Before the stars fade

Eternal lovers

Rüya sighs. It's been just over two years since she has seen the world outside of these walls. She glances at the wall that has the tally of each day passed in captivity. What is even the point? She has tried to escape countless times, with little luck.

At first she had thought that Yaman would come and find her. He would for sure come and save her any day now. That hope had slowly died as the days passed by. She had written a letter just like Hande had demanded of her back then. She had attacked Yaman just where she knows it would hurt. But isn't it ridiculous that he hadn't found her? Based on one letter? Did he really just give up on her that easily? 

On the other hand, she knows that Yaman has abandonment issues, and who knows what Hande has done outside of this house to make him believe she left. Maybe Hande had convinced everyone Rüya has taken off with Can with no intention of coming back. This thought frustrates her. She is so close to home. 

Rüya sighs again. She has thought these thoughts through so many times. Yet, nothing has changed. She is stuck in this room, with nothing to do, no one to reach out to. She has tried writing messages to Yaman on the books Iskender has brought for her to read. She would write a short message on the first page of the book and toss it. Maybe it was naive to think that he would happen to find one of them.

Rüya would have lost her mind already if it wasn't for the only light of her life, Can. Hande would bring her baby brother for her to see every once in a while. The visits had become less frequent as Can has grown. Maybe Hande is afraid of him talking about her to others. She also forbade Rüya from calling her brother "Can" or referring to herself as his sister. If she broke these rules, Hande would not bring Can to her for a longer period of time. 

At this point, she is only living for these short moments of love and peace she gets with her baby brother. 

Rüya closes her eyes. She can almost feel Yaman's hands touching her upper arms, going up and down with a feather-light touch. This mental image gives her comfort. She would give almost anything to feel it one more time.

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The sun is setting, its last rays are dancing on Yaman's face. It's the kind of evening you would enjoy at the porch with a cup of tea. Unfortunately Yaman can't enjoy anything. Not anymore.

He is walking to the graveyard. A shovel is resting over his shoulder and his face is frozen into its position.

The day feels endlessly long. Earlier today he had found Rüya. The girl who had left him two years ago with a note was in front of him, pale, wearing a white dress like an angel. He had been shocked beyond belief. It had only hit him at the morgue. The girl laying there really is Rüya. 

His Rüya. 

Yaman doesn't let himself cry. Not now. He has a mission to fulfill. He had failed her in a way that's unforgivable. Now he has to pay his debt. 

He reaches the empty lot between graves. Yaman looks around the area, trying to decide where the grave should be dug. He glances at the other spot. He moves over to start digging the first grave. Initially it's hard to get the shovel to penetrate the ground. After a few attempts a small hole is formed and the soft ground underneath the surface makes it easier to dig. 

How had things come to this? How could Rüya have died just like that? The thought of someone discarding her body at the trash pile angers him. He digs with more vigor. They are going to pay. 

He starts feeling some blisters forming on his hands thanks to the friction. He doesn't mind the pain. He deserves it. 

How scared must Rüya have been?