It's summer in the global north (which is winter in the global south), and for the month of August Literatur.Review is bringing them all together, publishing previously untranslated or unpublished stories from the north and south of our world.

Hamsad Rangkuti (May 7, 1943 – August 26, 2018) was a prominent Indonesian short story writer. He once served as the Editor-in-Chief of Horison Literary Magazine. His short stories were included in the anthology Beyond the Horizon, Short Stories from Contemporary Indonesia (Monash Asia Institute). His collections of short stories include Lukisan Perkawinan (1982), Cemara (1982), Sampah Bulan Desember (2000), Bibir dalam Pispot (2003), and Wanita Muda di Sebuah Hotel Mewah (2016), as well as a novel titled Ketika Lampu Berwarna Merah (1981). He received several awards, including the Kompas Literature Award (2001), the Khatulistiwa Literary Award (2003), the SEA Write Award (2008), and the Cultural Award and Maestro of Traditional Arts Award (2014) from the Indonesian government. His short story "Maukah Kau Menghapus Bekas Bibirnya di Bibirku dengan Bibirmu" (Would You Erase the Traces of Her Lips on Mine with Your Lips?) is very popular, especially among young people.

Sukri slips the blade below his belt. The blade is sharp, it was just being sharpened. He himself sharpened the blade, with anger in his heart. Last Saturday night, he went to his girlfriend, Sumarni. They’ve been seeing each other for quite a while. Sukri loves Sumarni, Sumarni loves Sukri.

But these past few days Sumarni has had a change of attitude towards him. She becomes cold, and indifferent. Sukri can only wonder what’s the reasons behind it. Is it because all this time Sukri never made up his mind about when they’re going to get married? Since it is only natural that women expect their lovers to finally decide to marry them. Or is it because she has a man on the side? Does Sumarni have another lover?

Last Saturday night his curiosity finally met an answer, eventhough it was still a vague one. That night, Sukri saw a scooter parked in front of Sumarni’s house. He didn’t go into the house, instead he hid behind the shrubbery. From there he peeked at the living room where Sumarni was talking to a young man. It was only the two of them there. Not long afterwards, Sumarni and the young man left together riding the scooter.

Sukri felt like his heart was burned. He looked at the scooter fading in the distance while leaving a hurtful noise, stabbing his heart. He looked at how Sumarni’s hands were wrapped around the young man’s waist. He saw how Sumarni’s chest was pressed against the young man’s back. His blood was boiled. So, this is the cause of Sumarni’s indifference to him. She has turned her attention to this young man, to his scooter. I don’t have any scooter. That young man has one. And so Sukri slips the blade below his belt.

He waits at the bus stop. He hates to see scooters passing by. He hates to see those vehicles. He touches the blade at his waist. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees the scooter. He sees Sumarni and the owner of the scooter in the living room. Once again, he hides behind the shrubbery. From there he could listen to their conversation. 
"You are very beautiful, Sumarni. I’ve fallen in love with you from the first moment I saw you. Are you really not seeing someone at the moment?” 
"If you really love me, then hold me tight. I’m not seeing anyone. I’m still a naïve girl who hasn’t yet know a guy intimately. You are the first person who arouses these thrills within my heart. For me, you are my only true lover.”

Sukri touches his blade again, that conversation has really hurt him. He jumps out of the shrubbery and rushes into the living room. Sumarni is very surprised to see him. Her face blushes of shame. The young man who owns the scooter is also schocked by Sukri’s aggressive attitude.
"Do you really love her? Or are you just playing with her feeling?” Sukri shouts to him. 
"What do you care? Who are you anyway?” 
"I’m his boyfriend! We’re seeing each other for quite a while.” 
"Is it true, Sumarni? You just told me that you don’t have any boyfriend.” 
"I never have any boyfriend. I don’t see you as my boyfriend, Sukri. We’re just friends. I’m not committed to anybody. I’m free to do what’s best for me. He comes here sometimes, and I welcome him. He knows my parents and I know his parents. So we’re just best friends. I never consider him as my lover. Perhaps he thinks that I’m his girlfriend, but that’s not true!”             
"Crazy bitch! How soon your heart changed! Have you forgotten how you used to hold me? So, you’ve played me all along? I’ve never thought that you can be a real bitch. Do you really look at men from the things they own? A few days a go you were still Sumarni that I knew, but once you got familiar with the things he owns, you become blinded! Well, I’m not gonna let you go that easily. I’m gonna kill you!”

Sukri grabs the blade from his waist and as quickly as lightning strikes, he stabs the blade into Sumarni’s chest. The woman squeals. Her blood spill out from the wound. Sukri pulls out his blade from her body. The blade was covered by Sumarni’s blood. Then he attacks the young man.  He stabs the young man’s chest repeatedly. The two victims are now dead. Sukri runs out to the street. He jumps into a bus.

Sukri slips the blade below his belt. He waits at the bus stop. He sees scooters passing by. Those scooters are making him mad. He touches the blade at his waist. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees a scooter parked there. He goes into the living room. 
"You son of a bitch! Why do you have to go and steal my girlfriend? Can’t you find another girl beside her?" Sukri shouts.

Sumarni’s father comes out to the living room, “Sukri! Watch your tongue! What are you doing, you poor miserable young man! Don’t you dare coming near my daughter. What have you been able to give her as a proof of your love anyway? How dare you come here every weekend with only empty promises. Don’t you dare giving us false hope. Go away! Let my daughter finds a better suitor than you!” 
"Damn you, old man! You materialistic weasel! So, what makes you different than any other parent if you yourself think that way?  Do you see your daughter as a commodity?” 
"Sukri, Sumarni is my daughter. I have the right to decide what’s best for her.” 
"Do you really think that this young man with a scooter is a better suitor than me?” 
"He has a scooter. That is enough to prove that he has something for my daughter. While you? You only offer us empty promises.” 
"So, you really are an old man who looks at others by the things they own.” 
"Every parent would do the same for their daughter’s happiness.” 
"Not every parent!” 
"Then I’m not the one that you’re expecting to be!” 
''No, you aren’t!'' Sukri said while pulling the blade from his waist. He attacks the old man. He stabs the blade repeatedly into that poor man’s chest and belly. And then, with the blade already covered with blood, he turns his head to Sumarni and the young man.
"So, you wanna kill me too? Kill me! Kill me if that would satisfy you!” she yells at him. 
''A materialistic woman like you, doesn’t need to live any longer!”

Sukri stabs her with her blade. The young man tries to flee, but Sukri gets to him. They wrestle in the yard. The fall into the shrubbery. Sukri manages to get the upper hand. He stabs the young man repeatedly.

From inside the house, he hears a woman screams. Sukri jumps into the living room. He realizes, that it was Sumarni’s mother who screams. He finds the poor woman is crying over the bodies of her husband and her daughter.   
"Murderer!” she shouts at Sukri. “Why don’t you kill me too? Come on! End my life, you murderer! Do it!” 
''Yes, I better do that. A mother like yourself doesn’t deserve to live longer! You let your daughter rides a scooter with a total stranger. You think you’re lucky, because you’re expecting many things from that man. You don’t deserve to live. This is for a mother like you!”

Sukri stabs his blade into her. Sumarni’s mother’s body falls to the floor. Sukri hears voices coming from the yard, many people are starting to come. He runs inside the house, to the kitchen. He jumps out from the back door into a small alley behind the house. From that alley, he runs to the street. And then he jumps into a bus.

Sukri slips the blade below his belt. He awaits at the bus stop. Not long afterwards, a bus actually stops there. He jumps into the bus. He sits near the window. His blood is still boiled. He touches his blade. He can see from the window, scooters are passing his bus. He’s feeling angry to those scooters. He touches the blade at his waist. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees a scooter parked at the yard. Sumarni’s is sitting in the living room with the young man who owns the scooter. Sukri hides behind the shrubbery. 
"Don’t do that! Do you think I’m that easy to get? Can’t you sit politely in your chair?”

That is Sumarni’s voice. Sukri feels glad to hear her saying those words to the young man. He peeked from between the roses, Sumarni is moving her seat away from the young man. 
"Is it because we’re poor so you think you can do all you want with us? Don’t treat me like I was some cheap toy that you can buy with your money! We maybe poor, but we have our integrity. Don’t you dare kissing me. Don’t you dare holding me! I have a boyfriend. Oh. Sukri! Why don’t you come when I need you?" 
Sukri jumps out from the shrubbery. He pulls out his blade. 
"How dare you disturb my girlfriend. You can’t buy us with your money. Go away! Or I’ll stab you with my blade!” 
"Who the hell are you?” 
"I’m Sumarni’s boyfriend!” 
"You are late, my friend, we’ve slept together. I’ve brought her to Bina Ria." 
"Is that true, Sumarni?” 
"I fought him. But he’s much stronger. He raped me. I was helpless. Sukri, forgive me. I’ve been tainted.”
"You son of a bitch! You filthy dog!! How dare you do that to my girlfriend. You’ve played my girl with your money! You deserve this!”

Sukri stabs the blade into him. But the young man manages to evade his attack, and Sukri’s blade went to the chair. Marni took the cup of hot coffe from the table and throw it at the young man’s face. Sukri took advantage from that good opportunity. He stabs the young man repeatedly. The young man dies. Sumarni holds Sukri in her arms. 
"Forgive me, Sukri. I have failed to defend my honor. I’ve been tainted. Kill me. I’m willing to die in your hand.” 
"No. I love you. My love doesn’t vanish eventhough you’ve been tainted. You’re still the woman that I love. You are my lover.”

Sukri holds Sumarni in his arms. Sukri kisses Sumarni. Sumarni kisses Sukri. 
"Please wait for me until I finish doing my time in prison.” 
"No. We have to run. We could live in Sumatera, in my uncle’s house. We could live there as husband and wife. Don’t give yourself up to the police. They will torture you. You will die in prison.” 
"No, darling. Please don’t ask me to run away. We live in a country that’s ruled by the law, sweetheart. Don’t you worry that such a thing would ever happen to me. Please wait until I finish my time in prison. But if there should be a good man who’s willing to be your husband, take him to be your husband. I’m afraid that that young man had made you pregnant. Tell that man everything he needs to know. If he still wants to take you to be his wife, then you must accept him. Don’t torture yourself. I love you, but I don’t want you to suffer too long." 
"No, Sukri. We will get married before you go to prison. I will faithfully wait for you. Will you take me to be your wife? Will you accept me?” 
"Alright, darling. Let’s get married before I go to prison. I accept you. I forgive you.”

Sukri smiles and touches the blade at her waist. He pays the bus fare. He looks outside from the bus window. He sees a scooter passes by. He sees a woman sits on the back seat of the scooter. He knows that the woman is not Sumarni. He also knows, that the rider of that scooter is not the young man who comes to Sumarni’s house. But still, he feels angry just to see them. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees a scooter parked in the yard. Sumarni is in the living room together with the young man. Sukri hides behind the shrubbery. He hears Sumarni says, “Honey, please buy me a wrist watch. I want to have one.” 
"But I already bought you a gold neklace.” 
"Is it too much to ask? It’s just a wrist watch, after all, I already gave you my virginity. I really want to have a wrist watch.” 
"Alright, next weekend I’ll buy you a wrist watch.”

Sukri could’t stand the conversation. He jumps out from the shrubbery.  He bursts into the living room with anger. 
"Sukri, what the hell are you doing?! Don’t disturb me in my own house!” 
"Marni! What kind of woman are you?! Did I hear you correctly?! You gave him your virginity?” 
''Yes, you heard me just fine. I did give him my virginity. I want to have gold neklace, I want to have a wrist watch. I want to have jewelry. I also would like to have some money. Don’t bother me. I know I couldn’t get all of that from you. With you I can only dream of those things, not actually get them!”
"You’ve changed, Marni?” 
"Yes, I have. People can change, you know. I’m a different Sumarni now. You don’t have the right to punish me.” 
"I’m your lover, I have the right to punish you!” 
Sukri pulls out his blade. 
"It’s not my fault, Buddy,” says the young man, “I didn’t know that Sumarni is your girlfriend, she seduced me." 
"You hear that, Marni? It was you who seduced him!”
“What does it matter who seduced who? I was also being seduced by luxurious things in life. I am the victim of life. You suppose to punish this life!” 
"You faithless woman, you must be annihilated!” 
Sukri stabs his blade into her. Sumarni dies by the hand of her boyfriend. 
"Come on Buddy, you must flee before the police arrive.” 
"No, I’m not fleeing. I did this with my full awareness." 
"You did this on purpose?”
"Yes, I did.” 
"You deliberately annihilated the life of a human being? What you actually annihilated is your own incompetence. You’re being unrealictic. You’re dreaming! You’re deluding yourself!” 
"You rapist! You abuse your wealth to seduce young innocent girls. You destroy their purity. Men like you don’t deserve to live any longer. You must be punished. I’m Sumarni’s lover. I have the right to punish you!” 
"Wait a minute, I didn’t do it for free. I bought her a gold necklace. I can’t see nothing wrong with getting something in return. You can’t do something to me without considering that!” 
"You abuse your money! You use it for wicked purposes. You’re being ungrateful to God! You must be annihilated! Men like you should be annihilated!” 
"Hold it, hold it. You can’t just punish me. Take a good look at yourself. What have you been doing all these time? You only sit and watch the poverty surrounds you. You didn’t do anything to get out of it. Infact, you enjoyed it. All you ever did was giving empty promises. You’re a dreamer. It’s actually you who doesn’t deserve to live! You don’t have any right to punish Sumarni! Sumarni was only a victim of this consumeristic life. She was a victim of her surroundings. You’ve punished yourself. You’re dreaming!”

Sukri touches his blade. He sits tightly on the bus seat. He looks at all the other passengers. The bus stops at a traffic light. All the vehicles are stop moving. Several scooter riders are also stopping there. Sukri sees the scooters. He gets mad just to see those scooters! He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees a scooter parked in the yard. Sumarni is talking with the young man in the living room. Sukri hides behind the shrubbery. He hears Marni’s voice calling, “Mother, please come here. Wouldn’t you like to see this?”

Sukri hears Sumarni’s mother comes into the living room... 
"My boyfriend bought me an engagement ring. May I put it on my finger now?” 
"I love Marni, Ma’am. I’d like to ask her hand in marriage. With this ring I officially propose your daughter. Would you allow her to wear the ring? I love your daughter. This ring is the symbol of our commitment.”. 
"Father, father! Please come out, your daughter is being proposed!” 
Sukri hears Marni’s father comes into the living room. 
"Is that true, young man? Is it true that you are proposing our daughter?” 
"Yes, I am, Sir. I love your daughter. I would like Marni to be engaged to me right now.” 
"But, Marni, aren’t you going to discuss this with Sukri first? He loves you, doesn’t he? You’re seeing each other for quite a while.” 
"Sukri is like my brother, father. His family and ours are like one big family. I consider Sukri as a brother.” 
"Are you sure already with this decision, Marni? If you are, then your mother and I could do nothing else but to give our blessing to you.” 
"May I, Sir, put the ring onto her finger?” 
"You may, Son. Your decision has made us very happy as parents.” 
"I’m indeed expecting that Marni’s parents would see us as I put this ring onto her finger.” 
"Congratulation, my Son, we give our blessing to you both.” 
Sukri pulls out the blade from his waist. He stabs the blade onto his own heart. Sukri dies immediately.

Sukri slips the blade below his belt. The blade was sharp because it was just being sharpenend. From the bus window he sees scooters passing the bus. He touches the blade. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house. He sees a scooter parked in the yard. He directly rushes into the living room. 
"Ah, Sukri. I’m glad you here. This young man is looking for a room to rent. Yesterday I took him to Haji Marzuki’s place. He probably will rent a room there. Mas, this is Sukri, my boyfriend.”

Sukri shakes the young man’s hand."Yes, I probably will rent a room at Haji Marzuki’s place. Beside that, I would also like to learn about religious teachings from him. I have to go now, Sukri. Would you excuse me, Marni.” 
"Do you really have to leave now? But we’ve just met, I’d like to know you a little better,” Sukri says to the young man.
"There will be other times for that, I’m sure. Right now, I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a hurry. I came to say thanks to Marni. Next time we’ll have the chance to chat. Good night, Marni. Thank you, once again. Good night, Sukri." 
"But you haven’t drink your coffee…”
"Nevermind, Sukri. I need to come to Haji Marzuki’s place now. I think he’s already back from the mosque by now. We have an appointment.” 
Sukri accompanies the young man to his scooter. Then the young man leaves riding his scooter. Sukri comes into the living room. He looks at Marny, shyly. 
" Why didn’t you come on Saturday night?”
"I came actually, but I didn’t meet you. I saw you left with that guy.” 
"We were actually waiting for you. I thought I would ask you to take that guy to Haji Marzuki’s place. But you didn’t arrive. So, I took him there myself.” 
Sukri sits on a chair. His below part of shirts is a bit rolled up, thus unveils the hand of the blade. Marni sees the blade. 
"Why are you carrying a blade?”
"I meant to cut some mangos.”

Sukri smiles while touches the blade at his waist. He gets off the bus. He crosses the street. A scooter almost runs over him, but he quickly jumps to the side walk. He’s very angry. The scooter’s driver turns his head and wave his hand as a sign of apology. Sukri touches the blade at his waist.

He hears voices inside his head. 
"Sukri. Somebody steals your girlfriend.” 
"Sukri. Your girlfriend is three days pregnant.”
Sukri touches the blade at his waist. He opens the fence of Sumarni’s house.

About the translator

Nikmah Khamis was born in Wonosobo, Central Java, and studied journalism at Padjadjaran University in Bandung. She works as an editor and translator at Femina Group. Her poetry translations include Poetry and Sincerity (Indonesia International Poetry Festival, 2006) and Jamal D. Rahman's collected poems The Broken Light (2006). She was a speaker on children's literature at the Jakarta-Berlin Arts Festival in Berlin (2011).