaven. Meanwhile, Mama Kiai and Muslim, like it or not, are opposed to two demons who will further damage the world's theatrical stage. // Untung Gautara
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