Turbulence

Chapter 13

When Eda regained consciousness, she realized that she was lying on the floor while someone was shaking her, frantically calling her name. She was confused. She had no idea what happened to her, why she was on the floor, and why the back of her head hurt.

Eda opened her eyes to see Ceren's pale face leaning over her.

"Eda!" The blonde stopped shaking her when she noticed that she was awake. "Eda, are you ok?"

Eda moved her heavy eyes from her friend and looked around the room. She was in the navigation center and had no idea why everybody was running and shouting. What happened?

Suddenly, everything came back running to her, and Eda bolted up from the floor. The horrifying images displayed in front of her eyes. The catapult's malfunction, the explosion on the aircraft's wing, the fire, and Serkan's unmoving silhouette.

Eda jumped to her feet and had to steady herself, grabbing the edge of the desk so as not to faint again. She felt dizzy, and her vision was a little blurry, but she fought the weakness, ignoring her friend's attempts to help her, and ran to the window. 

Eda scanned the deck with her eyes. She could clearly see the prototype wreck and many crew members running around it, but she couldn't find any sign of Serkan.

"Eda!" Ceren called her.

Eda ran back to the blonde and grabbed her by her jacket. The tears started flowing from her eyes and wetting her cheeks.

"Serkan?! What happened to him?" She cried in a frantic voice. "Did he... Is he.." 

Eda couldn't finish the sentence.

"I don't know. They rushed him to the ER."

"How long I was out?!"

"About half an hour."

Eda let go of Ceren and bolted from the bridge. She ran the whole distance to the hospital part of the ship. She opened the door with a bang and almost crashed into Piril, who was on duty.

"Piril, where is Serkan?!" Eda exclaimed, grabbing the hand of the surprised nurse. "Please, tell me he is all right!"

Piril took her by her arm, led her to a small waiting section, and made her seat.

"Eda, calm down." She ordered her in a firm tone. "He is in the operating room. What I know by now is that he has injuries to his chest, broken ribs, and a head fracture."

Eda's eyes darted to the door in front of her. She swallowed nervously and asked the question she dreaded the most. It came out in a whisper. "Is he critical?"

"We don't know yet."

Eda hid her face in her hands and started to cry. She cursed her stupidity. Why did she have to cause a scene without any reason? Why couldn't she control her stupid words? All she could see was hurt and anger in Serkan's eyes when she said to him that she wished to never see him again. She remembered his words when he told her to be careful what she wished for before leaving her on that beach. The one wish she never wanted and could come true.

It was all her fault. She brought it all on him by her evil, ominous words. She cursed him, wished him to be dead, go to hell. She played the dangerous game with the forces more powerful than any of them, and she just might gather their attention. 

But why punish Serkan? He was the innocent one. They should punish her for her hybris, not him.

Three hours passed during which Eda didn't even stir, keeping her eyes shut and afraid even to breathe. The door opened, and the doctor left the operation room. He saw Eda slumped on the chair and walked over to her.