THE BIRTH OF THE ASHES - EPOCHAL #1

CHAPTER 4: ''THE VALLEY''

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Chapter songs: Tove Lo- Thousand Miles,

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CHAPTER 4: "THE VALLEY"

I was locked into the grim sight in front of the door. I couldn't pull myself together. I couldn't recover after witnessing the scene. My stomach started to churn. As I remained crouched in place, I realized Hakan had left my side.

There was noise coming from the side where the living room was. Seconds later, out of breath, he said, "I can't find the gun." I understood he was standing behind me from his shadow, but I didn't react. I crushed the threatening piece of paper in my palm. My eyes never left Ertuğrul Bolat, even for a moment.

"Anka, get up. Can't you hear what I'm saying? I can't find the gun!" He was trying to control the volume in his voice. He placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed.

I remained unresponsive once again. My legs, my knees, even my hands were aching, but I didn't break my composure. I felt like crap, like I was going to vomit. Maybe this was my doing, after all, because in the end, I had forced everyone to stay here, and the result was plainly before my eyes.

Someone had suffered greatly, and there was no turning back. Ertuğrul Bolat lay on the ground, breathless, and we didn't know who had done it.

He knelt down, stood beside me. I didn't realize he was trying to hold the hand that I had clenched into a fist, continuing to squeeze my palm. My nails were embedded in my skin, I was just beginning to realize.

He rubbed both of his hands on my fingers, held them gently, and slowly made me release my hand. The crumpled piece of paper fell from my palm to the floor, my fingers were free.

I turned my timid gaze to him, and he was looking at the hand he was holding. He was fixated on the depth of the nail marks I had made on my skin.

After freeing my hand from his grasp, I straightened my knees and stood up from where I had crouched. "There's no more running and hiding," I said clearly. My voice was clear, yes, but had I fully believed what I said? I was trying to reassure myself as well as him. What I said was true in a way.

The feelings and thoughts I had accumulated, whether I was aware of them or not, had overflowed abundantly. There was no room for them anymore; I needed to throw them out of my mind and body. I needed to revert to my previous self, cling tightly to it, and lock onto it.

Even if I was scared, I would avoid exposing it. I would do it the way I should have from the beginning. "I didn't see the gun because I think someone took it without you noticing, wherever you put it." I touched his shoulder, and his gaze turned to me. He also agreed with me, nodding his head.

Before getting up from the ground, he picked up the crumpled paper on the floor and tucked it into his pocket. He avoided my gaze, looking behind me. When I turned in the same direction as him, I saw Ares rubbing his eyes and descending the stairs one by one.