by Tod Eten
‘But they might not even come at all!’ Gagan said.
‘Yes they may not come that is right Gagan’ Aya agreed. ‘But as I said I can only be your guide you must all chose whether you wish follow me or not! Now the hour is late and I think we should rest, in the morning you can decide what it is you wish to do’.
The next morning as was now the norm was another fine day and still deep in their own thoughts about what Aya had said the night before the companions made their way back to the minibus. Soon they were back on the seemingly still deserted highway heading for Romania. Aiden looked at Aya as she stared out of the window he still could not accept that this beautiful woman was what many people would have thought of as a goddess, despite what Aya had said to the contrary. But what was even harder for Aiden to understand was that this woman was thousands of years old. He like Oleska the night before felt he should be kneeling before her worshiping her in some way not just sitting beside her on a minibus. But then looking at her again all Aiden could see was a beautiful woman who looked his own age and who now looked very lonely and vulnerable. Without thinking Aiden took Aya's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Aya turned to look at him in surprise her deep dark green eyes held his for what seemed an eternity and she then squeezed his hand back and still holding his hand she rested her head against his shoulders and closed her eyes.
Murmured conversations continued through the minibus during the course of the journey until they finally stopped for lunch at a quite spot just off the main road still deep in the countryside. When they had climbed out of the minibus Aya told them she needed to stretch her legs and refusing any company made her way away from the group.
‘So what are we going to do’ Seth said once Aya was out of ear shot.
‘Can what she said be true?’ Ela said
‘She’s a goddess, I mean she said that she was a goddess’ Gagan added
‘No my friend I distinctly remember her telling us she was not a goddess’ Demitri corrected him.
‘Yes but if what she says is true then she must be a goddess’ Gagan persisted
‘The question of if she is or is not a goddess is not the correct question’ Long said quietly interrupting them, ‘the real question is should we follow her or not?’
‘Yes’ Elden nodded in agreement.
‘But is she telling the truth! Maybe she is just deluded’ Faith spluttered.
‘Why would she lie to us?’ Demitri said with open hands.
‘We must follow her’ Oleska said firmly.
‘What about those we have left behind we must warn them, we must save them!’ Faith demanded causing everyone to talk at once.
‘Please’ Aiden said over the noise, ‘please quiet everyone’ Aiden waited until they were all listening. ‘I have not known any of you, or Aya for that matter, for very long. But I know that I would trust you all no matter what. Now when I first met Aya I was sceptical about what she said and I must admit I assumed that there was a strong possibility that you were all mad! But all the things that she said would happen have happened. Now there is something else, Aya asked me not to tell any of you this but now I have to’ Aiden paused ‘That first night when we camped in the Black Forest I woke up early and heard noises coming from the woods which I followed. There I found Aya’ Aiden went on to tell them how he had first discovered Aya’s true identity and about the tiny Dryads that he had met. ‘But that is not all’ Aiden continued,’ you don’t have to take my word for it about whether Aya is telling the truth or not’ Aiden continued. ‘We have all seen what is happening in the world around us, things that Aya predicted would happen are happening right!’ Aiden looked around the group. ‘Also we all now know that the planet she told us about all those weeks ago is really out there. So I know that she has only told us the truth and as for being deluded’ Aiden said looking directly at Faith, ‘then I must be deluded too, no we all must all be deluded’ Aiden corrected. ‘So I believe she is telling the truth’ Aiden again paused waiting for someone to disagree with him which no one did. ‘So if she is telling the truth we have one option and one option only, which is to follow her and follow her closely and to thank which ever god we believe in that we have her on our side. As for going back to save the others Aya is right even if we had the time how many would believe us let alone follow us! More likely we will all be locked up as lunatics! As far as I am concerned I believe in her and I for one will be going with her’
‘Well said my friend’ Demitri said slapping Aiden on the back ‘we too believe’ Demitri said indicating Oleaska and Ela who both nodded their heads.
‘And my sisters and I ‘ Long nodded.
‘Yes’ Seth nodded ‘me to’ and the others nodded in agreement. Finally all eyes turned to Faith who looked at all of them and then looked at Aaron and finally with a sigh she said ‘Yes I do believe Aya, we will go as well, but I wish we could help the others’
‘We all do!’ Demitri said for all of them giving Faith a hug ‘we all do.’
Chapter 12 - When New Meets Old
As Aya had said that time was short they decided to continue their journey nonstop even travelling through the night. They did this by taking it in turns to drive the minibus and stopping only to stretch their legs and to have some food. The radio seldom worked now the interference getting steadily worse by the hour it seemed. From the little they did manage hear it sounded like things in the world were getting worse with rumours of a religious war now hitting the news. By now they were driving through the rolling plains of the Hungarian country side steadily eating up the miles and by mid afternoon they reached the next border with Romania where after just a cursory glance at their passports they were waved on through by the border guards. As night fell and with the constant drone of the minibus engine Aiden felt his eyes grow heavy and like the others was soon fast asleep.
Aiden woke with a small start from a dreamless sleep and saw that dawn had already broken, he was pleased to find Aya with her head against his chest still fast asleep and he forced himself not to move or stretch so as not to wake her. The smell of her hair reminded him of spring blossom. Aiden found that he was thinking more and more about Aya, he knew that he was falling in love with her. But she was a Neteru an eternal being with magical powers and he, well he was just a man! How could she ever love someone like him. He looked down at her again and sighed. He just could not help himself he was falling in love with this goddess, how many people could really say that Aiden wondered. Hearing a change in the noise of the engine Aiden felt the minibus start to slow. Looking up he saw in front of them cars queuing in front of a line of white toll booths.
‘What’s that’ Aiden said to Aaron who was driving.
‘It’s the border to Turkey’ Aaron replied.
‘The Turkish border!’ Aiden said in surprise.
‘We made good time hardly any traffic on the road’ Aaron said
Aya now began to stir and woke with a yawn.
‘Where are we?’ Aya asked sleepily.
‘At the border to Turkey’ Aiden replied.
‘Already?’ Aya said as surprised as Aiden had been.
‘Aaron said there was little traffic on the roads’ Aiden repeated what he had been told.
The minibus soon came to a stop behind the queue of traffic waiting to get across the border the engine idling rousing most of the passengers out of slumber.
‘You want me to take over?’ Aiden asked Aaron.
‘No I am good Long and Seth drove most of the night. I’ll be Ok for a few more hours yet thanks.’
‘OK just shout when you need me’ Aiden said and Aaron nodded.
‘Why are they taking so long to let people through. I mean there seems to be no problem with the cars coming the other way’ Bridget said pointing to the other side of the road.
‘Yes that is strange’ Seth said looking where Bridget pointed
‘Remember the radio!’ Gagan reminded him.
‘What about the radio?’ Seth said
confused.
‘Don’t you remember they were talking about rumours of a war’
‘So?’ Seth said still confused
‘Well not just a war but a religious war, a war between not just Muslims and Jews but Muslims and Christians as well’
‘And your point being exactly’ Seth said with a slight hint of sarcasm.
‘My point being is that Turkey is a Muslim country and Bulgaria is a Christian country. If there is a religious war they will think all Westerners are Christian and maybe they will not let us enter the country!’
‘He has a good point’ Aaron rumbled understanding what Gagan meant.
‘Well I hear no bombs and see no tanks my friends’ Demitri said looking at the border crossing.
‘Demitri is right they only said that there were rumours of war not an actual war!’ Bridget agreed.
‘And I read that one of Turkey’s main ways of making money is through tourism’ Aiden said looking once more at the border crossing. ‘But I guess we will need to have a good story for why we want to enter their country.How about we are a group of friends from Britain doing a tour of Europe?’
‘Better still why don’t we say we are all interested in history. We are on a site seeing holiday to see ancient ruins and museums’ Gagan embellished.
‘Yes that would work better’ Aiden grinned.
After another forty minutes it was finally their turn to cross the border. Aaron opened the door of the minibus allowing two severe looking uniformed guards, both wearing dark glasses to climb onboard. Once on board the two guards looked carefully at everyone sitting in the minibus without saying a word. They then asked for the passports which Aaron handed over to them. One of the guards began rifling through the passports, comparing the photos on the each with the faces in front of him. Then without a word the guard together with their passports got off the minibus.
Several minutes passed as the companions looked apprehensively at each other until finally another guard entered the minibus holding their passports. This guard looked like he must be a senior officer and he indicated for the other guard to get out of his way. Very deliberately the senior officer made a point of looking at the passports again and looking at each of them to verify their faces matched the photos. Finally seemingly satisfied he said with a strong Turkish accent ‘So you are all from Britain yes, except for three of you who are from China?’ he pointed at Long and his sisters.
Everyone nodded.
‘I apologise for the delay’ The guard said without really meaning it, ‘but as I am sure you are aware these are bad times, very bad times. I am sure you know this yes?’
The travellers looked at each other not knowing what to say.
‘What I ask is your reason for wanting to enter Turkey?’ the guard continued.
‘We are here to see some of your ancient ruins and museums. We are all interested in ancient history’ Aiden replied on behalf of the group.
‘Yes we are especially interested in the Hittite and old Roman Empire civilisations’ Gagan added.
‘And of course the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires’ Demitri put in with nods of agreement from the others.
The guard looked at them all carefully clearly still suspicious.
‘These are not good times as I said to be coming here’ the Guard repeated ‘there is much suspicion about foreigners and maybe there is trouble for you here, you should come back when things are not such a bad way I think!’
‘But this is the only chance my wife and I will have to see these sites! We are as they say not spring chickens’ Demitri now pleaded.
The guard looked at Demitri and his wife and then he noticed little Skyla peering at him from behind a seat who gave the guard a shy smile.
‘Well history is a good thing’ the guard said finally smiling at the little girl ‘we have much history here. We are the bridge between East and West. Many people’s have made their home here’ the guard continued knowledgeably. ‘OK you are free to go but please remember there is problems for foreigners in some places so please be staying to the main tourist areas and use only the authorised hotels and guides. It would not be good for you to have trouble especially as you have little ones yes. OK please go and have a good journey’ the guard finished handing the passports to Aaron and after a quick salute he got off the minibus. A moment later the barrier was raised and they were driving through Turkey.
‘Well that was fun’ Demitri said with some relief
‘Do you think he is right, is it dangerous here?’ Bridget said looking at Aiden for reassurance.
‘Well we will need to be careful’ Aiden replied. ‘We can keep taking it in turns to drive so that we don’t need to stop, that will help!’
‘But we will need to stop sometime. I don’t know about the rest of you but both Caleb and myself will need a toilet break soon’ Faith objected.
‘We will find somewhere’ Aiden reassured her ‘but for now we if just keep moving I think it will be safest’ which met with general agreement.
‘Well we will need to stop soon to get some feul’ Aaron announced a good while later, after they had crossed the boarder into Turkey.
'We can take the next exit and follow the old road we should find a petrol station there' Gagan said after consulting his map.
The old road as Gagan had described it led them through several small villages, none of which had a petrol station and were all mostly deserted. Eventually they arrived at a small town whose inhabitants eyed them suspiciously as they drove past. Here they finally found a small petrol station near the town centre. Aaron pulled up to the petrol pumps to fill up with fuel while the rest of the group all got out to stretch their legs. The petrol station consisted of a small shop and two petrol pumps under a covering that provided some shade from the heat of the sun. A small black haired man stepped out of the shop with a smile on his face and made his way over to them.
‘Good morning good morning welcome’ he beamed at them in English seeing the number plate on the minibus ‘you would like some fuel?’
‘Yes please’ Aaron replied.
‘Ah good’ the man smiled ‘Petrol or diesel’
‘Diesel please’ Aaron answered.
‘Do you have a toilet’ Faith quickly asked man.
‘Yes in the shop’ the man smiled pointing back the way he came. With that all of the companions set off towards the shop leaving just Aaron and Aiden.
‘Can you fill her up please’ Aiden said to the man who had now started filling the minibus with diesel.
‘Yes yes of course’ the man smiled ‘you are on holiday yes?’
‘Yes’ Aiden replied reluctant to really say any more.
‘Aiden is it Ok ‘ Aaron pointed towards the shop.
‘Yeah sure’ Aiden said and Aaron ambled off leaving Aiden now alone with the man.
‘You go to the holiday resorts?’ the man persisted.
‘No we are interested in history we are here to see old ruins and museums’ Aiden replied sticking to the story they had concocted.
‘Ah yes history is good’ the man replied looking past Aiden with a slight frown on his face.
Aiden looked to where the man was looking and saw that a group of men had gathered on the opposite side of the street, all of whom were watching them with interest.
‘Yes history is good we have plenty of history here’ the man quickly continued smiling once more.
Aiden looked again at the group of locals with a growing sense of unease for they seemed anything but friendly.
‘Is something happening?’ Aiden asked the man glancing once more at the group.
A frown briefly crossed the man’s face again as he to glanced back at the group watching them.
‘You must understand’ he said ‘there are some troubles here, it is not good. They are good people here’ the man nodded towards the group of men,’ but people get scared easily and all this trouble happening today it scares them’ the man shook his head.
‘Yes w
e heard there were some problems’ Aiden said.
‘Yes many problems, things do not work as they should and our businesses are closing’ the man continued the smile now gone from his face ‘and now this planet! People they say it is a sign from god. They say that the westerners have brought this on them for their bad ways. They are scared and they want to blame someone’ the man shrugged in apology. ‘They say it is the Christians and the Jews who are to blame for all the problems we have been having.’ The man leaned towards Aiden conspiratorially, ‘you see I too am a Christian, yes much trouble. It is not safe for you and your friends here I think. if I were you I would turn around and go, come back when things are better!’
‘It can’t be that bad’ Aiden laughed uneasily ‘we are just interested in history and I don’t even think all of us are Christians anyway’
‘For them all that matters are that you are Westerners and for them all Westerners are Christians or Jews! They are scared as I said’ the man said nervously glancing back at the group of men. ‘Listen if you must see our history you should stay in the north. The people there are not so easily scared there and there is much history to see there. Yes this would be a good place for you to go. The big towns and cities in the south will not be so good for you I am thinking. Lots of people who are very scared there, lots of troubles! There it is full’ the man said smiling once more and he put the fuel cap back on.
Aiden followed the man back to his shop where the others were busy getting more provisions for the journey which they piled on the counter. The man quickly started ringing up the small hill of provisions on his till and placing the items in bags. Aiden decided a visit to the toilet would do him the world of good and leaving the man at the counter he went to toilets at the back of the shop. When Aiden returned he found the Turkish man was apologising profusely to Faith. Aiden soon discovered the cause being that the credit card machine was not working and that they would have to pay by cash.
