"Widya... I don't think the pocong ghost is grandma Suri, but a demonic figure who really takes advantage of the atmosphere"
"You mean?"
"I mean there is a demon who takes advantage of Suri's grandmother's death, she changes her form to a pocong and scares people," I explained slowly so that Widya would understand.
In the past there was also a boom in the pocong problem, the tomb was known to be haunted and spooky, even my own father had experienced it too.
"Besides, the problem of pocong ghost sightings has happened a long time ago. Father once told me that when he walked past the tomb, there was a sound falling from above. Father stopped observing the source of the sound, not long after that an object like a bolster pillow wrapped in white cloth fell right in front of him. He said it smells so rotten. Dad watched the bolster pillow, over time it formed indentations like a human body wrapped in white cloth and had ties at the ends of the head and legs. But dad didn't care about the pocong ghost, he kept on walking."
"Oh yeah? How come you never told me?"
"For what? What will happen later will make you and the residents excited! About the sighting of pocong there is nothing new Widya, it has happened a long time ago. So you don't have to be surprised"
"But why did she appear again?" asked Widya curiously.
"I don't know" I replied simply.
"Uh... I'm serious Nimas." Widya whined while stomping her feet on the floor.
"I'm serious too. I came to your house to do home work, not to talk about or approach pocong. it's tantamount to suicide!"
"Aahhh you're scared huh? haha" Widya teased.
"Honestly, yes... I'm most afraid of pocong ghosts because of their terrible appearance, if we are already in a safe position, why are we approaching danger? Right?"
"Haha, Nimas! It's not like they can't hurt us? Humans are more perfect why are they afraid!"
I silently looked at Widya carefully. "They can't hurt us physically, but they can interfere mentally. We humans are indeed more perfect, but don't be too arrogant to challenge such creatures, let alone devils who have subtle powers, even ants that are small in size, can harm humans!" I said looking at Widya without blinking.
Widya looked uncomfortable with the way I spoke, she also didn't dare to look at me. Her demeanor that used to be carefree and grumpy now looked shy and scared.
"Yes, I understand," answered Widya briefly and then bowed his head. "Nimas, don't look at me like that, I'm scared" Widya said softly
"Um... Why are you afraid? I'm just telling you"
Widya glanced at my face. After that she breathed a sigh of relief. "Huuhhh. You looked really scary earlier, fierce, like you don't know!"
"Really?" I asked confused.
"Okay, let's go. It's been a long time since we ate meatballs, I promise I won't invite you to do another pocong interview but you also have to promise not to be fierce anymore" Widya held out her little finger.
"What the heck, I'm not fierce Widya" I said still confused by Widya's attitude.
"Just don't scare me. Promise" she said pitifully.
"Yes, I promise" I replied while greeting her pinky. "You just saw that I'm already scared like this, pretending to come to pocong, hahaha" I turned around teasingly.
"Hey. Different! That means you are more scary than that pocong!"
"Ish, you sucks" I said while throwing a pillow into Widya's lap. He laughed loudly while dodging my throw.
After that we went to town, I don't know when was the last time we went out for a walk, but that day we spent the rest of the time walking and eating meatballs together after finishing our homework.
*****
It was already evening, but sleep had not yet come. I put on a jacket and blanket and sat in the living room playing games on my cell phone. The weather in the mountainous area is very cold, so I wrap my legs and body using a blanket that only shows my face and palms.
"What are you doing? It's like a cocoon," said the grandmother sitting across the bench.
"I'm cold grandma" I replied slightly shivering.
"That's what it is. Oh yes, I want to give you a message Nimas" said the grandmother very seriously.
"What's wrong grandma?" I asked, if the expression on her face was serious like this it meant there was something important that grandma wanted to say.
"You must have heard about the news that is going on in our village right? I hope you don't go out at night for a while"
I was silent, looking closely, even though I had heard from Widya, I wanted to know what else my grandmother wanted to say. "Lately our village is being terrorized by pocong ghosts"
"Grandma... Hasn't that pocong been there a long time? Why is it only in an uproar now?"
"Yes, it's been a long time since she appeared. The residents are related to Suri's spirit. I'm not surprised. Indeed, our village's tomb has always been known to be haunted. I've also been thrown from the top of the grave."
"Thrown? What was thrown over the grave?" I asked confused.
"Yes... There are pieces of bamboo to store water, back then we didn't know buckets. So to bring water to eat we used pieces of bamboo"
Oh, I see. I've seen it in a colossal movie that aired on one of the TV shows. Water bowl made of bamboo. About half a meter long with a slightly pointed end.
"Then... Did the bamboo hit you?"
"Thank God no, the bamboo was thrown and it fell right in front of my feet. In the old days there were still no street lights, the incident happened when I came home from a neighboring village doing massages," she said.
I think that regarding ghost sightings, grandma is very experienced. She has often seen apparitions of ghosts in various forms. Because grandma herself often goes and comes back at night to the next village for massages. If her lucky, you'll be taken home by motorbike, if not, she will have to walk.