Something in the Well

Ivy hid a ring inside a wooden fish. She painted the fish gold. She tied the ring to its belly with thread. Then she put it in the water with forty plain fish. She had one hour before the festival began.

Ivy menyembunyikan sebuah cincin di dalam ikan kayu. Ia mengecat ikan itu dengan warna emas. Ia mengikat cincin itu di perut si ikan dengan benang. Lalu ia memasukkannya ke dalam air bersama empat puluh ikan biasa. Ia punya waktu satu jam sebelum festival dimulai.

The village square was already busy. Children ran between the stalls. Men carried boxes of lanterns. In the middle of the square stood the old stone well. Next to it sat a long trough of water.

Alun-alun desa sudah ramai. Anak-anak berlarian di antara lapak-lapak. Para lelaki mengangkut kotak-kotak lampion. Di tengah alun-alun berdiri sumur batu tua. Di sebelahnya ada palung panjang berisi air.

Every year, the village held a fishing game at the trough. You paid a coin and took a net on a pole. You caught one wooden fish and kept it as a prize. It was the oldest game of the festival, and Thea loved it.

Setiap tahun, desa itu mengadakan permainan memancing di palung itu. Kita membayar sekeping koin dan mengambil jaring bergagang tongkat. Kita menangkap satu ikan kayu dan menyimpannya sebagai hadiah. Itu permainan tertua dalam festival, dan Thea menyukainya.

Ivy had a plan. Thea always played the game first. She always tried to catch the biggest fish. This year, the biggest fish was gold. It carried the ring. Thea found it in front of the whole village.

Ivy punya rencana. Thea selalu memainkan permainan itu pertama kali. Ia selalu berusaha menangkap ikan yang paling besar. Tahun ini, ikan yang paling besar berwarna emas. Ikan itu membawa cincin. Thea akan menemukannya di depan seluruh desa.

Ivy stood by the trough and checked her work. The gold fish floated near the edge. It was fat and shiny. She smiled and let out a long breath.

Ivy berdiri di dekat palung dan memeriksa hasil kerjanya. Ikan emas itu mengapung dekat tepi. Gemuk dan berkilau. Ia tersenyum dan mengembuskan napas panjang.

"You look happy," said a voice behind her.

"Kamu kelihatan senang," kata sebuah suara di belakangnya.

Ivy jumped. Thea stood there with two paper cups of apple juice. Her hair was full of flowers.

Ivy terlonjak. Thea berdiri di sana membawa dua gelas kertas berisi jus apel. Rambutnya penuh bunga.

"I am always happy," said Ivy. "Is that bad?"

"Aku memang selalu senang," kata Ivy. "Apa itu buruk?"

"It is, with that face," said Thea. "What is your plan?"

"Buruk, kalau dengan wajah seperti itu," kata Thea. "Apa rencanamu?"

"Nothing," said Ivy. "Drink your juice. The game starts soon."

"Tidak ada," kata Ivy. "Minum saja jusmu. Permainannya segera mulai."

The bell in the square rang twice. The old woman who ran the game stepped up to the trough. She held a pile of nets on long poles.

Lonceng di alun-alun berbunyi dua kali. Wanita tua yang mengelola permainan itu maju ke palung. Ia membawa setumpuk jaring bergagang panjang.

"Who wants to go first?" she called.

"Siapa yang mau mulai duluan?" serunya.

"Thea does," said Ivy, and pushed her forward.

"Thea," kata Ivy, dan mendorongnya maju.

Thea laughed and took a net. She looked at the fish. The gold fish drifted slowly toward her. Ivy held her breath.

Thea tertawa dan mengambil sebuah jaring. Ia memandang ikan-ikan itu. Ikan emas itu hanyut perlahan ke arahnya. Ivy menahan napas.

Thea dipped the net into the water. The gold fish floated in. She lifted the pole with a cry of joy.

Thea mencelupkan jaring ke air. Ikan emas itu mengapung masuk. Ia mengangkat tongkatnya dengan teriakan gembira.

Then the fish slid out of the net. It fell back in the water with a plop.

Lalu ikan itu tergelincir keluar dari jaring. Ia jatuh kembali ke air dengan bunyi plop.

"A hole!" said Thea. She turned the net over. A hole as big as a hand sat in the middle. "This net is broken."

"Ada lubang!" kata Thea. Ia membalik jaringnya. Sebuah lubang sebesar telapak tangan menganga di tengahnya. "Jaring ini rusak."

"Try again," said Ivy. Her voice was very high. "Try again, quick."

"Coba lagi," kata Ivy. Suaranya sangat tinggi. "Coba lagi, cepat."

But the gold fish already floated away. A small boy bumped the trough with his elbow. The water shook, and the gold fish floated toward the far end. There, a narrow stone arch led under the wall. The fish slipped through it.

Tetapi ikan emas itu sudah mengapung menjauh. Seorang anak lelaki kecil menyenggol palung dengan sikunya. Air bergoyang, dan ikan emas itu hanyut ke ujung yang jauh. Di sana, sebuah lengkungan batu yang sempit mengarah ke bawah tembok. Ikan itu menyelinap melewatinya.

Ivy stopped breathing.

Ivy berhenti bernapas.

Under the arch, the trough joined the well. The water ran into the dark hole in the ground. Nobody could reach that part, not even with a long pole.

Di bawah lengkungan itu, palung bersambung dengan sumur. Air mengalir ke lubang gelap di tanah. Tidak ada yang bisa menjangkau bagian itu, bahkan dengan tongkat panjang.

"Oh no," said Ivy. "Oh no, oh no."

"Oh tidak," kata Ivy. "Oh tidak, oh tidak."

"It is only a wooden fish," said Thea. "Do not worry. There are forty more."

"Itu cuma ikan kayu," kata Thea. "Jangan khawatir. Masih ada empat puluh lagi."

"It is not only a fish," said Ivy.

"Itu bukan cuma ikan," kata Ivy.

Thea looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Thea menatapnya. "Maksudmu apa?"

Ivy sat down on the edge of the well. Her knees were weak. "I put something in it," she said. "I wanted to ask you a question. I wanted it to be a nice surprise. Now it is at the bottom of the well."

Ivy duduk di tepi sumur. Lututnya lemas. "Aku menaruh sesuatu di dalamnya," katanya. "Aku ingin menanyakan sesuatu padamu. Aku ingin itu jadi kejutan yang indah. Sekarang benda itu ada di dasar sumur."

Thea stared at her. Slowly, her face changed. "Ivy," she said. "Is it a ring?"

Thea menatapnya. Perlahan, wajahnya berubah. "Ivy," katanya. "Apakah itu cincin?"

"It was a good plan," said Ivy. "It was a really good plan."

"Itu rencana yang bagus," kata Ivy. "Itu rencana yang benar-benar bagus."

Thea started to laugh. She laughed so hard that she had to hold the well wall. Ivy stared at her. Then she laughed, too. They both laughed until their sides hurt.

Thea mulai tertawa. Ia tertawa begitu keras sampai harus berpegangan pada dinding sumur. Ivy menatapnya. Lalu ia ikut tertawa. Mereka berdua tertawa sampai perut mereka sakit.

"All right," said Thea at last. She wiped her eyes. "We cannot leave it down there. Think. What do we have?"

"Baiklah," kata Thea akhirnya. Ia menyeka matanya. "Kita tidak bisa membiarkannya di bawah sana. Pikir. Apa yang kita punya?"

They looked around. The old woman gave them a worried look from the stall. The children crowded around. A tall girl said, "What is in the well?"

Mereka memandang sekeliling. Wanita tua itu menatap mereka dengan cemas dari lapaknya. Anak-anak berkerumun. Seorang gadis jangkung bertanya, "Ada apa di dalam sumur?"

"A ring," said Thea. "A very important one."

"Sebuah cincin," kata Thea. "Yang sangat penting."

The children gasped. In a minute, everybody knew.

Anak-anak itu terkesiap. Dalam semenit, semua orang tahu.

Ivy looked down into the well. The water was dark and still. A spot of gold sat on the water, far from the edge. The fish floated there and turned slowly in a small circle.

Ivy memandang ke dalam sumur. Airnya gelap dan tenang. Setitik emas berada di permukaan air, jauh dari tepi. Ikan itu mengapung di sana dan berputar perlahan dalam lingkaran kecil.

"It floats," said Ivy. "It is not on the bottom. We only need to reach it."

"Ikannya mengapung," kata Ivy. "Ia tidak di dasar. Kita hanya perlu menjangkaunya."

"The net is too short," said Thea. "And it has a hole."

"Jaringnya terlalu pendek," kata Thea. "Dan berlubang."

"Then we fix the hole," said Ivy.

"Kalau begitu kita tambal lubangnya," kata Ivy.

She took the scarf from her own neck. She tied the scarf over the hole in the net. She pulled the knot tight.

Ia melepas syal dari lehernya sendiri. Ia mengikatkan syal itu menutupi lubang di jaring. Ia menarik simpulnya kencang-kencang.

"Now it is too short," said Thea.

"Sekarang jaringnya terlalu pendek," kata Thea.

"Then we make it long," said Ivy. She turned to the crowd. "Please, who has a long pole?"

"Kalau begitu kita buat jadi panjang," kata Ivy. Ia berbalik ke arah kerumunan. "Tolong, siapa punya tongkat yang panjang?"

A man ran off. He came back with a long pole from a lantern stall. Two girls tied the net pole to its end with a belt. A boy found a ball of string and tied the knots tighter. Soon the net on the pole was twice as long as before.

Seorang lelaki berlari pergi. Ia kembali membawa tongkat panjang dari sebuah lapak lampion. Dua gadis mengikat gagang jaring itu ke ujungnya dengan sebuah sabuk. Seorang anak lelaki menemukan segulung tali dan mengencangkan simpul-simpulnya. Tak lama jaring bertongkat itu menjadi dua kali lebih panjang daripada sebelumnya.

Ivy took it in both hands. She leaned over the well wall. The old woman held her belt from behind.

Ivy memegangnya dengan kedua tangan. Ia mencondongkan badan ke atas dinding sumur. Wanita tua itu memegangi sabuknya dari belakang.

"Left," called Thea. "A little more left."

"Kiri," seru Thea. "Sedikit lagi ke kiri."

Ivy moved the net. The scarf trailed in the water. The gold fish turned toward it. Thea watched without a word.

Ivy menggerakkan jaringnya. Syal itu terseret di air. Ikan emas itu berputar ke arahnya. Thea memperhatikan tanpa sepatah kata.

"Now," said Thea. "Lift. Slowly."

"Sekarang," kata Thea. "Angkat. Pelan-pelan."

Ivy lifted. The net rose from the well with water pouring from the scarf. The gold fish sat in it like a small king. The crowd cheered. A bird flew up from the church roof.

Ivy mengangkat. Jaring itu naik dari sumur dengan air mengucur dari syal. Ikan emas itu duduk di dalamnya seperti raja kecil. Kerumunan bersorak. Seekor burung terbang dari atap gereja.

Ivy brought the pole in and put the net on the stones. She shook all over. She bent down and cut the thread with her teeth. She pulled the ring free. It was wet and shiny.

Ivy menarik tongkat itu masuk dan meletakkan jaringnya di atas batu. Seluruh tubuhnya gemetar. Ia membungkuk dan memotong benang itu dengan giginya. Ia menarik cincin itu hingga lepas. Cincin itu basah dan berkilau.

She stood up and turned to Thea. She wanted to give a long speech. She practiced it for a week. She forgot every word.

Ia berdiri dan berbalik kepada Thea. Ia ingin menyampaikan pidato panjang. Ia sudah berlatih selama seminggu. Ia lupa setiap katanya.

"Thea," she said. "Will you marry me?"

"Thea," katanya. "Maukah kamu menikah denganku?"

Thea did not answer with words. She took the ring from Ivy's hand. Then she held out her hand to the whole square. She slid the ring on her own finger.

Thea tidak menjawab dengan kata-kata. Ia mengambil cincin itu dari tangan Ivy. Lalu ia mengulurkan tangannya kepada seluruh alun-alun. Ia menyelipkan cincin itu ke jarinya sendiri.