Chapter 18
The familiar strangers
Dark, light, dark, light, dark…
I wink my eyelids repeatedly and look over there carefully. Then I realize that the ceiling seems to me this way. Some pale white parts still can be seen on it. When some dust fall on my face from the ceiling, I realize that I am drowzy. I get up and sit, then empty the dust out of my mouth clumsily. Luckily, I closed my eyes in time but not about my mouth. I wipe my face up with my sleeve and look around.
Vorarin stares at me like the confounded people and doesn’t move at all. He is still under the blanket and is slightly languid. Maybe he woke up because of my sudden movement. When everything seems calm to him, he backs into the blanket again and closes his eyes.
It is still cold and makes me tremble a little, but an angular light has illuminated inside the room. No sound can be heard. The incoming light through the windows and the walls, shows the floating dust particles in the air. They move slowly. I push the blanket aside and stand up with the help of the wall. Then I shake dust off my clothes to make it clean.
Hearing the sound of insignia, I read the message on its screen. I am asked to register my presence. I begin to do this and put my finger on the scanner and my eyes in front of it. When I finish, put it on its place and suddenly my eyes meet Kidaton who lied by the wall. I don’t know why I didn’t see him. His left hand is on his head and he is drawing an imaginary figures in the air. Once in a while, he shakes his leg which he put it over the other one. I don’t want to disturb him, but it is the best chance to give him the letter. I take the letter out of my knapsack and go to him. His eyes are closed and although he heard my footsteps, pays no attention to me.
Sorry…
His hand freezes in the air and then lands on his body. He opens his eyes and after a pause close them again. I consider it as his permission, so I say:
I have a letter from Karisan for you.
I hold the letter toward him and wait. Without opening his eyes, he reaches out his hand and takes the letter. Then he tears the edge of the envelope with his teeth, pulls the letter out with his lips and become busy with reading.
I get out the room both to not to disturb him reading the letter and also give Nabidak his letter. The chair is empty. The window through it parkad was looking at outside now is covered by the debris. Almost nobody can see inside from the outside. The entrance door is half opened. I go toward the door and look outside through it. It seems to me the sun has come out from his shelter completely.
I tremble when sunlight touches my body. Sunlight, although languidly, fondles me. I open the door to see the town under the sunlight, but suddenly a voice stops me:
Watch up!
The sound of paper crumpling is heard and then a sudden silence falls over. I don’t need to reply and go out through the door. I guessed correctly, the sun is seen fully; it looks like a magic which has changed everything.
Although the town is still mournful and lifeless, its eerie state is reduced. Those wandering ghosts who were roving in the town, now have crept into their nests. Passing the night away, those possessed buildings now are just some ruins. Dawning of the day, has disappeared the fog of darkness and town is now out of its shell.
The skin of the town has kept its own color and everywhere is still seen gray. The world destruction can be seen easily under the sunshine. There is no intact building; all have collapsed and ruined. It seems they sank in silence since many years ago. As far as the eye can reach, there is no building higher than ten-story, but the extended iron beams up to the sky show that they were skyscrapers once upon a time.
No form of life can be seen here. The streets and the alleys are just the passageways and crossings for the wind. No sound can be heard but the sound of collapsing and falling walls which break the law of silence of many years.
My eyes look around to find something significant. Both Nabidak and Parkad are out of sight. Our group base is hidden behind a dam of houses. In this position the probability of being seen by the enemy is too low. For this reason, I go to the other side of the building and suddenly I see a broad street in which, like a crack in the ice, a big gap is seen.
I am at a distance of a building from the street, yet I can see its detail easily. Like a disemboweled stomach, all of its inner components are visible. Waste water pipes are like the broken bones. The channels containing wires are also visible. Like a mass grave, there are a number of cars into it. Their colors are faded and their body rusted. I can see a bus among them.
There is also a hole in the middle of an intersection in which a building has collapsed and joined to the dead buildings. All of a sudden, these signs remind me of something. I turn back and see the building in which the last night event occurred. It is exactly opposite of our base. Except for the first floor, all other floors are visible.
I am staring at there that suddenly I feel the presence of someone from behind. My muscles become constricted but I return spontaneously. I see Nabidak who aimed his gun at me. I can’t recognize the mood on his face because of the weakness which has engulfed my body. He lower his gun immediately and says:
You should be aware of all around. Is there any problem?
I shake my head and pull out the letter:
No, no problem. I just have a letter from Karisan for you.
He takes the letter in wonder and opens it immediately. At first, his eyes pass over the words slowly but then gradually they move more quickly on the letter. He seems worry and looks around, as if an oracle would come to help him.
Hasn’t Parkad returned yet?
At the same time, a shadow jumps down from the opposite building. Having this much motion is slightly more for his age. If anyone else were him, he would walk with the help of a cane or at least he would rest at home.
Let’s go in, we should begin the mission. We’ve not much time.
His tone is a little husky and formal, but a kind of affability can be seen in his face, or maybe it only seems to me. He creates a pleasant calmness in one’s heart. He enters the hideaway before us and sits on his own chair. Then he takes off his flask and drinks some water.
Soon after Kidaton sees us, he rises and wakes Vorarin up with a soft kick. Vorarin gets up immediately, goes toward his knapsack, pours some water on his face and then stands by me. He is a little dozy but his face is brighter than last night. Kidaton leans on a wall which is slanted and says:
Well, what’s up? How’s the situation?
Parkad drinks the last gulp and wipe off his mouth with his sleeve:
They’re everywhere innumerable. They took control of the situation, as I guessed. As far as it’s possible, we should not enter from the main door.
Nabidak also sits on the ruined wall and says thoughtfully:
Parkad, if we do this, they may suspect and we lose the chance of burying the town under the sands. They’ve time to be sure if they see us, then…
Kidaton uses Nabidak’s pause and continues:
Maybe we couldn’t do our mission and they find it before us.
Parkad confirms their words by closing his eyes, and says:
I know that its risk is high but it’s as dangerous as if we can’t find it. We should move and act prudently.
Suddenly I remember A-4 and A-5. I have forgotten them completely because of the recent happenings.
We still have two other people. I think our work would be easier with their help.
Parkad replies me just with a single look, opens his mouth to continue but suddenly the door opens and two men appear.
While lifting his eyebrows, Parkad rises from the chair and asks:
What’re you doing here?
The man who is one step ahead of the other one, says:
We had to leave there.
Then he moves aside for his coworker to come in and stand by him. Parkad asks him colly:
What for? What happened?
The first one, without any attention to me, maybe because Vorarin is in front of me and disturbs his sight, darts a quick look at Vorarin, puts their knapsacks in a corner, goes toward one of the empty chairs and sits:
Things went for the worse there. If we didn’t leave there, surely they would find us. They are searching there inch by inch.
Kidaton moves away from the wall, frowns and says:
Who?
The second man folds his arms and replies instead of the first one:
Except for the blue group, the reds also have entered. They work and help each other like brothers.
Nabidak places his elbows on his knees.
What do you mean?
The first man lifts his right eyebrow, unfold his arms and says:
They mind their own business and don’t disturb each other. It is like they don’t see each other. Each goes on his own way and they do their things.
His manner is so familiar to me. I have seen this too many times. I look at him carefully may I place him. He has a rather long beard and mustache, his shoulders are covered by his long hair. Although his beard shows him older than his age, when I look at the skin of his face and also his body, I realize that he is not older than twenty five or six. His eyes are absolutely black and his appearance and his hair seem disheveled. Dirt makes his hands seem coarse and all of his clothes are pallid. His face is very familiar but I can’t place him. I dart a look at his comrade, maybe I know this one. But he seems completely stranger to me. Nabidak gives a sneer and says:
God grant they remain this way to the end.
The first man adds:
You can see one blue or red soldier in each ten meters. However they struggled with each other several times, but they weren’t so serious. Just some shoots but no one killed. I think we should embark on and get it out of here and look for it before they find it.
Parkad sits on his chair again and, as if nothing happened, says calmly:
We were talking about it too.
So, what’s the decision?
Parkad relocates himself on the chair and lean on the backrest. Along with his movement, a groaning sound is heard from the chair. Then he strokes his beard and says:
They’re everywhere. We can’t enter through the main door. We should come in via the secret path, unless we would be in a big trouble.
Well, what’s the plan now? What should we do?
Parkad says to Nabidak:
We’re large in number so we can’t move together. We should divide in four groups.
Everybody listens to Parkad in silence.
We’ll keep our eyes on the region to consider the situation. Don’t embark on any adventure unless you ensured.
Nabidak and Kidaton and those two men listen to these recommendations without enthusiasm; Vorarin and I are parkad’s interlocutors.
There’re three entrances. We should be ensured of all. They may be blocked. We shouldn’t waste time.
He reaches out his hand to his knapsack and pulls a map out of it. Then he contemplates on it for a while and places it into the knapsack again and says:
Zairas and I will enter through the medial way. You two, get in via the last one. Vorarin and Nabidak, you stay by the first entrance and stand guaurd.
He points at those two stranger with his eyebrows.
Kidaton knows his job too. We should start just now.
All of a sudden my eyes meet the first stranger who stares at me. He struggles with himself and the state of his face changes. I also feel something special. He seems more familiar to me momentarily. Suddenly he skips and runs to me. I even haven’t chance to wonder. He embraces me and holds me tight in his arms.
Damned, what’re you doing here, man?
Then he releases me from his arms and looks at my face enthusiastically. His face hasn’t changed at all and he just become manlier, so that if he shaves his beard maybe no change would be seen.
Saidan, what’re you doing here?
With an ineffable happiness, he says:
Time changes our destiny, and I wasn’t an exception too. You didn’t say that what’re you doing here?
I need your help.
When I come to myself, I realize my sound trills. I can’t believe that Saidan, my best friend, is standing in front me. I thank god continuously by my heart. Karisan was right. Probably Saidan knows where Mansidan is. Parkad rises from the chair without noticing us and puts his knapsack in the room.
Leave this conversation for later. Zairas and you Vorarin, come here.
There are three guns on the table. He places one of them under his waistband, and gives Vorarin the other one. I don’t want leave Saidan. I have borne all of these difficulties just to see him. But he pushes me with his hands. Nabidak checks his gun to be sure that it works and is charged.
We’ve much time to chat, fellow.
He says that when he sees me going toward Saidan.
I should talk with you.
Saidan’s friend approaches me with the steady steps and stops in front me with a smile:
Have you forgotten your old friends?
Is it you Brasen? You…you? What’s going on here? Why? Why…?
I had never experienced this much distrust to my eyes. I feel I’m in the vacuity. He opens his arms and sinks me in his embrace.
I owe you an apology, for I left you alone. Forgive me…
I get out of his arms without any attention to his words and just stare at him and Saidan. They only smile at me dazedly.
Hey, cut it out. You’ll see each other again. Leave it for another time, and put your knapsacks here.
Nabidak says this, as he takes his knapsack into the room.
An anxiety has aroused in my heart. I don’t believe that I am standing by Saidan and Brasen. I never thought I meet them again. Those five fellows check their equipment and get ready to go. Kidaton gets out sooner than others, but it seems that Parkad and Nabidak aren’t in hurry; Parkad is searching into his knapsack and Nabidak is examining his gun.
Remember that whenever you find yourself in danger, do fire. Yet try no one be aware of our presence, but don’t hesitate to shoot.
Parkad confirms Nabidak and says:
Our mission is not kidding and may anything happens. You may lose your life but you should do your job. If you’re afraid, you can leave the group just now.
They say such a word just for us. Then Parkad stops searching and says:
Yeah, I found them. Turn off your insignia.
Then he throws two wireless sets toward us:
Simply enough you press its button.
Parkad fastens his gun around his waist and says after a deep breath:
I’m ready.