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The moment I stepped out of the schoolyard, I looked around; the weather was scorching. As soon as I stepped outside, the sun blinded me and I could barely see anything. I raised my hand to shield my eyes and looked around a bit more, but I couldn't see my father. I didn't even have my phone with me. He had promised to buy me one if I passed the university exam. Of course, I didn't know if that promise was real, but I had studied very hard, and honestly, my exam had gone very well. I was expecting a good score.
I moved to a shaded area and waited. Everyone—parents, siblings—was there, waiting for their children, their sisters, their brothers. I was the only one alone. I waited a little longer, but then I realized my father hadn't come—and wasn't going to. Once again, he had abandoned me. What had happened the day before the exam was still fresh in my mind. Despite everything, since I couldn't come here alone, I had agreed to come with him and stayed silent.
I knew both my father's and mother's phone numbers. Even though I was angry, I decided to call him. But I felt too shy to ask people nearby for help. I approached a middle-aged woman and, with a timid expression, spoke:
"Excuse me, could I use your phone? I left the exam early, my father isn't here, I need to call him."
As soon as I said this, she started rummaging through her bag. "Of course, my dear, of course. Here, go ahead," she said, handing me her phone.
I thanked her, took the phone, dialed my father's number, and held it to my ear. It rang… and rang… and rang… but he didn't answer. I tried again—still nothing. Growing more anxious, I called my mother, but her phone rang without an answer as well. What was going on? Had he decided to leave me here and disappear? And why wasn't my mother answering either? I even called the house, but no one picked up there either. My anxiety grew. After hanging up and returning the phone, I said, "I need to go home." My father had vanished out of nowhere; I didn't know where he had gone, and I had no money in my pocket. "Could you give me bus fare?" I asked.
"Of course, my dear," she said. "I got worried too, I hope they're alright." She took some money out of her pocket and handed it to me. She probably didn't have much herself, but people in this country were so generous.
"Thank you so much, may God bless you," I said.
"You're welcome, dear. Now go on, head home," she replied. "Don't linger here, you must be tired already."
After smiling and thanking her again, I quickly headed to the bus stop, got on the first bus, and made my way home.
Of course, I had no idea what was about to happen to me.
When I arrived home, I was even more surprised. The doors were wide open—both the garden gate and the front door. I rushed inside anxiously. Looking around, I called out, "Mom, Dad, Berra!" but none of them were there. My older brother should have been at work at this hour anyway. Where had they all disappeared to? For a moment, I felt incredibly alone. Our house was never quiet, but we were always together, and their absence suddenly made me regret all the complaints I had made before.
But that silence didn't last long. Apparently, while I had been in the exam, so much had happened… my father had been forced to leave…
I began to hear noises coming from the garden gate. My mother's crying, my father shouting—warning her to stop crying. I froze in horror and ran outside. By the time I reached the door, they had already arrived and walked past me into the house, as if I didn't exist. My mother was crying:
"How could you do this, my son? How could you kidnap that girl?"
My little sister Berra came in with them and held my mother's hand. "Mom, please calm down," she said. She was scared too—she was only one year younger than me, but even at her age, I had reacted very differently.
They went into the living room. My father paced back and forth in the middle of the room. Berra sat beside my mother, hugging her, crying with her.
Finally, I spoke:
"What's going on? Won't one of you explain?"
My parents didn't answer, but Berra looked at me through her tears and said,
"Brother kidnapped Hafize."
My eyes widened in shock. "What are you saying?" I asked. "Hafize? The daughter of the biggest tribe in Mardin? Did I hear that right?"
"Yes… unfortunately," they said, shaking their heads. "He kidnapped her, and now that entire tribe is after them. If they find them, they'll definitely kill them. Because Hafize was engaged to someone else—but she loved our brother, and they ran away together."
After hearing this, my mother completely lost control and continued crying hysterically. My father shouted, "Shut up, woman! Enough of your wailing!"
"Oh, where will I go, what will I do? They will kill my son, spill my brave boy's blood!" she cried.
I wanted to cover my ears just to escape her screams. Then I turned to my father.
"Dad, what's going to happen now? What if they find them? What if they don't?"
As always, he snapped, "How would I know? Am I a fortune teller? That idiot, that bastard, he's ruined us," he muttered, storming out of the house.
I sat beside my mother, and we all cried together. It wasn't hard to guess that the outcome would be terrible. The Koroğlu tribe was the most powerful in these lands—we knew how strong, how ruthless, how dangerous they were. Not knowing what would happen to us, we just sat and waited.
That evening, Berra and I prepared something to eat and set the table. We went to my mother and asked her to join us, but she said, "I won't eat anything, you eat," and wanted to lie down. We stood at her bedroom door, insisting.
"Mom, please come. I don't want you to starve yourself because of my brother's mistake," I said.
"I said no! Get out!" she shouted.
I gestured to Berra to leave, then followed and closed the door. There was nothing else we could do—we would eat together. We didn't have to pay the price for Kemal's mistake… at least, that's what I thought.
Kemal hadn't studied; he worked in a workshop. But I had studied day and night and taken that exam. Berra was doing the same, and I was helping her. Summer break was beginning, and every summer we worked together. During the day, we worked at my father's thread shop, while he spent his time at the coffeehouse.
Working wasn't shameful to me. Even if I didn't get into university, it wouldn't be the end of the world—I would find a job and work. In fact, I knew how important it was for a person—especially a woman—to have a profession, to have what people call "a golden bracelet on her arm." But I couldn't explain that to everyone.
As Berra and I sat eating, we talked about Kemal and Hafize.
"I had no idea they had something between them," I said.
"Me neither," Berra replied.
"Then it can't have been a long relationship," I said.
"I don't know," she said, then added after thinking, "Actually, I noticed him talking to someone from time to time."
We shared a room, while our parents slept in another, and Kemal slept in the living room. Berra said that when she got up at night, she had seen him either talking on the phone or texting someone.
"Since when?" I asked.
"In spring… maybe three months ago."
"Then it probably wasn't that long."
"I don't know," she said. "They might have been meeting somewhere we couldn't see. Oh—wait! I just remembered something." Her expression lit up. "Remember when we sent boxes of lace? It was for Hafize Koroğlu's engagement."
I nodded slowly. "Yes, I remember. They bought a lot of lace from us for her dowry. I didn't know she was engaged at the time… but I helped prepare them."
"And Kemal delivered everything there," she said. "Maybe that's when they met? But still… how? They don't even let the girl leave the house. How did they run away? I'm so curious."
"I'm more curious about what will happen to them," I said. "These people are dangerous… I just pray nothing terrible happens."
While we were talking, the door was suddenly pounded on. We jumped up in alarm. I gestured for Berra to stay back. "Wait, I'll open it," I said and walked to the door.
When I opened it, I stepped aside—and saw my father. He was breathing heavily. For a moment, I thought the Koroğlu tribe had come, but I knew it was only a matter of time.
He walked into the living room, saw the table set and us eating, and exploded with anger.
"What are you doing? Sitting here eating as if nothing happened? Eat poison, why don't you!" he shouted.
Berra lowered her head in embarrassment. I looked at him from beneath my furrowed brows and followed him into the room.
"What should we do, Dad? Starve because my brother kidnapped a girl? I went to the exam early this morning, it's already evening, and I was just about to eat my first bite—and now you're here," I said calmly, without disrespect.
Still, he turned and slapped me hard across the face.
I held my cheek and looked back at him.
"What did I say that deserved that?" I asked. "Don't punish us for my brother's mistake."
"Look at her, still talking," he growled. "Go call your mother."
I took a deep breath, my face stinging, and went to my mother's room. She was still crying.
"Mom, Dad is here. He's calling you," I said.
She immediately got up, thinking there must be news, and hurried to the living room. I stayed behind for a moment, trying to compose myself.
When I entered the room, Berra was sitting at the table but not eating. I gestured for her to eat, and she timidly tore a piece of bread and dipped it into the soup.
Then I heard my parents talking.
"Is there any news?" my mother asked.
"The steward of the Koroğlu tribe came to see me," my father said.
My heart skipped.
"What did he say?"
"What else? 'Find your son and bring our girl back—or terrible things will happen.' The girl is engaged, and that bastard kidnapped her… of course they're right. If I were them, I'd go mad too."
Just then, we heard cars outside. Then voices from the garden.
We all froze.
The door was kicked open, and armed men stormed inside.
I immediately pulled Berra behind me.
They surrounded us—guns in their hands. My heart pounded. I felt like they were about to execute us. I didn't even think about myself anymore—not even my parents. I only wanted to protect Berra.
Then the men parted.
A man stepped forward.
Young—but with a mature, commanding presence. He wore a black shirt, dark trousers, polished shoes. He was tall, broad-shouldered, muscular. His wheat-toned skin glowed slightly. Dark hair, sharp brows, a slightly curved nose, full lips, and stubble gave him a terrifying aura.
But behind his gray eyes… there was something unreadable.
Fırat Koroğlu.
I had seen him from afar before.
His gaze swept over all of us… then settled on my father.
"Where is your son?" he asked coldly.
My father trembled. "I swear I don't know… If I knew, wouldn't I bring him to you myself?"
"He kidnapped my sister. My engaged sister. You know that, don't you?"
"I know…" my father whispered.
"Call him. Tell him to bring her back. Otherwise, I will execute his family. I will burn this house with all of you inside."
My father immediately called Kemal.
No answer.
Then the phone was turned off.
"What can I do?" my father said helplessly.
Fırat thought for a moment.
"The outcome is clear," he said.
Everyone was trembling.
"There are two options," he continued. "Since your son disgraced us, I should kill your entire family."
My blood ran cold.
"The second option?" my father asked desperately.
Fırat pulled out his gun… and pointed it toward me and Berra.
Berra clung to me, trembling.
I stepped forward.
"Take my life," I said. "But don't touch my sister."
He looked at me.
"No," he said. "Too rebellious. I need someone obedient. Someone who can take care of my child."
"How old is she?" he asked, pointing at Berra.
"Seventeen," my father said eagerly.
"No, she can't—" I protested.
"And the other one?" he asked, ignoring me.
"Eighteen."
"I'll take one of them," Fırat said.
My blood froze.
My father didn't hesitate.
"Take the older one. She's capable. She runs the shop, the house… she's of age."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Dad… what are you saying?" I whispered.
Fırat stepped closer.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Zerda."
He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward.
"I'm taking your daughter in exchange for your son," he said.
"This blood can only be cleansed through berdel.
In exchange for your son's life… I'm taking your daughter."