Prologue
I’m warning you,
Clear and concise
Don’t test my patience,
Don’t make any noise
It’ll make me panic,
And when it will arise
I swear you’ll only hear,
Your own pleas and cries.
“The dinner is about to start. Call everyone at the table.” Her mother told her.
“Ok, mom.” She answered, leaving the kitchen to call everyone.
Her long, black, silk frock with a netted layer at the top adorned with silver sparkles flowed as she walked up the stairs.
“Brothers, come downstairs. Dinner is ready.” She invited her 4 elder cousins.
“Coming.” One of them, Levent Karayel, replied.
The dining area was filled with chatter and clinking of cutlery.
“Pass me the spoon please.”
“Can you give me the pasta?”
“MOOOOOM! Where is my special plate!!!???” Her younger brother yelled in childlike frustration.
Once settled, her father, Zafer Karakurt, spoke up.
“How are your studies going, kids?” He asked, breaking off a piece of perfectly grilled spicy roast.
By ‘kids’, he meant the 16-year-old her and her three 17-year-old cousins, all in the same grade.
“Ah…I am stressed! It’s too difficult!” She dramatically replied, twisting spaghetti around her fork.
“Going well.” Two of them commented, sipping water in unison.
“And what about you?” her father asked the eldest of them(Only a slight difference between him and other two), older than her by a year.
“As usual, uncle. Nothing special.” The cousin, Ayaan Karakurt, replied, taking a small bite of pasta.
Even his eating seemed calculated.
"It's been a long time since we all went somewhere together." Her father's elder sister, Efsul Karayel, commented mid-food.
“Right. Let’s plan an outing.” Her father’s elder brother, Yavuz Karakurt, suggested.
All of their voices clashed at once. Agreeing, already planning, wives presenting their ideas and the men smiling seeing the smiles bloom on their families’ faces already.
Cough.
The chit-chat continued.
Another.
And another.
And another.
"What happened, dear?" Her father's younger sister, Aila Sancak, asked with concern.
“Are you alright?” Ayaan asked her, already pouring water for her.
“I don’t know. It’s just…I think smoke is coming from somewhere.” She barely spoke, rubbing her chest, taking the glass from his hand.
“Go and check.” The youngest uncle, Burak Karakurt, commanded one of the two middle cousins, Miran Sancak.
He immediately stood up. By 5 minutes or so he took, her coughing had worsened and her chest constricted.
“Fire! The house is on fire, everyone!” Miran informed as he ran inside.
Panic washed over the whole house. Her uncles’ wives hastily stood up, paternal aunts pulling the younger cousins close, her mother ran inside the room to pick up some important stuff, her father and uncles tried to evacuate everyone out.
Fire had now become dominant. Angry flames were visible and smoke filled the house as if creating fog in the winter.
She couldn’t breathe. Her throat felt tight and her eyes filled with water as they burned. Ayaan was instantly at her side.
“Hey, look at me.” He murmured softly, keeping himself calm.
She tried.
Failed.
“I can’t—” She barely spoke.
He interrupted, gently holding her shoulders.
“Listen. Breathe slowly. In.” He inhaled.
“Out.” He exhaled, providing something for her to hold onto.
The fire escalated, kids screamed, mothers cried and footsteps thudded but he didn’t leave.
He had to steady her first.
Moments later, she was stable enough to walk. Only then did he care about rushing out. He grabbed her hand pulling her towards the door where everyone else was also trying to escape as the flames licked the walls.
The door was no longer a gateway to their safety. It was covered in red and orange, never backing down.
They all ran to the back door but outside was the source and flames were more powerful.
They were stuck.
Helpless.
Some were crying.
Some were trying to stay composed.
And in the midst of it all…was her. Succumbed to the smoke, unable to inhale, scared.
She slid down the wall, having no strength to keep standing as she struggled to suck in pure air. Pulling up her knees, her hands flew to her ears as she shut her eyes tight, tears streaming down her face.
Her name.
This was the last thing she heard before her vision faded.
