Dukka: A story by Sophea

Saiful. Rai. Ad. Thanks.

Suppertide. It is a world divided by ranks and power. Whoever has the power to command people, he will live in the center of the world. Whoever loses the race against ranks, he will be dumped and forgotten. That’s the rule of the world. The cruel rule of the world. Because of their selfishness, the world was struck by deadly viruses, enough to kill the whole population.

      A boy was born from a mysterious world. He was raised by his lovely parents and became a much matured person.

      Unfortunately, he was caught by a group of merciless scientists who were trying to make a better world by themselves.

He was DK.

“This one is good.”

“I believe that he’s perfect for our mission.”

“Put him into the cell. We’re going to need him later on.”

Subject No. 64. Codename: DK

     The army had been marching into the wasteland, looking for a clear area to drop the test subjects. The Fourth Section was used to be known as a home for the homeless. Slaves worked inside the deep below the big and unmanaged city. The soldiers, armed with long samurai sword and large machineguns, guarded a big Armored Personnel Carrier moving behind them. All of the soldiers were covered with green helmets with black glasses, and their hands were holding their guns.

      The Fourth Section was always like this- all the riots, the marching could be seen everyday throughout broken windows. The test subjects were put inside the APC, all wearing black.

     Three little kids ran away from the big highway, trying to find a place to hide. The large army had taken the whole highway without showing any mercy to the people and cars nearby. All cars were hit by the APC, and some were shot down by the army. The APC was almost getting into its destination.

     The army had the authority in this section. They came from a place where the Forth Section citizens will not have a chance to even look at the place. The Second Section had been the world of armies, the world of power and honor. 

     The army stopped. The leader waved his hand to alert the APC’s driver. The big transport stopped, and a number of humans came out. Humans in black.

     “This place is good,” said the leader. He ordered the test subjects to start the mission.

     The subjects started to trot on the sandy area and pulled out their sword. In front of them, a pack of mutated red wolves were growling, waiting for the subjects to come closer.

     The first subject swung his sword upward, thrusting the throat of the long eared wolf. The second wolf approached him, then the third, followed by the forth, and the fifth.

     He slaughtered the wolves slowly, giving him time to breathe. The forth ate his sword, while the fifth surrendered to him. He left no soul behind.

     “It looks like we don’t have to call out all the subjects after all,” told the leader to his men. His men laughed.

     DK was the one who were slaughtering. The other two subjects watched- as if he was brain-washed. DK didn’t show any pity in his face. His face showed nothing.

     Suddenly, he approached the enjoying army. Blood and sword tight in his grip, he walked towards the army slowly.

     The army enjoyed a quick death.

     “This is not good.” Prof. Baldwin commented. “We need to ‘reconfigure’ his mind. He wasn’t well prepared.”

     “We had lost the army. What else can he do?” Pearl agreed. The lab was filled with hundreds of walking scientists, all with black glasses. The walkway was like a busy street. Baldwin led Pearl’s way to the autopsy. DK was waiting.

      The place was like a maze, and whoever walked into the lab might not get out without a map. Baldwin turned a doorknob and opened the double door.   

       “We keep thinking about this project… but how about the virus that’s been spreading throughout this world? How are we going to stop it?” Pearl asked as she watched around the corners of the room.

       “It’s just part of our mission to get the formula. The subjects can be sent to search for our needs. We could get the cure faster,” Prof. Baldwin replied as soon as he smiled at Sri and Bay. Bay wasn’t paying any attention as she was working on her chemical equipment. Sri was making a quick medical check up on DK who was lying on the bed.

      “He’s such a tough person. He doesn’t even receive a scratch from the soldiers,” told Sri. “He’s supposed to be a successful subject.”

      “But he killed them all. I can’t believe how a person like him could take on more than ten soldiers quickly,” said Prof. Baldwin.

      “The leader who had survived the outrage told me that he was scared to death and went crazy as soon as he told me his story.” Sri explained.

      “The leader is still alive? I thought everyone was dead!” Prof. Baldwin’s eyes went wide.

      “Someone must be alive or no one’s going to tell the tale,” Sri replied. 

      “DK is a very potential subject. I don’t know how and where you guys get him, but what I can tell you is that this boy might change the world of Suppertide!”

      “I thought we had made a very bad mistake. Killing his parents might be the cause of his anger. A small part of his brain might be displaying his parents’ death.”

      “Wash his brain out. I don’t want to see any mistake on our next test.”

      “You’re really counting on him.”

      “He’s the best I have.”

     Suddenly, a group of male scientists appeared in front of the double doors. “We would like to see Pearl,” one of them said.

     Prof. Baldwin groaned. “What do want from her?”

     “She’s going to be promoted,” the other one replied. Prof. Baldwin understood what they were talking about. Pearl had been one of the most intelligent female scientists in this Section. They must have figured that she could do a lot of important things.

     “Are you telling me that I’m going to be in charge of you guys?” she asked. She knew who those guys were. They were the first group to build the border to the Forth Section –or commonly known as Longest Partition –and managed to separate the powerless from the powerful citizens. The whole countries in the world had been working on that project.

      “You’re quite right. The Datu wants you to work on the thing that you had told him before,” said one of the boys.

      “You mean… the Town Gate?”  

      “I believe so. He did mention something about a gate.”

      “Well then…” Prof. Baldwin rubbed his chin. “I guess you had to do something more important.”

      “It’s very important.” Pearl knew why the Datu wanted her to help him. The border seemed to be losing its strength. The people Fourth Section were desperately trying to break into the Third Section.

      “Where am I?” DK shook his head. He was in a middle of nowhere. He could only see sandy grounds with debris. The dark clouds were calling him to do something.

     “You are in a nowhere land.” He heard a voice.

     “Who are you? Where am I?” DK tried to ask the voice.

     “Who are YOU?” the voice seemed to be echoing his words.

     “What are you talking about?” DK shook his head.

     “You are the one who doesn’t know who yourself is.” The voice replied.

     “I don’t have a name.”

     “How about Subject No. 64 codenamed DK?” the voice asked.

     “What is that? I don’t think that as a name. I feel like it’s giving me strength to fight against people. It triggers the anger that I hate.”

     “The anger that you hate? Then why do you summon that name?”

     “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a name.”

     “You have a name. Seek it.” The voice wasn’t soft anymore, and what she said seemed to be an order.

     “But…”

     The voice disappeared. Suddenly, the sky turned red. A big hole was made, and thunders came out from it. Hundreds of corpses crawled from underground. All of them stood up, with guns in hand. DK remembered them. They were the dead bodies lying on the test area. The soldiers. They turned uglier than before.

     “Shoot ‘im down!” said one of the soldiers. The wolves –the red wolves –jumped out from the underground. They bit DK’s feet.

     DK didn’t have his murder weapon. He couldn’t do anything. He stood numbly while staring at the incoming soldiers.

      The soldiers marched a death march. Their weapons were aimed at his body. Hundreds of bullets came out from their guns. Every bullet made a hole through DK’s body and pierced his skin. 

     “Call out your anger…” DK heard a man’s voice.

     “You have the power. Call out your name. Call out your power…” the voice echoed for several times.

     “Why… why should I do that? I… I just don’t want to kill them!” DK shook his head.

     The voice didn’t hear what he was saying. He kept echoing the same words.         

     DK trembled…

    “Are you okay, son?” Prof. Baldwin asked. DK shook his head. His head was spinning around.

    “Where… am I?” DK didn’t see Prof. Baldwin beside him. Instead, he looked around the corners of the room. He wiped the sweat on his forehead with his hand. “What just happened?”

     “You just woke up from a nightmare, son. A very frightening nightmare.”

     DK had the power. Unfortunately, he was used. Nothing could change his life unless he tried to change his life. No man can perfectly change another man.  –Sophea Amarelda.