SURVIVORS
318 Chapter. Search
The team moved and looked for a way to the East. Being used to flying, making them feel, walking was too slow. But there's nothing to do. Because there's a lot of people milling around here and there, looking in the rubble of the building.
Until noon. After asking many people repeatedly, they finally found the path that Niken meant. When no one saw, Niken and Indra were expelled. But Niken was silent at the end of the road. He looks doubtful. Until someone walks past that place. They ask again.
"Sorry to ask, sir," said Niken kindly.
"Yes. What's up?" replied the middle-aged man.
"Is this Melati street, Cipayung?" ask Niken.
"Yes, right. Looking for who? Try looking at the shelter center of the Farm building up ahead there," said the man.
"Finding My Parents, sir. Six years have passed. I'm worried about the wrong way" Niken replied.
The man nodded in understanding.
"After seeing this situation, even the owner of the house, can feel unsure of his own house." The man looked sad.
"Thank you for the help sir. I want to see my house first."
Niken and her friends say goodbye to the man. They watched the entire house on the left and right of the road. While Niken, he counted the number of houses since the end of the road. Then he stopped in front of a courtyard whose iron fence had already melted and left behind a fragile hollow wall.
"Is it here?" ask Alan.
With hesitation, Niken replied, "My house is the thirteenth house from the end of the road. But this house, this fence is very different."
"Maybe it's been renovated? Or moved?" Sunil gave an idea.
Niken did not answer. He also saw two houses on the left and right side of the house. He doesn't recognize any of them. Then a man in his twenties, walked out from the back of the house. He was carrying a large plastic bag that looked heavy. His face is very moody.
Robert intercepted.
"Excuse me, we're gonna ask you something."
"Yes?" replied the man listlessly.
Niken approaching. "Is this Mr. Sobri Maskut's house?" tanyakanya.
"No! This is my home" the man replied confidently.
"Have you just bought it?" ask Dean.
"No! It's an old man's inheritance. I lived and was born in this house." The man now looked at Dean and his team suspiciously.
"Maybe we got the house wrong" Indra said trying to clear the man's suspicions. "Do you know which is Mr. Sobri Maskut's house?" ask again.
"I've never heard that name here. The man then pointed to the surrounding house and mentioned the name of the owners of the buildings. He then took down the bag he was holding and looked for something.
"See. It's me with grandpa, in front of the house." The man shows a blurry photo to Dean and his team.
They noticed. Although a little blurry, but the picture is almost similar.
"Niken, take a look at this picture of the house" Indra called to the still confused Niken.
The young man of the house let Niken take a careful look. He saw Niken shaking his head.
"Are you looking for your parents' house?" ask when Niken returns the photo.
"Yes, my wife hasn't been home for six years. He may be a little confused" replied Indra.
"Try looking elsewhere. And do not forget to drink water, the air is still quite hot. Dehydration can impair concentration." The man offered his water bottle in a friendly manner.
"thank you. You can keep it. We have water supplies too. And, thanks for the help," said Sunil kindly.
The man pulled back his hand which held out a drinking bottle.
"You might be able to look that way, or the next block. Because the owner of the house in this row and across it, I know all of them. Or look for one at the Farmhouse shelter," he suggested.
"good. We'll check here first, just looking into the building.. Thanks for the help." Robert cheered the man.
He nodded and walked away.
"Let's take a look at the other house" Dean asked.
The team walked around several streets around. But I didn't find Niken's house. Even after coming to the shelter, no one knew his father. No one knew Niken there.
"I also felt a sense of awkwardness. But we have to make sure before we conclude" Dean replied.
"We'd better find a place to rest. It's gonna be late afternoon, soon" Dean said.
The others followed Dean looking for a place to rest on their own. Niken took the team walking in a direction that he thought was still quiet and could be used as a resting place. But they were surprised, because they found a large building without a roof there.
"Huh .... Everything looks different here" complained Niken.
"It's okay. We can rest in the courtyard of this building only. The yard's pretty big, '" comfort Dean.
The team cleaned the area they would use to rest. All friends are expelled. But, the women chose to prepare the food in the storage room. According to them, in the current situation, cooking in the open would only cause a commotion. Food is a rare thing nowadays.
Dusk had just fallen, as a plate of food was distributed by the women. They ate it with gratitude. Because there's still a plate of food for today.
All were prepared to lay down their bodies when a thumping sound rang out from the gate. Alan walked there to see.
"Hey, something's up here" Alan shouted. He ran to get close.
"Don't touch! Get away from there, Z!" the Ruler's scream echoed in Alan's head. He stopped running and backed off.
"What's wrong?" asked Robert who was surprised to see Alan not getting close.
"He was sick, and he was dead!" replied doctor Chandra.
A streak of white light glistened, grabbing the man's body. Before long the body vanished without a trace. Alan stupefied. The man vanished before his eyes in less than a minute. He turned and walked back. But a light enveloped Alan.
"You must be sterilized first, before joining the rest," the Ruler's command ringed in his ear. Alan chose a relaxing sleep elsewhere, away from his friends.
All were astonished to see the actions of doctor Chandra.
"What is that person sick?" ask Dean.
Doctor Chandra shook his head with a sad face. "Sickness that can be quickly transmitted and then people who are infected also die and pass it on to others" explained Dr. Chandra.
"Then, when I was young and loved to travel. I once found this disease afflicting a nation. Then the nation went extinct."
"But I don't know how such a disease exists in this world. That was thousands of years ago. I thought, I've obliterated the star, so that the disease doesn't spread everywhere." Doctor Chandra thought hard.
"Could it be that the heat of the sun a few days ago made the disease of this star spread here?" ask Widuri.
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
"I think you're the closest you've come to the possibility." Dr. Chandra looked grim.
"Based on your search this afternoon, I think this earth is not your home earth. And with that disease, then we better leave this place right now" Chandra said seriously.
"really? Dean and I doubted it too. But we need to prove it before we make any conclusions. What is the easiest thing to prove that this is the right earth?" ask Robert.
"Monas!" niken and Widuri answered in unison.
"Yes. Jakarta you have Monas. You go look for the iconic buildings of this city" doctor Chandra ordered.
"Okay, ruler," replied Dean and Robert.
"Do you know the shape of Monas?" ask Indra.
"I know. I've lived in Jakarta for five years, Indra" replied Dean. "I also know other iconic buildings."
"OK, go. Be careful to see people," Widuri said.
That night the shape of the moon became more rounded. It might have been day thirteen twelve or thirteen. The sky looks brighter. Dean and Robert must fly higher to avoid human sight.
At the resting place, Alan was already sleeping snoring. Others try to rest as well. Doctor Chandra covers all the team members in a veil of white light. No one asked me what it meant to do that.
"Dok, then what about Leon? Are they safe on the island?" ask Marianne.
"As long as no one comes to the island, then they're fine" replied Dr Chandra.
No one knows that the Sovereign has sent a voicemail for Leon to protect the island by following his lead.
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