fear
Hatice never liked silence, so much so that she would rather die than be in a place where silence existed. Of course, there were many reasons for this, the foremost being the painful experiences her father subjected her to when she was just a child. Hatice had become so attached to and internalized these experiences that they had become her friends. She had exactly seven friends, but there was only one she could never consider a friend, and that was silence.
Her dislike for silence could have been rooted in many things, but for Hatice, there was one reason above all that kept her from becoming friends with silence, and for her, that was more than enough. When silence arrived, it brought with it sounds that she despised. It was as if these sounds emerged from nothingness, and no one but silence could be responsible for them. Hatice had to constantly hear what these sounds were saying. Silence was her enemy—it wanted her to do bad things. To cope with this, Hatice put silence on her blacklist and made it almost a rule for her other seven friends to avoid it as well.
Hatice: "It’s so dark, I’m scared, and it’s cold... a little wet too. But this time, I didn’t let him hit my head like last time. I did well, didn’t I? Are you there?"
Fear: "Yes, I’m here, Hatice. You did well. Just like I told you, this time you’re not even bleeding red juice."
Hatice: "Fear, are you afraid of anything?"
Fear: "No, I’m not."
Hatice: "I wish I could be like you, not afraid of anything. Anyway, forget that. Fear, let me tell you what happened. Yesterday morning, before my dad hit my head, he stroked it and cried. Does my dad love us, Fear?"
Fear: "Your dad is an adult, Hatice. Adults forget how to love with time. But who knows, maybe he’s still hiding some crumbs of it deep inside. But they’re just crumbs, Hatice. People forget love when they grow up."
Hatice: "I see. Then I’ll never grow up so I won’t forget how much I love you."
Fear: "Don’t worry, Hatice. You will never grow up."
Hatice: "Fear, is my dad afraid of you like I am?"
Fear: "No, Hatice. Your dad isn’t afraid of me like you are. The fear that’s his friend isn’t me. I hope you never meet it."
