Chapter 33 - Fragments #2 - DreamEndExplosion

"I need a bag, quick! He's losing blood!" a surgeon yelled at the nurse in frustration.

Not too long ago, a heinous man-made tragedy took place at the central town, producing hundreds of patients who were in need of emergency help.

The situation of Anadolu National Hospital was chaotic. All available beds were listed as operational. Nurses running everywhere to supply necessary utensils to the surgeons.

The mixed smell of disinfectants, medicines and blood filled the air with a suffocating horrid stench. The injured and their relatives wailed in unison, creating the perfect symphony of despair.

Within the chaos, a man clad in military camo uniform was walking by the makeshift operation cubicles. The atmosphere didn't seem to bother him at all. He had a stern, stolid and emotionless expression glued to his face. Any normal human being would be easily disturbed by that scene; some would even get nauseated. However that was never enough to move than man's war hardened heart. The fact is, he had seen the same scenario countless times before, it simply didn't get to him anymore.

"Major Kazim..." suddenly a voice called out to that man. Kazim turned around to see a young figure standing outside one of the cubicles in disciplined posture. The young man was wearing the same uniform as him. Judging by the badges on his shoulder, he was nothing more than a Sargent. He had a rifle on his back and a pistol on the left side of his waist.

"Major Kazim... They're here." the man informed.

Kazim nodded as he went to see inside the cubicle. The young soldier accompanied his superior inside.

"A man and a young woman. They were within the range of casualties during the operation, sir."

"Where are the children?" Kazim

"There they are." The Sargent pointed towards the bed. Two small figures were lying on a bed together. A girl and a boy. The girl was heavily wounded and multiple layers of bandages were all over her body. The boy next to her, seemingly older than her. He seemed to have a head injury. A puddle of blood was seeping out from his heavily bandaged forehead.

"The two of the dead were married to each other. They were keeping these kids at the back. When the explosion went off, the wall collapsed on them."

Kazim looked at the children again. Both of them looked back at the major with blank expressions. There was no hint of pain, no emotion nor sadness. They were like empty shells.

"They look terrible."

After witnessing the results, Kazim felt a bit sad (a small grain of it). Had they been successful at handling the incident more efficiently, this could've been avoided. The anonymous tip they'd received about [Headhunter]'s location didn't include the woman and their children. It was supposed to be a simple infiltrate and capture operation. Bombs were set up as an emergency measure in the case of extreme situations. They weren't supposed to detonate that early.

However, whether it was lack of info, or defective explosives, or intentional set-up; they didn't matter anymore. What was done was already done and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Their faces look similar. Are they twins?"

"No, sir. They are only identical. The younger sibling's name is Elize Bayraktar. She's only nine years old. Two years younger than her brother. As you can see, she was the one who suffered the most injuries." Sargent pointed towards the gurl.

"And what about her brother? What's his name?" Major Kazim pointed at the boy.

"Levent Bayraktar. Eleven years old. Even though it seems like he's comparatively less injured, he had actually sustained a fatal head injury from the collapse. It is a miracle that he's breathing right now."

Kazim looked at the boy's tightly done bloody bandage. Even from outside it seemed excruciating.

What baffled Kazim the most was the fact that both of them looked like they were seven at best. The both lost their parents, they sustained excruciating injuries. Yet, they remained calm, not even flinching despite experiencing intolerable pain.

"I've seen enough."

Kazim closed his eyes and turned away from the siblings and prompted to take his leave.

"Inform me of the institute where they would be transferred."

"Yes, sir."

Both the sargent and the major left the cubicle, leaving the siblings all by themselves.

•••••

Even though it was a cacophonous environment, for the siblings, everything became silent. There was an ongoing surgery right next to their cubicle. Yet they weren't hearing any of the blaring noises. It was as if they had become numb to all senses.

"Say, are we going to die?" Elize asked finally breaking their silence. Levent blankly stared at the ceiling.

"No." Levent replied nonchalantly.

"Then, if we don't die, we'll always be together." She turned to Levent.

"Hm.."

"Two candybars for two of us. Two beds for two of us."

"Okay."

"Haha... Double of everything, right?"

Levent turned around to see his sister. He noticed some blood sticking out of her right ear; she had lost one of her ears. But more importantly, if blood is coming out of her ear, then that means...

"Double of everything." Levent replied.

Elize revealed a gentle, bright smile. I was so dazzling, nothing could compare to the brightness that illuminated from her lips.

Levent turned his head towards the white ceiling of the hospital again.

White...

The color white summons a distant memory.

Something far in the back of his brain.

Something that was thought to be trivial.

Something far more important than trivial.

At that moment he remembered all the fun memories they had.

The moment when they had their first swimming lesson.

The moment when they had their first visit to an amusement park.

The moment when he had to accompany Elize as she started school.

The moments when the two of  them used to play in a nearby forest.

So many precious memories. All of them were meaningful. Every single one of them was important to him.

Soon to be forgotten due to the passage of time.

"Levent." Elize called out her brother.

"Hm?" Levent replied.

"If we die, then let's die together."

.....

"Okay."

"Close your eyes."

Levent closed his eyes. "I did"

"Let's not open them again."

"Okay."

Both of them close their eyes. Elize grabbed her brother's arm strongly. Levent wanted to open his eyes, but didn't do that as it was forbidden..

"Hold my hand tightly."

"Hmm."

Levent strengthened the grip of his arm.

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"Let's meet again in the afterlife, brother."