“…when the season of exhausting summer has finished, is the right time for men to sail. You will not wreck your ship, nor will the sea bring death to the sailors…At that time the winds are steady and the sea is harmless. Then free from care, trust the winds, and haul your swift ship to the sea...” --Hesiod
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The Escape
Nuray had never felt such speed accompany her. Surely, she thought, Hermes himself must have taken possession of her feet. With the wind pushing from behind her, a sudden chill surged through her body. Numb, she was unable to determine whether the sensation was from fear, or the cold night air.
In the distance, Nuray saw a group of people on the beach. It must be Melek and her friends, she thought. She was grateful for their distance, and sure that they were too busy flirting to notice a dark figure in the distance.
Slipping behind a large bolder, Nuray reached deep into the sand for a small bag of personal belongings and food that she had buried earlier. She dusted the sand from the bag and fastened it to her, making certain that her arrow was still secure as well. Placing the bow across her body, she cautiously climbed the rocks down to the shore.
Melek’s father kept his fishing boat beached on the north shore. In a few short hours, he would be heading toward the beach to launch his vessel for the first catch of the day. Nuray’s imagination created the sensation of her uncle’s presence and his breath wafting down the back of her neck. She quickly looked over her shoulder to assure herself that it was nothing more than her fears. With her hands trembling, she quickly untied the rope and with a gentle push, the boat was set in motion. Nuray leaped aboard, steadied her balance, and collapsed with exhaustion as the watercraft began to drift out to sea.
*****************
“Nuray, awake!”
The first rays of the morning sun warmed Nuray’s face. Stretching to her full length, she slowly opened her eyes. Her muscles, stiff from sleeping on the rigid surface, reminded her of where she was and the events that had led to this moment. The ocean was glassy and the sun’s rays bounced off the surface, leaving blind spots in her vision.
Nuray untied her sash, removing the bag and arrow. Dried blood covered the head and lower shaft of the weapon. She shivered as the realization of what she had done began to enfold her. Dipping the arrow into the cool water, she swished it around. Tapping it against the side of the boat to shake off the excess water, Nuray felt droplets splash onto her face. She carefully placed the arrow on the bottom of the boat to dry.
She remembered the voice that had woken her. That was the same voice that called to me outside Hakan’s palace, she recalled. “Who are you?” she asked, searching in all directions. “Are you there?” There was no answer. Nuray could see that nothing but water surrounded her. She was alone, drifting.
Nuray reached for the oars and inserted them into the brackets on the sides of the boat. She positioned the boat away from the morning sun and stroked the water. She had drifted for hours and without a landmark of any kind, it was difficult to know how far from land she was.
Splash! Nuray searched in the direction of the sound, but all she could see were rings upon the surface of the water. She stopped rowing and waited. Splash! The fish were beginning to feed. On the boat, her uncle kept a hand-woven fishing net with a long wooden handle. Nuray reached for the net and slowly lowered it into the water. Extending it as far away from her body as the handle would reach, she dragged it slowly, in a back and forth motion, over and over again. Switching the net to the other side of the boat, she repeated her action.
Nuray felt movement. She quickly flicked her wrist to secure the capture, and lifted the net out of the water. She steadied the snare while the fish fought to escape. Placing the net on the bottom of the boat, it continued to fight within the trap until all energy had been expelled. Nuray retrieved a small rope from her bag and inserted it into the gill. Tying it to a cleat on the side of the boat, she slipped the fish into the water where it would stay fresh until she needed to eat her catch
Nuray pulled out a piece of flatbread from her bag and nibbled on it more for strength than out of hunger. It was important that she find land before dusk. She picked up the oars again.
Nuray was growing weary. Her arms were fatigued from rowing. The sun was now high in the sky and her lips were parched. She pulled the oars into the boat and allowed her shoulders and arms to drop. She felt them vibrating from exhaustion.
In her bag, she searched for a small jug and removed the cork. Being careful not to drink too much too quickly, she took small sips of the grape juice until she was saturated enough to feel the moisture soothe her throat and cool her stomach. Resting briefly, she lifted the jug to her lips again. As her head tilted back and her eyes began to lower, Nuray noticed land in the distance. Pulling her body erect, she felt a resurgence of energy. She capped the jug with the cork and placed it back into the bag.
Another ‘splash’, and then another. Nuray was startled by the whistling and cracking of a small group of dolphins circling her boat. Her father had often told her that dolphins were a good omen to fishermen and sailors. She was comforted by their appearance and felt reassured that she was heading in the right direction.
She inserted the oars back into their brackets and rowed with all her strength, going over and over in her mind the story that she had created about her life. She had to protect not only herself, but her family.
In the distance, Nuray saw a group of people on the beach. It must be Melek and her friends, she thought. She was grateful for their distance, and sure that they were too busy flirting to notice a dark figure in the distance.
Slipping behind a large bolder, Nuray reached deep into the sand for a small bag of personal belongings and food that she had buried earlier. She dusted the sand from the bag and fastened it to her, making certain that her arrow was still secure as well. Placing the bow across her body, she cautiously climbed the rocks down to the shore.
Melek’s father kept his fishing boat beached on the north shore. In a few short hours, he would be heading toward the beach to launch his vessel for the first catch of the day. Nuray’s imagination created the sensation of her uncle’s presence and his breath wafting down the back of her neck. She quickly looked over her shoulder to assure herself that it was nothing more than her fears. With her hands trembling, she quickly untied the rope and with a gentle push, the boat was set in motion. Nuray leaped aboard, steadied her balance, and collapsed with exhaustion as the watercraft began to drift out to sea.
*****************
“Nuray, awake!”
The first rays of the morning sun warmed Nuray’s face. Stretching to her full length, she slowly opened her eyes. Her muscles, stiff from sleeping on the rigid surface, reminded her of where she was and the events that had led to this moment. The ocean was glassy and the sun’s rays bounced off the surface, leaving blind spots in her vision.
Nuray untied her sash, removing the bag and arrow. Dried blood covered the head and lower shaft of the weapon. She shivered as the realization of what she had done began to enfold her. Dipping the arrow into the cool water, she swished it around. Tapping it against the side of the boat to shake off the excess water, Nuray felt droplets splash onto her face. She carefully placed the arrow on the bottom of the boat to dry.
She remembered the voice that had woken her. That was the same voice that called to me outside Hakan’s palace, she recalled. “Who are you?” she asked, searching in all directions. “Are you there?” There was no answer. Nuray could see that nothing but water surrounded her. She was alone, drifting.
Nuray reached for the oars and inserted them into the brackets on the sides of the boat. She positioned the boat away from the morning sun and stroked the water. She had drifted for hours and without a landmark of any kind, it was difficult to know how far from land she was.
Splash! Nuray searched in the direction of the sound, but all she could see were rings upon the surface of the water. She stopped rowing and waited. Splash! The fish were beginning to feed. On the boat, her uncle kept a hand-woven fishing net with a long wooden handle. Nuray reached for the net and slowly lowered it into the water. Extending it as far away from her body as the handle would reach, she dragged it slowly, in a back and forth motion, over and over again. Switching the net to the other side of the boat, she repeated her action.
Nuray felt movement. She quickly flicked her wrist to secure the capture, and lifted the net out of the water. She steadied the snare while the fish fought to escape. Placing the net on the bottom of the boat, it continued to fight within the trap until all energy had been expelled. Nuray retrieved a small rope from her bag and inserted it into the gill. Tying it to a cleat on the side of the boat, she slipped the fish into the water where it would stay fresh until she needed to eat her catch
Nuray pulled out a piece of flatbread from her bag and nibbled on it more for strength than out of hunger. It was important that she find land before dusk. She picked up the oars again.
Nuray was growing weary. Her arms were fatigued from rowing. The sun was now high in the sky and her lips were parched. She pulled the oars into the boat and allowed her shoulders and arms to drop. She felt them vibrating from exhaustion.
In her bag, she searched for a small jug and removed the cork. Being careful not to drink too much too quickly, she took small sips of the grape juice until she was saturated enough to feel the moisture soothe her throat and cool her stomach. Resting briefly, she lifted the jug to her lips again. As her head tilted back and her eyes began to lower, Nuray noticed land in the distance. Pulling her body erect, she felt a resurgence of energy. She capped the jug with the cork and placed it back into the bag.
Another ‘splash’, and then another. Nuray was startled by the whistling and cracking of a small group of dolphins circling her boat. Her father had often told her that dolphins were a good omen to fishermen and sailors. She was comforted by their appearance and felt reassured that she was heading in the right direction.
She inserted the oars back into their brackets and rowed with all her strength, going over and over in her mind the story that she had created about her life. She had to protect not only herself, but her family.
