SOS
Chapter 13

PARA angel seems to first paint a orange tinge in the sky SOS. The sun was beginning to set in the west. A group of birds flew across the sky. A sight that fascinated someone.

Alyx didn't blink seeing the panorama he had just seen—he hoped he could hold his camera

now, but of course he had to swallow the disappointment—even communication tools were not brought.

A magnificent little country was before him. He watched how the trees were like

forming a circle around him— gives boundary markers of buildings, housing, and all other SOS property. On his right and left side, the trees as he saw them from a distance, flourished. Really green. And everything feels so peaceful.

Alyx immediately knew the right building was in the middle of the largest with the highest spire.

“Circle SOS,” voice Jane stop daydream Alyx. “You see that building in the middle?”

Sure oes. Alyx's eyes had already been lured to pay attention to the largest building.

“It was the center of SOS,” Jane's hand formed a circle. “When the center collapses, everything else is destroyed. But, you don't have to think about that, you'll later know how the center of SOS is protected so strongly.” Jane smiled. “Well now we are at the east door on top of the highest mountain in SOS—therefore you can still see the sun sinking in the west there. This is my homeland.”

“What time is it now?”

Jane laughed a little. “Three-hour time difference with London,” said Jane replied to Alyx's curiosity

leaving London while the sun is still hot. “You know,” Jane started following Tom who had walked first—hands hold Alyx arms, “mountain in the West lower. Just try London closer to the west.”

Alyx has no idea why Jane should complain about the mountain. But a few moments later he understood. Alyx looked at the arrangement of the stairs he had to descend. She and Jane sighed together—made Jane laugh. As there was no other way, Alyx followed Tom who had gone down the stairs first.

Alyx's body became increasingly heavy with Jane hanging on his arm. But he didn't complain about that.

The steps were quite low between the steps— about ten centimeters. Being wide enough for Alyx and Jane to step together.

Jane— is so happy she's nagging next to Alyx. “I wish a staircase was built in

here.”

“Then..”

“He said there were too many risks that an elevator would pose,” Jane snorted. “People who

using mobil—they are lucky—no need to go down these stairs, although have to travel a longer distance.”

“Samely then,” Alyx concludes.

Not noticeably, they had reached the last rungs of the stairs. The last few have a distance

wider—they have to step twice and be careful to go down it.

“You know Alyx,” Jane said as she stepped in the last child measuring one meter, “how many children have been

we pass? Everything...”

“Thousand five,” Alyx replied.

“How did you know? You counted it?”

“Saying your father, I am a meticulous person, so well your father was a bit right,” muttered Alyx, though he could guess from the beginning.

Jane nodded her head. “I have to count it over and over again because it always gets the wrong answer. Although I can estimate how many, but they ask for evidence. You know this is a very torturous punishment, how I should lose focus in the middle of the count.”

“Punishment?”

“At that time, I was punished for using my father's car without a license. They are indeed happy to punish in such a way—the police,” Jane added, “have more than two eyes.”

Alyx smile. “Kukira there was five hundred and five—I've heard about the emergency number,” he said

curious about the number of stairs.

“There was only five hundred and five steps. But since many complain of the distance they must

stepping onto the next rung of stairs, construction is done. You saw the last five steps—like that before it was built.”

Alyx turned around and looked back at the distance of the stairs to the next rung—higher than his knee.

The journey continued, they had to cross the bridge. But then Alyx stopped. His hand touched the roadblock. Look down. His attention was not lost on the flow of water.

“This is the deepest water in SOS,” Jane said although Alyx did not ask about the river.

“Really?”

“Don't swim here. You won't survive,” said Jane giggling.

“Not going,” Alyx refused, sure.

They walk back. And Alyx stopped again, not a river, but a circular building now

caught his eye.

Jane walked backwards. “What's up?” He saw what his friend was seeing. “Oh.”

Alyx looked at hundreds of neat cars inside a circle—like a sports stadium. Him

advancing his head, he saw a car passing under them and into the stadium.

Drivers who had just entered, parked their cars and exited through an exit to a bridge shorter than the one through which it passed.

“What do they do?”

“As you're looking at, they parked their cars. Come on,” Jane pulls Alyx's hand.

“Parking space,” said Jane answered Alyx's question asking about the cars again.

“Where are we going?”

“To the house of the man who walked so fast,” Jane complained that Tom was already far away from them.

“Quick, Alyx.”

Alyx and Jane have to run small to be able to match Tom's footsteps are wide enough.

“What's up?” ask Jane to Tom.

“Do not waste time. They could soon know that there is a newcomer,” Tom said when they were

walking on the streets that are not too big.

 “I thought someone was chasing us,” Jane said that while turning around.

“What is it?” alyx asked when he saw something strange.

“I'll take you for a walk another time,” Jane a little hard to catch your breath.

“Truly walk by foot?” cananda Alyx's.

Jane shakes.

“You have a car in one of the cars that are stuck there?”

Again Jane nodded.

Alyx spotted several parked bikes, such as bicing— bikes run by the government. “Then, we

will use a bicycle?”

“I have a car.”

“The SOS— car is not like the car you often use outside SOS— does not produce pollution. Using environmentally friendly fuel. SOS residents who have a car from outside, can park it before entering the pollution-free area.”

“So that parking lot is full of pollution?”

“There's air neutralization going on there. Just so you know there's a little bowl that closes it and

a large bowl shuts down SOS.” Jane clasped her hand over her left palm.

“I don't see it.”

“Sure. I just didn't see it. One of your father's duties is making the bowl work perfectly—because otherwise.”.

“The existence of this place will be known to others.”

“Ah we arrived,” exclaimed Jane and immediately entered from the small door that Tom had just opened.

Alyx watched for a moment the gates of Tom's house and entered through the open doors. He saw the top

the tower at the center was still quite far from the house he had lived in.

“Because we chat while walking, so it does not feel sam... ahh,” Jane again exclaims loudly. “Mobilku," he exclaimed, running towards his car that was stuck in front of the trunk.

Alyx saw Jane. Look at Jane's car. The car no taller than Jane was light green. Seems

fit for two people only. Alyx approaching, “ini your car?”

“Why? You won't find it out there.”

“Only have I seen a car design like this,” Alyx look at Jane's car body from front to back. “You rarely use it, well?” he asked when he saw the car was too smooth.

“Iya, the distance from home from campus is also not too far—aku more often walk and about why this car

it's here .. I just don't know.” Jane turned to look at Tom. Raise next to his eyebrows.

Tom answered while opening the door.

“Tom,” Jane half screaming.

“Sorry. Sorry," Tom sneered, asking them to come in. "When I saw your father, I saw the car there. And I borrowed it from your father. Take it easy, I use it well. You can take her home later.”

“Then...what now?” alyx asked, looking at his two friends, it seemed so comfortable to be in his own country.

Jane and Tom look at each other.

“Because there are no tools for the test here, so I'll take you to the lab.. But Jane and I have to meet

uncle John first.”

“Good. And I'll wait here, like that?”

Tom nodded. “Dad and my mom will be home soon,” he said after seeing the square-shaped clock on the wall.

“If you are bored, you can read books there.” Tom pointed to the room next to the room where they were standing. “There may be food you can find in the kitchen.”

After seeing Alyx's resigned nod, Tom and Jane leave Alyx alone. He approached and opened a bit of the curtains to watch them leave. Alyx noticed Jane—'s car license plate number Jane's name and the three numbers listed there—that's obviously the main reason why he didn't use that car outside of SOS.

The gate opened, but Jane's car stopped in the middle. The car door opened, Jane came out and ran

back to the house.

“What's up?” alyx asked when he saw Jane coming in.

Jane smiled. In his hand was a clear circular container. “I made this a few weeks

a ago.”

Alyx thought it was an empty container, but soon he understood what was inside.

“This external chip activating—but, its nature is only temporary. I wonder if this works or not. Otherwise I have failed to make it. So...”

“Where should I install it?” ask Alyx who knows that Jane wants to make him an experimental target.

Jane grabbed Alyx's hand after opening the lid of the container. “Here alone,” said and touched the wrist

hand Alyx. A few jokes later, “Do you feel anything?”

Alyx silent. “Trust no.”

Jane took a breath. “I don't carry a brace. I'll open it later,” he said a little disappointed. “While I thought

will succeed,” muttered Jane while out of the house.

The gate was closed when the car came out.

Alyx turned around after pulling the curtains—covering all the windows. He went around Tom's living room, looking at every

detail. And stop in front of a photo on the table.

A boy flanked by a man and a woman. Looks like he's Tom and those two adults are his parents—but what Alyx thinks is that those two are Tom's grandparents. Alyx switched to another photo—Tom wearing toga, definitely during his graduation event.

“Their faces are not similar,” said Alyx watching the faces of Tom and his parents alternately. “He looks like someone I know. Who's yah?” Alyx asked himself, “artis Hollywood.” Alyx smile.

Alyx then threw his body on the sofa. He doesn't know what to do. His hand twists

thread from the tablecloth in front of him. Her legs were stomped over the arm of the sofa. He stopped and breathed.

“Just try there is a book..” Alyx stop and see the door to the next room. Tom said to read there. Alyx immediately got up and ran small.

The door is not locked. Alyx went in and closed it back down. The key is hanging inside.

“Keren.” Alyx was fascinated by the room or it could be said that a library. Three sides are fully filled

books. The height of the shelf was more than three meters. There is a ladder, to take the book that is located above. A little in the middle, there was a table with many piles of books on top and beside it.

No need to wait long, Alyx started circling the library. Read one by one the book titles

neatest. Look for titles that might interest him.

He stopped when he saw a medical-themed book. The person who owns this library must be the one who

pretty neat. There is paper pasted on the shelf— indicating the theme of the book located there.

Alyx smile. He used to read thick books every day on all medical records. Modern and traditional medicine books. And of course about the nerves and the human brain. As a neurosurgeon, he thought about knowing everything so as not to make mistakes when diagnosing or operating someone. Too bad he had to leave his job.

He picked up one of the books and sat leaning against the shelf. It's great to read such an important book. Books are something very special to him.

Sheet by sheet Alyx has read. He stopped, closed his eyes, and imagined himself

perform operations. And then smile.

The book she read. Return the book back to its place. And back two steps—so that you can see the themes of any book that is there. His attention was on the books that were on the top shelf.

Alyx pushed the stairs towards the part of the book he wanted to take. Climbing the stairs. Take one of the

buku—more like a note. Flipping through it—looked at its cover—and brought it down.

“*H*older of SOS.”

*