BLACKSOUL

ch 4 : Respite

9:43 AM

As Demir and Çelik stepped out of the manor, the crisp air, tinged with the scent of winter wind, enveloped them. Their mother's and uncle's hugs lingered in memory as they bid their goodbyes. The sight of David's sleek car waiting for them outside the manor surprised the twins; they had assumed he was escorted there.

"Since when did you start driving?" Demir posed a question as he examined the car, slightly spanking his hand on the trunk.

"It's been a few months since my dad urged me to got a driving licence for emergency cases. But this is the best thing that ever happened to me." He smiles as he watches Çelik check the inside of the car.

"This is a precious Buick Electra, imported from the USA." He smirks as he sits down gently inside the car. "Don't play around with the accessories, and don't stain the seats." David urges as he watches Çelik fiddle with the rearview mirror of the car.

Demir settled into the front seat beside David, while Çelik found himself alone in the back, surrounded by his backpack loaded with their important belongings. The engine hummed to life as they embarked on their journey.

The silence was soon cut off as David decided to start a conversation about the conditions Aysun had imposed upon the twins.

"Were you not expecting Miss Aysun to be that severe? Will you actually abide by these rules?" Demir shrugs and tilts his head to see David. He couldn't dispute that he isn't used to it, but he was clearly irritated about how the regulations were tying them down.

"Well, what are our options? She is the owner of the manor and our grandmother. And now it will only be a matter of muscle memory to adhere to the rules she outlined for us." With his hand busy drawing weird things on the notebook pages, Çelik answers from behind. "Maybe someday the rules will slowly lift off, one by one." Demir stammers.

Aysun's orders forced them to stay out of drama, not take any decisions alone, or perform without permission, but what seemed to piss Demir off was particularly the strict rule forbidding them from engaging with women. Demir's brow furrowed in frustration, grappling with the weight of their mother's expectations, while Çelik remained pensive, his gaze drifting out the window as the scenery blurred past. The implications of such rules began to settle heavily upon them, casting a shadow over the joviality of their departure.

Although the trip from Istanbul to Ankara wasn't short, Sanford's property in Bilecik was fortunately situated halfway between the two cities. Çelik utilised the few petrol stops as an opportunity to browse convenience stores and get some roadside munchies. David was accompanied by Demir, while Çelik spent nearly all of his pocket money on a variety of chocolates and potato chips.

12:13 PM 

The twins are welcomed by the new city's winds as they step outside the automobile upon arriving at their destination. As they observed the modest but well-preserved home of the well-known acrobat, it was unfamiliar to them.

"Hold the luggage." Çelik urges Demir as he hands him the huge suitcase.

"This wasn't so heavy before," Demir remarks, suddenly getting enraged with Çelik and realising that he might have packed some of his purchases inside. Çelik strolls beside David, grinning naively.

Using his key, David opens the front door and lets himself in. Awestruck, Çelik enters first and surveys his surroundings.

Çelik surveys the area and remarks, "It's such a small place,"