ULAM. -- The Escaped Version

Was amazing.

The way he held me like a lover, our body connected with no room for apart. The flow, the rhythm... it was perfect. It’s been awhile since I felt this way; this sense of belonging. Not since...

I dunno how I got here, in this bed, in the first place. Must be those piercing hypnotizing eyes.

And now I’m smiling to myself, looking all silly. Dammit!

Look at him; lovely messy hair, those yummy kissable lips and those eyes. How can I say no to this delicate face?

“Hmmm...”

Oh... please don’t wake up just yet... please... I still wanna watch you.

Suki went lost in her thoughts. Staring at the stranger she only met last night. The one that made her heart flutter again. The one that made her feel, almost alive again.

“Hmmm.. hey. Good morning Lover.” Lang smiled.

“Hey yourself.” Suki lips reached out to meet the stranger’s lips.

“Breakfast?”

The vertical cliff and the rocky path of the mountain made Lang realized that, climbing up such a mountain was not any easier than climbing up Mt. K2, but came to Lang's surprise, he handled it easily, way, way too easily as if he was taking a stroll in his garden.

It was the energy from the mountain, Lang understood. He felt the energy boosting inside him, as well as 'the calling', flashing inside him.

'The calling', that came from the peak of the mountain.

Lang didn't take long to reach that, and he didn't need to wait long as well, to reveal where 'the calling' from.

It was from a man. A man with diamond-shaped face, wide shoulder. He seemed strong, but lonely.

He was Tyzen The Langkasuka.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Tyzen didn't expect any visitor. This was a secret place that only he and Sara knew, a secret garden that kept his love to Sara, that hold his promises to Sara...

"I.....I......" Likewise, Lang was shocked to see Tyzen.. "I... I heard you...."

".. you heard me? How?"
"I don't know.... it was.... a lonely feeling... like .. longing..." Lang recalled 'the calling' he received..
...Longing.. how true... Tyzen sighed, he looked far, hoping to see Sara in his sight..

"Oh.. erm.. I'm leaving anyway..." Lang scratched his head and smiled, "..sorry to disturb.... I'm here for my field study.... oh by the way, my name is Lang, Langkasuka.."

Langkasuka? Tyzen frowned, "wait," he turned to Lang, "did you just say Langkasuka? You are a Langkasuka?"

"I'm 'a' Langkasuka? Erm.. I am Langkasuka.. I mean, that's my name.." Lang started to get confused.
"Langkasuka is your name?" Tyzen, too, was confused, ".. How come?"
"How come how?" asked Lang, trying to clarify what's really Tyzen's question.
".. 'Langkasuka' in Ulam, is a title... never a name.."
"Hmm... OK.." Lang didn't find any interesting point to continue the discussion, ".. I need to go.."
"Wait!" Tyzen stopped Lang, paused, and said something that was really out of any sense for Lang.

Something that changed their destinies.

"You are born with the title of The Great Messenger of Ulam, and I think you should hold the destiny of The Great Messenger..." Tyzen said it word by word, but Lang could feel his relief, and he wondered why..

Tyzen sighed, proceeded, "..being The Great Messenger of Ulam you are soon to hold the whole world.. soon enough, just wait for the message..." Lang frown, Tyzen proceeded after a long deep breath, almost chanting:

So everyone been giving him so much heat lately. All he ever wanted to do was make the world a better place. It would be easier for Earth to accept one leader to bring together humanity under one ideology and school of thought.

It's simple.

Respect nature.

The idea behind this is an incident that happened during one of his yearly trips to the Island of Ulam.

............................................................................................

Langkasuka, Lang for short among close friends, has a hobby. He likes to collect stones of different colors and shapes. This obsession has brought him into Ulam, noted to be having the best collection of natural mineral formation known to mankind.

The local folks weren't exaggerating when they boast to him the majestic mountains containing layers of semi precious stones intertwined with bleak granite boulders. Lang looked up close as he climbed his way on to the top of the highest peak. The energy he could generate from these mountains...

“I called him out, Dunk! Accidentally!” Sara sobbed.

“Called who out?”

“Tyzen, I called Tyzen out! Then somehow I was drawn into the spirit world…and saw him… I saw Lang…”

She continued to cry. Big tears fell down her eyes and dampened Duncan’s black t-shirt. It broke Duncan’s heart to see her that way, but what she said just now barely making any sense to him.

Tyzen? Who the hell is Tyzen? And what Lang had to do with Tyzen? Damn, this is getting too complicated… first it was Marz and Lang. Now Tyzen and Lang, then next who? Jimmy Kimmel and Lang? Oh, God forbid!

Marz!

The realization hit Duncan like a blow. He had to find Marz, fast. If Lang is still the same person he knew, then his modus operandi should be the same. Which means, big trouble for Marz. Really big trouble.

"Sara, Sara, we had to get to Marz, now. Can you walk?"

She nodded. Duncan helped her to her feet, and together they walked towards Dunk’s car. Brutus was left whining, so Sara mouthed her sorry at the dog. After they were inside the car, with all the sit belt properly strapped over their body, Duncan started the engine and rushed through the night…

Sara winced as she tried to fight the light that was blinding her. Slowly, she opened her eyes. In front of her stood Lang who was looking straight into her eyes. The ice-cold blue eyes of him pierced right through her, right into her mind as if he was reading her, like a book.

“You know I got something you want.” Said Lang with his eyes gawking at her, steel cold.

“Lang? I don’t understand...” Sara asked Lang, looking for clues.

Only at this time, Sara felt that the stare was not for her. The gaze was for someone or even something beyond her spot. Like a tiger hunting for its prey from afar.

“You know you want to be with her... forever.”

“Her? What are you...”

“YES! I want to be with her! But you can’t ever fool me Lang! After what you did... I will never trust you!!”

Sara spun around to find Tyzen at the other end. Like trapped in a different time zone, both of them couldn’t see her as much as she could only listen and watch them.

“Ohohoho... I don’t think you have a choice. Well, you MIGHT have, but you know I got the best deal. FREE ME TYZEN.” Lang continued.

“Why should I Lang? Do you actually think I am that crazy?”

“Crazy enough. Because I know... I know how to make you mortal.”

“Oh my god... NOOOOOOOO!!!” Screamed Sara in disbelief.

“Sara!! Sara! SARA!!!” Sara heard her name was being called from far.

Suddenly, it all went dark and she could feel her body was shaken. It was Duncan, trying to wake her up.

“Dunk!” Sara came back to her senses, hugging Duncan in despair, crying her heart out.

“What happened? You were lying on the floor, then screaming and now crying... hushhh. It’s ok now. Hush...”

“I call him... I call him out Dunk!” said Sara trying to catch her breath.

“Huh?” Duncan stared at her.

Duncan took the key and started the car engine. Sara needs to be confronted. She needs to know that I was not joking about Lang. She should have known better, she was there when everything happened! Lang almost ruined our lives.

The distance from his place to Sara's is only a fifteen minutes drive. But tonight, however, it seemed like one of the longest drives he ever had to make. While driving, Duncan tried to reach Marz again but failed.

One his final attempt, Marz picked it up.

"What the hell happened to your phone, man! I've been trying to reach you!" Duncan yelled furiously.
"Whoa, easy! I had just turned it on. It's only 5 in the morning, dude. Chill." Marz responded. He sipped his drink.
"Why did you suddenly logged out? Was that Lang? Was that him online, using your computer? What is he doing at your place?" Duncan asked.
"He wanted to use the PC, man. What's with your tone? Is anything wrong?" Marz asked back.
"Everything! Everything about him is wrong. Look, Marz. You need to get out of there now. I'm on my way to Sara's. Let's meet up somewhere..."

Silent.

"Marz? Hello, you're there?" The line was dead. "F*ck!"

When he reached Sara's front gate, he saw her body laying motionless on the floor. Duncan ran towards towards her while Brutus was looking at his owner helplessly, licking her face so she would get up.

*****************

"Stupid phone..." Marz murmured. The battery was dead again. It had been giving him the same problem in the past where the battery would be dead even after being fully charged. Time to get a new one.

He wondered why Duncan sounded so serious about Lang. Why do I need to get out of here? He looked at Lang who was still in front of the computer.

"How's the drink, Marz?" Lang turned to ask.
"Er... good. Is this yours? I just took it..."
"No, no. It's for you." Lang replied.

Marz continued sipping his drink before collapsing. He lied on the kitchen floor, unconscious.

Something not quite right...

Thought Sara to herself while approaching Brutus. Brutus' double dog tags were hitting each other as Brutus was hopping and barking to see Sara came to him with his feast bowl.

Should I or should I not.... contact him...?

Sara pushed the bowl towards Brutus. Her eye was still locking at Brutus' dog tags. The dog tags were two steel plates with the word 'BRUTUS' carved on one and the word 'ULAM' carved on another.

Brutus was feasting on his early breakfast. Sara reached the tags and felt the carvings. Brutus -- Ulam...

"It means 'Love, Ulam' .. .. it's like at the end of every --- "
"-- love letter..." Sara continued his sentence, looking up to his gentle eye. He sealed her lips with a deep kiss. She melted, heartbroken, as that was the last kiss they had, before dawn.

"WOAWF!!" A loud bark. Brutus woke her up from all the memories she had during her stay in Ulam. Her hand was still holding the plates he gave, now the dog plates of Brutus.

She looked at Brutus, made up her mind, "Let's call him up...". Brutus nodded as if he understood and agreed to her decision.

She knew what to do with the plates. "Just a tiny scratch on each other.." Sara repeated what he used to teach her in Ulam, put both plates together and pushed and sheared against each other..

"~~Scratch!" It's the only sound they heard before the two tags automatically dropped off from Brutus' necklace and started to spin and shine. Brutus was freaked out and hided into Sara's arm..

The lights of 7 colours emitted from the tags started to form a figure -- a human figure. Sara could feel her heart beating. The figure was now clearer and clearer, the diamond-shaped face, the gentle eye, the wide shoulder, the strong arms.... Sara was in tears but she knew that she needed to stay strong, at least pretended to.

"Sara.... my love.."

There's already a real human in front of her. "..Finaly you call me..." his deep voice was so sad, but now full of released, "... do you know how much I miss you?"

"No! Stop! please.." Sara stopped him from crumbling her last defending fortress, although she's getting weaker and weaker now..

"I just want to clarify 1 thing, then you please leave..." Sara took a deep breath and recomposed her emotion.

"Sara my love..."
"Don't! Please... please... Just do me a favor, don't ruin my life..."
" *sigh*.. Ok..."
"... Why is Lang here? He's supposed to be caged in the Forest of Sin -- Did you release him?"

He looked at Sara. Sara was still beautiful as before, and she got a little bit plumper now. She's the woman that he loves, with all-hearted..

"Yes I did."
"..but.. Why? Why Tyzen, why?"

Tyzen. He smiled. A name that only would be called by his mother, and Sara. How many years already since the last time he heard people calling this name? He just couldn't recall. He only remembered how disgusted he felt everytime people call him The Great Langkasuka. He hates the word 'The Great', he hates the calling 'Langkasuka', as he hates his 'destiny' to be the next world conquerer.

"I don't care about world domination, I only care the star you want me to bring down to you.." once under the starry night, Sara was in his arm and he could feel the only world for him was right at that time, under that starry night..

Tyzen looked back to Sara, "because..."

The idea is simple. Grab the girl. Present her to the altar of sacrifice in Ulam. Then world domination is one step away.

Lang didn't expect the locals of Ulam, (Ulamites? Ulamers?) to be so bloody picky. Specifics is their middle name it seems. Must be a girl with a name beginning with an S. Must be tall, regal model like.

Thank God Sara's short and slightly plump. Never call a girl fat if you still have aspirations to live your life till old age.

Now where was he, the Great Langkasuka, world dictator wannabe, suppose to find a hot tall model like girl with a name that starts with an S? Hey Duncan has an ex named Suki doesn't he? She's tall enough. Half Japanese to boot.

"Hey Marz, you still have a copy of Duncan's black book?"

"Suki moved to New York dude. Ford Model Management signed her up. It's all Duncan's idea. Rather than dump the girl he got her a job overseas.''

"Okay. Now what?"

“Oy Lang! What was that for? I was chatting, dammit!” Marz snatched back the keyboard that Lang had taken forcefully from him.

“Just a sec. I want to talk to Duncan”

“Hn. Okay, but don’t freak him out or anything. He’s already shocked over the fact that I knew you. God, why he always had to be so dense?”

Grinning, Lang shook his head and turned his attention to the monitor and started typing. Marz sighed and walked towards the kitchen. He knew that despite what he said just now, Lang would try to terrorize their friend. The fridge was opened and he picked up a tin of Coke. I don’t remember buying this, but if it has no name, then it’s mine. Hehe.

His mind started to wander with every sip of drink he took. Back to one month ago, back to his trip to Ulam with Lang. Back to that place….

Crack!

“There goes my good t-shirt, dammit!”

He accidentally crushed the Coke tin, and the content was splattered all over his shirt. Cursing he took it off and went off to search for a new one.

And he finally made up his mind.

For us to reach that person, Duncan is the easiest way. We would never want to hurt him, but this; this is for his own good.

From the back, he heard Lang guffawing at the screen.

Sara was stoned. This is too much to handle... especially at 4 o'clock in the morning!

“You know what, I think u had too much mojito last night that u fricking hearin... listening... or whatever... things”

“Are you serious? I can even send you the chat log if you like, check your email now”

“No no, not now. I need... I need to... feed... the dog. See, you hear that barking? Brutus is gonna eat me if I didn’t prepare his treats”

“But... what? What barking..?? Sara!”

“Got to go!”

Bip!

“Dammit!”



How could Lang be so stupid and being too upfront about the news that he “survived”??



Thought Sara to herself.

Dun_cAn: BUZZ!!
Dun_cAn: Wazup?
M4r2: yo?
Dun_cAn: Where the hell hv u been? Flying back to Mars or wat?
M4r2: LOL. Been away bro..
Dun_cAn: ..for 1 bloody month? WOW!!
M4r2: ;P
M4r2: ..and i still dun think tat s enough.
Dun_cAn: yeah right~ holiday is always not enough, DUH!
M4r2: ;P
Dun_cAn: ..so where is it?
M4r2: ulam.
Dun_cAn: Serious shit?!?! u went there?
M4r2: U know tat place?
Dun_cAn: of course I do! And I had good time over there..Gosh I'd never had any idea that there's such a hidden place like Ulam on this planet...
M4r2: same here Dunk! if not Lang who brought me there..
Dun_cAn: LANG??!! kidding me bro? Lang?
M4r2: Yup, Lang. u know him? Cool guy huh?
Dun_cAn: He's a jerk!
M4r2: ?
Dun_cAn: That Lang - -he's a total JERK!! He doesn't belong to there!
M4r2: I dun get u, Dunk..
Dun_cAn: How did u know him? Marz u just gotta be careful with this guy..
Dun_cAn: Marz... u there?
Dun_cAn: BUZZ!!
Dun_cAn: BUZZ!!
Dun_cAn: BUZZ!!

M4r2 has signed out. (01/90/2008 03:56)
M4r2 has singed in back. (01/09/2009 03:57)

M4r2:
Dun_cAn:Marz....?

M4r2 has signed out. (01/90/2008 04:16)
M4r2 has singed in back. (01/09/2009 04:27)

Dun_cAn: Hey buddy what's wrong wit ur line?
M4r2: Hey Duncan..
M4r2: long time no see... How r u doing?
Dun_cAn: ?
M4r2: guees who I am?
M4r2: I'm your old friend, pal..
M4r2: I am... Lang.