Ouda Teda Ena, translated by Laura Harsoyo
Published as a part of Dalang Publishing’s Your Stories, Aug 13, 2018
Originally published as Aku Tidak Ingin Tubuh Ranummu.
The man had watched her since she was a bud and as she blossomed. He was intoxicated by her fresh fragrance. Every morning, he peeked at her out of the window while smoking his kretek cigarette. The smoke spiraled out of the sides of his mouth as he chanted his mantra. His eyes were wild and filled with an eagerness to pick her when the time came. *** That night, he had not been able to fall asleep. Neither his warm pillow nor his soft cotton sarong had been able to soothe him. The chickens kept clucking until daylight broke through the eastern sky and dew rolled off the leaves to the ground.
Read the full story here.