Number Forty-Seven

Carla cuts her hand. She washes dishes at home. She goes to the clinic. She gets a number: forty-seven.

Carla melukai tangannya. Dia mencuci piring di rumah. Dia pergi ke klinik. Dia mendapat nomor: empat puluh tujuh.

The screen shows thirty-one. The room is full. A man reads a magazine. A father holds a baby. A teenager looks at his phone.

Layar menunjukkan angka tiga puluh satu. Ruangannya penuh. Seorang pria membaca majalah. Seorang ayah menggendong bayi. Seorang remaja melihat ponselnya.

The numbers change slowly: thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-six. They do not go in order. Carla waits.

Angkanya berubah pelan: tiga puluh dua, tiga puluh tiga, tiga puluh enam. Angkanya tidak berurutan. Carla menunggu.

After one hour, the screen shows forty-seven. Carla goes in. The doctor looks at her hand. "It is small," he says. "Clean it two times a day."

Setelah satu jam, layar menunjukkan angka empat puluh tujuh. Carla masuk. Dokter melihat tangannya. "Ini kecil," katanya. "Bersihkan dua kali sehari."

Carla leaves. The room is almost empty. The teenager is gone. The baby is awake.

Carla pergi. Ruangannya hampir kosong. Remaja itu sudah pergi. Bayinya bangun.