The room was silent except for the soft patter of rain against the window.
Feriha sat, her hands clenched in her lap. Eric was close, ready to protect her, but silent, knowing this was Ravihan's story to tell. 🤐
Ravihan inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment.
"That night," he began, "I thought I was too late." 🔉
He could still see it, as clearly as if it were happening now.
The smoke in the small house… the cries of a young girl… the shadow of the intruders.
"You were twelve," he said softly to Feriha.
"And your little sister… just five, wearing that blue ribbon." 💠
Eric's eyes widened, recognizing the significance of her small hands, her tiny cries. 😔
"I carried you outside first," Ravihan continued.
"You were unconscious. Your fingers twitched, calling out for her. I held you in my arms, begging the smoke to leave your lungs. I kept you warm until help arrived."
He swallowed, his throat tight.
"But when I went back inside…"
His fists clenched at the memory. 🧠
"She was gone. Taken by someone I never thought could move so quietly;Selene, a child trained by the Circles Gang. She appeared from the shadows, a thin girl with eyes too empty for her age, holding your sister as if claiming a prize."
Feriha's hands flew to her mouth.
Eric's jaw tightened. 😬
"I chased her," Ravihan said, voice low but firm.
"I screamed. I begged. But the van was already gone. They vanished into the night… and I couldn't stop them." 🚫
He turned to Feriha.
"You were safe, but she… your sister… she was taken away. I couldn't save her. That memory has haunted me every day since. And every choice I make now is to correct what I failed to do that night."
Ravihan's eyes softened, almost breaking.
"You both need to know the truth before we go any further.
Selin isn't just a name in the past,she is the reason your sister is alive… and why everything now is coming back to haunt us." 😐