Black Heart

She woke up with her mind spinning, and intense pain in her head made her feeble, rendering her unable to get up for a while. She struggled to recollect what had happened to her that left her in such a state, and suddenly it hit her that she had been drugged. She tried to regain control over her thoughts, and she remembered the last thing before slipping into unconsciousness: a strange image of a man.

With a sudden jolt, she sat up straight, overcome by an ominous sensation of violation and the haunting possibility of being recorded Her hands trembled with fear as she tried to check for any signs of assault, but the intense pain left her unable to sense anything else. Overwhelmed by fear and distress, tears streamed down her cheeks once more, and she slipped back into unconsciousness.

Upon regaining consciousness again, she felt the presence of someone in the room. Opening her eyes, she saw those three men standing at a distance, conversing among themselves. She gathered her strength, adjusted her clothes, and sat down, while the men addressed her with mocking questions about her sleep, making fun of her misery. Instead of answering, she bravely asked her own questions. "Did you contact my parents for ransom money? And how long do I have to stay here?"

The boss humorously replied, "Who told you we took you for ransom?" and laughed. Then, in response to her second question, he added, "Yes, how long do you have to stay? Hmm... until your soul dies."

Hearing their response sent a chilling wave of terror through her, as she realized this was no ordinary kidnapping, and she was trapped in a nightmarish situation. One of the men placed a tray aside and asked her to eat. In defiance, she questioned, "If you want to kill me, then why bother feeding me?"

The boss retorted, "Who told you we want to kill you? You said it yourself. Nope, let me correct you. I said your soul has to perish, isn't that the same?" The girl replied, "Nope, absolutely not." The boss ominously stated, "You will know soon."

When they departed from the room, she remained motionless, engulfed in trepidation as her most dreaded apprehension loomed on the horizon. What could it signify that her very soul had to face demise? These words harked back to a poignant flashback, where she confided in her friends about her profound belief in soulmates. She eloquently described an ethereal connection, a fusion of souls, she felt with a man who seemed destined for her.

"Oh, that's an unexpected revelation," Sara exclaimed. However, the girl resolutely asserted, "Indeed, I ardently believe in soulmates, yearning for this serendipitous encounter my entire life." Sara inquired further, seeking insight into her perception, "How can you ascertain that he is your soulmate?" The girl grappled with expressing the ineffable, "I struggle to articulate it precisely, but gazing upon him fills me with an inner serenity, a tranquility that pervades my entire being. He is an unassuming man, unadorned by an extravagant background, yet he exudes a magnetic charm that ensnares one's senses, casting an unyielding enchantment."

She elaborated on the congruence of their interests, a shared love for nature and nurturing the earth by planting trees. He evinced scant materialistic pursuits, fully devoted to his profession as a diligent civil engineer. Moreover, she observed how he prioritized her, listening to her attentively for hours on end. She was convinced that their auras harmonized seamlessly.

Sara probed further about their current status, and the girl hesitated momentarily, "I have yet to apprise my parents of this enthralling connection. They have arranged a prospective match for me, but I intend to extricate myself from it subtly. Once the turbulence subsides, I shall unveil him to my family."

Sara entreated to see a glimpse of his countenance, and upon beholding his visage, she exclaimed, "Goodness gracious, he possesses a striking handsomeness, and your companionship seems a harmonious blend." The trio indulged in laughter, exchanging jovial musings.

As she opened her eyes, all those joyful moments seemed to have dissipated into thin air, as if they never existed. In desperation, she called out his name, "Hidr, where are you? Please find me." Her mind delved into thoughts of how her parents were handling the situation and how worried they must be for her safety.

Her father, Baba Jamal, worked as a banker at an Istanbul bank and hailed from an upper-middle-class family. He lived with his wife, two daughters, and one son. Her brother, Zaheeb, had a respectable position in a company, utilizing his MBA degree. He was a decent man, happily married to his university friend and blessed with two children. On the other hand, her sister pursued a degree in fashion at the university, while she herself held a degree in architecture and worked as a junior architect in Istanbul. Her life was characterized by simplicity and love, and she was regarded as the sweetest and most lovable member of the family.

The family's status was considered upper-middle-class, but their values were deeply rooted in togetherness, forming a closely-knit, family-oriented joint family.

She held the tray and examined its contents—a piece of loaf, an omelet, butter, and cheese. Those words echoed in her mind, "Your soul had to be perished." She pushed the tray away and remained seated, lost in a train of thought, grappling with who they were and what they desired from her. She recalled the image she saw last night and realized that the person who spoke to her initially was not the same as the boss, indicating the possibility of a true mastermind behind the scenes.

She remembered the man who came to watch her while she ate the drugged food. How did he know she had eaten it? A sudden realization struck her—he must have been monitoring her all along, and there had to be a hidden camera somewhere in the room. She stood up, trying to scan every corner, but the room was dimly lit, the windows sealed with paper, blocking the sunlight. Only a solitary hanging light cast a faint golden glow. She continued searching, convinced there was a camera, but its location eluded her.

She returned to her spot, knowing that without her glasses, finding the camera would be impossible. She stared at the door in front of her and attempted to unlock it, only to discover it was firmly bolted. Then, she noticed something stuck in the door handle, perfectly positioned to capture her sitting area. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the camera she had been seeking.

With determination in her voice, she addressed her captor, "You might think I am blind without my glasses, but you forget, I am not brain dead. I know you are watching me. I want to know why I am here, who you are, and what you want if not money. If you intend to kill me, just get it over with. Keeping me here will not serve your purpose, especially if you're considering organ trafficking. My drugged state would damage my organs, rendering them useless. Furthermore, know this for certain—I recognize you. You stand at 5'10" and possess a slender build. You are well-acquainted with me."

As she ceased speaking, the only light illuminating the room went off, plunging her into complete darkness. She was now more visually impaired than ever. She crawled back to her spot, grappling with the uncertainty of her captor's intentions.

She sat motionless as there was nothing to be seen pitch dark Then she heard something crawling on her feet. She let out a shrill scream and stood frozen in fear. Frantically, she began to plead, "Turn on the light! I can't see anything, and I'm terrified!" Despite her desperate screams, nobody seemed to heed her. She kept on yelling until her throat became swollen. Slowly, she moved towards the window, where a faint glimmer of light seeped inside. She sat near the window and recited every prayer she could remember, finding solace in the act. Eventually, a sense of serenity enveloped her, lulling her into slumber.

When she woke up, the lights were on, and a curator holding a tray approached her. She forcefully pushed the tray away, declaring that she had no desire to eat. Ignoring her, the man left the room. Later, all three men barged into the room, seizing her with their hands and attempting to inject her with something. She fought back with all her strength, but they managed to administer the injection, leaving her paralyzed. As she struggled to regain control, the man whom she perceived as the mastermind placed a chair in front of her and questioned why she was so unyielding. He claimed to hold her lifeline and demanded her compliance. She pleaded with him to release her, asserting her innocence and harmlessness, with no enemies to speak of. The man responded, acknowledging that she wasn't his enemy but rather his subject, and she must obey if she wished to escape. He insisted that the food he had sent her earlier was not drugged, but he had drugged her before, intending to observe her.

As the man prepared to leave, he casually confirmed that he had raped her that night, revealing that it was the reason she found herself trapped there. With that unsettling revelation, she closed her eyes, and the man departed.