From the drawer, Raka took out a small roll of raffia string. He also grabbed a pair of scissors and handed both items to Kiai Jaffar.
"You hold the scissors. I'll tie it, and you cut the ends," said the Kiai.
They worked quickly. Inside the black plastic bag, something large was thrashing harder and harder.
"Let's take it to the backyard and burn it," Kiai Jaffar suggested.
"Bismillah…"
Together, they lifted the bag, which grew noticeably heavier with every passing second.
"What is this, Kiai? It was just seafood earlier," Raka asked.
"You'll see soon enough."
Kiai Jaffar quickened his pace, and Raka followed. They headed to the back door. Raka slid the bolt and opened it. They walked about three meters into the backyard from the kitchen door.
"Put it down here, Raka!"
Raka obeyed. As soon as the bag touched the ground, it began to expand like a balloon being inflated.
"Subhanallah! What is this?!" Raka shouted, stumbling backward as the bag continued to swell.
Kiai Jaffar swiftly pulled a lighter from his shirt pocket and stepped back a few paces. "Raka, do you have any paper or something that can burn easily?"
"Oh, here, Kiai. It's a piece of paper with Arabic prayers."
"Alhamdulillah, perfect."
Raka handed over the paper. Moments later, the Kiai lit it while reciting a prayer and tossed the burning paper onto the rapidly expanding bag, which had now grown nearly as tall as a mango tree.
"Help me recite Al-Fatihah, then Ayatul Kursi," Kiai Jaffar said, staring sharply at the grotesque thing before them.
"Repent, or you will perish in this fire," he declared loudly, then began leading the prayer.
"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim…"
Both men recited in unison. Midway through the verses, whatever was inside the bag began writhing violently from the heat, tearing the plastic apart.
"Astaghfirullah! A snake?" Raka gasped.
"It's the manifestation of the child Laras gave birth to," Kiai Jaffar explained. "Zahir deliberately sent it to drag Laras back."
"So the seafood was swapped or infused with this jinn baby?"
"The fish was implanted with it. If Laras had eaten it, Zahir would have gained control over her again. The fish itself was also laced with black magic. It would have been dangerous for anyone who ate it," the Kiai explained, then asked, "Do you still have any left?"
"My mother and the neighbors already took some, Kiai."
"Then we destroy it here. InsyaAllah, with Allah's will, everything will be eradicated."
The torn, burning plastic finally revealed a large serpent inside. Its tail lashed out, searching for a way to slither free.
But Kiai Jaffar was faster. He grabbed a long bamboo pole and struck the tail with it while reciting prayers. The tail instantly charred and severed.
"Qul a'udzu birabbil-falaq. Min syarri maa khalaq…"
"Kiai, I'll go check on my wife," Raka said.
"Go ahead. This thing is already finished," Kiai Jaffar replied, prodding the remains with the pole.
Raka hurried back into the house. Inside, Laras was still grimacing in pain, pressing on her stomach while reciting prayers.
The moment Raka entered the room, the blanket over Laras's stomach suddenly tore open. Beneath it, her skin split apart. A round, coarse black object covered in thick fur and drenched in blood began to emerge.
"Astaghfirullahal adzim!" Raka cried out in horror and rushed to her side. The santri's prayers and zikr echoed loudly throughout the house.
"A-Allahu A-Akbar…!"
"Darling, how are you feeling?" Raka asked, kneeling beside her.
"Urrgghh…!"
A deafening boom suddenly shook the room. In Raka's eyes, blood splattered across the walls, soaking the sofa and floor. The foul, metallic stench filled the air, making it hard to breathe.
Raka panicked as Laras lost consciousness. He quickly checked her pulse and breath.
"Astaghfirullahal adzim! Ya Allah, protect my wife!"
"Alhamdulillah! Calm down, Raka. Laras is safe," Kiai Jaffar said, suddenly appearing behind him.
"Alhamdulillah! Whose blood is this? I heard a baby's cry earlier. Where did it go? I'm so confused."
"Stay calm, Raka. Cover the wound on your wife's stomach with your hand. We'll pray together."
Kiai Jaffar immediately began reciting Surah An-Nas, followed by Raka, then continued with Surah Al-Falaq.
"Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"
In an instant, all the blood vanished without a trace, and Laras slowly regained consciousness.
"Honey… what happened to me?" she asked weakly, looking at Raka.
"MashaAllah! Alhamdulillah, you're safe, darling!" Raka exclaimed. Overjoyed, he kissed her forehead and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Mas…" Laras whispered.
"My love, thank God," Raka replied softly, brushing her hair aside and kissing both her cheeks.
"Alhamdulillah. InsyaAllah, Laras has been freed from the jinn's spell. Everyone should draw closer to Allah," said the Kiai.
But something was wrong with the young woman's body. Slowly, fine hairs began sprouting across her skin — from her face down to the tips of her toes — growing thicker by the second.
"Astaghfirullahal adzim!" Raka jumped back in shock and immediately pulled his wife into his arms.
"Darling, what's happening to you?"
Laras didn't speak a word. Instead, a low hissing sound like a snake escaped her mouth. Clear tears streamed from her eyes, soaking her face, hair, and the blanket.
"Kiai, what is this?" Raka asked, looking desperately at the man now approaching them.
"Let me ask her first," Kiai Jaffar said calmly. He looked at the growing fur on Laras's arms while continuing his zikr.
"Laras, did Zahir ever give you anything?"
The woman's tears flowed even harder. After a moment, she nodded weakly. Her answer stunned Raka.
"What thing?" he asked.
Laras struggled to answer her husband. Her tears kept falling. Raka gently wiped them with a tissue.
"Laras doesn't need to answer. I already know," the Kiai said.
"What was it, Kiai?" Raka pressed, growing more anxious.
"It's better if we go to the bedroom. We need to cleanse everything that came from the unseen realm."
The two men walked toward the bedroom. Once inside, Kiai Jaffar recited a special prayer, then said, "The object is in the next room."
"That's the storage room, Kiai," Raka replied as he stepped out, followed by the Kiai.
They stopped in front of the converted storage room. The moment Raka opened the door, Kiai Jaffar sensed a strong mystical force coming from an old cupboard.
"Open that," the Kiai said, pointing.
"Alright, Kiai." Raka opened the cupboard. There was nothing obviously suspicious — just piles of old clothes and some tools. "What are we looking for, Kiai?"
"Wait," Kiai Jaffar said. He touched the pile of clothes. Shockingly, the entire pile transformed into a golden chest. "Let's take it out!"
"Astaghfirullah! What kind of chest is this?!" Raka shouted in shock as the chest was placed on the floor.
"A'udzubillahiminasy syaithanir rajim!" the Kiai exclaimed as he lifted the lid.
"Astaghfirullah! What the hell is this?!" Raka growled, covering his nose. "It's disgusting!"