The Psychic (Short Story)

Actually, this story is "just an illusion", remember just a fiction.

Andrew stood still with trembling hands, his fists starting to sweat. He tried to refrain from landing his slap on the face of his wife who had been kneeling begging for mercy. The cries of his tears and the sobs of his wife, it felt like he was unable to wipe away his torn heart. The feeling of rage and anger that was so bubbling brought his hand up slowly and was about to swing at his wife's face but suddenly he heard the cry of his son who had just woken up from his sleep. With a compassionate look, he was seen leaning against the door of the room, crying sobbing, who knows how many times his son caught them fighting. Suddenly Andrew released his feet from his wife's grip and then ran over to his only child and hugged him.

"For a while, you leave this house, I'm fed up ..!" he said.

"But bro ..."

"Get over there ..! Don't let me change my mind ..."

Andrew hugged his son again, kissed him while persuading him to immediately stop crying. Without feeling her tears dripping too while holding her child .. she also remembered the series of events that have now led to the destruction of her household.

Since the new residents began to occupy the rented house right next door, Andrew's heart had an unpleasant feeling. Like a kind of premonition that reminded him to be careful and alert to the presence of the new inhabitants. However, Andrew never expressed the feeling he felt to Julia ... his wife because he himself hoped that the premonition was not true and he also did not want to be considered as someone who always had negative thoughts like Julia previously thought. And indeed ... just a few days, Julia already looks familiar with her new neighbor. Understandably, Julia is a very sociable person, besides that her job as a merchant demands that she is always friendly to everyone. Every person whose economic capacity is sufficient is considered by Julia as an asset to become one of the consumers of her merchandise. It happened that the husband and wife who lived in the new rented house were in the same hometown as them in the Central Java area. But the familiarity of Julia with her neighbor did not apply to Andrew, although occasionally greeted each other for mere pleasantries he had difficulty getting close to himself because the premonition was still haunting him.

In the first weeks, like a private detective ... Andrew always watched and paid attention to the movements of his new neighbor. Sometimes Andrew becomes ashamed of himself by his inappropriate behavior. Especially after walking for three months since the new neighbor arrived, there was not the slightest sign of Andrew's previous hunch and there were not the slightest bit of actions from the husband and wife that harm Andrew's neighbors and family. After all, the family looked like a devout family, so that little by little Andrew's heart began to calm down and the bad feeling that he had felt before, is now trying to throw it away.

Until then in the following months, Andrew began to see a little change from the family which Andrew felt was quite strange. One by one and one after another, some people visited their new neighbor's house and some even stayed a few days. Actually, for Andrew, it is a normal thing for him because as a local, his family ties are so close, especially in overseas places. So whoever comes ... whether parents, uncles, nephews or anyone for him does not matter that it is important that no action from them seems to disturb the peace of their personal life.

One day Julia told enthusiastically that one of the guests staying at the family was a psychic, psychic, or shaman .. Andrew did not know for sure, "what's the difference ..?" thought Andrew. According to Julia, the psychic is the spiritual advisor of the family couple. Andrew, who did not really believe in that kind of thing, chuckled at his wife's words, because from what he had also seen on TV ... the only ones who had spiritual advisors were artists who wanted their fame not to fade easily or officials who wanted their position to last so that they could continue to pile up his treasure. Julia glared as Andrew laughed at her words .. "Tacky ...!" at that time, but he continued his story enthusiastically. Julia also said that if she ever thought about various things from their domestic life, their husband's work to the conditions in the house they currently live in. Actually, Andrew was lazy to listen to his wife's story, not because he did not believe in supernatural things but he had no interest in the psychic world. He has the principle that soul mate, fortune, and death are all in the hands of God ... that's how humans respond and live that life.

Andrew's reluctance to listen to Julia's story led to annoyance, according to the psychic that his domestic life will always be afflicted by tempest, arguments will always come and go, both small to large ones. He said again ... his luck would not be smooth while his career would not progress, aka stuck there, all because the house they currently live in is also inhabited by unseen creatures whose existence has a negative influence.

"Then what is the solution ..?" asked Andrew sarcastically

"We have to move .. !" Julia replied shortly.

Andrew immediately got angry, as easy as that the solution offered by the psychic. Just imagine, this house he bought from savings from his hard work and sweat and then easily convicted of this house is not suitable and unfit for occupancy. While the quarrels that often occur he does admit, but that is the result of them being both stubborn, especially their wives who always want to win alone, and every problem that exists is always responded to with overwhelming anger. If only his wife could hold back just a little bit, maybe the quarrels that have been there are a few maybe could be avoided.

Andrew himself often felt ashamed when they fought because every argument that occurred, all the curses and insults that came out of Julia's mouth were definitely heard and heard by the neighbors. Regarding his career, it cannot be said that there is no progress, when he started working at a shoe-making company he was just a laborer whose job was only to sew or glue shoes. He gradually became a machine operator until one year ago he was appointed as a supervisor until now. It is clearly wrong if his career is not progressing.

"it's all bullshit ... !!" said Andrew irritably. Julia was silent when she heard her husband's curse at that time, her face was red with anger ... I don't know what she thought. Do you feel that what her husband said was right or this time she doesn't want to start an argument? only he knew and then Juliapun left Andrew without a word came out of his lips.

Since then, Julia never talked about matters related to the psychic again, until one day Andrew heard rumors from neighbors who talked about his wife's behavior, who secretly traveled with the psychic. Like being struck by lightning when he first heard the news, without further ado on one occasion Andrew interrogated his wife.

"I just took the psychic to my friend's house who needed help, what's wrong with me helping a friend. Don't be too narrow-minded, ..!" said Julia curtly answering Andrew's question.

But Andrew could not just believe the alibi his wife gave him, especially the two-wheeled vehicle which he painstakingly credits to help his wife's business run smoothly now more often used to drive the psychic. Until finally Andrew decided to speak directly with the psychic and asked him not to disturb the peace of his family. Unfortunately at that time, the psychic could not see the bridge of his nose, so he could only convey a message to his new neighbor so that the psychic would never again have contact with his wife, even for whatever reason.

At that time Andrew was so angry that he no longer cared who he was dealing with .. a psychic tiger or a shaman "don't care ..!" he thought. And he is also not at all afraid that he will be swallowed up..witched or whatever the term is, the most important thing is that the psychic immediately leaves there and so that the peace of his family can return to normal. And since then the psychic has never returned so Andrew's heart gradually - gradually started to calm down again. But the estimate was wrong ... very wrong ..!

Now that everything has happened, the rice has become porridge. It turns out that his wife's relationship with the psychic is still going on and the worse her relationship with the psychic is no longer just a psychic relationship with her patient but more than that. What is even more stifling for Andrew is not only the honor that his wife has given him for free, but the assets and money worth millions of rupiah, and finally, the motorbike credit that has not been fully paid is missing, not knowing where the forest is. But the pain is not only felt by him alone, it turns out that people who are touted as smart people, but capable psychics are also no more than an accomplished con man. It's not just his wife who is the victim but many other people who have experienced the same incident. Andrew can only sigh, can only be silent as he continues to try to stop the crying child in his arms.

--End--