Long Story - Four Days of the Catastrophe - Part 12

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11

Part 12

The next morning, the weather was twilight, similar to the previous days. It was not good news that the day was not fully enlightened; thousands of people had died or injured as the result of the disaster and people were depressed by the insufficient light of the day. No organized market was opened yet, and decision makers around the world were trying to predict what the future might bring. It was clear that the dust-covered sky would adversely affect food production, and the biggest concern was that people around the world were in danger of starvation.

When I got to work, I saw my friends arguing about food supplies with coffees in their hands. The greenhouses were devastated by the stones pouring out of the sky, and the price of food on the black market was tripled. The state immediately seized the situation and announced that the most severe punishment would be executed for those who stockpiled food. It was a severe problem that rich countries bought food at astronomical prices from developing countries like us. Climatologists expressed that dust in the sky would descend to the ground with the rain within a month. Experts said that food stocks in the world would be enough for everyone. The problem was that everyone was so scared and they kept getting scared. Speculation was made that the new meteorites were on the way, that aftershocks would trigger new earthquakes, and that the ashes emitted from the volcanoes would seal the sky completely. Since only two days have passed since no expert was able to give a clear view of what the future would bring. It was clear that even if a new asteroid did not fall into the Earth, the forest fires and the ash-spitting volcanoes would have an impact on the climate.

Five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have conducted a covert operation to prevent the meteor from falling into the world but failed to succeed. It was announced that an unknown object had hit the giant asteroid after entering the solar system, and it was understood that the asteroid was moving towards the earth as the result of the calculations. There was an operational preparation, and that the two spacecraft had been mobilized to prevent the asteroid from hitting the Earth.

The authorities responded to the question of why people were not informed in advance, that they calculated that the meteorite would fall into the desert and that a statement before the event took place would create panic, but these reasons did not satisfy the peoples of the world.

Every country was trying to take measures to prevent its citizens from uprising because of hunger, to convince them that there would be no hunger problem. The free market was not an ideal economic order for such an environment. It was a perfect setting for price speculation and traders didn't want to miss the opportunity.

A summit was decided to be held in Ankara to give the final shape of the regulations for food safety. The government attributed such great importance to the summit that it was decided to move the guests to Ankara by helicopters belonging to the military. Since the list of participants was published, there were rumors that this summit was a covert operation to take the relevant actors hostage; everyone was so anxious that some people believed these rumors.

While waiting to be put to Boeing CH-47 helicopter that will carry us to Ankara, a message highlighted in red appeared on my mobile computer. In the letter, Nihan asked me to call her. After hours of the struggle for life together, I went into my job and forgot about her. I got away from Bülent and called Nihan.

-Nihan Hello, this is my new phone, you can save it.

-Why would I save it?

-I mean it might be useful.

-You have my phone, but you never called.

-You're right; I was caught up in work.

-You never wondered what I was doing?

-How can I make it up to you?

-Maybe I'll forget about it in time.

-I'm glad to hear your voice, let's meet.

-You forgot to text me, and I reminded myself.

-I didn't forget; I would have thought of calling.

-I think we're going to the same meeting.

-Let's have lunch together.

-Call me when you're done, and we'il talk about it.

-All right, see you around.

The Turkish Armed Forces' double-rotor helicopter arrived in Ankara after a long flight and successfully landed at the hotel's runway under the autumn sun, which the dust in the air faded.

The opening speech of the meeting was said to be done by the president, but after a long wait, it was announced that the president would not be able to attend. Ministers responsible for agriculture and internal security went to the podium and gave a speech. In their remarks, they said that it would be meaningless to deal with any other issue in the country when the people were hungry. They wanted everyone to put aside their personal interest and make sacrifices to solve a possible hunger problem. The comprehensive content of the meeting made me think that the issue was discussed on an international scale and that there was a know-how transfer to countries like Turkey. Was it because of something else we didn't know about?

When we met at noon, I asked Nihan.

”Masters of the world are hiding something from us," she answered.

I said, “It made me happy to see you more than I expected.”

“I'm glad to see you, too,” Nihan said, she was surprised.

"To be glad is something else. I've been happy.”

"So you didn't call after we the incident."

“Let's not always go back to the same topic. I accepted my mistake.”

“If you would be happy, we can meet outside of work.”

“I was also happy when you gave me water.”

“You have a different sense of happiness.”

"I don't know when and how I would be happy."

“Are you saying you're an unstable type?”

"You're telling it. Against my face.”

“I didn't mean it like that, so let's get up before we quarrel with.”

"But, let us meet again."

“Okay, we'll be in touch."

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