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To read the fourth part of the story click here.

It was the time to convince myself there wasn’t much left for I regarded this place, this very right time as the beginning and the end of my story. When I saw Asma standing in front of me with her eyes full of detestation, it was as if my tale had ended here. The “once upon a time” was now in a far country lived people who only aimed to take revenge. No one could escape from the fate. If this was my fate, I was going to live it…

She was limping, her foot was bandaged carelessly. I wasn’t feeling alone, nor was I scared. I was only expectant. I longed for her stopping all these. But, above all things I wanted nobody to get hurt. All their efforts to stop her, Charos, Syubi, and Ates, were in vain. She was listening to nobody; standing there like a scarecrow with the same axe, on which still was the blood of my Twin. Ates tried to get the axe from her hands; she pushed him back on the ground. It felt like I was in a deep water and the waves were playing a game with me. The waves were tossing in my face. I rushed out to give some support to Ates. Asma was as strong as her mother. Losing myself in this feeling of deep water, my feet stuck against a rock and there was a rush of water pushing me deep down. The firm earth was slipping from my feet, Asma was unstoppable; or the dizziness of water made me feel so. At last, however, the deep water threw me back on the firm earth. Everything seemed so cloudy and unreal. The waves hit angrily at unseen hills. I felt the mighty waves as the dreadful billows beat against a little ship in the middle of a sea; finally the waves took all my strength…

(Yesterday)

I held Ates’s hands tightly, and so did he. “Let’s leave here, I will take you to a safe place,” he said. “No, I can’t, my Twin,” was my words coming out with difficulty. “We don’t have time, we have to go before she wakes up,” said Ates pointing at Asma. That time I saw her lying on the ground wounded from her leg. Ates brought me to a bay. I couldn’t find something appropriate to say at the right time, but then he spoke. “I don’t know how to tell you, but I will do my best. I hope you will understand me for not telling you all this way long. I have – as if I suppose to have – a hesitation in lifting the veil that covers my life like a dark mist,” said Ates his eyes in a sorrowful cloud ready to pour down. Then, he went on. “My father was a sailor. He left my mother and me when I was too young, and he died somewhere overseas. I hardly remember his face. To be honest, I have never blamed my father for leaving us. Who knows? Maybe, I would do the same if I were him… My mother got married to another man in 1998 when I was 10. He was my mother’s second husband and many years younger. His name was Tawfeeq. He never liked my mother; sometimes they were arguing and I was hearing their arguments. As I could understand, my stepfather loved another woman – they loved each other very much, and my mother made him marry her forcibly. Once, I heard that woman’s name – she is your sister, Anele…” There was a moment of sinister silence. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of Ates’s mouth. A shiver ran through my body. I only wished this was a nightmare and soon everything would end. Then Ates broke the silence. “I shall continue… I have a sister from my stepfather. She is Asma!” I was shocked! I couldn’t believe in what I had heard! “Hold on!” I said unconsciously. If Asma is your sister, then Ni-da --- Nida is your mother!.. Is Nida your mother?” My ears were dying to hear a “no”! It was too hard to believe all these. Life had never been this cruel. The immense, travelling to the unknown encircled me. I remained still and wished time would stop. There was a silence, this time it was terrific, like before every storm. “Yes, she is my mother. And, I killed my own mother!” he said, wanting to revolt his fate.

Indeed, I could scarcely see what I was doing, or what was being done to me. But, I knew that all I wanted to do was to help Ates. I splashed, waded and struggled in the deep water, fought back with the waves; but the spirit of resistance was stronger. I felt hot blood pouring down from me and felt as if invisible hands were holding me. I didn’t make any effort to make myself understood nor to free myself. After a while, the need of being in a safe lap was so intense that at the time I could only see Ates. I could hear him shouting, or saying something I couldn’t understand; I could only see great sorrow in his eyes. Maybe I fancied, I didn’t know but I heard him calling for me, to the dream world where he always promised to take me to. Nothing could spoil the joy of being clasped in Ates’s arms. Oh, the comfort of the tender embrace!

I could hear him telling me to go with him to the unknown world, the world only we both knew. “Come with me, I will take you to our dream world where nobody can find us. It will be only me and you. Come and sit in front of me, on my flying horse.” I followed him to find comfort and leant my face against his chest. His chest was so cool, just like the grass and leaves of my paradise of my childhood. What joy this was to lose myself in this garden, to smell the peace, until, coming upon a gate. Never have I found such a heart-satisfying, beautiful place with its tranquil melody and fragrance. There, at the edge of the gate, I saw my Twin, Anele and behind them my parents waving to me. So soft, so pure… I couldn’t help myself running towards them. I cannot recall what Ates was saying to me after that, but I know I clung to him more tightly while I was running towards my family. This living feeling awakened my soul, gave it light, hope and peace. It would be difficult to find a happier person than I was. I lived over the joy this moment had brought me, and for the first time longed this moment lasted forever. Finally, I was with the people I loved, at the gate; we turned back walking inside, and the huge door closed behind us…

- THE END -

* All the characters in this story are members of English Club. They have no real relations with the facts told in the story.