Toker

TOKER.TOP -  The sky darkened as I stepped onto the narrow dike of the village rice paddies. In the distance, Menoreh Hill loomed, shrouded in a thin veil of mist. Heavy clouds hung low, ready to release their burden at any moment. Thunder rumbled faintly, splitting the damp air that clung to the fields. Father stood on the dike, his worn   blangkon   perched on his head. In his hand, he held a bundle of dried chili, long since plucked from its stems. He waved at me to come closer. “Hurry, son. We need to burn these before the rain starts.” I hesitated, my feet squelching against the slippery mud. Father’s face looked more serious than usual. There was something in his demeanor — an unfamiliar gravity that unsettled me. I stayed silent, but unease gnawed at my chest. I piled the chilies in the center of the dike. The earthy scent of wet soil mingled with the sharp aroma of crushed chili. This time, the amount we were burning was far greater than ever before. “Father, why...