The Megaphone on Larch Hill

At half past four, Omar presses the button on the megaphone, and nothing happens.

Pukul setengah lima, Omar menekan tombol megafon, dan tidak terjadi apa-apa.

He presses it again. He shakes it, taps it against his palm, and holds it to his ear. The only sound in the candle workshop is the soft pop of cooling wax in forty metal moulds.

Ia menekannya lagi. Ia mengguncangnya, mengetukkannya ke telapak tangan, dan menempelkannya ke telinga. Satu-satunya suara di bengkel lilin itu adalah letupan lembut lilin yang mendingin di empat puluh cetakan logam.

"It is dead," he says to the empty room. "Of course it is dead."

"Mati," katanya kepada ruangan kosong. "Tentu saja mati."

Tonight is the lantern walk, the biggest evening of the year for the workshop. Sixty people are coming to climb Larch Hill. Each carries a candle lantern made by hand in this room. The path is three kilometres long. It climbs through pine trees to a narrow ridge, and on the ridge it splits in two. The left fork leads to the lookout. The right fork leads to the old quarry, where the ground ends in a sharp edge.

Malam ini adalah jalan lentera, malam terbesar dalam setahun bagi bengkel itu. Enam puluh orang akan datang untuk mendaki Bukit Larch. Masing-masing membawa lentera lilin buatan tangan dari ruangan ini. Jalurnya sepanjang tiga kilometer. Jalur itu mendaki melewati pohon-pohon pinus sampai ke punggung bukit yang sempit, dan di punggung bukit itu jalurnya bercabang dua. Cabang kiri menuju titik pandang. Cabang kanan menuju tambang batu tua, tempat tanah berakhir pada tepi yang tajam.

Neha, the lead guide, is already up on the hill. She is placing small lights along the path and will wait at the ridge junction. Her job is to call every group to the left fork. Voices do not carry between the dark pines, so the megaphone is how she does it.

Neha, pemandu utama, sudah berada di atas bukit. Ia memasang lampu-lampu kecil di sepanjang jalur dan akan menunggu di persimpangan punggung bukit. Tugasnya adalah memanggil setiap rombongan ke cabang kiri. Suara tidak terbawa di antara pohon pinus yang gelap, jadi megafon itulah caranya.

Omar tries the charger in the drawer. It is the wrong one. He tries the spare battery on the shelf, but it has leaked. Its metal ends are green and crusty. He looks at the clock. Seven o'clock is only two and a half hours away, and he cannot leave the workshop. Sixty lanterns still need lighting, and the first guests are due at six.

Omar mencoba pengisi daya di laci. Salah jenis. Ia mencoba baterai cadangan di rak, tetapi baterai itu bocor. Ujung logamnya hijau dan berkerak. Ia melihat jam. Pukul tujuh tinggal dua setengah jam lagi, dan ia tidak bisa meninggalkan bengkel. Enam puluh lentera masih harus dinyalakan, dan tamu pertama dijadwalkan datang pukul enam.

Outside, a white van pulls into the yard. The driver climbs out with a box of wax blocks in his arms.

Di luar, sebuah van putih masuk ke halaman. Sopirnya turun sambil memeluk sekotak balok lilin.

"Your delivery," he says. Then he sees Omar's face. "What happened?"

"Kiriman Anda," katanya. Lalu ia melihat wajah Omar. "Ada apa?"

"My megaphone has died, and Neha needs it on the ridge tonight." Omar holds it out like a sick animal. "Can you take it up to her? You pass the Larch Hill road on your way home."

"Megafon saya mati, dan Neha membutuhkannya di punggung bukit malam ini." Omar mengulurkannya seperti hewan sakit. "Bisakah Anda membawanya naik kepadanya? Anda melewati jalan Bukit Larch dalam perjalanan pulang."

The driver looks doubtful. "I can take it as far as the farm gate. After that the road is only for tractors."

Sopir itu tampak ragu. "Saya bisa membawanya sampai gerbang peternakan. Setelah itu jalannya hanya untuk traktor."

"Then take it as far as the gate."

"Kalau begitu bawa sampai gerbang."

The driver puts the megaphone on the seat beside him, and the van rolls away. Omar goes back to the moulds and tries to forget about it.

Sopir itu meletakkan megafon di kursi di sebelahnya, dan van itu bergulir pergi. Omar kembali ke cetakan-cetakan dan berusaha melupakannya.

At the farm gate the driver stops and honks twice. A farmer in muddy boots comes out of a barn, wiping his hands on his trousers. He listens to the problem and examines the megaphone carefully, turning it over and over.

Di gerbang peternakan, sopir itu berhenti dan membunyikan klakson dua kali. Seorang petani bersepatu bot berlumpur keluar dari kandang sambil mengelap tangan ke celananya. Ia mendengarkan masalahnya dan memeriksa megafon itu dengan saksama, membolak-baliknya.

"The battery cover is cracked," he says. "Somebody dropped it."

"Tutup baterainya retak," katanya. "Seseorang menjatuhkannya."

"So it is broken?"

"Jadi rusak?"

"Not necessarily. I have a box of old batteries from the tractor radio." The farmer disappears into the barn and returns with a grey metal block the size of a brick. He holds it against the megaphone and shakes his head. "Wrong shape. Wrong everything."

"Belum tentu. Aku punya sekotak baterai lama dari radio traktor." Petani itu menghilang ke dalam kandang dan kembali membawa balok logam abu-abu seukuran batu bata. Ia menempelkannya ke megafon dan menggelengkan kepala. "Bentuknya salah. Semuanya salah."

The driver checks his watch. He has two more deliveries before the end of the day and cannot go up the hill himself. The farmer cannot leave his animals. They both look at the megaphone, which sits on the fence post like a small grey trophy.

Sopir itu melirik arlojinya. Ia masih punya dua pengiriman lagi sebelum hari berakhir dan tidak bisa naik bukit sendiri. Petani itu tidak bisa meninggalkan hewan-hewannya. Keduanya memandang megafon yang tergeletak di tiang pagar seperti piala abu-abu kecil.

"There is somebody," says the farmer slowly. "A woman who runs the hill every evening. She comes past about now. She carries all sorts of things in that vest of hers."

"Ada seseorang," kata petani itu perlahan. "Seorang perempuan yang berlari di bukit setiap sore. Ia lewat sekitar jam segini. Ia membawa macam-macam barang di rompinya itu."

"Will she help?"

"Apakah ia mau membantu?"

"If she is in a good mood." He points toward the road. "Look."

"Kalau suasana hatinya sedang baik." Ia menunjuk ke arah jalan. "Lihat."

Down the track, a figure in a bright green vest is jogging toward them. She wears a headlamp pushed up on her forehead. She slows down when she sees the two men and the megaphone on the post.

Di ujung jalan setapak, sesosok orang berompi hijau terang sedang berlari kecil ke arah mereka. Ia memakai lampu kepala yang didorong ke atas dahinya. Ia memperlambat langkah ketika melihat kedua pria itu dan megafon di atas tiang.

"You look like people with a problem," she says.

"Kalian tampak seperti orang yang sedang punya masalah," katanya.

The driver explains it all in one breath. The runner listens, takes the megaphone, and opens its cover. She studies the cracked plastic, the corroded ends, and the tiny label beside them. Then she unzips a pocket in her vest and pulls out a small battery pack wrapped in cloth.

Sopir itu menjelaskan semuanya dalam satu tarikan napas. Pelari itu mendengarkan, mengambil megafon, dan membuka tutupnya. Ia mempelajari plastik yang retak, ujung-ujung yang berkarat, dan label mungil di sebelahnya. Lalu ia membuka ritsleting saku di rompinya dan mengeluarkan sebuah baterai kecil yang dibungkus kain.

"I carry this for my lamp," she says. "It is the same type, almost. Hold the cover."

"Ini kubawa untuk lampuku," katanya. "Jenisnya sama, hampir. Pegang tutupnya."

She bends two thin wires, presses them to the contacts, and clicks the button. The megaphone gives a thin, bright squeal that makes all three of them jump.

Ia membengkokkan dua kawat tipis, menekannya ke kontak, dan menekan tombol. Megafon itu mengeluarkan lengkingan tipis dan nyaring yang membuat ketiganya terlonjak.

"It works," says the farmer.

"Berfungsi," kata petani itu.

"It works for now," says the runner. "The cover is cracked, so I need to keep my hand on it." She tucks the megaphone under her arm. "Where does it go?"

"Berfungsi untuk sementara," kata pelari itu. "Tutupnya retak, jadi aku harus terus menahannya dengan tangan." Ia mengepit megafon di bawah lengannya. "Ke mana ini harus dibawa?"

"The ridge junction," says the driver. "A guide called Neha is waiting there."

"Persimpangan punggung bukit," kata sopir. "Seorang pemandu bernama Neha menunggu di sana."

"I know Neha. She nods at me every evening." The runner checks the sky, which is turning from blue to the colour of apricots. "Forty minutes. If I run well, I can make it."

"Aku kenal Neha. Ia mengangguk padaku setiap sore." Pelari itu memeriksa langit, yang berubah dari biru menjadi warna aprikot. "Empat puluh menit. Kalau aku berlari dengan baik, aku bisa sampai."

She leaves at an even pace. The driver and the farmer watch her disappear into the pines. The driver goes back to his van, still shaking his head, and the farmer returns to his animals.

Ia berangkat dengan langkah stabil. Sopir dan petani melihatnya menghilang ke dalam pinus. Sopir itu kembali ke vannya, masih menggeleng-gelengkan kepala, dan petani kembali kepada hewan-hewannya.

The path climbs steeply at first. The runner's feet find the roots and stones without looking. She crosses a stream by jumping from rock to rock. The megaphone stays high above the water. Her breath is calm, and her headlamp makes a small yellow circle on the ground ahead.

Jalurnya mendaki curam pada awalnya. Kaki si pelari menemukan akar dan batu tanpa perlu melihat. Ia menyeberangi sungai kecil dengan melompat dari batu ke batu. Megafon itu tetap terangkat tinggi di atas air. Napasnya tenang, dan lampu kepalanya membuat lingkaran kuning kecil di tanah di depannya.

At the half-way point, the pines open and the ridge appears against the sky. She leans forward and keeps running.

Di tengah jalan, pohon-pohon pinus terbuka dan punggung bukit tampak di langit. Ia mencondongkan badan ke depan dan terus berlari.

Far above, Neha stands at the ridge junction with a bundle of glow sticks. She has set lights along the left fork, one every ten steps. A single orange one blocks the right fork. She checks her watch for the fifth time. Down in the valley, a thin line of lanterns is starting to wind out of the workshop yard.

Jauh di atas, Neha berdiri di persimpangan punggung bukit dengan seikat tongkat cahaya. Ia sudah memasang lampu di sepanjang cabang kiri, satu setiap sepuluh langkah. Sebuah lampu oranye menghalangi cabang kanan. Ia memeriksa jamnya untuk kelima kalinya. Di lembah bawah, barisan tipis lentera mulai berkelok keluar dari halaman bengkel.

"Where is it?" she says aloud. "Omar must have found something."

"Di mana benda itu?" katanya keras-keras. "Omar pasti menemukan sesuatu."

Her words fall into the dark valley. She looks down the path and sees a small yellow light bobbing toward her through the trees. It moves quickly, and it is alone.

Kata-katanya jatuh ke lembah yang gelap. Ia memandang ke bawah jalur dan melihat cahaya kuning kecil bergoyang ke arahnya di antara pepohonan. Cahaya itu bergerak cepat, dan sendirian.

The runner arrives out of breath, with sweat on her face. She holds out the megaphone with both hands.

Si pelari tiba dengan napas tersengal, wajahnya berkeringat. Ia mengulurkan megafon dengan kedua tangan.

"Delivery for Neha," she says. "Three different people have touched this today. Please do not drop it."

"Kiriman untuk Neha," katanya. "Tiga orang berbeda sudah menyentuhnya hari ini. Tolong jangan dijatuhkan."

Neha takes the megaphone and stares at it. "I do not know you."

Neha mengambil megafon itu dan menatapnya. "Aku tidak mengenalmu."

"No. But I know the hill." The runner grins. "Keep your hand on the cover. The battery will last about two hours."

"Tidak. Tapi aku mengenal bukit ini." Si pelari nyengir. "Tahan tutupnya dengan tanganmu. Baterainya akan bertahan sekitar dua jam."

"Two hours is enough."

"Dua jam cukup."

"Then I will go." The runner turns, adjusts her vest, and jogs back down the path. In a moment, she is only a faint glow among the trees.

"Kalau begitu aku pergi." Si pelari berbalik, membetulkan rompinya, dan berlari kecil kembali menuruni jalur. Sesaat kemudian, ia hanya berupa pendar samar di antara pepohonan.

Neha stands alone on the ridge. The sun is sinking behind the far hills. The first lanterns climb toward her, tiny and golden. She lifts the megaphone, holds the cracked cover firmly with her thumb, and presses the button.

Neha berdiri sendirian di punggung bukit. Matahari tenggelam di balik perbukitan jauh. Lentera-lentera pertama mendaki ke arahnya, mungil dan keemasan. Ia mengangkat megafon, menahan tutup yang retak dengan kuat memakai ibu jarinya, dan menekan tombol.

It crackles, then hums, then holds.

Terdengar derak, lalu dengung, lalu mantap.

She looks down the dark path at the line of lights coming up. Then she takes a deep breath.

Ia memandang jalur gelap di bawah, ke barisan cahaya yang naik. Lalu ia menarik napas dalam-dalam.

"Can everyone hear me?" she says.

"Apakah semua bisa mendengar saya?" katanya.