رمان

A life through misery

by: Yasmeen Z.J

Chapter 1

  Alex was my best friend since grade seven till the time that I was in university. I loved her alot. I knew her as my own sister. Her father died in a war and her mother tried her best to make her feel happy. But still she wasn't happy and had problems all through her life. She thought that I am luckier and happier than her. But I wasn't!

  My parents were died too! When I was eight, my dad had an accident and died. My mother was so lonely then. She loved me alot because I was the only one left for her. One day she got a really strange sickness. She decided to sell me to a family that doesn't have kids so when she died, I will not be alone. She sent me to a person named Mr. Vildas Nilson. He was so rude and rich. Mr. Nilson was a lawyer. He was a kind of tall and had black curly hair. Mrs. Nilson was a dull fat woman who found conversation difficult.

  They actually use to bit me up and sometimes lock me inside the room. Although they gave me alot of money, but they gave no loveless. So I never felt like I have a mother or a father! That's why I never called them mom or dad!

  As I remember once I was going to kitchen for drinking water. I saw Mrs. Nilson talking to Mr. Nilson. A strange feeling told me that they are talking about me and I have to listen. So I stood behind the door to hear what they are talking about.

  "So what?" said Mrs. Nilson, "I don't thing we have any responsibility to except her as our own child and be with her till the end of her life."

  "What can we do?" said Mr. Nilson, "can we kill her?"

  "No!" said Mrs. Nilson, "why do we have to kill her? We can just give her to a workhouse and then go to Italy! Without Carlen!"

  "Workhouse!" I whispered to myself, "They want to send me to a workhouse?"

  i was really shocked of there decision. I really couldn't survive in a workhouse though I was an orphan!  I was planning to leave the home tonight. To ESCAPE!

  At the dark night, the clock struck one. I took the clothes and everything I needed with me. Then I opened the door carefully. Mr and Mrs. Nilson were talking together in there room. I went back to my room. I was planning to escape from the window which was in the corner of my room. I opened the window. While I was opening the window, a vase of flower fell down and broke. I was excited. I threw the bag of my clothes under the bed, and then I laid under the blanket. Mr and Mrs. Nilson ran into my room to see what had happen. At that dark room they couldn't see anything but as they saw, everything was right. When they went out of the room, I had a deep breath. Then as fast as possible, I took the bag of my clothes again. I opened the window carefully. I put my head out of the window to see the space between the ground and the window. It was about fourteen meters! I couldn't jump! I had to think about another way.

   "There is no other way." I thought to myself, "I have to go from the main door."

  I was waiting for them to sleep.

  It was too late at night but still Mr and Mrs. Nilson were awake. Soon I was asleep. At the morning, Mrs. Nilson came in the room.

  "Wake up Carlen!" said Mrs. Nilson, "It is early morning now."

   I woke up with shock.

  "… Window... run… run… jump… door… night…" I was telling this while I was half awake.

  Mrs. Nilson was surprised.

  "Are you OK Carlen?!" said Mrs. Nilson with anger, "may be it's because of a bad dream. It's ok! Just forget..............."

  "Can you stop talking to me?!" I shouted with anger, "Just get out of my room!"

  "You foolish girl!" said Mrs. Nilson, "This is my home and you are not allowed to kick me out!"

  She said that and went out. When Mrs. Nilson went, I wore my clothes and took my bag. I took my shoes and wore them. Before I go, I turned my face and saw the house for the last time because I knew that I am never ever going to return back again.

Chapter 2

  It was 2 o'clock at the afternoon and I was walking on the streets of Liverpool. I didn't have any place to go. I was feeling so lonely. I promised myself that I am not going to return back to Mr and Mrs. Nilson's home again. I didn't have any other place! I was really sick and tired. No food to eat and no water to drink! I was walking on the footpath, by the walls and I was really about to fall down.

  It was about 5 o'clock at the afternoon. I opened my right eye and then hardly the left one. I saw my self laying on the bed. I saw the house carefully and suddenly I stood up. I opened the door and went out.

  "Hi dear!" said an old woman.

  "What am I doing here?" I said, "Who are you?"

  "Don't worry my dear!" said that woman.

  "I'm asking that who you are?" I shouted with anger, "why am I here? As I remember, I was in street and..."

  "…And then you became sick." The women went on, "when you became sick, you fell on the ground. At that time I was outside to buy fruits and vegetables for my daughter who is coming to my house tonight. Then I saw you sick, laying on the ground and no one to help you. So I helped you and now you are here."

   It was 10 o'clock at night when the woman and I were eating the dinner.

  "Did you escape from your house?" said the woman, "why were you sick, laying on the ground?"

  I didn't answer.

  "Where are your parents?" said the old woman.

   She was boring. I stood up and went out. 

  "…Wait you girl!" shouted the woman while I was going out of the house, "do you really have any place to go?"

  I didn't answer again and went out.

  "Wait!" the woman said, "take your stuff and then go…"

  I closed the door.

Chapter 3

  The clock struck seven at the evening. I was again feeling lonely and walking in the streets. I was not angry about what I did. I really couldn't live with Mr and Mrs. Nilson.

  Finally, I decided to go to my uncle's house. My uncle was my real father's brother. He was the only person who I knew. He lived in Leeds. I really didn't remember my uncle but as I remember, he was not a kind person. Anyways, I had to go to someone in order to stay alive. So, I started walking to Leeds.

  "How can I go to Leeds?" I asked a shopkeeper.

  "By an airplane for sure!" said the shopkeeper.

  "Ca…can I go …by a…tray…train?" I said in an embarrassed way," …because I don't have enough money!"

  "Well!" said the shop keeper," Maybe no, maybe yes!"

  That was the most useless answer I had ever heard. But still, I thanked him and went.   

  I didn't have enough money to go by train all my way so I decided to go half of the way by walking and half of the way by train.

  I started walking to Leeds. I neither knew my uncles name nor remember his face. I had no address of him with me.

  It was a really dark night and so not crowded. No cars were passing by and no one was walking on the street. Only few dogs! Whenever I heard the scary voice of dogs barking, I quickly hid behind a tree or a building until the dogs were gone. I spent three or four hours walking on the street. Finally I decided to find a place for sleeping because I was so sleepy. Very far, there was a farm. It was small but good for spending a night.

  I spent a night sleeping at the farm. Although it was really cold at night, but sleeping on the soft muddy grasses made me feel comfortable. I went out of the farm and started walking to Leeds.

  Chapter 4

  It was about 11 o'clock in the morning. I was so hungry and tired at the same time. I decided to go the rest of the way by train. I went to a railway station.  After buying a ticket, I entered the train.

  "Room number five." Said the wagon-keeper, "It's from the left side."

  I found my wagon and went inside. I sat on the seat near the window. There was a guy sitting opposite to me. He wore a red charming T-shirt and blue jeans. His hair style made him more attractive.

  The train started to arrive. I turned my face to the window. The light in the east passed into the radiance of the early morning. The rays of the risen sun were falling between our feet. I closed the curtains. The guy sitting opposite to me suddenly turned his face towards me for the first time.

  "You hate sun. Right?" said the guy.

  I think this was a question for breaking the silence and starting the conversation.

  His voice had a dreamy note in it that was quit in harmony with the scene.

  "No!" I said, "I don't hate it. But I hate the golden light of it."

  "Where are you going to?" said the guy.

  "Leeds!" I said, "I'm going to my uncle. What about you?"

  "I'm going to Manchester. Do you want to go to Leeds for study?" said the guy.

  "NO!" I said, "I actually finished my university. I'm just going for a visit."

  "What about your parents?" said the guy, "where do they live?"

  "You mean my stepparents!" I said while I was laughing but with a strange feeling that clutched at my heart.

  "Oh! I'm sorry for making you feel sad!" said the guy, "so your parents are died, aren't they?"

  "They are died!" I went on, "they were died before seven or eight years. I loved them alot and they loved me too! My stepparents are so cruel to me. That's why I escaped…"

  "You escaped?" said the guy, "you really did?"

  "What else could I do?" I said, "They use to bit me up for doing nothing!"

  "Oh! I feel so sorry!" said the guy, "I really didn't mean to make you angry!"

  "It's just ok!" I said, "Let's talk about something else."

  "Yeah, sure!" said the guy, "can I know your name?"

  "Sure!" I said, "I'm Carlen! Carlen Bartels."

  "I'm Luca!" said the guy, "nice to meet you Mrs. Carlen!"

  "Nice to meet you too!" I said that and we shacked hands.

Chapter 5

  I opened the curtains. The sun which had risen above the tree tops, now floated far overhead in a deep blue sky, and the day was settling down into a blaze of golden light. Outside was a place to dawdle in, to lie and dream away a whole afternoon, watching the sleepy butterflies and listening to the chorus of birds which seemed to fill every corner of the sky. I was watching the nice scene that the wagon-keeper came in.

  "Tea or Coffee?" said the wagon-keeper.

  "What would you like Ms. Carlen?" said Luca.

  "A coffee in this amazing afternoon would be nice." I said.

  "Two cups of coffee, please." Said Luca to the wagon-keeper, "and nut biscuits."

  "Why are you going to Manchester?" I said, "Did you finish your university too?"

  "No!" said Luca, "I mean I didn't study in university. I studied till grade eight only."

  "EIGHT!" I said with shock, "why till eight?"

  "I had some strange problems in my life that I couldn't continue studying!" said Luca and then he turned his face to the window.

  I couldn't ask him more questions because I think he wasn't really interested. I turned my face towards him to apologize for making him angry that suddenly the wagon-keeper came inside holding a tray with two cups of coffee and a plate of nut biscuits.

  "Here you are." said the wagon-keeper putting the tray between me and Luca, "do you want anything else, sir?"

  "No, thanks!" said Luca.

  "Have a nice day!" said the wagon-keeper while he was going out of the wagon.

  "Here you are." said Luca while he was giving a cup of coffee to me.

  "Thanks!" I said.

  I really wanted to know what the strange problems in his life were. But I was enough embarrassed to ask him this question. A while passed through silence.

  "Are you married?" said Luca.

  Suddenly I threw up the coffee which I just had drunk.

  "Why did you ask me this question???" I said.

  "Never mind!" he said, "I was just trying to break the silence. Do you want some nut biscuits? They are so delicious."

  "No, thanks!" I said, "I think I'm enough young to be married! I just finished my university. Beside that, I'm an escaper! I am neither married nor want to be!"

  He didn't say anything and I didn't continue. I turned my face to the window. It was a nice eventide. The moon was so bright and the umbrages of tall trees were so scary. Just like ghosts walking in darkness. Just like a bad dream. Looking through the darkness of night, I felt asleep.

Chapter 6

  A clock struck 8:00 in the early morning when I woke up.

  "Good morning!" said Luca, "I brought breakfast. Common! Let's have a cup of tea and some cheese with bread."

  "Yeah! Sure!" I said. And we ate our breakfast.

  "Oh! After two hours!" whispered Luca while he was looking at his watch.

  "Are you waiting for anyone?" I said, "…Or do you want to go to someone?"

  "No!" said Luca, "I'm just waiting for the train to stop at next station!"

  "So…you will GO then?" I said.

  "Yeah!" said Luca, "I will go then!"

  A while passed through a deep silence and no one said anything. The wagon-keeper came inside for asking if we have any problem or if we want anything. Then he just left.

  It was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon when I woke up by the bright light of sun which was shining on my face. I couldn't find Luca in my room. I thought maybe he went for ever! Actually I was right. It was a kind of fun talking with him. At least I wasn't boared! Now I had no one to talk with. I was feeling a kind of lonely again. And a bit scared! I was scared because I didn't know what was going to happen to me in the next station. I didn't know where to go because I didn't know the address of my uncle. Thinking about my uncle made me feel so fearful. So I planed not to think about him. Sitting on the stiff chair of the wagon, made me feel so uncomfortable. I just went out of the wagon for a walk.

  When I went out, I saw the wagon-keeper walking.

  "After how many hours are we going to get to Leeds?" I said to the wagon-keeper.

  "…Hmm… very soon!" said the wagon-keeper, "just go to your wagon and set your knapsack."

  "Thanks!" I said and I went inside my wagon.

Chapter 7

  A clock struck 4:50 at afternoon when the train stopped at the railway station. While I came down of the train, I had a very deep breath because I thought that now it's the end of my misery.

  I started walking towards the crowded place of Leeds. Through the fresh air came the scents of the blossoming fruit trees; the branches danced lazily in the breeze. It was a wonderful scene. It was an image of life. I spent a while looking at the beautiful landscape. I suddenly remembered that I came here just to search for my uncle and nothing else. I also remembered that if I couldn't find him before night, I have to spend a night in the street! So I started asking the people around me about my uncle. I asked the shopkeepers, the tailors, the bakers, the doctors…ect. No one even knew him!

  A clock struck 6:30 at afternoon. I sat down at the footpath to think what to do. I started thinking about my step parents; that they where so rich but very rude; money doesn't buys happiness! I was thinking that how my stepfather got so rich? Just because he was a lawyer!

  "LAWYER!" I thought to myself, "Maybe my uncle is a lawyer!"

  I was planning to go to a lawyer to ask him if he knows my uncle or not. But it was too late at night so I couldn't go!

  The next day, I went to a tailor.

  "Do you know a famous lawyer here?" I asked, "If you know, can you give me the address of him?"

  "Yeah, sure!" said the tailor, "I know a lawyer who has the biggest office in Leeds and everyone knows him. It has been one month that he became retired so his best friend who is also a lawyer, is now working in his place!"

  "Ok!" I said, "Can you give me the address of that office?"

  "Yes!" said the tailor.

  He took a peace of paper and wrote the address.

  "Here you are." said the tailor.

  "Thanks!" I said and went out to search for the address.

  Finally I found the office and entered.

  "Can I talk with the lawyer?" I said to the secretary.

  "Yeah, sure!" said the secretary, "can I know your name?"

  "Carlen Bartels!" I said in quick.

  "Ok!" said the secretary, "hold a minute please!"

  She called the lawyer and then let me go inside.

  "Good morning sir!" I said to the lawyer sitting behind the desk.

  "Good morning lady!" said the lawyer, "Have a seat, please!"

  "Thanks!" I said while I was sitting on the chair, "I'm searching for my uncle."

  "For your UNCLE?" said the lawyer while he was so shocked, "I'm just a lawyer! My job is not to search for the people who are lost!"

  "Oh! No!" I said, "I don't want you to search for him. If I'm asking you this question, it's just because I think he was a lawyer. So maybe you know him."

  "Well!" said the lawyer, "what is his name?"

  "Peter." I said, "Peter Bartels."

  "MR. BARTELS?" said the lawyer while he was standing up and coming towards me, "is he really your UNCLE?"

  "…Yes…" I said.

  "Oh my God!" said the lawyer, "he was my best friend. Even this office is for him. He was a lawyer like me. But when he became retired, he made me sit in place of him!"

  "Can you give me an address of him?" I said.

  "Why address?" said the lawyer, "I'll take you to his house!"

  "Thanks!" I said, "That's so nice of you!"

Chapter 8

  The lawyer dropped me in front of my uncle's house.

"That's the house!" he said while he was pointing at a very large green door.

  I thanked him and went to knock the door. Before knocking the door, for a while I started thinking to myself.

  "Is Mr. Bartels a kind person?" I thought to myself, "would he let me live in his house or would he even try to fix my problem?"

  Anyways, I had to knock the door and go in. I spent alot of money for coming to Leeds. Finally, I knocked the door.

  "Just coming!" a voice said.

  A few moments later, a middle aged woman opened the door.

  "Oh!" said the woman, "who the HELL are you?"

  "I actually want to talk with Mr. Bartels." I said.

  "Which Bartels?" said the woman, "Mr. Peter or his son?"

  "I want to talk with Mr. Peter." I said.

  "Ok!" said the woman, "first say your name and then you can see him."

  "I'm Carlen." I said, "Please call him. I have to talk with him. He actually doesn't know me. And I want to make him know me!"

  "So wait here until I come back!" said the woman, "don't come in."

  She went and closed the door behind me. Behavior of the strange woman made me scarier. If a woman could be this rude, so how rude a man would be? The door opened and the same woman came again.

  "Mr. Bartels said that you can come in!" said the woman.

  "Thanks!" I said and I went in.

Chapter 9

  The moment I put my first step, I smelled the nice odor of the trees and flowers which were in the garden of the house. The grass below fairly shone with white and yellow daisies, and the red roses climbing in profusion over the trees.

  "What do you want to tell to Mr. Bartels?" said the middle-aged woman, "if it's a stupid thing, he will for sure be across!"

  I didn't answer but was so scared!

  "Here is his room!" said the woman, "remember not to make him mad!"

  I again didn't answer and went in. An old gentleman was sitting on a divan. He looked alot like my dad. When I first saw my uncle, I was going to hug him; to tell him where was he when his brother died; I wanted to tell him that I'm his niece.

  "Hello!" said Mr. Bartels, "do you want to tell me anything?"

  "Yes!" I said, "…but I don't know how to tell you…"

  "What do you mean?" said Mr. Bartels, "who are you?"

  "I actually escaped from my home!" I said, "…could I live with you?"

  "What the hell?" said Mr. Bartels, "who do you think I am? Is here a hotel? Get the hell out of my house!"

  "Oh!" I said, "But I don't know any one except you! Actually I'm your niece. I'm daughter of your brother. When my parents died, I started to live with another family. They were planning to send me to a workhouse! I ran away from my house. I ESCAPED! I came to you because you were the only person I knew! I spent one whole night sleeping in street! That's so not nice of you if you kick me out of your house.

  He became quit and said nothing. I was sobbing at that time.

  "Ok!" he went on, "I will let you live here BUT you have to be useful for me. I mean you have to work. I can give you a job that for sure you would like it. Would you agree to live in this way?"

  I really couldn't say any thing except 'yes'. And I said.

  "Clara!" said Mr. Bartels.

  Clara was the woman who opened the door for me at first when I entered.

  "Yes sir?" she said while she was coming inside the room.

  "Call David." said my uncle.

  David was Mr. Bartels's son. A while later David entered. He was a real gentleman. He entered with a gorgeous stride. He was the most amazing person I had ever met. He was awesome, attractive, wonderful, pretty, nice…or let's say LOVELY!

  "Listen David!" said Mr. Peter Bartels to David, "starting from now, this girl who is my niece will live with us! She will work in my office as a secretary because my old secretary is going to leave to Bristol."

  "Nice to meet you!" said David.

  "Nice to meet you too!" I said.

  When David went out, Mr. Bartels turned his face towards me.

  "As I guess, your name is Carlen, isn't it?" said Mr. Peter Bartels.

  "Yes!" I said, "My name is Carlen!"

  "What a nice name!" said Mr. Bartels, "ok Carlen! I want you to know few rules that you have to obey. First of all, I will give you a small room that is enough for a girl like you who escaped and is an orphan. You have to keep it clean. Clara is not supposed to clean your room! Second of all, you will earn your own money by yourself. Everyday you have to give a little amount of money to Clara to buy you food! If not, you will not eat anything and then you can't SUVIVE! Third of all, you have to be also useful for us. Whenever you are free, you have to help me in my work or if Clara needs help, you SHOULD help her! And ofcourse if David needs any help in his work, you have to help him! The last thing which is the most important thing is that we will not discus our opinions with you. But you have to discus your opinions with us and without my permission you will not do anything! And let me tell you something Carlen! You have to call me Mr. Bartels; not UNCLE! And call my son David; not cousin! Now with all these, if you still want to live with me, you have to live in the way I said; if you don't want to live so you can just go and be free and enjoy your life!"

  That was so rude of him to talk with me in this way but I had no other way; I mean I had to say YES to what ever he told me. I really had to except what ever he told me otherwise I was going to spend the rest of my life in street. Like a real orphan.

Chapter 10

  After a small rest in the room which Mr. Bartels gave me, I decided to go out and walk in the garden of the house. While I went out of the room, I heard Mr. Bartels and David talking to Clara. I really don’t know why I stood behind the door to listen what they are talking about. Maybe it was because I thought they are talking about me. But they were not. Actually, Mr. Bartels was talking to Clara!

  "There is a really nice shop that sells the best clothes ever." Said Mr. Bartels to Clara, "I want you to buy the best clothes ever for David and his wife. If you liked that shop, you can buy clothes for yourself as well! I already bought clothes from London for myself. And concerning the cake of the party, I will order it! So… did you understand everything Clara?"

  "Yes sir!" said Clara, "happy marriage Mr. David!"

  "MARRIAGE!" I whispered to myself, "who the hell is David going to marry with?"

  That day was actually the worst day ever for me because I heard the nastiest news ever. To say the truth, the only point of living in this house was to marry David! But when I heard the news of marriage of David, my heart was pumping really fast and I felt like its going to be thrown out!

  Next day, from the early morning till the midnight, we had wedding. David married with a very nice woman but for sure she wasn't prettier than me! Her name was Angelina but David called her Angel. David loved her alot. David said that Angelina is his ETERNAL LOVE!!!

  Although that made me really jealous, but still I loved David. Maybe it's stupid to say that I loved Angelina too! I loved her because David loved her. Angelina had long blond hair. She had the cutest nose ever and the prettiest eyes ever!

  Mr. Bartels gave David and Angelina a room near his. That room was ofcourse much nicer and bigger than mine!

Chapter 11

  A clock struck 7:00 at the early next morning.

  "Carlen!" cried Clara, "wake up! Mr. Bartels wants to talk with you!"

  Although I heard her voice, but I imitated like as if I'm sleeping.

  "Now Mr. David would be angry Carlen!" said Clara, "Mr. Bartels want's to talk with you about some new rules and Mr. David has to be here too! So…hurry up!"

  I really didn't want to wake up from the bed. But David's name made me do that. I went to the bathroom and washed my face! Then I changed my clothes. After putting some perfume, I went out. David was sitting on sofa with Angelina. Mr. Bartels was talking with Clara.

  "Good morning Mr. Bartels!" I said.

  "Oh, good morning my dear!" said Mr. Bartels, "have a seat, please!"

  I actually was more than shocked of his strange behavior. He never even answered me but today he called me 'DEAR'! Maybe he was going to kick me out of his house so he was talking with me in this way or maybe he was going to do something else!

  "Ok Carlen!" said Mr. Bartels, "I want to tell you something now that would either make you happy or sad! It's about my son DAVID!"

  When he said David, I thought that for sure I will agree whatever he says but when he said it, I totally changed my opinion.

  "Listen Carlen!" Mr. Bartels went on, "I want you to stop working. You can be free of earning your own money and giving it to Clara to buy you food. You can just eat and drink with us. You don’t need to help Clara, David and I in our works. Beside, I'll every week give you a little amount of money to spend it for your personal use. In place of all my kindness and nice behavior, I want you to do something!"

  "…what?" I said with shock.

  "To be a special servant for David and Angelina!" said Mr. Bartels, "to take care of there kids when they had one! To clean there room! To wash there clothes! Now, I'll give you 2 hours to thing about what I told you. If you agree, you can stay in the way that I said and if you don't, you will get out of my home for EVER!"

  I didn't say anything and went into my room.

  "FOR EVER!" I said to myself, "if I don't agree what he says, I have to get out for ever."

  So I had to except! Only 45 minutes were left from the 2 hours that he gave me!

Chapter 12

  A clock struck 9:00. I knew that now Clara will come and call me for going to Mr. Bartels and she did.

  "Carlen!" said Clara behind the door. "Mr. Bartels wants to talk with you. He is in Mr. David's room."

  When Clara went, I went to David's room. Mr. Bartels was sitting on the chair and no one else in the room!

  "Ok!" said Mr. Bartels, "did you decide what to do?"

  "Yes!" I said, "I'm…going to live…in the way that you said sir!"

  "PERFECT!" he said, "now on, you are free of any extra work in house. You are a special servant for my son and his wife! Ok Carlen! Start your work now! David and Angelina are in there office and they will be back at 11o'clock! This room has to be cleaned before they come. Clean everything Carlen! EVERYTHING!

  After saying all these, he went out of the room. I had a look at the room. It was actually so dusty and unclean.

  "I'm going out!" Said Clara, "Clean the room in the best way because if you don't, Mr. Bartels would be so nervous. And ofcourse if Mrs. Angelina sees the room dirty she will be crossed too!"

  When Clara went, I felt like it's the last time I'm talking with her. This was just a feeling but made me feel so lonely! I began to clean the room.

  It actually didn't take me alot of time to clean the room. When it was 10:50, David and Angelina came back.

  "Hi dad!" said David to Mr. Bartels.

  "Hello David!" said Mr. Bartels while he was reading a newspaper, "Carlen cleaned your room David"

  When Mr. Bartels said that to David, he turned his face towards Angelina.

  "Listen my dear!" said Mr Bartels to Angelina, "If you want ANYTHING, just say to Carlen. Now she is your special servant."

  "Oh thanks!" said Angelina, "that's so nice of you!"

  "You have to be everywhere with Angelina!" said David to me, "Do whatever she wants!"

  It was a wonderful time when David talked with me. I accepted whatever he said. Because HE SAID! Because I LOVED him!

  I actually wanted to be everywhere with Angelina because Angelina was with David all the time so I could be with David too!

Chapter 13

  A week later, Mr. Bartels decided to send David and Angelina for a small trip to Norwich and I was sure that I'll go with them because I was Angelina's special servant but I was wrong! Mr. Bartels also went with them and told Clara to go with them too. Mr. Bartels told me to stay in the house and take care of it! That made me so mad and nervous but what could I do?

  At the early morning, Clara woke me up earlier than the other days. She took the suitcases of Angelina, David and Mr. Bartels and put them in the car.

  "Ok Carlen!" Clara said to me, "Mr. Bartels said that you have to clean the house everyday and take care of the house in the best way ever. We are going to come back exactly after five days. If Mr. Bartels comes back and sees the house unclean, he would be really cross!"

  From the time that I came here till now, it had been like two whole months. In these two months, I never imagined the house without David! But this time I had to do that! To imagine the house without him! To don't think about him and don't see him for a while! For five days!

  Actually I never even dreamed of cleaning someone's house. Although my real parents were poor, but atleast they had a servant. So I was never supposed to work even in my own house. When I use to live with Mr and Mrs. Nilson, they neither gave me any work to do nor used me as there own servant. They only bitted me up for not living in the way that they want! Working in my own uncle's house was a kind of embarrassing because I was never use to it!

 Chapter 14

  Days were passing by and there was only one day left for them to come back from there journey! I was more than happy! I cleaned the house and swept the ground. I watered the plants in the garden and cooked appetizing pies for them. While all these work, a strange thing happened. Someone knocked the door!

  "Who would be that?" I whispered to myself.

  When I opened the door, I saw Mr. Bartels and Clara behind the door.

  "Where are David and Angelina?" I told them in sudden, "didn't they come with you?"

  "No!" said Mr. Bartels, "they enjoyed living in Norwich so I told them that they can stay there and come back after one week."

  "ONE WEEK!" I said with anger.

  When Mr. Bartels told me the stupid news, it was like as if someone cut my heart in pieces! I cleaned all the house in the best way ever but that wasn't because Mr. Bartels said. It was only because of David! I gave the pies that I made, to Mr. Bartels and Clara. But I actually made it to give it to David!

  When Mr. Bartels ate the pies, he neither said thanks nor said that he liked it or not! He only ate it in hurry and finished it all. Then he went into his room. A while later, he came back.

  "Good Carlen!" said Mr. Bartels, "you have the ability to be a perfect servant! Till the time that David and Angelina are in Norwich, you have to help Clara in her work!"

  When he went, I started crying in the way that no one understands because I was really nervous for his decision. Or maybe because David didn't came with him and will come back after ONE whole week!

Chapter 15

  A week passed and the informed day came. I don't know why I wasn't as much happy as the time that only Mr. Bartels and Clara came. Maybe it was because I had a strange feeling in my heart that he is not going to come! Anyways I waited alot for him. Finally someone knocked the door. My heart started pumping really fast. I stood near my room's door to see him. A small while passed and Clara came back running!

  "Mr. Bartels!" Clara said in quick, "someone is behind the door who wants to talk with you!"

  "Tell him to come in!" said Mr. Bartels.

  "He doesn't want to come in!" said Clara, "he wants to tell you something and then go!"

  Finally Mr. Bartels went out to see who that was. Clara was standing near me and waiting for Mr. Bartels to come back. I was waiting too because I wanted him to say what was going on. And he came back! But I wish he never did so!

  "Listen Clara!" said Mr. Bartels tears filling his eyes, "I'm going to hospital. I will wait for you and Carlen there. Come quickly Clara!"

  "Wait!" said Clara, "what happened sir!"

  That was the question that I wanted to ask him as well.

  "I'm going to visit Angelina." said Mr. Bartels, "she had an accident but she is feeling well."

  I had a deep breath because I thought something was wrong to David. But luckily I was wrong!

  "Hurry up!" said Clara to me, "didn't you heard what Mr. Bartels said? Go and get ready Carlen! We have to go to hospital."

  It took us like ten minutes to get ready and took us half an hour in the way to hospital. Clara was crying all the way because she had feelings to Angelina but I DIDN'T! The hell I cared about her. I always tried my best to kill her and now she is dieing by herself so I have to be happy! Actually there was a question in my mind that I wanted to ask Mr. Bartels but I didn't have the time to ask him so I asked Clara.

  "If Angelina is feeling well," I said to Clara, "so why was Mr. Bartels crying?"

  Clara didn't say anything for a while. She cleaned her tears and started to think. I think she didn't know the answer as well as me!

  "He isn't a sensitive person at all!" Clara went on, "…SO…why was he crying?!"

  Neither Clara nor I said anything until we reached to the hospital. When we went inside, we found Mr. Bartels sitting by the wall and crying as earsplitting as could be. First I thought that something really strange is wrong to Angelina but just then I recognized that Angelina was in front of Mr. Bartels, sitting on the chair! So…what was wrong? In these moments Mr. Bartels stood up and went towards Angelina.

  "When people are born in this world," Mr. Bartels told Angelina, "they are born to achieve some goals! The most important goal to achieve is to live your life in the best way ever even if you have some sorrows in your life. David is died my dear! But you are alive Angelina! So…achieve your goals…"

  That was a nice conversation but I had a small problem with it. I had a problem with the third sentence. When Mr. Bartels said 'DAVID IS DIED', that actually made me feel lifeless and I fell on the ground.

Chapter 16

  It took me exactly nine days to get better. Still I wasn't very well. Angelina didn't live with Mr. Bartels anymore and went to her own house. Clara went to London for a month. I was planning to go too. But where, I didn't know! Living in a house that had neither David nor Clara nor anyone else except Mr. Bartels, made me feel like as if I'm in a jail. So I planned to go back to Liverpool. But not to Mr. Nilson's house. I wanted to go to my best friend's house. I mean Alex. It was like three months I didn't see her.

  That day at the dinner time, I planned to talk with Mr. Bartels about my decision.

  "Mr. Bartels!" I went on, "I'm planning to go back to Liverpool and…I want your permission!"

  "When are you going to arrive?" said Mr. Bartels.

  "Maybe tomorrow morning!" I said.

  A while passed through silence. When I finished my dinner, I stood up to go to my room.

  "Carlen!" he said while I was going towards my room, "do you have enough money for the airplane ticket?"

  "Airplane!" I said with shock, "I'm…actually…going by train…because I don't have…enough money …to…by the ticket!"

  "Carlen!" Mr. Bartels Went on, "I had a small fight with your dad you know! So…I hated him alot. The moment I saw you, I started hating you but then I understood that you are not like your dad at all. So that's why I didn't bother you a lot! And now I want to help you or lets say give you a little amount of money which is enough for taking a ticket and buying some food!"

  When he finished saying what he wanted to say, I thanked him and went into my room.

Chapter 17

  The next day, at the early morning, I got ready and went to the airport with Mr. Bartels.

  A clock struck 12:40 at the afternoon when I reached to Liverpool. Alex was waiting there for me in the airport. When we met each other, we clutched each other tightly. She took me to her own house and I planed to stay with her.

  "Do you live alone?" I asked Alex.

  "No!" Alex went on, "I live with Ben."

  "Ben!" I said, "Ben is your…brother, isn't he?"

  "Yeah!" said Alex, "you're right! Now he is London and he will be back after two months."

  After we ate the dinner, we talked with each other for hours and then went to sleep. Alex had an empty bed in her room that no one slept on it. So Alex told me that I will sleep on it till the time that I'm here. Before sleeping, I asked Alex about her job and she said that she is a secretary in an office. She told me that she will find me a proper job in the office that she works in.

  The next day, Alex and I went to the office to see which job is good for me. Finally I became the secretary of the second floor. I started working there and for the first time ever in my life I felt like I am lucky! Not being with Mr and Mrs. Nilson, not living with Mr. Bartels and his stupid decisions and working as a secretary in an office with my friend, made me feel better.

Chapter 18

  Days were passing by and I was living in the luckiest way ever. One day a strange thing happened that made me feel sad and I loosed the feeling of being lucky.

  It was a rainy night when someone knocked the door and Alex opened it. It was an old man who wanted to talk with me.

  "Your name is Carlen, isn't it?" he said, "I have a message for you from Mr. Bartels."

  "BARTELS!" I said with shock, "it had been like two months I didn't saw him. What does he wants to tell me?"

  "I don't know!" the man went on, "I don't want to tell you anything! Mr. Bartels wants to talk with you!"

  "Mr. Bartels wants to talk with me?!" I said, "So…you mean I have to go to Leeds?"

  "No!" he said, "actually… he came to you!"

  "Where is he?" I said.

  "He is right there." He said, "Do you see the car over there? That is Mr. Bartels car."

  When I saw his car, I became a kind of scared. Anyways, I went inside to take my jacket and umbrella and then I went to Mr. Bartels.

  "Carlen!" Mr. Bartels went on, "although I hated you too much, but a feeling told me that you are a good person. So … I TRUSTED you. I gave you a job in my office and the moment you were coming to Liverpool, I gave you a huge amount of money. That was so nice of me to a girl who was an orphan and had not even a place to sleep. But what you did with me was so unfair of you…"

  He didn't continue and started crying. I really didn't know what had happened to Mr. Bartels and what was he talking about.

  "I'm sorry sir!" I went on, "but I really don't know what you are talking about?"

  "Oh really!" he said, "don't ever imitate that you don't know anything about my son's death and the stupid accident that he had with a guy that you told him to kill David for me! I hate you Carlen! Did you ever thought that why I hated your dad? It was because he was jealous of me and my money and my job and my perfect PERSONALITY that I had! These were the things that he never even dreamed of having them. The moment I saw you, I thought that you are totally deferent from your dad. But you were even worse than him. He was only jealous but never planed to take my money from me. But you are jealous and want to take my money at the same time. And worst of all that you KILLED my son!"

  I couldn't even say a word. As if someone put his hand on my mouth and not allowing me to talk. But I had to say what I want.

  "Mr. Bartels!" I went on, "I never ran behind people's money. I always tried my best to work as hard as possible, even if it takes me months and years to complete my work. But I never ever stole any money from anyone or even tried to do that. I'm a lonely girl who has only a small room to live in and work in a small office as a secretary just to earn a bit amount of money. If I was a bad girl or a girl that you think, now I was in street and I was a handkerchief! My dad never told me about you. And I really don't know what you are telling about my dad is right or wrong. Even if my dad was a person like the way that you said, but I'm not like him at all. I'M NOT JEALOUS OF ANYTHING MR. BARTELS! And concerning your son David, I was the last one who heard about his death!"

  "Listen Carlen!" he went on, "I really don't care about what you are telling right now. I actually came here to inform you about tomorrow! We will see each other at the court. You have to be there at 5:30 pm Mrs. Carlen!"

  When Mr. Bartels went, I went into the house and explained everything for Alex. Alex knew about my love to David so that's why she agreed whatever I said.

  "Ben is a lawyer." Alex went on, "he would be back tomorrow so I'll tell him to come with you in the court."

  "Dear Alex!" I said, "These are friends who help us in our hard times. And you are a really nice friend to me! If I didn't have you, I would now be in the street!"

  We hugged each other tightly and slept.

Chapter 19

  The next day at the early morning, Ben came and Alex told him everything about what happened to me. Ben agreed to come with us to the court and be my lawyer. Finally, Ben, Alex and I arrived to the court.

  A clock struck 5:30 and we were ready sitting on the chair. Mr. Bartels came too. To my surprise, Angelina and Clara came too. There was also someone else with them. That was an old lawyer who I first saw in Leeds and I asked him about Mr. Bartels.

  "Ok ladies and gentlemen!" the judge went on, "are Mrs. Carlen Bartels and Mr. Peter Bartels ready here?"

  "Yes!" said Mr. Bartels.

  "Yes! I'm ready sir!" I said.

  "Ok Mr. Bartels!" said the judge, "you believe that your niece murdered your son. Do you have any reason for that?"

  "Yeah!" said Mr. Bartels, "there is a guy who had an accident with my son. He says that the accident was on purpose! He says that Carlen told him to do that!"

  "Where is the guy that you are talking about Mr. Bartels?" said the judge.

  "He is right there!" said Mr. Bartels pointing at the last seat.

  When I saw the last seat, I couldn't believe my eyes. That was LUCA. That was the same guy that I met in the train, in my way to Leeds!

  "Come to the front you young boy!" said the judge to Luca, "do you agree what Mr. Bartels said?"

  "Yes sir!" said Luca, "I do agree whatever he said!"

  "Ok!" the judge went on, "Mrs. Carlen! What about you? Do you agree as well?"

  "Hell no!" I shouted, "I don't know what the guy is talking about!"

  "Cool down lady!" said the judge, "Ok Luca! This girl believes that she doesn't know you. So…can you prove that you know this girl?"

  "Yeah sure!" said Luca while taking out a picture from his pocket, "this is me and her sitting and talking with each other! She was telling me about her plans!"

  "Why did you lie Mrs. Bartels?" said the lawyer.

  "I didn't lie sir!" I went on, "this is my picture with him in a train. That time I was going to Leeds and he was in my wagon too. I don't know him! I was only talking with him about my life. THAT'S ALL! It had been like more than five months that I wasn't in contact with him."

  "I'm sorry Mrs. Carlen!" the lawyer went on, "I can't agree what you are saying unless you prove it for me. He showed me a picture and he proved what he is saying. If you have something to prove what you are saying, so just show it to me!"

  "No!" I said, "I don't have anything to show!"

  "Mr. Luca!" said Ben, "if Carlen told you to kill David, so why did you agreed to do that?"

  "…Hmm… well…" said Luca, "…because she told me that she would give me a huge amount of money!"

  "I TOLD YOU???" I shouted, "You are lying! What did I do with you that you got so mean to me? This is called unfairness! UNFAIRNESS!"

  "Every one! Please be quit!" said the judge, "we will continue next Saturday at 5:30 pm! Have a nice day!"

  When we came out, I saw Mr. Bartels sitting in his car so I planed to go and talk with him. But the moment he saw me, he started to arrive!

  I really didn't know why Luca said that I told him to kill David! I only talked to Luca about myself and my HORRIBLE life!

Chapter 20

  Days passed and Saturday came. In my way to the court, I was more than scared! Ben told me that they can't do anything because I didn't kill David!

  When it became 5:30, we were all ready in the court. A new person also came with Mr. Bartels, who I never saw her before.

  "Ok ladies and gentlemen!" the judge went on, "we will continue the last meeting that we had. This time, we are going to say the final judge!"

  My heart was pumping really fast and I was more than scared of the judge's decision!

  "Can I talk first sir!" said Luca.

  "Sure!" said the judge.

  "Ok!" Luca went on, "here is my sister, Su, who heard whatever Carlen told me!"

  "Yeah sir!" the woman went on, "I was standing behind the door when Carlen told Luca to kill David! She also said that she will give a good amount of money to him!"

  "Can you prove what you're telling Mrs. Su?" said the judge.

  "Ofcourse!" said Su.

  Su turned on her mobile phone and showed a stupid recorded voice which wasn't me!

  "So…" the judge went on, "…this is Carlen's voice, isn't it?"

  "Yes!" said Su, "it is her voice!"

  "Ok!" the judge went on, "I'll say the last decision! Mrs. Carlen Bartels, daughter of Mr. Oliver Bartels, murdered a man named Mr. David Bartels, the son of Mr. Peter Bartels. And the only reason was to steal all the money of his uncle, Mr. Peter Bartels. This girl is going to jail for two weeks and after that she will be hanged!"

  "Am I really going to be killed?" I said to Ben.

  "No!" he said while standing up from his seat, "I'll not let you to be killed! I'll talk with the judge and with the stupid guy who believed that you told him to kill David for you!"

  When I went to jail, I had a strange feeling. I was actually SCARED!!! It was a really dark room, which I couldn't see even where the door is! I started to cry from the bottom of my heart so I could throw out all the stupid feelings and the sadness that I had in my heart! Few hours passed and I was really tiered of crying and sitting in the scary room! I decided to talk with the judge and tell him to give me one more chance! I knocked the door as hard as could be, so atleast someone would come! Finally a tall man came.

  "What is wrong lady?" said the tall man.

  "I want to see the judge!" I said while tears falling from my eyes, "I want to talk to him about something! Please let me see him! PLEASE!"

  "…Well…ok!" he said, "I'll go to inform him!"

  He came back after few minutes and said that I could see the judge. When I went to his office, I cleaned the tears on my eyes!

  "Ok!" said the judge, "Carlen! Did you want to tell me anything?"

  "Yes!" I went on, "I want to tell you that I neither have parents nor sisters and brothers! I'm the lonely girl who wished to have a mother! A mother who combed my hair and told me stories! She made me sleep and made me awake! Who forced me to talk and forced me to walk! I wanted to have a mother who took my side! Not to leave me alone and go to the bed of death! I wanted to have a mother who was with me everywhere! To be in the judge that was so unfair! But I don't have her now…neither her nor anyone else who can help me! The only one left for me is ME! But you put me in jail! So I can't even help myself! There are two week left for me to die! Please let me go out of the jail and fix my problem.  I want to talk with Luca and tell him WHY! Then I want to talk with my uncle and tell him that I didn't kill his son! Then if I couldn't prove what I want, you can hang me!!!"

  "…I really don't know what to say!" the judge went on, "I need to think! Now just go to the jail till I tell you my decision!"

  When I went back to the jail, I didn't have the same feeling that I had before! I felt happier than before because this time I had something to be happy for.

  Few hours passed and the tall man that I saw before came in!

  "The judge is calling you!" said the man.

  When I went to him, I had a strange feeling in my heart that said that I can't go out of the jail. But to my surprise, the judge agreed to give me one more chance! He said that I could be out of the jail only for two weeks. If after two weeks I proved that I didn't kill David, so I could be free and continue my life. But if I couldn't prove that, I would be back here and will be hanged!

  When I put my first step out of the jail, I had a really nice feeling! I had feeling of the person who was born again. After what Mr. Bartels did with me, I had killed the feelings that I had to David! What Mr. Bartels did to me was only blaming! And…I'll never forgive him. He was so mean to me though he knew that he is my uncle!

  When I came out of the jail, I went to Alex's house. When first she saw me, she was actually surprised. I explained to Alex and Ben about what happened between me and the judge and how I took the permission of getting out of the jail for two weeks!

  After talking three or four hours with them, I went to sleep! I had a really nice night! As if I was sleeping above the clouds! That night was like a nice dream! A dream which took me to the world of happiness.

Chapter 21

  After spending the amazing night, at the early morning, Ben and I planned to go and search for Luca and ask him what does he want from me and why is he blaming on me.

  I thought that we can easily find Luca but I was totally wrong. Searching for him was more than hard. We searched everywhere for him.

  Few days passed and I was getting ready for being hanged because we couldn't find Luca.

  At the night, when I was sleeping, I started thinking about a way to find Luca. Then I just remembered something that made me jump out of the bed and go to Ben! I quickly went to his room and woke him up.

  "I know where Luca is!" I went on, "when I was going to Leeds to see Mr. Bartels, we were in the same wagon. Between our conversations, I understood that he is going to Manchester. So…now he is in Manchester!"

  "Listen Carlen!" Ben went on, "there are only eleven days left for you to go back to jail. It will take us one whole day to go to Manchester and search for a hotel to live. And it will take us like one week or more than one week to search for Luca. If we found him, it will take us at least 5 or 6 days to understand that why he did all these stupid stuff with you. When he said the reason why, it will take us like one week to prove to the judge that he murdered David. Not you! And when we prove it, maybe he runs away from us! So then… you have to go back to jail and be hanged!"

  "You are absolutely right Ben!" I went on, "that means that I have to be hanged anyways!"

  It was a cold night and was raining outside. The nice odor of wet soil and fresh flowers was coming inside from the open widow which was above the bed. I really couldn't handle myself and started to cry like the little newborn babies. I put my head on Ben's laps. He kissed me on my blond hairs. That was a nice feeling.

  "Darling!" said Ben, "I don't want you to die! I have a better idea to solve this problem. Tomorrow morning, we will go to the judge. We will ask him for the address and we will tell him that Luca is lying! If he believed what we are saying, so he will put Luca in the jail. And if he didn't believe…"

  I went to a deep sleep and didn't hear what he said.

Chapter 22

  Early next morning, Ben and I went to the judge. We dared him to tell us Luca's address IF HE KNOWS! But he didn't know. He only had a phone number of him.

  After we took the phone number from the judge, we thanked the judge and went back to our house. I was planning to call Luca and ask him why he blamed on me. But Ben had a better idea. His ideas always helped me and this time helped me too!

  "If you call Luca and tell him that you are Carlen," Ben went on, "so he won't listen to what you are saying and even if he listen's, he won't answer you. I have a better way to solve this problem. I will call Luca and tell him that my name is Mike and I want to see him. Beside, I'll tell him that I came from Manchester!"

  "And what will happen then?" I said.

  "I won't tell you!" said Ben, "just wait and see what I will do to this guy!"

  After we ate our lunch, Ben called Luca. Alex and I were sitting near Ben and hearing to what he was telling Luca.

  "Hello sir! Is that Luca?" said Ben.

  "Yes!" replied Luca.

  "I'm Mike!" Ben went on, "I believe you won't remember me, but there is something that I have to tell you which would save your life!"

  "Ok!" said Luca, "hear you are! Say what it is!"

  "Well…" Ben went on, "…I came all the way from Manchester to see you and tell you what I want. I can't say it in this way!"

  "Ok!" said Luca, "where can we meet each other?"

  "Any place that you say!" said Ben.

  After Luca said the address, we all went there. He actually said an address of a popular restaurant. When we went to the restaurant, Ben said that Alex and I have to sit in the car and Ben will go and search for Luca.

  5 or 10 minutes passed when Ben came back running.

  "Did you talk with him?" said Alex.

  "No!" said Ben, "I'm just trying to follow him and see where his home is!"

  We started to follow him. When I saw his home, I couldn't believe my eyes. As if it was a dream. The house Luca went in was not strange to me.

  "This is Mr. Nilson's house!"  I said.

  "NILSON!" said Ben, "who is that?"

  "He is my stepfather!" I said.

  "What is Luca doing there?" said Ben.

  "I guess my stepparents told him to blame on me." I went on, "because they hate me a lot and they were mad at me when I ESCAPED from there house!"

  "I can't believe that!" said Ben.

  I was actually a kind of shocked. I never loved my stepparents. Even thinking about them bothered me. I really didn't know what they wanted from me. I really couldn't handle myself and went down to talk with them.

  "Wait Carlen!" shouted Ben, "come back!"

  "What do you want to say?" I said while coming back.

  "Don't go to them!" said Ben.

  "Why?" I said, "I'm just going to force them to leave me alone. THAT'S ALL!"

  "I know that Carlen!" said Ben, "but this is the biggest mistake ever. We have to tell the judge about what we saw. He will decide what to do!"

  "Hell no!" I said, "In this way I can't talk with them."

  "You can do that too!" said Ben, "when the judge take them to the jail, you can go and talk with them. Now let's go home and have a rest!"

Chapter 23

  When we went to home, I really didn't have a nice feeling. I neither couldn't sleep nor couldn't eat or do any other extra work. I was only laying on the bed and thinking about what my stepparents did to me and how do I have to answer there rudeness.

  The next early morning, Ben and I went to the judge. We told whatever we saw and we forced him to put Mr. Nilson and Luca in the jail. But he said that he can't do that because there is no prove.

  "But you can bring them to court and ask them that what were they talking about!" said Ben.

  "No!" the judge went on; "we can't bring people to the court without a reason!"

  "But what if I was right!" I shouted, "You are killing me for what I didn't do! I didn't give any money to Luca. I didn't force him to kill David! I'm…actually… in love with David! But I never told him!"

  "YOU LOVED DAVID!" said the judge with shock, "why didn't you mention that before?"

  "Because I didn't wanted Mr. Bartels or anyone else to know that!" I said.

  "To say the truth," the judge went on, "I was sure that you killed David! But when you said that you were in love with him, I changed my opinion! I will try my best to arrange a meeting for tomorrow morning and call Luca, Mr. Bartels, Mr and Mrs. Nilson to the court. You and Ben have to be ready tomorrow too!"

  "I don't know how to thank you!" I said, "That's so nice of you! You saved my life!"

  After we came out of the court, I turned my face towards Ben and smiled.

  When we came back home, I explained everything to Alex and she became really happy.

  Next day at 9 o'clock, everyone was ready at the court. Mrs. Nilson's eyes were full of hate and anger. But the hell I care about her!

  "Ok ladies and gentlemen!" the judge went on, "today we are here to find an answer for a question! Before yesterday at the afternoon, it has been saw that Luca was going to Mr. Vildas Nilson's house, the stepfather of Mrs. Carlen Bartels. The question is that what was Luca doing there? Is Luca ready in the court?"

  "Yes sir!" said Luca.

  "Ok!" said the judge, "can you answer this question?"

  "Mrs. Nilson was a perfect English teacher!" Luca went on, "she knew American English very well. My sister and I went to her home to learn American English. That's all!"

  The judge didn't say anything for a while. In this while, the door opened and someone came running. That was Su!

  "I didn't invited you Mrs. Su!" the judge shouted, "Get out of my room!"

  "I have to mention something really important!" said Su.

  "You can wait outside of the court for couple of hours till I call you!" said the judge, "now just get out!"

  "What I want to say is related to the problem you are talking about!" said Su.

  "…Well…!" said the judge, "here you are! But before talking, remember that if what you want to say is something not useful, so then I will send you to prison!"

  "What I want to say is about Luca!" Su went on, "first of all, I want to inform you that Luca is not my brother. Two months ago, I use to live in Leeds. Luca was my neighbor. I was in love with him but he hated me alot. One day, he left his home and went to Liverpool. That made me really angry. I forced him to take me with him but he said no."

  "…So…" the judge went on, "why did you say that he is your brother?"

  "Before three weeks," Su went on, "I was sitting in my room looking at some photos that someone knocked the door. When I opened the door, I saw Luca behind the door. I welcomed him though I didn't love him anymore. I gave him some coffee and nut biscuits, as he likes, but he didn't ate anything! He actually had a briefcase with him. He put the briefcase on the table and opened it for me. The briefcase was full of MONEY!!! He said that he would give me this briefcase with all the money inside it. Instead, I have to do something for him. He said that I have to turn on the Bluetooth on my mobile phone and he will send me a record voice. Then I have to go to court and say in front of everyone that Luca and I are sisters and brothers. He said that if I do all these stuff I would save someone's life. That's all what Luca told me. If I lied to you, it was just because I thought that I would save someone's life. But when I understood that this story is about killing, I went to Luca to tell him that I'm not going to continue this story and I'm going back to Leeds. I won't stay here anymore unless you tell me what the real story is! Luca told me that Carlen gave a big amount of money to Luca to kill David and that's all. Although I didn't believe that, but I told him that I would stay here in Liverpool until this story gets to an end. These are the only things I know. Now I came here to tell you everything because I don't love him anymore."

  "…That's unbelievable!" said the judge, "it means that Luca is lying! Ok Luca! That means that Carlen didn't tell you to kill David. So why did you do that?"

  Luca didn't say anything and was looking at Su in a meaningful way.

  "Did I ask you a question that doesn't have any answer?" said the judge.

 Again Luca didn't say anything but this time he was looking at Mr. Nilson in a meaningful way.

  "I believe that you don't want to answer my question!" said the judge, "so I'll ask a question from Mrs. Nilson. Is Mrs. Nilson Ready at the court?"

  "Yes! I'm ready at the court!" said Mrs. Nilson.

  "What was Luca doing in your home before yesterday?" said the judge.

  "…Hmmm…well…" said Mrs. Nilson, "he actually…came to my home to…"

  "…I want to say the story!!!" said Mr. Nilson to the judge.

  "Ok!" said the judge, "here you are!"

  "Before five months," Mr. Nilson went on, "it was a cold morning! At that morning, Carlen went out and we thought that she went to buy something and will come back real quick! But we didn't know that she was planning to escape and wasn't going to come back anymore. That day, hours passed and night came. We were awake and waiting for her to come back. We called her friends but no one knew were she is. A week passed and Carlen didn't come. My wife and I understood that Carlen escaped but we were not pretty sure! I was really angry for what Carlen did but my wife didn't care because she hated Carlen and by the way she was happy that Carlen escaped! Few weeks after Carlen escaped, my wife and I traveled to Italy! One day, a friend of my wife who lived in Liverpool, was outside walking on the footpath, that she saw Carlen laying on the ground. She took Carlen to her home and called my wife. My wife said that keep Carlen in your home till I come back from Italy. At the night of the same day, my wife's friend called again. She said that Carlen went out of her home. That made my wife nervous because she needed Carlen."

  "she needed Carlen!" said the judge with shock, "what do you mean by that?"

  "She actually wanted to punish Carlen for what she did!" Mr. Nilson went on, "a month passed and we came back to Liverpool. When we came back, my wife's friend came to our house and told us that she knows where Carlen is! She said that when Carlen went out of her home, she sent her son to follow Carlen. That woman's son's name was Luca. When Carlen was going to Leeds, Luca was in the same wagon with her! Luca asked Carlen that where she is going to and Carlen told him that she is going to Leeds to find her uncle. My wife was really happy for finding Carlen. She was thinking about a way to punish her. Finally she decides to make a trouble for her. She forced Luca to go to Leeds and make a trouble for Carlen and also she told that she would give some money to Luca. A month passed and Luca came back. He said that he killed Carlen's cousin and he wants to go to Carlen's uncle and tell him that Carlen told Luca to kill David! My wife became happy and thanked Luca for what he did. After Luca told Mr. Bartels what he wants, Mr. Bartels arrived to Liverpool. These are the only things I know but my wife knows more because she was in contact with Luca. The day Luca came to our home, I wasn't there and I don't know what he told my wife!"

  "Is that the real story Mrs. Bartels?" said the judge.

  "…Yes!" said Mrs. Bartels while staring at me.

  "Do you agree too?" said the judge to Luca.

  "…I do!" said Luca.

  "Ok I'll say the final judge!" the judge went on, "ok Mrs. Carlen Bartels! Are you ready?"

  "Can I go out?" I said while tears falling from my eyes, "I can't handle being here!"

  "Sure!" said the judge.

  "I'll come with you too!" said Alex.

  Alex and I went out of the court. I started to cry.

  "What are you crying for?" asked Alex.

  "Because I never thought that Mrs. Nilson will one day do these things with me!" I said.

  "Well!" said Alex, "I thought you are crying because of the happiness that you have in your heart!"

  "HAPPINESS!" I said with shock, "Today I heard the worst news ever and you think that I'm happy?"

  "Mrs. Nilson never cared about you and wanted to punish you," Alex went on, "so why do you care about her? She deserves any punishment that the judge will give her. And Luca deserves too! You have to be happy Carlen! Because you are not going to be hanged anymore! Now on you are free of any misery in your life! I forgot to mention something really important!"

  "What's that?" I said.

  "…Ben is in love with you, Carlen!" said Alex, "he wanted me to tell you that would you…would you marry him?"

  I didn't say anything because I had the same feeling to Ben. I only smiled and stared at Alex's eyes.

Chapter 24

 Two weeks after the judge, Luca got hanged because of killing David, Su went to jail for 3 months, Mrs. Nilson went to jail for 7 years and Mr. Nilson went to jail for 2 years. Mr. Bartels came to me and apologized for blaming at me and for talking with me in a bad way. Ben and I married together. A year later, we had a baby. We put her name Sandra!

THE END