PUBLISHED BY FAKULTAS SASTRA UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA i This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the options of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book. The Burgeon Shade in the Black Hole All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2016 Chief Editor: Wedhowerti S.Pd., M.Hum. Editors: Putu Ayumi, Teofilus Natanael, Imelda Bella Megadhias, Gallang Riang Gempita, Diksita Gita Anindita, Rara Novia Perwitasari Cover Designers: Diwangkara, Bagas Tutuko Suryo Wibowo, Cindy Aryanti Layout: Nicholas Javier Satria Adynugraha, Alvarez Javersan, Bernadeta Ineke Kusuma Dewi, Joshua Yuka Govanda This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. ISBN: 978-602-60295-5-3 PUBLISHED BY FAKULTAS SASTRA UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA ii Preface First of all, our profound gratitude is addressed to Ms. Wedhowerti, who has given the outstanding guidance and of course the splendid time for us to process and make this book of fictions. Our work of writing is published into this book with the title THE BURGEON SHADE IN THE BLACK HOLE. Here, we give our idea and thought about the meaning that covers all the fictions in this book through this title. The Black hole in this title indicates the dark force and area which becomes the symbol to our fictions because it represents that our fictions mostly tell about the dark sides of human and tragedy. We also add burgeon shade element because even though it is dominated by dark, it still has an area that contains the light and value which is about the happiness. This combination of black and light makes a symbol of stability that can be seen in our personal story. We believe that in the most tragic story, we as human can find a little spot that can be a spirit and guidance in our life. We also appreciate any thought, idea and suggestion in order to develop and improve the content of the book. Finally, we hope that this book of fictions can inspire the reader as the medium to reflect the story of life and its value. iii Contents Home 1 Laredad 8 The Struggle of Being Multi-Racial 15 Magnificent Thorns 23 Sleep Paralysis 31 A Small Regency: Called Wamena 34 Breakeven 40 The Gate 47 Abiandra 51 The Unseen Thing 55 Half of Me 62 Let Me Love Her 71 I Love You... 74 Le Récit de la Mort 78 The 13 82 My Secrets and Me 86 Till We Meet Again 94 Another You 100 Are Doctors? 107 The Missing Identity 114 When Santa Claus Coming to Trench 127 Flipped 133 The Nerd Scoundriel Boy 137 Second Chance 149 Een Verbetering (A Betterment) 153 Dream Lover 157 Blind 161 iv Did You Know? 171 A Wierd Disease 177 The Choice of Life 184 The Angel 190 I’m Home 199 v Home Joshua was a young boy and for romantic stuff, his spirit was so high. Young man was often connected with someone who really struggled, had much loving spirit to enjoy his love journey and yes for sure, he wanted to prove to himself that he was a perfect lover, at least for his girlfriend. His girlfriend name was Gita. Like the other couple, Joshua and Gita had their own story which this love had begun in the past. Their romantic relationship has lasted 3 years, even it still continued until now. For Joshua, love was an important thing, it was not like TV drama story that men talked romantically, kissed their girl and threw away the relationship. In the past, his relationship with her old flame was bad, it was just like playing a role and he was bored. Because of that experience, he wanted to improve his romantic personality. Now with new resolution in his mind, he kept his word that a man should treat his girl nicely, honestly. He put all his effort to seek what was actually the real reason to always stay with his present girlfriend. Now he claimed himself as a romantic lover. He had the answer, at least a symbol to represent the reason to choose Gita as his ultimate choice: to become a life mate. He has found this answer in the past, when his relationship with Gita lasted 1 year. This answer was so important, as important as like Stephen Hawking found the theory of everything, for sure, his theory of everything was Gita. After Gita became his beloved mortal soul, he had a new ability, love- based ability. He liked to connect something with his girlfriend. He tried to emphasize the beautiful point that his girlfriend had and gave metaphor/comparison with other thing. He claimed that actually it was a good way to keep his mood and feeling toward Gita, at least he always thought about Gita. This way of think has been acquired when he found the reason behind his love feeling. He liked philosophy subject too, even he was not a master, but he tried to find the explanation about his feeling and existence of love. “What time is it?” Joshua murmured. It was Friday and the class room imprisoned his desire and mind. In this time, that question sentence became his favorite sentence to complain his condition: now he was in class and he wanted to leave as soon as possible to go home. Joshua was a student, English letters student. A nice and well-known Yogyakarta city was his destination to achieve his degree, plus he was a native person from Yogyakarta. Giving attention to the lecturer was difficult action to be done because his present thought was about his home, obviously he loved his home. Since he was kid, 1 he already loved his home, but now with his way of think to Gita, he loved more his home. His ultimate decision was to go and back from his campus to his home repeatedly rather than finding and staying in boarding house. In this condition, his concentration was sharp, even he could hear his watch mechanism. Now, his casual Seiko watch was his primary object: he repeatedly saw his watch to check the time. The windy, quiet, not too bright condition in class was distracted and this distraction was like an oasis for Joshua. It was distracted by a beautiful sentence from lecturer: “this is the end for today, I will see all of you next week”. For Joshua that sentence was like a holy sentence told by his pastor in church to sign that the sermon was done, so refreshing. Suddenly his boring feeling was faded, it changed into an explosion of feeling: wanting to go to home immediately. After several walks, he arrived at parking lot and for a minute he went home. After 1 hour and half mini journey, Joshua arrived at his home. One thing that could be seen from Joshua’s house scenery was green color, everything was green. There were several, even abundant trees. The log with moss on that, banana tree which was familiar for Indonesian people and bush were like jewelry, decorated his garden. “This is what I like. The fresh air for my mind and lung”, Joshua said while breathing and enjoying the fresh air. Before went to inside his home, Joshua mind was directed to his girlfriend and Joshua said “this relationship and home condition, both of them are my precious thing, yeah, can refresh my body and mind”. His home was not so big and it was “villager’s home” style. There was no second floor even 14th floor, just a single floor and it had a beautiful terrace which the pillars on them were made by the stone and marble. This home had 2 main and big front mirrors. Everyone from inside can see anything outside the home through these shiny as crystal big mirror glass, everyone even can see the infinite dew on the tip of plants in the morning. For Joshua, these mirrors could see his whole appearance and existence, it was like when he saw his reflection on the mirror. He could see all his body and existence, like these mirrors could understand him perfectly. In Joshua’s mind, these mirrors always saw him deeply. For another beautiful aspect, he had a comfort, calm and not too cold bedroom. The wind could easily go in and out through the ventilation, so it was such a perfect place to rest or even kill the time, enjoying leisure time. His bedroom also became his private room. For a special feature in this room, Joshua had a superb and nice mattress. The mattress was so soft, the bedcover feeling was so breezy and cool when Joshua’s skin touched it, and he could feel the spring in his mattress which is so bouncy, comfortable. His lovely 2 mattress was his best friend, he could take a rest for a while from his deadline of task, intrigue from other people and another problem in his society. At least, because of this mattress, because of this medium to be slept, he could take a break for a moment. In his room, Joshua could reflect whole things especially about his life and love.