Meeting You Untill Dead

~ A beautiful life begins with many problems, so gratitude is the main key ~

♤♤♤

"Mom...help me...help me..." Imaz cried out as two of Mr Darwin's men slit his throat. Blood ran down his shirt which was left stained. Imaz's eyes closed completely.

Both of Mr Darwin's men were skilled surgeons. They are able to dissect human organs to the inside. Inside Imaz's neck was the glottis. A gap between the two vocal cords. And they cut the vocal cords with a special surgeon's cutter. Once it was completely severed, they sewed up the neck. One slowly poked a special needle into his neck. The other one gently cleaned the blood that was scattered around the neck with a cotton swab.

"Sir, what now?" Asked one of them.

"Bury him. In 40 days' time, dissect the grave. You'll know he's dead."

"Then?"

"I created him as a man with my own hands...all women are unreliable. Weak and useless!"

Mr Darwin laughed out loud. Satisfied with what he had done. But, thanks to Mum and Dad who were kept in the back of the house, sprinkling prayers for Imaz every day, angels came to his rescue. Yes. He is Galang. Mr Darwin's only son.

"Dad, don't torture Imaz. He's poor. If you take another wife, you will know the tenderness of a woman's heart."

"Galang, stay out of father's business. Go and study for your exam tomorrow."

"Dad, Galang loves Imaz. Please let him go. Don't you want to lose Galang? Although Imaz is small in age. But he's mature. Just like you. Galang wants your tender heart."

Galang persuaded Mr Darwin. He bowed before him.

"Galang promises that after marriage, Galang will not bother Papa. But just this once, Papa will make Galang's wish come true." He continued.

Despite Mr Darwin's evil behaviour, he was touched by Galang's words.

"Alright, let him go."

Galang's heart was truly happy. Since childhood, he had been in love with Imaz. But, he was not the ideal candidate. Imaz wanted a future Imam who would always remind him of Allah whenever and wherever he was, regardless of face or caste. His prayer was fairly simple. Just allahumma a'tini zaujan sholihan. That started it all.

DOOORRR!!!

The sound of a pistol shot filtered through. Imaz woke up from his reverie. Along with Imaz and Mum, they came out of the house. How cruel the whole scene was. The universe must have been disgusted to witness it. Mr Darwin and his men were torturing Vania's family. Imaz's neighbour and best friend. What did they do wrong? They were doing a good job. Their income was promising.

"Sir, don't torture us. We are just poor people who need money. Wanting happiness." Vania's mother pleaded, on her knees before Mr Darwin.

"Poor people are troublesome. Useless! Better to live in heaven. Isn't that your dream?"

"Useless!!!"

Mr Darwin pressed the gun. The sound echoed the universe making the birds fly. The bullet landed, entering Vania's father's brain. Poisoning the nerves. Blending into the blood, causing it to erupt from the head. Vania's father fell unconscious. Vania and her mum screamed hysterically. Mr Darwin laughed out loud.

"Sir, where is the body buried?"

One of his bodyguards asked.

"No...no...not buried. I will create a new human with my own hands. But..."

Mr Darwin stopped what he was saying as he walked and stopped in front of Vania.

"Women must be buried alive. Is that right Vania?"

"Sir, you can kill me. But don't kill my parents."

Vania replied frightened.

"Vania, do you like cows?"

This time, Mr Darwin asked the question by bringing his face closer. Vania closed her eyes in fear.

"JAWWABB!!!" Mr Darwin shouted.

"I...yes..."

"Actually, I wanted to slaughter a cow. But..." Mr Darwin stopped his speech when his bodyguard brought a sharp knife.

"I want to slaughter you." Mr Darwin said, showing off his clear, newly bought knife in front of Vania.

She bowed her head in fear. Mr Darwin smiled slyly. His bodyguards ran around holding Vania's arms and legs.

"Don't kill my daughter, sir. Don't! Just kill me, sir. I will obey all your orders as long as you release my daughter."

"Shut up old man! It will be your turn."

Imaz could not bear to see the cruelty. Vania was Imaz's confidant. She was the one who believed that Imaz was not the neighbour's rice thief. She was the one who believed that Imaz wasn't a people eater and she was the one who believed that Imaz was honest when he made mistakes. This is not the time to stand still. Imaz moved forward to stop Vania's slaughter, but Mum's gentle hand held him back.

"Mr Darwin is still lucky with us. Don't make him change his mind." Mum's advice.

Imaz watched silently with the neighbours who stayed in front of the house.

"Let me go! Mum, help Vania..." Vania screamed in fear. Both legs and arms were thrashing to get away. Her bodyguards held on tight. What power, the strength of women is not comparable to men. Vania just gave in. Before the knife landed and tore her neck, she smiled at her mother. Her mother could only cry. She couldn't do anything because her hands and feet were tied with ropes. Then, she smiled at Imaz. She must not believe that Imaz is not the saviour of her life, Imaz thought.

Mr Darwin showed him the action. He brought the knife down on Vania's neck. She could only stay still and close her eyes.

Mr Darwin rubbed the skin of her neck all the way to her solar plexus. Vania screamed hysterically while bulging her eyes.

"Vania!" Her mother screamed. Rolling her body over and thrashing around watching her daughter being tortured.

The neck sprayed blood and flowed on the ground. Vania's eyes widened. Her body convulsed. The bodyguards threw her on the ground. Gradually, her breathing stopped. Her body was stiff. Her eyes were unblinking. He was gone. Mr Darwin laughed out loud. Mr Darwin's hand was still not satisfied. With Vania's blood on the knife, he launched it and plunged it into her stomach. Ibu Vania cried out in pain. Her eyes widened. Instantly, her breathing stopped. She followed her son's departure. Mr Darwin laughed out loud.

"Then, what's next?" Asked Bodyguard.

"Collect the bodies and burn them. Later, throw the ashes into the middle of the ocean so the police can't evacuate the case." Mr Darwin replied with a sly smile.

"But don't you want to recreate them?"

"Not so. The products are unreliable. Because they have a hereditary disease. Broken products are serviced again to become second. I don't like second hand goods. But..."

Mr Darwin saw Imaz smiling slyly.

"There are new ones that can be utilised."

The bodyguards looked at each other and they knew it was Imaz that Mr Darwin was addressing. Mr Darwin walked up to him.

"How are you son-in-law?" Mr Darwin's greeting made Imaz sick of hearing it. He rolled his eyes lazily.

"How was the film premiere? Was it good? Your neighbours and friends are at peace. What did you say? Accepted by Allah? Where is God? What's so great about God? To create useless humans like them?"

Mr Darwin smiled slyly. Embers burned in Imaz's heart at the blasphemy of his God. His eyes ignited his anger. And....

PLAAAKKK!!!

Imaz slapped Mr Darwin on the cheek. His mother and the neighbours could not believe Imaz's courage. Instead of getting angry, Mr Darwin laughed.

"Ouch, sick son-in-law. Why did you slap me?" Mr Darwin's style of teasing Imaz.

Imaz spoke in sign language. Ibu, as his interpreter, translated his words to Mr Darwin, "How did it feel when Imaz slapped you?"

"Bland."

Imaz speaks again in sign language. Ibu translates again to Mr Darwin, "then you didn't feel the existence of God. Imaz said, when he slapped you, did you think about him slapping you?"

"Don't want to know."

Imaz replied in sign language. Mum translated again, "Imaz said, you are selfish. You don't care about the taste of his slap and the destiny of Allah that will destroy your life at any time."

"Hey, listen Imaz. If it wasn't for Galang, I would have made you into a mannequin. Besides being beautiful, you're also sexy." Mr Darwin looked at Imaz's body language with his eyes.

"Bodyguard!" Mr Darwin shouted. The bodyguards ran around and held both of Imaz's hands tightly.

"Sir, where are you taking Imaz?" Mum panicked seeing the Bodyguards dragging Imaz by force. Imaz thrashed around unwillingly. Mr Darwin's ears would not listen. He walked away. At the same time, Imaz witnessed the burning of Vania's family's corpse right before his eyes. Vania's memories, smiles, beliefs and body were reduced to ashes.

"For you Vania, you're a friend more than ever." Imaz silently tried to let go.

***

Get off the car. Imaz, Mr Darwin and the bodyguards entered the house. The structural design of the house is very unique. There are two different living rooms. One side has the theme of a five-star hotel. The other side had a royal theme with Mr Darwin's name engraved on the throne. Up the stairs they entered the hallway lined with bodyguards guarding each room. Mr Darwin entered the operating room.

"Imaz, you go to bed. Calm your mind." Mr Darwin invited. Imaz stammered to sit up. Then lay down on the bed. After a moment of watching Imaz's silence, Mr Darwin and the bodyguards left him.

Two doctors suddenly came over to Imaz. They injected him with ibus medicine. Both of his eyes blurred instantly. A feeling of drowsiness penetrated his eyes which made him close them immediately. Two doctors put on gloves. They started servicing Imaz.

The hands of the clock were running. The sun slipped right into the shadow of an object. A sparkle of light penetrated the window. It refracts onto Imaz's face. Getting into his pores. Causing his eyes to open. Right in front of him, Mr Darwin sat with his arms crossed.

"Good afternoon." Mr Darwin's first greeting woke Imaz up. He was still in a daze after several hours of anaesthetic threatening him.

"You read the writing in front of you." Mr Darwin pointed to someone carrying a creatively chiselled inscription. The inscription read 'welcome to my world.'

"Read it aloud. Not silently."

Imaz swallowed.

"Welcome to my world." Imaz's voice rang in her ears. She couldn't believe her voice had returned. He felt his neck as if it were impossible.

"It's an artificial voice." Mr Darwin interjected. Imaz looked at him uncomprehendingly.

"My people built a voice machine so you can speak freely. They designed it with advantages and those advantages can be connected to your ears and eyes. Ears can hear over long distances. Eyes can see a person's identity in detail. I did all this because of Galang. He loves you very much."

"Later..." Mr Darwin brought his lips to Imaz's ear, "tonight you have dinner on the eleventh floor. There, express your feelings."

Mr Darwin tapped Imaz on the shoulder. Then, he waltzed out of the room. Imaz remained silent.

***