Mandalas

The Beginning of the Day

              That morning, the erFu dormitory was very noisy. Leno who woke up late in the morning still heard the sound of many children chatting in the dining room. Leno, who was used to eating breakfast in silence, because everyone must have been in class, now felt very disturbed. What happened this morning?

              “Hai, Lee!” a male voice known to Leno greeted from a distance. Sept approached Leno while holding his bright green backpack. His face is not as tangled as Leno's, but he hasn't gotten into class either, like the other kids.

              “Hai, Sept. Where's Amber?” ask Leno. Amber was always with Sept except in the ladies' class. “Already to class first.” Sept took the bread and the nut porridge and began to chew.

              “Actually I woke up late and he left me,” Sept said again with a laugh. Sept's hair is black with a short cut as per the provisions of the FIGHTER students. The white shirt is a little shabby, buttoned up entirely but not very neat. Leno just realized Sept is very friendly, and rather interesting.

              He laughed a little. “I'm used to being late, Mia always leaves me.”

Leno looked around, many children had already left the dining room. Three more minutes, 07:00. “Did anything happen this morning? Everyone is so noisy,” asked Leno. Sept stopped chewing and wiggled his dX85 bracelet. A news page emerged from the small screen of Sept's bracelet, where it read:

LENTIPEDE ATTACK INSIDE THE CITY: A WOMAN WAS KILLED ON 56TH STREET.

             Leno was surprised to read it. He put down his spoon and continued reading, hoping it wasn't Ona's name that appeared in the news.

 LENTIPEDE ATTACK INSIDE THE CITY: A WOMAN WAS KILLED ON 56TH STREET

By: Welly J.

A giant lentipede was reportedly spotted inside the city at 23:00 yesterday evening. The shadow animal is said to have broken through Trikad's border wall after a counterattack by Commander Ri on the east side wall. Sirens went off and changed the city's security status to 1 last night.

Lentipede is said to have entered from the east side and carried out an attack on a young woman named, Kerdina Jose who was a worker who lived in one of the knick-knacks shops on 56th street.

The main unit of Mandala was deployed to fight Lentipede and managed to destroy it, but Lentipede had already carried out the attack in advance so that the lives of the victims could not be saved.

Currently evacuations are carried out across 56 roads, while disinfection teams sterilize attack areas. There is no further information on the origin of this attack, especially where this enormous Lentipede originated from.

              “I guess you haven't read the morning news,” Sept said. Now the bread and bread are gone. “Yes, not yet. I don't have time to read the morning news,” Leno said. He's pretty relieved the victim's woman isn't Ona. But, it seems like he had heard that name. Dwarf. Who yeah? Ona is very likely to be affected. The evacuation of 56th street must still be underway this morning.

              “Thank you, Sept. I was looking for someone's name. Fortunately he was not involved,” Leno said again. Sept wiped his mouth and turned off the news site's projections. Only the two of them remained in the dining room.

              “Sgratitude.” Sept tidied up his uniform and extended a hand. “Come, Lee. We're already late.” Leno greeted the hand awkwardly and walked outside the dormitory following Sept.  He should call Ona later in the day.

              Leno's class has begun. He slipped from behind the door as usual and sat down in his chair beside Mia. Now scheduled for history lessons, his teacher is screening a documentary about the construction of the capital in the old country. Leno hangs her bag on the chair and wears her outer lens that hovers in front of her eyes, with the help of magnetic earrings in the ears.

              Mia nudged Leno's arm. “Have read the news?” mia asked whispering. Rarely did Mia talk during the lesson. Since he was currently doing so, it meant that there was something very important that was grabbing Mia's attention.

              “Already.” Answer Leno. “That's where Ona lives, I'm glad it's not her who's the victim.”

              “Sgratitude.” Said Mia sighing. “But, this is quite serious isn't it? Lentipede made it into the city. A new threat to the future. Do you think it's evolution?”

              Leno has not studied evolution for a long time. That was a 5th grade lesson. He tried to remember back.

              Millions of years ago, tiny organisms emerged as the first creatures on earth. They grow, develop, and reproduce until they grow in size and spread to the surface of the earth. Meteor showers destroyed what researchers long called dinosaurs and the world entered an ice age. There is a shrinking of the animal form to adapt to an environment that has less oxygen. All this continued until humans emerged, ravaging the earth, depressing oxygen levels, and shutting down many species including humans themselves. Dark past centuries.

              “But, Mi.” Leno. “Animal should be getting smaller, right? Large animals are unlikely to form again after the condition of the world is increasingly damaged. Not according to the theory.”

              “I have a theory.” Said Mia.

              “But I don't understand it all yet. I have to find out today.”

              Leno nodded his head. They kept quiet again. The film's projection now shows the process of animal conservation within protected forests, which then, everyone already knows the continuation, will be the country's largest zoo long ago.

***

              Leno sat next to Mia at the cafeteria table at the beginning of lunch time. The canteen is not too crowded. Leno tries to contact Ona through her dX85 bracelet. Ona still uses a cell phone so only

the tone rang Leno's call sign came in but there was no response from sebrang. Not answered.

              Leno sighed. Maybe Ona was having lunch, or sleeping so it was too tired to use her phone. Mia patted Leno's head slowly.

              “Maybe more food, Lee. Try the phone again. Everything will be fine.” Mia smiled as she pointed Leno's grilled squid rice in front of the owner. “Now you have to eat.”

              Leno smiled slightly and took a bite out of the plate. Usually this Bu Denia food always makes Leno eager to spend it in 10 minutes without pause. But this time Leno lost his taste. He was still thinking about Ona, was it true that the old woman was fine?

***

              Leno's classroom sounded noisy from outside. Everyone in the class talked about last night. Mia said she wanted to switch books to the library so Leno was left out of class on his own after lunch. Leno walked up to his chair past the seat of Amber and Niken who were talking to other friends.

              “I can't believe Lentipede made it into town. If gini, there is no safe place anymore,” said Niken excited, the cloth cover his head moves along with the nod of his head.

              “And you know what that creature is? Two meters?! If we are attacked, obviously immediately killed.” Amber responded in the same tone.

              Three male students entered the class. They're hoarding at Amber's desk. “Gossip what is,” said Jaffray, their very tall class president towering. Very contrasted with his two friends who are thick and happy to chew.

              “Eh, Jaf, why is the school still open huh? They are not afraid that they will come again and attack the city,” Niken said.

              “Yes where do I know. I didn't go to the teacher meeting,” Jaffray said as he folded his arms. “But, true also yes. If you know Lentipede came here, we can not congratulations.”

              “Maybe the higher-ups feel they are still able to cope with them. We do not know what they are planning,” said Dika, a thick child who came with Jaffray. Dika's parents work at the head office.

              “Why don't we know?” ask Leno suddenly. “Why didn't they say what they were doing?”

              His friends fell silent for a moment, both thinking about the question Leno was asking. “Maybe because we can't do anything to help, so we don't need to know,” said Gilang, another stocky child. It seemed that one class became interested in this group talk. They all listen.

              “After all we are still considered children. They can't count us for help. What can we do?” jaffray.

              “This discussion will probably not produce anything for us,” Amber said. “But my parents said there might be a follow-up, like a center or school closure. But, we don't know yet.” Amber's parents also work downtown. His father is a retired military man who is now an adviser at the center.

              A lot of voices filled the class. Some began to talk to their own friends. “You can call your parents? I haven't been able to contact home since this morning,” said Niken.

              Dika and Gilang rubbed their t45 bracelets together. “Yes internet network is also very bad since this morning.”

              Leno also rubbed his bracelet. Ona hasn't called back. His father's name is also not visible in the incoming message or call field today. “It seems not just the internet. Other signals are also difficult to enter,” said Leno recalled Ona who still uses a manual phone.

              “They accidentally disconnected the internet or how?” ask Niken. Dika shook his head. “Mana may. The city's been on standby since last night. Breaking communication even muddy the atmosphere.”

              “Yah.. I just asked.”kata Niken again.

              “That creature couldn't possibly attack the network transmitter right? Or can they do it?” ask Amber.

              “My father once said, Lentipede only attacks organic creatures. So it seems unlikely,” said Jaffray.

              “That was it, Jaf. Was it a long time ago when your father was still active, was there such a big Lentipede? Now they are growing up and getting into the city,” Gilang said as he chewed on his mushroom chips. His friends looked at him not understanding.

              “I mean everything is possible at the moment. Could it be tonight Lentipede grew up like a house? Or change people? Or they gather and occupy Trikad until it falls? We don't know what the world can be as crazy as now,” said Gilang again. Dika took his friend's chips and began to chew. “Iya, could be.”

              “That's poisonous chips huh? You guys have started hallucinating.” said Amber annoyed. Jaffray shifted the chair in front of them and slipped his body between the gap of the chair and the Amber table. He dragged an empty chair beside Amber and sat down next to her. “Ngapain you?!” amber said shocked and confused.

              “You should see this,” says Jaffray. He rubbed his dX85 bracelet and conjured up a picture of a pouting beaver that was strangely similar to Amber.

              Leno and Niken saw the picture from behind Jaffray. Everyone laughed out loud. The other friends saw them astonished. Everyone laughed together except Amber. He bent his face

and make lips chuckle a sign of annoyance. Dika and Gilang laughed even louder to see the look on Amber's face.

              The classroom door opened, Mia entered while hugging the 1 thick book in front of her chest. All eyes were on the 7th consecutive year champion.

              “Mia, buy where is bakwan so big?” dika meledek said. Jaffray and Gilang replacean who laughed loudly. Mia narrowed her eyes, letting out a piercing look towards Dika. “Emang yes, if most eat, the brain contains all food,” said Mia Ketus.

              Leno smiled amusedly at Mia who now put on the look of her fierce princess. Leno leaves her gossip friends and follows Mia back to their seats.

              “Don't be fierce, Mi. Poor Dika has been trying to greet you since last year,” said Leno. Although it looks cute from the outside, Leno knows some of his male friends are interested

              Mia raised her piercing gaze at Leno. Leno just smiled. Mia opened the thick book that she had brought earlier out loud, the whole class heard her. The noise that filled the room was now silent.

              The Social Teacher stood in front of the door and entered the classroom with a look of wonder. “What are you doing not noisy today?”

              No one answered. Jaffray and the other friends immediately returned to their seats. The class projector is rekindled.

              Mia closed the book slowly. “I'll be going to perpus again later tonight.” Leno knew Mia must be filling her head with science to find out about Lentipede's attack last night. Mia already planned to languish in the library, as she did with every final exam of the class. But, going to the library night-night does not seem like a good idea at the moment.

              “Tomorrow is still Mi school, do not stay up first in perpus.”

              Mia slightly lowered her head and lowered her voice. “I have a hunch things will get worse. Either true or not. And if that happens, I should know how to save us.”

              Leno was a little stunned to hear that. “No Lentipede goes to Mi school. Mandala units must have been on guard all over the city,” Leno said. “Your sister must also be trying.”

              Mia was silent for a moment. “Iya, definitely. He's busy once today.”

              Leno clasped Mia's shoulder, trying to calm down. “Something has happened, I don't know what. But, I don't want to just shut up,” said Mia again. His gaze looked straight at the front of the class, but it was not

the writing on the projector that Mia was reading.

              “I'll stick to the library tonight. There's something I want to know.”

              Leno sighed. Mia's stone head was as hard as herself. He knew Mia would not stop. Leno gave up and finally asked Mia. “What can I help you with?”

              “Bring me warm chocolate milk to the perpus at 8, later tonight.”

***

              Moonasera Sito was wearing her magnificent white robe in the main meeting room on the 7th floor of Trikad's headquarters. Sito is a tall and well-built man with gray black hair that matches his 55-year-old face. He stayed by the north side of Trikad's window. The sun has set, the twinkling of the shop lights are clearly visible from this window. The beautiful view did not fade

tension from Sito's face. His head was filled with many new problems that suddenly came and put a time bomb in it. He again felt the same tension as what happened years ago.

              The big door at the end of the room opened. Sito turned his eyes from the window. Two of his students, his friends, entered the meeting room wearing the same white robe as Sito. Maha and Joke gave a small nod, saluting their leader.

              “How's Ayu? Is it okay?” said Sito, asking. He pulled the chair at the end of the table and sat on it. “Bon is accompanying him. He was hit once.” said Maha while pulling his chair as well. Joke followed them and sat down next to Maha.

              Sito nodded briefly. ”I heard the woman's victim was her sister.”

              “Not a sibling,” says Joke. “But his sister's friend. Ayu lost her sister during the Lentipede outbreak 12 years ago. Seeing last night was like waking up his nightmares.”

              Sito nodded back, his face softened. “I'm sorry.”

              Maha bowed her gaze a little, showing her empathy. All of his team members were disbanded today. He and Joke just left Ayu's house. Only Frian did not come to Ayu's house, she chose to rest in her own house. You shouldn't have to come to the city center tonight, but you can't rest. Maha thinks it's better he helps Sito tonight. While Joke, Maha's roommate since

level 1 on campus, decided to go with Maha.

              “How to secure the city?” ask Maha to Sito.

              “I've sent 5 units. One at each gate. All units carry complete equipment,” Sito said.

              Maha raised next to her eyebrows, “Includes the Mace?”

              “Hmm. no. No one had dared to wear the Gada after it was disinfected this morning.

wondering about its safety,” said Sito a little hesitant.

              “But, that mace could kill Lentipede if they came again!” exclaim Maha, slightly ignited.

              “Yes, but only you are brave, Maha. That mace is the only one we have ever made here,” Sito said

explain.

              Maha shook her head in disapproval. “What if they come, I'm sure not just one such creature around here, what if they appear to be more? Bigger?”

              “Then our unit will fight him, as you did last night,” Sito said firmly. Maha took her eyes off Sito. That's not enough, Maha.

              “I don't know what else we should do. If you have a better idea, don't save yourself,” Sito said again. A tense atmosphere enveloped the room.

              Joke raised her right hand hesitating. “It looks like we should hold a white meeting to capture ideas. We don't even know where this giant Lentipede came from. One must find the source, is it true that it is only the result of evolution?”

              Sito took a deep breath. “Joke, who will attend if some members are actively guarding at the border?”

              “Maybe we can call a senior member? We have to strategize, Moons. Figuring out the origin of our enemy is one of his steps.”

              Sito lowered his gaze. Joke is right, they can't just fight without finding out more about what they're up against.

              Drowning in his own mind. His mind was not calm, let alone his sister not replying to his message since last afternoon. Suddenly consciousness hit Maha's head.

              “Have you secured the school?” ask Maha.

              “School?” Sito looked confused for a moment. “Geduna? The building is located underground. We don't need..”

              “FIGHR!” cut off Maha while shouting.

              “They're lying outside the city gate! Please tell me you've sent a special unit to protect the school.” Maha half pleaded. His face was reddened from withstanding emotions. Joke patted

maha's shoulder, trying to calm down.

              “Mn. Kay guarding the main gate. They should be able to keep FIGHTERR at once,” Sito said.

              “No.. no. They won't be able to. It is too far from the main gate.” He rubbed his bald head. His mind ran everywhere. He felt something bad would

happen.

              A few seconds later, the emblem of the moon to the left of their suit glowed brightly. Emergency calls have come in. Sito pressed his moon emblem, a hologram of Mn. Kay talked to them.

              “Moonasera, listen to me. We saw shadows from a distance,” said Kay's hologram which shimmered amidst the three of them. Maha and Joke listened carefully.

              “How big?” ask Sito.

              “Same as yesterday. But...more.”

              “More than one?!”

              “More than five! But they disappeared as we prepared to attack from inside the main gate. Now my 3 members are chasing them. We need additional units.”

              “They're headed to FIGHTR.”

              Not caring about anything else, Maha left her seat and rushed towards the door at the end of the room. Joke called his name, but Maha did not stop. Joke stood up.

              “We say goodbye first. Thank you, Moons,” said Joke in a hurry. He immediately pursued Maha without waiting for a response from Sito. Outside the room, Joke saw Maha rushing down the stairs. Doth

don't even wait for the elevator to come down from the 7th floor.

              “Maha, where are you going?” exclaim Joke, while going down the stairs to chase after Maha.

              “Taking Gada,” replied Maha, the pace is getting faster. Faintly, Joke heard Maha say:

              “To save my sister.”