THE MYSTERY OF LUXURY HOUSES ON PALM PLANTATIONS
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"Sir, are you sure this is his house?" I looked at the big house in front of us.
This two-story luxury house with a modern style rises high like a palace. I, who had only lived in a rented plot, was amazed to see the splendor of this house. Even though there are many vines here and there. In fact, almost the entire surface of the fence was covered by creepers.
"Yes, from the characteristics mentioned by Mas Hamdan, this is indeed his house, sir." Mas Halid looked at this house with the same amazement as me.
Last week, Mas Halid was accepted to work at a family-owned company to manage oil palm land that had been neglected for about ten years.
Previously, the plantation belonged to a very rich man. I don't know how the story goes that no one manages the oil palm plantation, which covers hundreds of hectares. Even though palm oil prices were rising at that time.
Finally, the company where Mas Halid worked bought the plantation and managed it again. Mas Halid is the one who is the foreman on the plantation. There is also a place for the two of us to live there, so we don't need to rent a house in that area.
The day before we went to this house, Mas Hamdan – Pak Rohidin's trusted confidant, gave us the key. He said, we don't need to bring anything, because the house is already complete, just bring clothes.
"Try the key, sir."
Mas Halid nodded, then took out a series of keys from his bag. He said those were all the keys to the doors of this house from the gate to the back warehouse door.
He chose them one by one and tried the keys, looking for which one was suitable to open the gate.
After several minutes of choosing, finally the gate could be opened, although with difficulty. I think the crankshaft is stuck because it hasn't been used for years.
As soon as the door opened, a luxurious house was clearly visible. Previously it was only visible on the second floor. That also amazed me.
"Come on, Uncle, come in! Don't just stand there."
"Eh, yes sir."
The more we entered the yard of this house, the more luxury we saw from every corner of the building. Surely the owner of this house was very rich, had a large plantation and a large, luxurious house like this.
Mas Halid then opened the main door of this big house. The key to the gate seems to have been separated.
When the door opened, the cold air in the house was immediately felt caressing my skin. Instantly the fine hairs on his hands and neck bristled. It appears that all the equipment is covered with black cloth to prevent dust.
"The motorbike wasn't put in first."
“Oh yeah, it's still outside, okay? "This is the key. If you want to open the room first, don't separate it later, lock it, so it's easy."
"Yes man." I grabbed a series of keys.
Mas Halid then went out of the house to put in our motorbike which was still parked in front of the gate. After placing two bags containing our clothes in the living room.
I then checked one by one the rooms in this house. There is a kitchen at the back and there are several rooms in front of the family room.
In this family room I feel a different air compared to when I was in the kitchen earlier.
Cluck... clack... the sound of someone closing the front door was heard.
"Mas," I called. But there was no answer.
I rushed forward to check on Mas Halid. I opened the front door and found it wasn't locked.
"Sir, where are you?" I looked out of the house, it turned out that Mas Halid was closing the gate. Meanwhile the motorbike was already in the yard.
'Who locked the door earlier? I had a really clear feeling when I heard the sound of the door being locked,' I thought.
"Hey, why are you staring?"
"Sir! Just startling me." I patted Mah Halid's shoulder.
"It's almost sunset, let's turn on the lights first." Mas Halid went into the house and then looked for the light switch.
"Is it still alive, sir? It hasn't been inhabited for decades, at most the electricity has been cut off by PLN."
"Yeah, yeah. Let me check the meter first, to the front, bro."
While waiting for my menstrual period, I don't cover the furniture one by one. When I opened it, it was really luxurious. Who do you think would leave a house as nice as this just like that?
"Hey, it turns out there's a generator in the back, but there's no petrol. Let me buy it first. You look for candles first, who knows, maybe they'll be in the kitchen drawers. Here's the match." Mas Halid gave me a gas lighter.
"Where to buy it, bro? Is it far away?"
"At the village border, I saw someone selling them."
"Okay, let's just buy some food, bro. I don't think you can catch up if you want to cook first. Haven't even washed the furniture yet."
"Yes, Doc. Do you want to come?"
I thought for a moment, Mas Halid must be just for a moment, just to buy petrol and food.
"I'll just stay at home, sir. I want to clean my room to rest later."
"Okay then, I'll go first, it's getting late."
I nodded. After Mas Halid left, I looked for one of the rooms that we would later use to sleep while we were here. I chose a room with a window that looked directly onto the yard. So that if there is someone out there, they can be seen immediately.
In the kitchen I only found one candle, and that was half gone. Then I took him to the room I had chosen. I decided to wait for Mas Halid in the room, because in the living room I felt like someone was watching me.
Until the Maghrib call to prayer sounded, Mas Halid had not yet returned. I suddenly felt bad. Why all this time? The feeling of the village border is not too far away.
"Hey, please open the back door." Mas Halid's voice was heard screaming.
I immediately hurriedly ran backwards. I opened the door in the kitchen. I think that's the door that Mas Halid meant.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw palm trees that looked like silhouettes, because it was starting to get dark outside.
"Mas," I called.
I saw in the corner of the barbed wire fence, Mas Halid standing facing the palm oil plantation.
"Sir, what are you doing there?"
Mas Halid didn't answer, instead he ran towards the oil palm plantation by jumping over the wire fence.
"Sir!"
MISTERI RUMAH MEWAH DI PEKEBUNAN SAWIT
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"Mas, yakin ini rumahnya?" Aku memandangi rumah besar yang ada di hadapan kami.
Rumah mewah berlantai dua dengan gaya modern ini menjulang tinggi seperti istana. Aku yang sedari dulu hanya tinggal di kontrakan petakan pun sangat terkagum-kagum melihat kemegahan rumah ini. Walaupun di di sana-sini sudah banyak tumbuhan merambat. Bahkan hampir seluruh permukaan pagar ditutupi oleh tanaman menjalar itu.
"Iya kalau dari ciri-ciri yang disebutkan Mas Hamdan, benar ini rumahnya, Dek." Mas Halid tampak memandangi rumah ini dengan takjub sama sepertiku.
Minggu lalu, Mas Halid diterima kerja disebuah perusahaan milik keluarga untuk mengelola lahan sawit yang sudah terbengkalai sekitar sepuluh tahun.
Dulu perkebunan itu punya seorang yang kaya raya. Tidak tahu bagaimana ceritanya hingga kebun sawit yang luasnya mencapai ratusan hektar itu tidak ada yang mengelola. Padahal harga sawit saat itu sedang naik daun.
Akhirnya perusahaan tempat Mas Halid bekerja, membeli perkebunan itu dan mengelolanya kembali. Mas Halidlah yang bertugas menjadi mandor di perkebunan itu. Di sana juga sudah ada tempat tinggal untuk kami berdua, jadi kami tidak perlu sewa rumah di daerah itu.
Sehari sebelum kami pergi ke rumah ini, Mas Hamdan–orang kepercayaan Pak Rohidin memberikan kunci kepada kami. Katanya, kami tidak perlu membawa apa pun, karena di rumah itu sudah lengkap, tinggal bawa pakaian saja.
"Coba kuncinya, Mas."
Mas Halid mengangguk, lalu mengeluarkan satu renteng anak kunci dari dalam tas. Katanya itu semua kunci pintu rumah ini dari pintu gerbang hingga pintu gudang belakang.
Dipilihnya satu persatu dan dia coba anak kunci itu, mencari mana yang cocok untuk membuka gerbang.
Setelah beberapa menit memilih, akhirnya pintu gerbang bisa dibuka walaupun dengan susah payah. Aku rasa engsengnya sudah macet karena sudah bertahun-tahun tidak difungsikan.
Begitu pintu terbuka, terpampanglah rumah yang begitu mewah dengan jelas. Tadi hanya terlihat di bagian lantai duanya saja. Itu pun sudah membuat aku terkagum-kagum.
"Ayo, Dek, masuk! Jangan berdiri di situ aja."
"Eh, iya Mas."
Semakin kami memasuki halaman rumah ini, semakin terlihat kemewahan dari setiap sudut bangunan. Pasti yang punya rumah ini dulu sangat kaya, mempunyai perkebunan yang luas dan rumah besar nan mewah seperti ini.
Mas Halid lantas membuka pintu utama rumah besar ini. Anak kunci pintu gerbang tadi sepertinya sudah dipisahkan.
Saat daun pintu terbuka, hawa dingin rumah ini langsung terasa membelai kulit. Seketika bulu halus tangan dan tengkuk meremang. Tampak semua peralatan ditutup kain hitam agar tidak berdebu.
“Motornya nggak dimasukan dulu.”
“Oh iya, masih di luar ya. Ini kuncinya, kalau kamu mau buka dulu kamarnya, nanti jangan dipisahkan ya kunci.ya, biar gampang.”
“Iya, Mas.” Aku raih satu renteng anak kunci itu.
Mas Halid pun berlalu ke luar rumah untuk memasukkan motor kami yang masih terparkir di depan pintu gerbang. Setelah meletakan dua tas berisi pakaian kami di ruang tamu.
Aku lantas memeriksa satu per satu ruangan di dalam rumah ini. Ada dapur di bagian belakang dan ada beberapa kamar di depan ruang keluarga.
Di ruang keluarga ini aku merasa hawa yang berbeda dibandingkan saat berada di dapur tadi.
Ceklek … ceklek … terdengar suara seseorang sedang menutup pintu depan.
"Mas," panggilku. Namun tak ada sahutan.
Aku bergegas ke depan untuk memeriksa Mas Halid. Aku buka pintu depan ternyata tidak terkunci.
"Mas, kamu di mana?" Aku melongok keluar rumah, ternyata Mas Halid sedang menutup pintu gerbang. Sementara motornya sudah berada di halaman rumah.
'Siapa yang tadi ngunci pintu ya? Perasaan jelas bener tadi aku dengar suara pintu terkunci,' batinku.
"Dek, ngapain bengong?"
"Mas! ngagetin aja." Aku menepuk bahu Mah Halid.
"Udah mau Magrib, ayo hidupkan lampu dulu." Mas Halid masuk ke dalam rumah lalu mencari saklar lampu.
"Memang masih hidup, Mas? Kan udah puluhan tahun nggak dihuni, paling listriknya udah diputus sama PLN."
"Iya juga ya. Coba aku periksa dulu meterannya, ke depan, Dek."
Sembari menunggu Mas Halid, aku buka satu per satu kain penutup perabotan. Saat aku buka, benar-benar mewah. Siapa kira-kira orangnya yang meninggal rumah sebagus ini begitu saja?
"Dek, ternyata di belakang ada genset, tapi nggak ada bensinya. Biar aku beli dulu ya, kamu cari lilin dulu, siapa tahu ada di laci-laci dapur. Ini koreknya." Mas Halid memberiku korek gas.
"Ke mana belinya, Mas? Jauh nggak?"
"Di perbatasan desa itu, aku lihat dari ada yang jual."
"Ya udah, sekalian beli makanan aja, Mas. Kayaknya nggak terkejar kalau mau masak dulu. Belum juga cuci perabotannya."
"Iya, Dek. Kamu mau ikut?"
Aku berpikir sejenak, pasti Mas Halid cuma sebentar, hanya beli bensin dan makanan.
"Aku di rumah aja, Mas. Mau bersih-bersih kamar untuk istirahat nanti."
"Ya udah kalau gitu, aku pergi dulu, keburu malam."
Aku mengangguk. Sepeninggalan Mas Halid, aku cari salah satu kamar yang nantinya akan kami gunakan untuk tidur kami selama di sini. Aku pilih kamar yang jendelanya mengarah langsung ke halaman rumah. Agar jika ada orang di luar sana, bisa langsung terlihat.
Di dapur tadi aku hanya menemukan satu lilin, itu pun sudah tinggal setengah. Lalu aku bawa ke kamar yang sudah aku pilih. Aku putuskan untuk menunggu Mas Halid di kamar, karena di ruang tengah tadi aku merasa seperti ada seseorang yang tengah memperhatikanku.
Hingga adzan Maghrib berkumandang, Mas Halid belum juga kembali. Perasaanku mendadak tidak enak. Kenapa selama ini? Perasaan perbatasan desa tidak terlalu jauh.
"Dek, tolong bukakan pintu belakang." Terdengar suara Mas Halid berteriak.
Aku pun langsung tergopoh berlari ke belakang. Aku buka pintu yang berada di dapur. Aku rasa pintu itu yang dimaksud Mas Halid.
Begitu pintu aku buka, terpampang langsung pohon-pohon sawit yang terlihat seperti siluet, karena keadaan di luar susah mulai gelap.
"Mas," panggilku.
Aku lihat di pojokan pagar kawat berduri, Mas halid berdiri menghadap ke arah kebun sawit.
"Mas ngapain di situ?"
Mas Halid tidak menjawab, dia justru berlari ke arah kebun sawit dengan meloncati pagar kawat.
"Mas!"