SOS
Chapter 1 SOS (from East to East)

Kalimantan FOREST looks a little creepy, the morning sunlight is only able to pass through a small gap of trees. The birds are heard from far away. The sound of a bear was heard twice. But it's not

sequencing the intentions of Alexandra—a photographer whose name is on the rise today—to explore the forest, looking for the hidden beauty that every time enshrined in a large camera hanging on the neck. Alyx—small name Alexandra—was really ready for this morning. He has asked someone to inject the anti-dengue vaccine. Even he was carrying a trumpet knife, who knew there were wild animals coming to attack him.

This time is the second time for Alyx to return to explore in the dense forests of Borneo. A year ago he also came, unfortunately it did not go smoothly because the cause was none other than mosquitoes carrying disease into his body. He had not finished his event hunt by then and promised to return to get what he wanted. And today, he's back. The journey is quite tiring of course, he has not even rested since his trip from London-Jakarta-Kalimantan. There is no word tired, because for him this is something very pleasant.

In the midst of his busy search for the right lighting, Alyx turned around, making sure one of his team members

following in the back. A smile adorned her face, in contrast to the adorable Ivory—man with a large backpack on her back. Alyx deliberately only invites Ivory, although he is a man who likes to complain, but Alyx prefers to invite him to look for locations compared to other team members.

Once in a while, the sound of Ivory's screams rang out, every time he encountered a strange little animal. He always

ask Alyx to remove the animals from his presence. He looked at Alyx who seemed to enjoy the situation in this forest. Once again he let out a long sigh, feeling himself the most unlucky person to have to accompany Alyx around the vast forest. He was confused as to why his boss should be looking

location in advance and allow other team members as well as models to wait at the retreat post.

“What are you doing?” alyx's firm voice made Ivory immediately aware of his daydream.

Ivory soon overtakes Alyx who is getting away.

“They said that you wanna be a photographer, huh? Um, What do you think ‘bout this?”

Not yet Ivory answered his question, Alyx has continued with the others. Ivory can only

gulped. Nothing really changed with his boss a year ago. Ivory regained consciousness when Alyx said something again in his English—once other accents sounded—Gading tried to understand every word, who knows his boss wants something. Because right now, Ivory is aware that Alyx sometimes talks to himself.

“Gading.”

“Yes. I... I..”

“I understand *bah*asa,” Alyx smiled as he realized Ivory was trying to speak in English.

“Yes, I know. What's next?” Ivory looked at Alyx's back admiringly watching the scene before him. Looks like they're about to start a photo shoot at this waterfall.

“Do I have to go back to *ca*mp now?”

“Come back,” the door is in English. Alyx immediately imagined how the results would be.

The waterfall in front of Alyx flowed heavily. The morning light makes the splash of water look like a pearl.

The dense trees are bright green, certainly is doing photosynthetic using energy from sunlight. Awesome. Soon some shadows flashed through his mind, how he would ask the stylish model in front of the camera—it was his job, as director on that team to direct the model in various styles.

Alyx quit his job to take pictures. Look in the direction from which he came. It seemed to be thinking about whether his men could get to the post. Or how he contacted Gading, while his smart phone is now not working, just languishing in a maroon-red backpack that he had always carried. I don't know what's inside that heavy looking bag, it might be a very meaningful bag, to the point that he never let the bag get away from him.

Alyx finally chose to look at the pictures he had just taken. Go one by one with

quick one. And stop—heard a voice that distracts him from the picture on camera. The sound of dry wood branches being stepped on.

“You are already da... tang..” Alyx is silent—bingung. Looks like he's wrong. But, the sound of approaching steps seemed so clear. Or maybe, the sound is the field of forest animals. Moments later, no more sound—sunyi.

Alyx held a knife in his pocket, his face a little worried, mixed in confusion with the sound of a groin

suddenly running away, away. He removed the grip from the knife when he heard a familiar voice.

“Sorry, we are old. She just finished showering and decorating herself with a wide variety of talcum powder.” One of

from the team members appointed Masha, a Russian model who had been asked to fill the magazine.

Alyx smile. “Remove make up on your face.”

“What? All right,” he said, giving up immediately, after seeing Alyx's serious face.

“Although it's not thick, but still annoying on my camera.” Alyx immediately recalled the theme he would feature in the Russian magazine. The Alyx team immediately prepared all the equipment, including a change of clothes for the model. “Come. Hurry up's. Before that beautiful sun is over your head.”

They rushed over, looking at Alyx who was pointing here and there, directing. The first session began, with a white dress wrapped in a graceful model's body and legs.

“Ok,” voice Alyx ended the first session and immediately asked to proceed to the second session, to the third and session

subsequent. Masha was asked to change clothes for the final session. While waiting, Alyx once took aim at the shooting atmosphere.

The prepared Masha, standing before Alyx, asked for her opinion on the clothes she was wearing now. Alyx just smiled while still photographing Masha. But, Alyx's shot stopped at the fallen figure before him. Masha fell down.  Alyx looked at Masha's stiffened body. The others approached trying to wake him up.

“What happened?”

“What's with him?”

They flipped Masha's body. A voice and just looking at him.

“Give her space,” Alyx's voice keeps them out of the way, just someone who makes her thighs a cushion for Masha.

“Capac call doctor.

“Doctor? There's no doctor here, aren't you the one who should be preparing the medical equipment. Alyx has asked you, right?”

“What? I thought it wasn't important,” he said in a sorry tone.

“Have it done, don't blame each other. Does he faint like this often? We better get him to camp

now.” Alyx went first.

“But why is his breath so heavy. I'm afraid that..”

Alyx growled to himself. “Keep!” He sat next to Masha. Checking his pulse. And

it soon dawned on Masha that the poison had now spread to her body. “One of you, hurry to camp and

contact doctor.”

“I'm it.” Ivory volunteered. “They usually pass to the next village, it seems like they can come

quickly.”

Alyx nodded. Alyx flipped Masha's body, removed the hair from her neck, and found a needle stuck in her nape.

“Curare,” thought. He let out a heavy sigh, while opening his backpack. Take out box.

“Ahh.  Is he gonna tear his neck?”

Alyx turned to look at the two girls who were whispering. “If you can't stay still, can you just step aside, or clean up all that equipment. Today's photo shoot is finished.”

“Ba..ik.”

*

“A doctor?” Ivory and the rest of the team were talking in front of the fire for the night. They still have to wait for the car to be invited back to the city.

“Listen like that,” Fred is now the center of attention when telling about the life of Alyx—while being told is lying in the tent, not knowing that he is being the topic of conversation. “If his job is now, he has only been in the last two years, and as you know.. his name has soared high.” Fred tilted his hands in front of his face.

“Doctor what?” ask the others curious.

“I know he's a surgeon.”

“How old is he now? Looks like he's young.”

“He finished it in no time. Several times in class acceleration while still in elementary school and

midsized. And others, it looks like he's a genius.”

“Wah...” they can only give out amazed, outstanding expressions, and other expressions. “What does he do plastic surgery?”

“Why, Nat? You want your nose elevated?”

Nat just threw Fred with a small rock that he could reach. “But, why did he become a photographer?”

“Iya, whereas I know the income of the surgeon is quite good?”

“Begini..” Fred cleared his throat occasionally, “you ask him yourself,” Fred said later. And immediately divert

his attention was on the bonfire before them upon noticing the arrival of Alyx.

Ivory and the others turned to look back.

“Why? “ Alyx so confused themselves when viewed like that.

Fred quickly took over. He allowed Alyx to sit in the spot he had just cleaned. The atmosphere was a little awkward when Alyx joined in, although they had already tried to make tonight a little fun. Fred was trying to fix the mood again. But Nat asks about Alyx's life story. Fred can only cover his face when Nat says he has information from him.

“Yeah, that's right,” Alyx said when asked about his last educational background as a doctor. “I wrestled the world of medicine only a few months.”

“Then... why did you stop?”

“Because.. I’m looking for someone.”.

No one asked any further, as Fred began to recite songs from his guitar.

*

JAKARTA looks really hot this afternoon. It is very hot if you have to be outside. Fortunately, Alyx and his friends were in the air-conditioned room. They are talking about the task that should be

completed soon.

“I?” Fred was surprised when Alyx asked him to finish the edit. “But, they..”.

“No. I can't stay any longer. They just asked your studio to finish this. And I think my job is done.”

 “Bos, where are you going now? You're going back to London?”

Alyx nodded. “There's nowhere else I can go, besides my house. Just try I don't work alone, I'll take you guys.” Alyx smile.

“I'll take you to the airport,” pinta Fred.

“No. I have to stop by somewhere,” Alyx said and smiled.

Alyx arrives at a sizable training ground—Taekwondo-ITF. Alyx looked at the board hanging above the door. Saw him some jokes. And push the door.

Inside, several small children and some teenagers were doing warm-up exercises. Alyx knows that today is the schedule for white belt holders to practice.

Their coach is giving directions up front. But, the children's attention was shifted to the girl who had just entered. The coach turned around and smiled widely realizing who was coming.

“Sabeum,” Alyx bends in greeting.

The man he called the sabeum approached Alyx. He's a guy with a very nice face. A native Indonesian citizen who has got his black belt after a long stay in Korea and re-teaches the knowledge he gained to Indonesian children.

The man's name was knitted gold thread in his black belt— in Hangeul's writing. Alex.

“Come in,” take Alex and walk first.

Alyx follows him into a very traditional house.

“Papa..” shouted Alex after letting Alyx sit down. “Pa,” once again Alex yells. “He just got back from Africa,” he told Alyx.

Alyx smiled hearing that.

Moments later, a man with a tall body and containing—not fat— came out. An

accessories—kalung attached to her neck. Looks like the stuff he brought from Africa. The clothes he wore— was striking with a large floral motif making himself look bigger. “You made my ears hurt only,” he said and have not noticed the presence of a girl in his living room.

Alyx smiled broadly. The man returned his smile and intended to re-enter, but stopped

his place and some jokes then turned around, looking at the guest who mistook one of Alex's friends. Eyes widened.

“Papa,” greet Alyx on the man.

“My son...My son,” said the man named Alexander over and over again. Alexander approached the girl and hugged her. “After seeing you, son.”

“I miss you, pa.”

*