The night air was so cold it was piercing, like needles piercing through and piercing our pores. We were returning from the factory, riding our motorcycles in a convoy this time. The rumors about the ghost were getting stronger, so Mr. Ranu and Jono were very scared, and they all agreed to go home together.

Since I had promised Mr. Ranu that we would go home together, I ended up following the group. We rode in a convoy, riding in a line. The night was eerie, but I, who was in front, stopped the motorcycle and honked the horn. Everyone stopped beside me, pausing for a moment.

"Why did you stop, sir?" Mr. Ranu looked a little uneasy. Was he still afraid of ghosts even though we were all together like this?

"Have some coffee! You're all tired, aren't you?" I took off my helmet. We were right in front of Warung Krimo, at the edge of Pucuk Lebah village, and Mang Krimo was relaxing while watching a small television in his food stall.

Everyone got out and followed me into Mang Krimo's food stall. I ordered black coffee, and the others seemed restless and unsure whether to go home. It seemed like they really wanted to go home, but were they really afraid to go home alone?

"Are you guys really that scared to go home? If you're scared, then just wait until we go home together."

They seemed a bit confused, some ordering coffee, others tea, and even iced orange juice. In the end, everyone ordered a variety of drinks.

"Wow! Thank God, thanks to the boss for bringing his troops. Mang Krimo's shop is immediately busy. Wow, that's great! Please come more often, Boss!"

Mang Krimo, Mang Krimo, there's always something new. Usually, I'm always the last to go home, checking on the day's targets, and then I go home when I'm done. However, because of last night's story about the ghost sighting, everyone felt very uneasy when they passed the haunted house. It wasn't usually like they were this scared.

Mang Krimo came to bring me black coffee, but I was the first. On Mang Krimo's tray were several coffee drinks. After placing them in front of me, Mang Krimo headed towards some of my friends who had ordered coffee. Coffee first.

"If it's this busy, then I'll get it for free, Mang," I joked to Mang Krimo.

Mang Krimo's lips immediately fell open, "Oh my God, Boss, you're already the boss, how can you ask for free? That'd be embarrassing to the troops!"

Ha... ha... ha... I laughed. But it seemed my joke was tasteless. Sure enough, Mang Krimo and I were the only ones joking. Everyone else's faces were pale, and some were nervous. Why was this happening?

I was even more afraid of them; they were now like ghosts themselves.

"You don't need to be afraid of ghosts! They're the ones who are afraid of us! You guys often go to worship, so you don't need to be afraid!"

I shouted at them. They sat down, but they looked like they wanted to leave quickly. They were all under my supervision, exactly 30 of them. Everyone was afraid to pass the old house at the end of the village, so they had to go home in a convoy, like a student convoy going to a demonstration.

"You guys! Mr. Ranu, what's wrong with you?"

Mr. Ranu looked shocked, his face immediately staring at mine. "Look, Sir, there have been a lot of demons roaming around lately. It's related to the approach of the holy month of prayer, yes, the holy month of prayer, Sir. Everyone's afraid of becoming a sacrifice for the demons."

Oh my God!

I shook my head again. These people are really weird, so all this time, people are afraid of the holy month of Muharram. Even though this month is a sacred month for Muslims, it's being used as a way to scare others.

I was annoyed to hear that, especially the sacrifice. What sacrifice?

"Come on, Boss, hurry home!" Jono's low voice came from him. His large frame was nothing compared to his fear; just look at the sweat that was forming on his face from fear. Poets say they're afraid of the invisible. How can they face and have the courage to face the visible if they're already afraid of the invisible?"Bung Jono..., you're also afraid of ghosts, isn't that wrong? If a ghost saw you, it would definitely run away!"

"Don't be careless, Boss! The night market is about to open, and that end is our only entrance to the house. Hurry and go home before the night market gets even more crowded!"

Jono said this without any sense of burden or anything; he just went out and spoke. Well, how could it not be hilarious? A night market! Seriously, it's hard when everyone is possessed by the occult and horror. It's fitting that someone who's already afraid of ghosts actually likes watching horror movies, isn't that weird?

"That's it, all of you! Now, those who want to go home first, please go! I'll finish my coffee first!"

Everyone fell silent. Now, those who want to go home, go ahead! They then took a sip of their drinks. Everyone was silent, but their faces still looked anxious and anxious to get home.

"Jono! What are you actually afraid of, ghosts?" I asked Jono quietly.

Jono turned to me, "Boss! That ghost has a scary face. Even my fierce mother, who often scolds me, is nothing compared to a ghost's face!"

Jono's innocent answer naturally made me curious, "Have you ever seen a ghost with your own eyes, Jono? Why do you think its face is scary?"

"Yes, Boss!" Jono whispered so the others wouldn't hear, lest they become even more frightened. "Its face is so messy it makes me want to vomit. It can really leave you paralyzed and shaking, Boss!"

I listened more intently, "Where did you meet that ghost with the messy, scary face, Jon?"

I listened more intently, as I sensed Jono, who was nearby, not wanting to scare his friends. He was cautious about telling the story.

"I saw it..." My ears sharpened closer to Jono's lips, and he lowered his voice even more, "On television, sir, in an Indonesian horror film."

"Masyaallah!" I gasped, not expecting that answer to come from Jono's mouth.

Everyone was shocked to hear me scream. Some jumped, others stood up, and they all looked at me.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"Where's the ghost, boss?"

"Is there a ghost, sir?"

I was getting even more annoyed. I was about to get angry because I was being serious and was being pranked, that Jono! But when I saw his face, he truly didn't seem to feel any guilt at all. His expression was even very serious. Does this guy really realize what he's always saying? I glared at him.

"Really, boss! I'm not lying! I really saw it on television. That devil's face was a complete mess! In fact, I didn't dare go out at night for three days!"

Oh my God, Jono is Jono. He's so serious; if someone were impatient and didn't know him, I would have pulled his ears. He was already listening intently, but he was talking on television. Besides, doesn't he know that the movies on television are all made up and fictional?

"That's television, Jono! So it's not a real ghost."

"But the TV show is about a true story, Boss. It's based on a true story! It's true, Boss!"

Oh my God! I'm getting more and more irritated. Enough! My anger, which had been standing there in shock, has subsided. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. Relief, relief, relief, and finally, I was relieved.

I plopped down on the bench and sat down again. I took another sip of coffee, and again I saw everyone still anxious and waiting. Some had finished their drinks, surely wanting to finish and go home. I was still enjoying my coffee.

I'd been so annoyed by everything that revolved around ghosts. Even Mang Krimo got excited when he talked about ghosts. He said there's a good thing about being afraid of ghosts. First, people rarely travel at night. Second, if someone was going to pass by and was afraid, they'd stop by the food stall and at least buy a drink. Third, if they were really afraid, they'd stay at the stall for a while and definitely order a lot of food.

That's a good thing, right? This is also the basis of Mang Krimo.

I've been annoyed all this time, so now I just sing. I remember when I was little. My mom always taught me to sing Javanese music. I seem to remember everything and can sing it, even though my voice is terrible, he... he... he...

Suddenly, I want to sing. Yes, a lesson I learned from my mom: when you're sad, angry, or upset, just sing a Javanese song, and you'll feel calm, because Javanese songs are calm. Of course, except for Gundul Gundul Pacul. Like Cah Angon, Lindri-Lindri, Kintamani, and other Javanese songs that were also popularized as campur sari songs.

Suddenly, I really want to sing. Because today I'm really upset. I take a deep breath, preparing to sing, trying to calm down, even for a moment. My coffee is almost gone. I don't care about them all; they're all silent and anxious anyway. Who knows, this song I'm about to sing might be enough to soothe their anxiety, too.

Hmm!

I clear my throat briefly, adjusting my voice so it sounds pleasant later. Hmmm.... Hmm......

I took a note, closed my eyes slightly, and tried to feel the night breeze.

"Boss, are you going to sing?" Jono suddenly interrupted my concentration again.

"Yes, Jono, just listen, don't comment too much." I glared at him, signaling him to be quiet and not disturb me.

"Okay, Boss!"

I calmed down, cleared my throat, and took a deep breath.

"Lingsiiirr Wengiiii..."

Hmmmm.... Hmm......

Suddenly, my voice was gone, my eyes were still closed, but I felt like my mouth was gagged with a lot of skin. What was going on? I opened my eyes.

And... everyone around him, all covering my mouth. I couldn't make a sound at all. What was this about them? I wasn't even allowed to sing. I was really annoyed.

I signaled for them to let me go, but I couldn't make a sound. They wouldn't give me a chance, even though Mang Krimo was covering my mouth. There were so many hands. I admitted my surrender and raised both my hands. It meant I surrendered.

Hhhh... hh... I could breathe a sigh of relief; it felt so labored. Everyone released their grip on my head. I was still catching my breath, wanting to get angry but couldn't, my breaths were still coming back one by one. I stood up, the situation chaotic, and even my coffee spilled. Luckily, the glass didn't break.

"Aaa... what's going on?" I asked frantically, my voice still difficult from being smothered by them all.

"Don't sing that song again, Boss!"

Jono again... what's wrong with that?

"Everything's wrong, I sang it wrong too!" I was really annoyed. I sat back down, and everyone was still standing.

"Adnan, you don't know why we stopped your song. That's a dangerous song," Mr. Ranu's voice was a whisper.

"Dangerous?" I was curious, even though Lingsir Wengi is a good and calming song. "Lings' song..."

Everyone nearly bumped into me again, trying to cover my mouth. I was forced to stop my words and raise my hands in surrender again.

"Why is that song dangerous?"

"That song..." Mang Krimo spoke now, facing inside his house with his back to me. It was like something out of a movie, "That song is a song to summon ghosts, Boss!"

Everyone fell silent, as if the atmosphere was tense. Everyone looked anxious and shivering.

Pffffttt! This was such a funny prank, but it was no longer interesting. The term "ghost" had indeed affected many people in my village. This time, horror had indeed affected many people's lives.

"Okay! Let's go home, everyone!"

I broke the silence, and they all moved to pay for their drinks. We prepared to go home, and the convoy resumed. Ghost-summoning songs, all sorts.

But if you think about it, the song Lingsir Wengi does seem a bit odd. Does Lingsir Wingi summon ghosts? Hmmm... they all seemed scared and actually followed me and gathered on the way home. Preparing to pass the old house belonging to the late Mbah Pati. We passed it normally, though I saw them hesitate, and some of the passengers and others had their eyes closed.

I don't know what they were afraid of about that old house; indeed, stories abound about it being haunted. I do believe in the existence of demons or jinn, but why should we be afraid?

Hmmm... It's truly my village and its unique understanding. At least, when I was in college, I used to study the Koran at the Islamic boarding school near my campus. At least I had something to offer. Although if a demon suddenly appeared and scared me, I might have run away.

But I was confident and believed. Those who fear Satan will be happy to tempt them. So, we must be brave. That night, we arrived safely at our respective homes, and there was no such thing as a satanic night market as Jono had mentioned.

However, I couldn't deny the eerie atmosphere. The night, the dim light, and the mist from the rows of bamboo were indeed quite eerie.

Was there really a mystery there? Perhaps one day it would be revealed. And so, I arrived home. Time for Isha prayer and to go back to rest.