Mermaids in Turkey

Chapter Fifteen

 The rest of the day she spent packing for her journey. 

There was a knock at the door, it was Selma who was still visibly distressed from the events earlier in the day. 

Her aunt wrung her hands on her apron "Where are you going Kızım?" her eyes scanning all of the camping gear that lay strewn about her room. 

"Im going to get our hotel back" she said as she continued to neatly organize her items in her backpack "and to prove that my grandfather didn't leave his family" 

Selma took a seat at the edge of her bed "You're more like your mother than you want to admit-stubborn as a mule" a nostalgic twinkle glimmered in her eyes "she stayed adamant until her death that something had happened to him she refused to believe the police report that he had abandoned us" 

"What do you believe?" 

She shrugged her shoulders, wiping the corner of her eye with her sleeve "It doesn't matter what I think, that was a long time ago..."  

Ayça looked up at the late afternoon sky it was clear except for one cloud that lazily flew by. She pulled the straps of her backpack firmly so that it rested snuggly against her back. Her new hiking boots were stiff and were already starting to rub the back of her ankles raw through her thick socks. 

Alps Porsche came roaring onto the gravel driveway, she quickened her pace ignoring the small boulder on her back that threatened to topple her over. 

"Sancak! Wait up!" the sound of rattling trailing in his wake as he came up beside her. He wore a backpack slightly larger than hers, expensive sunglasses covered his eyes. 

"Absolutely not!" she said as she planted her hands firmly on her hips ready to face off with him. 

"You can't be serious! Its dangerous for you to be off on your own especially with Namik roaming around...I saw how he looked at you" his voice trailed off. 

She shook her head as she continued on her way "I can take care of myself-" she paused before letting out a large groan. 

"Whats wrong?" 

"I forgot my water bottle, I must have left it on the counter-or maybe my room?" she rubbed her temple "Do you mind going to grab it for me?" 

"Wait here-don't move-I will be in and out" Alp slipped off his backpack and ran to fetch it for her. She waited until he was out of sight before she dashed off into the forest.  

Sucker. 

She had never explored this part of the island before, the trees were different than those near the coastline. Tall gnarled branches reaching up towards the heavens blocked most of the light. Their bodies intertwined together creating natures mesh while their barks were covered with thick moss carpets that felt springy under her fingertips.  As she snacked on her second protein bar she kept her gaze trained on the forest floor, she had already tripped once and she was lucky she didn't twist her ankle. The song of the birds changed with the migration of the sun until it was replaced with the chatter of crickets. The sky had taken on a rich crimson shade that was starting to darken at the margins, she needed to find a good place to camp for the night before it got dark. 

She settled on a clearing that had a large log in the center and was surrounded by trees and bushes. Remembering what she learned at camp all those years ago, she was able to build herself a toasty fire. She hung the old dented tea kettle she had swiped from the kitchen and settled back as she waited for the water to boil. Nibbling haphazardly on her third bar of the day that tasted of sawdust and not very much like the fudge bar that the packaging had promised.