A Sound Only Tamsin Hears

The Harbor Gate Hostel has a common room full of odd sofas. There are shelves of old board games. There is a table for cards and a window onto the street. At nine o'clock, about twelve travelers sit there, talking in six languages.

Hostel Harbor Gate memiliki ruang bersama yang penuh sofa aneh. Ada rak-rak berisi permainan papan tua. Ada meja untuk bermain kartu dan jendela yang menghadap ke jalan. Pukul sembilan, sekitar dua belas pelancong duduk di sana, mengobrol dalam enam bahasa.

Tamsin sits alone in the corner with a notebook. She is seventeen, and this is her first trip without her family. She plans to write down everything she sees. So far she writes only four lines.

Tamsin duduk sendirian di sudut dengan sebuah buku catatan. Ia berumur tujuh belas tahun, dan ini perjalanan pertamanya tanpa keluarga. Ia berencana menuliskan segala yang ia lihat. Sejauh ini ia baru menulis empat baris.

A high, thin whistle starts in the air.

Sebuah siulan tinggi dan tipis mulai terdengar di udara.

Tamsin looks up. The sound is like a thin wire far away. It comes again and again. It makes her teeth feel strange. She looks around the room. Nobody else looks up. A man laughs at a card game. Two girls share a map.

Tamsin mendongak. Suara itu seperti kawat tipis di kejauhan. Terdengar lagi dan lagi. Giginya terasa aneh karenanya. Ia menoleh ke sekeliling ruangan. Tak seorang pun mendongak. Seorang pria tertawa saat bermain kartu. Dua gadis berbagi sebuah peta.

She tries to write. The whistle stays. She presses her fingers to her ears. It stays.

Ia mencoba menulis. Siulan itu tetap ada. Ia menekan jari-jarinya ke telinga. Siulan itu tetap ada.

"Excuse me," she says to the girl next to her. "Can you hear that whistle?"

"Permisi," katanya kepada gadis di sebelahnya. "Apa kamu mendengar siulan itu?"

The girl listens politely. "I hear nothing," she says. "Only the music."

Gadis itu mendengarkan dengan sopan. "Aku tidak mendengar apa-apa," katanya. "Hanya musik."

Tamsin goes back to her notebook. She decides the whistle is in her own head. Maybe it comes from the long bus ride. She breathes slowly and counts to twenty.

Tamsin kembali ke buku catatannya. Ia memutuskan bahwa siulan itu hanya ada di kepalanya sendiri. Mungkin karena perjalanan bus yang panjang. Ia bernapas pelan-pelan dan menghitung sampai dua puluh.

The whistle is still there.

Siulan itu masih ada.

Behind the desk, a boy stamps a pile of forms. He looks about eighteen. His name tag says, "Wiktor, Volunteer." He wears a green hat. Tamsin watches him for a while. Then she stands up and walks to the desk.

Di balik meja resepsionis, seorang pemuda mencap setumpuk formulir. Usianya tampak sekitar delapan belas tahun. Label namanya bertuliskan, "Wiktor, Relawan." Ia memakai topi hijau. Tamsin memperhatikannya beberapa saat. Lalu ia berdiri dan berjalan ke meja itu.

"Hi," she says. "This sounds strange, but there is a high whistle in the room. I cannot stop hearing it."

"Hai," katanya. "Ini kedengarannya aneh, tapi ada siulan tinggi di ruangan ini. Aku tidak bisa berhenti mendengarnya."

Wiktor stops stamping. "A whistle? What kind?"

Wiktor berhenti mencap. "Siulan? Seperti apa?"

"Very high," says Tamsin. "Like a tiny wire singing. It comes and goes every few seconds."

"Tinggi sekali," kata Tamsin. "Seperti kawat kecil yang bernyanyi. Datang dan pergi setiap beberapa detik."

Wiktor listens with his head to one side. He is silent for a long moment. "I hear the music, the card game, and the fridge," he says. "No whistle."

Wiktor mendengarkan dengan kepala dimiringkan. Ia diam cukup lama. "Aku mendengar musik, permainan kartu, dan kulkas," katanya. "Tidak ada siulan."

"I knew it," Tamsin says quietly. "It is only me."

"Sudah kuduga," kata Tamsin pelan. "Cuma aku yang mendengarnya."

"Wait," says Wiktor. "That does not mean it is not real."

"Tunggu," kata Wiktor. "Itu tidak berarti suaranya tidak nyata."

He looks at her carefully. "Some sounds are very high. Older ears cannot hear them. My little sister can hear a doorbell two streets away. I cannot."

Ia menatapnya dengan saksama. "Ada suara yang sangat tinggi. Telinga yang lebih tua tidak bisa mendengarnya. Adik perempuanku bisa mendengar bel pintu dua jalan jauhnya. Aku tidak bisa."

"I am seventeen," says Tamsin. "You are not much older."

"Aku tujuh belas tahun," kata Tamsin. "Kamu tidak jauh lebih tua."

"Eighteen," says Wiktor. "But I played drums in a band for three years. My ears are tired of loud sounds now." He smiles. "Let us find it."

"Delapan belas," kata Wiktor. "Tapi aku bermain drum di sebuah band selama tiga tahun. Sekarang telingaku lelah dengan suara keras." Ia tersenyum. "Ayo kita cari."

"Now?" Tamsin asks. "In front of everyone?"

"Sekarang?" tanya Tamsin. "Di depan semua orang?"

"Why not?" says Wiktor. "You are the only one with the right ears. I am only the helper."

"Kenapa tidak?" kata Wiktor. "Hanya kamu yang punya telinga yang tepat. Aku cuma penolong."

Tamsin feels her stomach tighten. She does not like attention. But the whistle makes her head hurt. She nods.

Perut Tamsin terasa menegang. Ia tidak suka jadi pusat perhatian. Tetapi siulan itu membuat kepalanya sakit. Ia mengangguk.

They walk to the middle of the room. Wiktor stands still. Tamsin closes her eyes and listens. The whistle comes from the left. Then it comes from the right. Then it is on the left again.

Mereka berjalan ke tengah ruangan. Wiktor berdiri diam. Tamsin memejamkan mata dan mendengarkan. Siulan itu datang dari kiri. Lalu dari kanan. Lalu di kiri lagi.

"It is louder here," she says. She points toward the wall by the window.

"Di sini lebih keras," katanya. Ia menunjuk ke arah dinding di dekat jendela.

"Okay," says Wiktor. "Walk slowly. I will follow. Say 'warmer' or 'colder.'"

"Oke," kata Wiktor. "Jalan pelan-pelan. Aku akan mengikutimu. Katakan 'makin hangat' atau 'makin dingin.'"

Tamsin walks. Wiktor follows with his hands behind his back. He looks like a guide in a museum. Near the sofa, she says, "Colder." Near the table, she says, "Colder." Near the shelf by the window, her face lights up.

Tamsin berjalan. Wiktor mengikutinya dengan tangan di belakang punggung. Ia tampak seperti pemandu di museum. Di dekat sofa, Tamsin berkata, "Dingin." Di dekat meja, ia berkata, "Dingin." Di dekat rak di samping jendela, wajahnya berseri.

"Warmer," she says. "Much warmer."

"Hangat," katanya. "Jauh lebih hangat."

A boy playing chess looks up. "What are you doing?" he asks.

Seorang anak laki-laki yang bermain catur mendongak. "Kalian sedang apa?" tanyanya.

"Looking for a sound," says Wiktor. "Do not worry. She is the expert."

"Mencari sebuah suara," kata Wiktor. "Jangan khawatir. Dia ahlinya."

Tamsin stands in front of the shelf. The whistle is right in front of her now, sharp and clear. She puts out her hand. She touches a tall game box with a red lid. Behind it is a gap. In the gap, there is something small and white.

Tamsin berdiri di depan rak itu. Siulan itu sekarang tepat di depannya, tajam dan jelas. Ia mengulurkan tangan. Ia menyentuh sebuah kotak permainan tinggi dengan tutup merah. Di belakangnya ada celah. Di dalam celah itu ada sesuatu yang kecil dan putih.

"There," she says. "Behind the big box."

"Di situ," katanya. "Di belakang kotak besar."

Wiktor moves the box to one side. A small white disc is fixed to the back of the shelf. A small light blinks on its front. Under the light, there are three words: "Low battery. Replace."

Wiktor menggeser kotak itu ke samping. Sebuah cakram putih kecil terpasang di bagian belakang rak. Sebuah lampu kecil berkedip di depannya. Di bawah lampu itu ada tiga kata: "Baterai lemah. Ganti."

"A smoke alarm," Wiktor says slowly. "It is almost dead. It hides behind the games for years. No one ever sees it."

"Alarm asap," kata Wiktor pelan. "Hampir mati. Alat ini bersembunyi di balik permainan-permainan itu selama bertahun-tahun. Tidak pernah ada yang melihatnya."

"That is why it whistles," says Tamsin.

"Makanya ia bersiul," kata Tamsin.

"It sends a warning when its battery is low," Wiktor says. "But the warning is very high. Many people cannot hear it, and the room is loud. If the battery dies, the alarm will not work in a fire."

"Ia mengirim peringatan saat baterainya lemah," kata Wiktor. "Tapi peringatannya sangat tinggi. Banyak orang tidak bisa mendengarnya, dan ruangan ini ribut. Kalau baterainya mati, alarm ini tidak akan berfungsi saat kebakaran."

Tamsin looks at the little disc. For a moment, she cannot speak. Before, she thought the sound was only in her head. But it is real. She is the only one who can hear it.

Tamsin memandang cakram kecil itu. Sejenak ia tidak bisa berkata apa-apa. Tadinya ia mengira suara itu hanya ada di kepalanya. Tetapi suara itu nyata. Dialah satu-satunya yang bisa mendengarnya.

"Do we have a new battery?" she asks.

"Kita punya baterai baru?" tanyanya.

"In the office," says Wiktor. "I will fetch it. Hold the shelf."

"Di kantor," kata Wiktor. "Aku ambilkan. Pegang raknya."

He runs to the back. Tamsin stands very straight with her hand on the shelf. It feels like the whole hostel needs her. People stop talking and watch her. The man from the card game comes closer.

Ia berlari ke belakang. Tamsin berdiri tegak dengan tangan di rak. Rasanya seluruh hostel membutuhkannya. Orang-orang berhenti berbicara dan memperhatikannya. Pria yang bermain kartu itu mendekat.

"Is something wrong?" he asks.

"Ada apa?" tanyanya.

"The smoke alarm will die soon," says Tamsin. Her voice shakes a little, but she keeps going. "It needs a new battery. You cannot hear the signal, but I can."

"Alarm asapnya akan segera mati," kata Tamsin. Suaranya sedikit bergetar, tetapi ia terus melanjutkan. "Alarm itu butuh baterai baru. Anda tidak bisa mendengar sinyalnya, tapi saya bisa."

"You can hear it?" the man says. "That is amazing."

"Kamu bisa mendengarnya?" kata pria itu. "Luar biasa."

"Not amazing," Tamsin says. "Just young."

"Bukan luar biasa," kata Tamsin. "Cuma masih muda."

Several people laugh, and she laughs too. It feels good to laugh with them.

Beberapa orang tertawa, dan ia ikut tertawa. Rasanya menyenangkan tertawa bersama mereka.

Wiktor returns with a small square battery and a screwdriver. He opens the disc and takes out the old battery. He puts in the new one. The light stops blinking and turns steady green.

Wiktor kembali membawa baterai persegi kecil dan sebuah obeng. Ia membuka cakram itu dan mengeluarkan baterai lama. Ia memasang yang baru. Lampunya berhenti berkedip dan menyala hijau tetap.

The room goes quiet. Tamsin listens. She turns her head to the left, and then to the right. There is no whistle at all.

Ruangan menjadi hening. Tamsin mendengarkan. Ia menoleh ke kiri, lalu ke kanan. Sama sekali tidak ada siulan.

"It is gone," she says.

"Hilang," katanya.

"Good," says Wiktor. "Now you can finally enjoy your evening."

"Bagus," kata Wiktor. "Sekarang kamu akhirnya bisa menikmati malammu."

Tamsin sits down on the sofa. The girl with the map moves over. She pats the seat beside her. A boy asks what her notebook is for. Tamsin opens it to the first page. She writes one new line at the top.

Tamsin duduk di sofa. Gadis yang membawa peta itu bergeser. Ia menepuk tempat di sebelahnya. Seorang anak laki-laki bertanya untuk apa buku catatannya. Tamsin membukanya ke halaman pertama. Ia menulis satu baris baru di bagian atas.

When she looks up, Wiktor stands in front of her. He holds his green hat in his hand.

Ketika ia mendongak, Wiktor berdiri di depannya. Ia memegang topi hijaunya.

"Tamsin," he says, "from now on, you are the official ears here."

"Tamsin," katanya, "mulai sekarang, kamu adalah telinga resmi di sini."