The Garden That Blooms at Night

Kalani could not sleep. It was midnight. Her room was full of boxes. Next week her family moved to a new city. Her heart felt heavy.

Kalani tidak bisa tidur. Saat itu tengah malam. Kamarnya penuh kardus. Minggu depan keluarganya pindah ke kota baru. Hatinya terasa berat.

She got up and put on her sweater. She walked up the stairs to the roof. In the day it was a plain place. It had old chairs and some pots.

Dia bangun dan mengenakan sweternya. Dia menaiki tangga menuju atap. Pada siang hari tempat itu biasa saja. Isinya kursi-kursi tua dan beberapa pot.

But tonight the roof looked different. A soft blue light filled the air. Kalani stopped at the door and stared.

Tetapi malam ini atap itu tampak berbeda. Cahaya biru yang lembut memenuhi udara. Kalani berhenti di pintu dan menatap.

All the plants were in flower. Hundreds of small flowers were open. Each one shone like a tiny lamp. Some were blue. Some were white. Some were pale gold.

Semua tanaman sedang berbunga. Ratusan bunga kecil terbuka. Masing-masing bersinar seperti lampu mungil. Ada yang biru. Ada yang putih. Ada yang emas pucat.

"Am I dreaming?" she said. She pinched her arm. It hurt a little. "No. I am awake."

"Apa aku bermimpi?" katanya. Dia mencubit lengannya. Rasanya sedikit sakit. "Tidak. Aku terjaga."

"Yes, you are awake," said a quiet voice.

"Ya, kamu terjaga," kata sebuah suara pelan.

An old woman sat in a chair in the corner. Kalani knew her. She lived on the fifth floor. She had a long grey braid and a kind face.

Seorang wanita tua duduk di kursi di sudut. Kalani mengenalnya. Dia tinggal di lantai lima. Rambutnya dikepang panjang berwarna abu-abu dan wajahnya ramah.

"Come and sit," said the woman. "But please talk softly. The flowers are shy."

"Mari duduk," kata wanita itu. "Tapi tolong bicara pelan-pelan. Bunga-bunga ini pemalu."

Kalani sat down on the next chair. For a minute nothing happened. Then a blue flower opened a little more. It made a tiny sound, like a bell. Ting.

Kalani duduk di kursi sebelahnya. Selama semenit tidak terjadi apa-apa. Lalu sekuntum bunga biru terbuka sedikit lagi. Bunga itu mengeluarkan bunyi kecil, seperti lonceng. Ting.

Then another flower sang. Ting. Then another. The roof was full of small, bright sounds.

Lalu bunga lain ikut bernyanyi. Ting. Lalu satu lagi. Atap itu penuh dengan bunyi-bunyi kecil yang cerah.

"It is so beautiful," whispered Kalani. "Why did I never see this?"

"Indah sekali," bisik Kalani. "Kenapa aku tidak pernah melihat ini?"

"These flowers sleep all day," said the woman. "They open only at night. And they open only when someone sits very quietly."

"Bunga-bunga ini tidur sepanjang hari," kata wanita itu. "Mereka hanya mekar di malam hari. Dan mereka hanya mekar kalau ada yang duduk dengan sangat tenang."

"Most people are asleep at night," said Kalani.

"Kebanyakan orang tidur di malam hari," kata Kalani.

"Yes," said the woman. "And the people who are awake often talk too much."

"Ya," kata wanita itu. "Dan orang yang terjaga sering kali terlalu banyak bicara."

Kalani laughed softly. Then she stopped talking. The night was calm. The flowers shone brighter. Her heart did not feel so heavy now.

Kalani tertawa pelan. Lalu dia berhenti bicara. Malam itu tenang. Bunga-bunga bersinar lebih terang. Hatinya tidak terasa seberat tadi.

After a long time, she spoke again. Her voice was very small. "I move away next week," she said. "I do not want to go. I do not know anyone there."

Setelah lama, dia bicara lagi. Suaranya sangat kecil. "Aku pindah minggu depan," katanya. "Aku tidak mau pergi. Aku tidak kenal siapa pun di sana."

A white flower gave a soft ting. It seemed to understand.

Sekuntum bunga putih berbunyi ting dengan lembut. Seolah-olah dia mengerti.

"I came here when I was young," said the woman. "I was afraid too. I did not know a single person."

"Aku datang ke sini waktu masih muda," kata wanita itu. "Aku juga takut. Aku tidak kenal satu orang pun."

"What did you do?" asked Kalani.

"Apa yang Ibu lakukan?" tanya Kalani.

"I carried a seed in my pocket," said the woman. "It came from my old home. I planted it here. It grew into this garden. It was my first friend."

"Aku membawa sebutir benih di sakuku," kata wanita itu. "Benih itu dari rumah lamaku. Aku menanamnya di sini. Benih itu tumbuh menjadi kebun ini. Dia teman pertamaku."

She put her hand in her sweater pocket. She took out a small brown seed. She put it in Kalani's hand.

Dia memasukkan tangan ke saku sweternya. Dia mengeluarkan sebutir benih cokelat kecil. Dia menaruhnya di tangan Kalani.

"Take this," she said. "It is the child of these flowers."

"Bawalah ini," katanya. "Ini anak dari bunga-bunga ini."

"Will it grow in a new city?" asked Kalani.

"Apakah dia akan tumbuh di kota baru?" tanya Kalani.

"Yes, if you plant it with care," said the woman. "Give it water. Give it light in the day. And at night, sit with it. Be quiet and be patient."

"Ya, kalau kamu menanamnya dengan penuh perhatian," kata wanita itu. "Beri dia air. Beri dia cahaya di siang hari. Dan di malam hari, duduklah bersamanya. Tenanglah dan bersabarlah."

Kalani held the seed in both hands. It felt warm. They sat together until the sky grew pale. One by one, the flowers closed and went to sleep.

Kalani memegang benih itu dengan kedua tangan. Rasanya hangat. Mereka duduk bersama sampai langit memucat. Satu per satu, bunga-bunga itu menutup dan tidur.

"Thank you," said Kalani. She did not know what else to say.

"Terima kasih," kata Kalani. Dia tidak tahu harus berkata apa lagi.

"Good night," said the woman. "Or good morning. Both are right."

"Selamat malam," kata wanita itu. "Atau selamat pagi. Dua-duanya benar."

A week later, Kalani's family arrived in the new city. The apartment was small. The walls were white and empty. Outside, a thousand windows shone in the dark.

Seminggu kemudian, keluarga Kalani tiba di kota baru. Apartemennya kecil. Dindingnya putih dan kosong. Di luar, seribu jendela bersinar dalam gelap.

That night, Kalani found a cup in the kitchen. She filled it with soil from a pot. She pushed the seed into the soil with one finger. She added a little water.

Malam itu, Kalani menemukan sebuah cangkir di dapur. Dia mengisinya dengan tanah dari sebuah pot. Dia menekan benih itu ke dalam tanah dengan satu jari. Dia menambahkan sedikit air.

She put the cup on the windowsill. Then she turned off the light.

Dia menaruh cangkir itu di ambang jendela. Lalu dia mematikan lampu.

She sat on the floor by the window. She did not speak. She did not move. The city was loud, but she waited.

Dia duduk di lantai dekat jendela. Dia tidak bicara. Dia tidak bergerak. Kota itu bising, tetapi dia menunggu.

Kalani listened for a very small sound.

Kalani mendengarkan bunyi yang sangat kecil.