Through Your Eyes

Chapter - 7

Serkan held her still on his lap while they shared lunch from both of their plates, he liked her just where she was and Eda seemed just as comfortable. As they ate Serkan could feel Eda getting more tired as she leaned heavier into him. Pushing back his chair, he carried her over to the bed covering her with the light sheet. He went to the window and looked outside, it was still a mess but he thought he might chance going out since Eda was napping. Serkan went through his clothes and dressed in protective layers leaving the door unlocked. He carried an empty backpack in case there was anything else he saw that he needed.

The wind stole his breath as he pushed forward into it. The first stop was the Jeep that they rode in since it had all his camera equipment and memory cards. He struggled with the door but was finally able to get in without the door slamming on his leg. Serkan rummaged through the back until he got what he needed.

Finding the Jeep that had Eda's things was harder. He knew the general direction that he was headed but it would be so easy to get lost out here not being able to see anything. It turned out to not be a question of him finding the Jeep but it finding him when he walked into it, banging his knee hard on the winch. He could feel the sand pelting his skin through the tear in his pants. Serkan felt around the body of the car to the less windy side. He laughed at himself, less windy, as if that was possible. He fought the door open and climbed in. This door wouldn't shut behind him so he left it for now. He knew what Eda's tote looked like and spied it buried under heaps of fabric. Serkan dragged it out, made sure her room key was in there and hooked it over his shoulder.

Serkan fought the door closed so that the Jeep didn't fill with sand before heading to his next destination. He was already tired but wanted to make one last push to the dining hall before heading back to the cabin. He knew that it was roughly straight ahead. Serkan trudged forward, this wasn't his day he thought as he caught his other knee on the short metal light pole outside the dining hall. The exterior door slammed shut on his arm before he could get it inside. Bent in half and trying to catch his breath Serkan pushed open the second door. The dining hall was dark and silent.

He picked up a dozen candles and a pack of matches from one of the drawers and went to look for food. Serkan loaded up on fruit and packaged items as well as some juices, bottled tea and coffee drinks. He rooted around for extra bandages and found a first aid kit that he added to his backpack. Serkan looked at his watch, he had been gone almost an hour. If Eda woke she would be concerned. He really didn't want to but he headed back into the storm this time going out a side door that was more protected.

Serkan kept to the edges of the buildings as he picked his way back to the cabin trying to avoid tripping on anything else. He didn't trip but he did get hit by flying debris. He laughed at himself again, he was a fool doing this for love and he would do it again. Serkan made it to Eda's cabin and fished around for her key. He got her door unlocked and opened and set about picking up things he thought she would need. He got her sketch pad and pencils, her skin care items and toiletries, the all-important birth control, some clean underwear and a couple of changes of clothes. They could share clothes, that was unimportant. They could come back if he forgot anything.

He closed her door and made his way across the remaining distance to his cabin. Serkan let himself in and looked over to the bed but Eda was missing. He started to call her name when he heard the unmistakable sounds of her getting sick. Serkan dropped all his gear and hurried to the bathroom.

"Eda, honey. . . . . "

She was sitting on the floor of the bathroom rather green, "Whew, I don't feel so good. I probably shouldn't have had lunch. Either that or something I ate was bad."

Serkan squatted down to rub her back, a hiss of pain came out as he bent his knee. Eda's head came up finally taking in Serkan, "Serkan what happened? You look like hell. You're bleeding all over. Did you go out? You idiot!"