Tirad carries her heavy body inside. She is delirious again and keeps repeating the names of the dead people she had seen hanging from the ladder: Lealy… Armina… Ashid… Pejhan…etc. Tirad doesn’t know how she has recognised them all in one glance. It had taken him longer to say who is who. The slender, livid body with a stretched burn mark from head to toe was Lealy! Identifying Armina and the rest was easier. But he didn’t expect to find Lealy here, looking like this. She had definitely burned in the Oxan fire but had survived. And all this time, Tirad had abandoned her. He never even thought of returning to find her, even though he thought about her. He had no way back anyway. But Lealy must have come to find him. Then why didn’t she come to Avij? She must have known where he was hiding and had refused to tell Mart about it, punished like this by Mart and his soldiers. Tirad cannot imagine the pain she must have gone through all this time. Her weight loss and the livid skin show how she must have suffered continuously because of Mart and the Circle’s cruelty. Her burn mark covers one side of her body. How long did it take for the burns to heal and get herself to Parsana to befall into another disaster? And all this time, Tirad was living his happy diving life on Avij, getting used to the nausea after a dive? He deserves the worst punishments, the great disaster of the sea.

Tirad sits behind the wheel and sails away from Parsana. He must take Dalia to the nearest ship before he loses her too. Dalia calls him. Tirad rolls the flashlight around. There is nothing but the dark waves. They are far away from the death frame of Parsana’s healers. Dalia calls him again. Tirad anchors the boat and goes to her. She keeps calling him, saying his name loud. Tirad moisturises her face and belly again and tries to pour more water in her mouth. He hasn’t eaten the whole day and doesn’t think he can because of the rancour he feels. Dalia drinks the water and Tirad lies by her side, caressing her head and face. Dalia becomes calm and falls into a deep sleep. Tirad doesn’t take it as a good sign.

He should have gone up to Parsana and at least found her some medicine. Mart might have left some behind. But they are far from Parsana now, and he doesn’t know how to make his way up the ladder through the hanging bodies. How would he know which medicine to bring? He might bring her something that would worsen her condition. He should have tried it at least. If Dalia doesn’t survive until the next ship, he can’t forgive himself. Maybe he should have untied the bodies and thrown them into the water the Saviour way. Lealy, Armina and the other 19 bodies hanging from the ladder deserved the most respectful parting ceremony. Why had he run away? Why had he abandoned the ones that had helped him before? He was scared, confused, mad and heavy-hearted. He was worried for Dalia who had seen that horrific scene. He was wrong to run away again and he regrets it. But he can go back…before they get too far away from Parsana…if only his tired body, frustrated from all the despair, allows him to get up… He sees himself getting up…moving towards the wheel…the rocking of the boat…the smooth motion…just a little longer…he tries to stay awake… He has to go back…stay awake… He has to…