Ghost in the Cell

AS OF THIS WEEK, NINE WORKERS HAVE REPORTEDLY DIED.

THE FIRST DEATH TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 12, 2025

…ON THE EDGE OF NEHEA FOREST…

…BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT…

How's it going?

You gonna be long?

Just two more sentences. Then I'll send it to Mr. Endy, sir.

I told the printer guy to wait.

But his wife started having the baby. He had to rush to the hospital.

THE NATIVES REPORTED THE CASE TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

If we had ads, I could fill the space. But we haven't had ads in a long time.

"THIS FOREST ISN'T JUST TREES, IT'S OUR HOME."

If your article doesn't come in, we'll have a blank spot.

Done.

I just need to wait for Mr. Endy's approval.

I made sure that there won't be any revisions.

It should go straight to print.

Of course you had to be careful.

You're writing about a big company.

Their investors are government officials.

This will make headlines.

They illegally dug up 10,000 hectares of protected forest for a nickel mine.

No one dares to speak up.

Plus, dozens of workers died under suspicious circumstances.

It's scary, sir.

And you actually went there?

Yes, sir.

It's a seven-hour drive from Balikpapan to Nehea Forest.

I've been to Borneo forests before, but this one was really mysterious.

I can't wait to read your piece.

Best piece I've ever written.

Mr. Endy's going to love it!

That's great!

Hello, sir?

You call this an article? What are you, an intern?

Get in here, now!

Yes, sir.

Oh no.

I'll be smoking downstairs, Dimas!

Let me know once it's sent to me!

Excuse me, sir.

You went all the way to Borneo, wasting our money for this?

Writing about homicide like those trashy online articles?

You're an economics desk reporter!

The illegal mining part is there, sir.

But the workers' deaths are more compelling…

Don't you get that we're going out of business?!

People still read us because we have substance!

If our stories are no different from anyone else's,

why the hell would they subscribe to us?

You've got 20 minutes to revise.

The lede should be, "Illegal Deforestation of Protected Forest."

"Vice-President's son's company is involved."

That's it!

Yes, sir.

Idiot!

MY WIFE

Hello?

You know the editor can handle it. It doesn't have to be you.

I just fired my editor today.

I can't afford to pay them!

If the company can't be saved, then come home.

Save your marriage!

I built this paper from nothing! Before I met you!

This paper means a lot more than our marriage!

Fine. Bye.

Fuck!

Dimas!

Mr. Vijay…

Help…

MAINTAIN ORDER

Good morning!

Morning, morning, morning!

Today is the same as yesterday,

the same as tomorrow.

As always,

you decide whether your day goes smoothly

or the other way round.

You know the rules.

Obey, and you live in peace.

Disobey, and face the consequences.

The only freedom you have here

is choosing how you want to spend your day.

Understood?

Understood, understood, understood!

- Everyone's here? - Yes, sir!

- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!

One missing!

Get down.

I'm sick, sir.

If I stand, my head spins.

Stand up!

Idiot.

He has no religion!

What did you say?

The next hour and a half is for religious practice.

He has no religion,

so he can rest and recover.

A third of your time here's for religion.

So if you're not religious, you get a third of the day off?

Religion doesn't force sick people to pray.

If you think you're smarter than me,

don't fool yourself.

Your brain's tiny compared to mine.

Why so quiet?

Picturing yourself as me?

What would you be doing right now if you were me?

I definitely wouldn't work in a shitty place like this.

I work here

because I can!

Come on.

Let him go!

Come on!

Fight back!

Come on now.

Come on!

In here, you're excrement.

So if someone gives a damn, like I do,

just be grateful.

Don't act out.

Believe me!

I'm harsh on you

because that's what you need.

I'm the cure to your diseased hearts.

You're all here because of your own mistakes.

You have no right to complain.

No right to ask for anything!

Just be quiet and follow the rules.

Now go do your religious activities!

Whether you have a religion or not!

Take him to the cage.

No need to throw it like that. It won't hurt you to be nice.

What if I spit on it first?

Why did Anggoro pick a fight with Jefry earlier?

Better than this fucker dying.

I didn't ask Anggoro to help. He thinks everyone needs his help.

Without him, most of us wouldn't survive in here.

- Not me. I'm doing just fine. - Fine getting beaten up?

Anggoro's not even a good fighter.

But people respect him.

It's his looks.

If I were tall and handsome like him, people would respect me too.

Handsome guys get stepped on too. Anggoro's got a real leader's spirit.

That's what he gets respect for.

You?

You're still alive only because others think you can actually see ghosts.

You lied about that?!

You trying to get me killed?

Confess, Six. You don't want to die a sinner.

- Right. - Six.

You really don't have religion? Where will you go when you die?

Six did a mantra when I was sick, and I got better.

You lied about that too?

But you got better, right?

Fucker.

You're a former professor, and you buy that nonsense?

You're just fresh meat for the dumb.

But Six has a point, Pendi.

You read books every day, but you're still dumb like us.

If only you could outsmart Jefry and show that we have brains too.

I'm sick of hearing him lecture us.

Hey, man.

Where's Anggoro?

He's not here. Go away.

- Please help me, man. I'm fucked. - It's none of our business, go away!

Without Anggoro's help, I'm dead for sure.

He's in the cage. He can't help you!

Anggoro's not here, Syafiq. Go away.

Fuckers!

You idiots!

Don't you mess with me!

You think you own this place?!

Nothing is free in this world! Fuck you!

Listen to me!

Throwing food away while people out there starve to death!

You brainless fuckers!

Lick it! Fucking lick it clean!

You've got visitors.

Tell them to go home.

What am I, your servant?

Tell them yourself.

I feel bad just looking at their faces.

Where's your mother?

It's just me and Didi, Dad.

What are you doing here?

We haven't seen each other in two months.

We missed you.

Mom didn't want to come.

Our neighbor dropped us off on his way to work.

Your mom must've been busy working hard for you guys.

No, Dad.

She…

We think she's going out with Mr. Alexander.

Alexander who?

Her coworker at the bakery.

He's been visiting for the last three months.

At first, Mom kicked him out. But he kept coming.

And I think she's starting to like him.

We don't want Mom to marry him, Dad.

We don't want a father like him.