Telepath These Days

1 - Ominous Night

While Togan was watching the sun's red smile turning orange through the window of the café, the door opened with a strong breeze. A woman in her early forties entered with her majesty. She hid her face under her fedora. The woman bowed her head slightly to the left and then to the right. As if she was looking for someone. Although she did not turn her eyes directly to Togan, she looked at the section where he was. And then he stopped looking around. She sat at a table and checked the menu in front of her.

No one could see her face. It was not only because of the fedora, but also because her shawl covered most of her face. The cashmere-style summer dress she was wearing was black in color, just like the shawl and the fedora. Although she was dressed completely in black, her ring shone in silvery colors. Togan was also intrigued by this difference.

"Cousin, when are you leaving?" Ozan asked.

"In the evening, in a few hours." Togan replied, not taking his eyes off the woman. "They may even be waiting for me to go home right now." He added with a laugh.

The woman glanced over her shoulder and occasionally looked in Togan's direction. These glances disturbed Togan.

"What about you? When will you come?" Togan asked, as if he wanted to distract himself.

"I don't know, in a few days..." said Ozan. "If it was up to me, I'd come right away... You'll be there anyway."

Togan moved his chair closer to his cousin so that he could see the woman watching himself from time to time. But no matter how hard he tried; his vision was worse than before. The woman was no more than an enigma to him. He grumbled to himself. Why had she attracted his attention so much?

"I have to get up now." Togan said, tapping the clock on his wrist with his index finger. "It's late. Don't let my parents wait. See you there."

"Okay cousin, see you." said Ozan, smiling.

Togan pushed the chair back slightly with his legs. When he stood up, the face hidden behind his fedora was revealed for a moment. He thought he could even see his eyes. They were like honey colored in his mind. He wanted to look again, but she didn't turn her face away. She lifted her shawl and tilted her fedora. She had missed both her eyes and her face.

***

Togan went home as soon as he left the café. His mum and dad were waiting for him by the car on the street as if they had realized he was coming.

"My things." Togan said, eyeing their house suspiciously.

"It's all taken." said his mother, smiling tenderly.

Now the journey could begin. As Togan was about to get into the car, he saw Benoit in the window of the neighboring house. Benoit was his only friend in the neighborhood. Togan had planned to spend part of his summer holiday with Benoit. But his plans suddenly became meaningless. Because Benoit had been avoiding him for a while. Every attempt to talk went unanswered. Just like his waving as if he was greeting him now was unanswered. As if he didn't recognize him, he turned around and disappeared from the window, ignoring the greeting.

When Togan got into the car, he tried not to think about Benoit. He fastened his seat belt. He didn't want to hear her father's warning about seat belts before every journey. Although it had become a habit for him, he would not give up his warning.

When the sun disappeared from the face of the earth, the roads were plunged into darkness. Togan fidgeted restlessly in the back seat. His mother fidgeted at the same time. At some point she turned round and checked on Togan too. Togan saw his mother's necklace shining with a deep blue glow like a third eye. His mother had worn the necklace for as long as he could remember. For him, this necklace was identified with the word confusion. When they ate, her mother's necklace would disappear from time to time, although she never put down the knife and fork. If he didn't know his mother, he would say she was a magician. Voicing what he had seen could have exposed him to unpleasant remarks. He was afraid, he always stopped telling.