VILLAGE | "Dreadmoore"

3

As I watched the people lining up, I noticed that each of them seemed to find this process completely natural. They acted as if it were a routine procedure. I decided to join the line. When it was my turn, a woman in a white coat greeted me and asked with a smile, "Hello Ms. Nihan, are you ready for your blood test?" I had a thousand questions in my head, but I chose to comply. After rolling up my sleeve and giving my blood, the woman said, "Your results will be out in a few days. If there's any issue, you'll be informed immediately," and gently sent me on my way.

On my way home, I thought once again about how different and mysterious this town was. Its organized and orderly structure was admirable, but at the same time, it had a disturbing side. When I opened the door and went inside, I tried to comfort myself, reminding myself once more that I needed to adapt to my new life. Maybe in time, I could unravel the secrets of Dreadmoore and understand what life here truly meant. But for now, the only thing I needed to do was to get used to this place and try to understand everything that came my way.

On the first day of school, I walked towards the building, trying to suppress my excitement, in this town that seemed to have sprung from a suspense novel. I was ready to attend the epigenetics class. It seemed that the 20 people who arrived before me were also ready. Everyone had taken their seats. I wasn't surprised it was a classroom rather than an amphitheater because I wasn't expecting a large university in a small town. I took a seat and waited for the professor.

A few minutes later, just before the class started, a young man walked in. He was carrying a few books and a notebook. This handsome, tall young man with wavy dark brown hair confidently moved to the front row. There was a deep expression in his eyes, and a warm smile appeared on his face.

"Hello everyone, I'm Dorian. I'm Professor Hamilton's assistant. Unfortunately, the professor can't be here today, so I'll be taking over the class," he said.

I immediately noticed that Dorian had an impressive speaking style and a confident demeanor. After giving a brief overview of the lesson, he began to explain the topic.

At the end of the class, I was eager to go to him, and I did.

"Dorian..." I called out as he started to gather his books.

He turned his hazel eyes to me suddenly.

"Nihan... right?"

"Yes," I said, trying to hide my surprise that he knew my name. "It was an impressive lesson, and I was wondering if you could elaborate on the mechanisms by which epigenetic changes cause cancer," I said all at once.

"Of course, and if you'd like to see the work we've been doing on this, I can take you to the lab."

"I would love that," I replied immediately.

Within days, we had explored every corner of the school, but we spent most of our time in the lab. It felt great to finally have a friend in town. Dorian was not only helping me but also making me feel less lonely with his presence.

"Dorian," I called out again as I followed him. I liked saying his name out loud.

He turned around and waited for me to continue my sentence.

"If you want, we can go to my place; I think we deserve a glass of wine after all this work," I said.

"Wine?" he asked. I think he assumed I didn't drink alcohol because I came from Turkey. "There's no wine in town," he said. I was surprised, but before I could open my mouth, he explained the reason. "We mustn't have foreign substances in our blood."

"I have so many questions about this blood thing..." I said, continuing to follow him. But he preferred not to hear me.

While sitting on the couch and sipping my coffee, I voiced one of the questions on my mind. "Dorian, what were you doing before you came to this town?"

Dorian, holding his cup, replied, "Actually, I was living in the city. Before I started working with Professor Hamilton, I was involved in several different research projects. But I chose this place because it is small and peaceful. What brought you here?"

"I loved my life in Turkey, but I wanted to make a new start here. I wanted to get to know new people in a different culture and devote more time to scientific studies, but I didn't expect such a small town," I said.

As our conversation deepened, we both started to feel closer to each other. Dorian, coming closer, said, "It's really great to meet you, Nihan. I haven't felt this comfortable since I came here," he said.

I looked into Dorian's big hazel eyes. "I feel the same way, Dorian. Talking to you makes this place feel less foreign," I said.

He came a little closer and placed his hand on mine. When I felt his touch, a jolt of electricity ran through my entire body. The strong bond between us drew us even closer. I felt his lips on mine. I knew I was about to experience an unforgettable moment. He leaned over me and continued to kiss me...

-End of Chapter-

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