The Deepest Secret of Crystal

The body odor of the fat man I'd been with in the elevator was truly like a piece of cheese that's been sitting around for years. The rancid odor was so disturbing, I even stopped in my tracks to catch my breath a few times.

"Abadi Pustaka," the series of acrylic letters embedded in the plasterboard wall were easily legible when I reached the reception desk. Before I could even begin to greet him, the young woman with thick, bright red lipstick greeted me with a friendly smile.

"Good morning, beautiful lady! Wow, that crystal pendant is really nice! Oh, I know, you must want to meet Mr. Ben, right?"

"Thank you for the compliment! Okay, let me go straight to his office," I recalled, not having visited him in over a year. But still, she recognized me.

"Wait, ma'am! Mr. Ben is in an important meeting. You know, ma'am... Meeting a new author whose book hasn't even been published for a month and is already a bestseller. Oh, what's the author's name? I've forgotten again!"

I interrupted her, "Oh, Mr. Ben has a guest? Then I'd better wait."

"Let me show you to the waiting room..." We arrived shortly thereafter. "Just a moment, let me turn on the lights. Please! While you wait, I'll let you know when you've arrived." The receptionist hurried away from me.

It didn't take long for me to curse the new author who had caused such a stir. "It's impossible! Less than a month after publication, the novel is number one among readers? How can all this happen so quickly! Of course, it's all just a strategy to increase sales. They're making a big deal out of it, pretending everyone loves the book. Don't worry, your story this time will definitely be better than that!"

Before I could vent my emotions, Beni Gusnandar, or Pak Ben for short, came and reprimanded me, without me realizing it. This bearded, tall man, over forty, was the key to the acceptance or rejection of every manuscript before it went to press.

"Kristal!! I thought you'd returned to your family!" he exclaimed thunderously.

"I thought so at first. But here I am!" We broke the hug.

"What can I do for you?"

"According to yesterday's email, I've finished revising everything. It's now a pure love story plot, without any infidelity or murder scenes," I then handed him the flash drive containing my revised story.

"Okay. I'll accept it and study it first," Mr. Ben paused for a moment, took a breath, and then quickly continued, "Look, yesterday I had a meeting with the board of directors. The results decided to stop publishing the novels for the next few months. I think that's a reasonable thing to do. Especially since our sales have consistently been lagging behind those of other publishers. Sorry to say, but don't worry. I have a special job for you. That is, if you don't mind," he said lightly, running his fingers through his thick beard.

I responded by crossing my arms, demonstrating my firm resolve. Then I emphasized my words, "Mr. Ben, I guarantee that the story will increase sales!"

"All decisions are in the hands of the directors. I can't resist their wishes just because they helped publish your story!"

"They also can't just return dozens, even hundreds of manuscripts that have already been submitted! So I'm sure Mr. Ben and the directors will agree to republish the novel! Besides, aren't they currently profiting greatly from that new author?"

"Come on! Understand the situation I'm in. Forget all about writing the novel. You have to think outside the box! Just think of it as a temporary vacation from your routine."

"Didn't you say in an email yesterday that Mr. Ben said he was interested in publishing the story I was working on, but I'd have to make some revisions. Where did all that go? I didn't sacrifice my family for failure!" My voice grew louder.

"Kristal! I never asked you to stop writing. I just wanted to offer you this opportunity. But if you don't mind, I'd rather give it to another writer.

Come on, try to follow my instructions. Once everything is in order, I'll try to publish your novel," Mr. Ben said, raising his eyebrows, as if cornering me into accepting his offer.

"Following his orders would weaken my position. In the future, it would be easier for him to ignore my writing. If I refuse his offer, I might not even meet an editorial manager like Mr. Ben again," I pondered.

"Kristal, are you there?" His knuckles fanned my face, snapping me out of it.

"Fine, I accept the offer. But promise me, once everything is in order, the story will be published soon?" It was Mr. Ben's turn to pause for a moment.

"Agree! But on the condition that you go through the usual procedures. So, please listen carefully to my explanation. During my board meeting, they introduced you to someone named Gatot Purba. He's around sixty years old. We know that almost everyone knows Gatot Purba, and even idolizes him. How come you don't know him?"

"Straight to the point, Mr. Ben!"

"Long story short, he's currently running for regional elections in his hometown. He asked us to write a short biography of his life. After much thought, I decided to choose a writer who would be competent to carry out this task, and I chose you. I know your writing is always detailed and has a clearly structured storyline."

"Excuse me, Mr. Ben was talking about regional elections in his hometown? You know, Mr. Ben, I'm very weak in regional languages. Is it possible for me to complete that assignment?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Ben was talking about regional elections in his hometown? You know, Mr. Ben, I'm very weak in regional languages. Is it possible for me to complete that assignment?"

"I've thought about it carefully. I've also explained any obstacles that might arise. He finally said that everything must be written in good and correct Indonesian. One thing that's no less important, the writing must be completed within three months. After that, we will publish it in the fourth month. So, you must immediately send me a rough draft in the second month. And for all the supporting data you need, I'm always ready to help you whenever needed. Don't worry, the writing will not be more than one hundred pages thick."

"Okay! I'll finish it in less than three months," Mr. Ben nodded in agreement as he opened a folder he'd been carrying.

"Now, here's the writing collaboration contract I've prepared. Please read it first and then sign it."

"Can I have this too?"

"Of course! There are two copies for you to sign. One for me, and one for you."

I glanced at the contents of the agreement. "Done! I've signed everything."

"Don't worry, I'm always on standby to help. I've scheduled a meeting. You can meet him around three in the afternoon. For the exact time and place, please contact the person concerned directly." Mr. Ben took out a business card and handed it to me. "Here, I'll give you his card. I think everything is very clear. If there's nothing else we need to discuss, I have to get back to work."

"Tomorrow? Three in the afternoon?"

"Yes, don't forget!" Mr. Ben and I both stood up.

"Ah, I almost forgot. May I fix your watch? How come you're wearing it upside down like that?" He quickly grabbed my wrist and shifted it from the opposite direction to my perspective. Finished, he quickly left the room.

"Oh my God, how could such a small thing happen?" I thought to myself, "Today is truly an incredibly frustrating day! After writing for so long, in just a matter of minutes it's all gone."

It wasn't actually the writing that annoyed me, but the need to chase sources, which was what I wanted to avoid.