Borneo; A Collection of Short Stories from Yavva

5. PREANGER LUNA

LUNAR MOTH

I found this story as I was flipping through Mr. Kwang Dae’s journal. It is an interesting story that may give background to those unfamiliar with our subjects while also detailing the backdrop, the city of La Tulpe, Yavva.
To sum it up, a few years back before the Cour de Desordre went international, there was a beast running loose in the city. Although it is described as a beast, it seems to indicate signs of intelligence, dubbed the Preanger Luna. an interesting case from a few years back documented in amazing detail by Mr. Kwang Dae. Take a look for yourself.

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La Tulpe, The city of flowers. A gem sitting amidst the muddy swamplands of Yavva. Its beauty is unchallenged. Some traders have even called it the Constantinople of Malaya.
As the sweet morning rays kiss the lands and awaken its residents, melting the dew sitting half frozen on the leaves and flowers, the city shows its beautiful face to the early birds. The distant call of local avians colour the morning skies. Pigeons, House Sparrow, even the occasional Hawks or Crows pierces the morning clouds. The streets are equally lively as shops open in various streets, the chatter of local housewives gossiping as they shop the freshly produced goods bought by the farmers from the edges of the town. Hours pass as then the workers emerge from their residences, bellies satisfied from the meals prepared by their wives. Along with them were the children commuting to school, chatting with each other on their way to their beloved school.
Then, as the day grew older, the city grew busier. Being the main attraction to tourists worldwide for its natural beauty and intricate architectures designed by the French. Tourists flock from every corner of the globe, along with the welcoming and courteous locals, which invites even more globetrotters to visit this gem of the east indies. Tall white buildings with art-deco styling gave visitors a pleasing sight. Have you ever been to the beautiful city of Paris, dear reader? It is true what these travellers would say that La Tulpe is very reminiscent of Paris, which gave it its other nickname, The Paris of the Southeast.
At night the city’s beauty didn’t vanish, as local vendors of cafes and restaurants lit up the city, the soft glimmer of lantern powered street lamps gave the city a homely appeal, as if it was hugging its residents with motherly warmth. Chirping of crickets vibrates through the city’s paving blocks. It’s as if the city has a soul of its own, speaking to the pedestrians in a soft manner.
Then came the after-hours. As the local cafes started to shut their doors past 9pm. The street guards patrol the streets, keeping the city safe from any harm of evil. You might then question, why is the curfew so early? Don’t be mistaken by the city’s soft embrace, for beyond the darkness, dear reader, lies a devil ready to pounce the unwary traveller. So step lightly when you come into contact with the shadows, as there lurks this creature, running freely in the absence of light, its skin glints upon catching contact with the moonlight.

The beast prowls the street of La Tulpe silently, keeping to the shadows, a true predator walking amongst his prey unnoticed. The tight corners of the city had provided this beast cover from hunters. Many had tried to hunt it, yet as if a spectre, it disappeared just as quickly. Occasionally one could even hear its blood curdling howls as it climbs atop the numerous towers of La Tulpe, calling to the moon as if it was its mate, and with clear reason did I make this conjecture, for I had had the pleasure of perceiving this mighty beast myself albeit not in detail.
I sat by the circular window of my studies’ that eventful night, gazing at the night sky meditating on ideas to pen. The light of the full moon filled the room, mesmerising as ever. But that peace was soon broken by a howl, an unearthly howl as if the souls of the underworld had escaped and wreak havoc upon the living, a scream so terrorising it sends chills down my spine, imagine it dear reader, the sound of what one could describe as multiplied screams of a woman in anguish. Then, at that moment, I saw the beast gazing longingly at the moon on a rooftop far to the left of my peripheral vision. At first i thought that it was man, yet as I kept my sight fixed to it, the uncanny details of the creature emerged, its skin is a soft green colour, with tints of black decorating its body, its teeth barred as it seem to have no lips, its figure is similar to an athlete of sorts, muscular, and sleek. From what I could discern, no ears decorate its head, and the sharp edges of its skin differentiate it from that of a man. The curves on its body remind you of an amphibian, and unlike others of its kind, this beast has a tail.
What others? I hear you ask dear reader. These are a species of local beast dubbed the Crawler by the locals, reptilian beasts that for some reason had grown so large that it no longer has the fear towards humans, yet unlike its kin, this one has an unique beauty to it. As it bathed in the moonlight, I saw the beauty in its terrifying figure. For all its terrifying features, it still reflects the beauty of nature itself. If I were to compare it to an insect, I’d say it looked very similar in features to the Luna Moth of the United States. The sleek curves of its body contrast its terrifying image that the locals have built upon the beast. Seeing this unique behaviour of the beast had given me an inspiration of naming it, with its propensity to the moon I have decided to name it The Preanger Luna, owing to its home turf, La Tulpe’s other name, Preanger.