"ROOM" : Chapter 6

After having coffee with Yiğit, Deniz returned home. The sun was higher now. The apartment was warm, but not uncomfortably so. He pulled the curtains slightly to let more light in. Then he sat down at his computer. The screen lit up as he launched a game. The silence was filled with the sounds of the keyboard and mouse.

Hours passed in the game world. He leveled up his character, completed a few quests. He chatted briefly with someone in the in-game chat, then closed the window. He didn't want to get to know anyone. Nor did he want to be known. Time was simply passing.

In the afternoon, the door cracked open. His mother peeked in.

— Lunch is ready, she said.

— Coming, Deniz replied.

His father was already seated at the kitchen table, buried in his newspaper. He glanced over the rim of his glasses.

— How are you? he asked curtly.

— I'm fine, Deniz said as he reached for the food.

— You screamed last night.

Deniz's hand froze. His mother stepped in.

— He had a nightmare. He's just been tired lately.

His father folded the newspaper and looked directly at him.

— You play with your phone too much. It messes up the brain.

— I'm not playing, Deniz said, slightly irritated.

— Then what are you doing?

— I don't know. Just looking. Everyone does it.

— So just because everyone does something, that makes it right?

Silence followed. The clinking of cutlery filled the air. His mother tried to steer the conversation as she poured water:

— Maybe we can take a little trip during the holidays. It might do us all some good.

Deniz didn't respond. His father shrugged and stood up, his chair creaking.

— One day, you'll step outside and see what real life is. This shell you live in is too safe.

The door closed. His mother began clearing the table.

— He's not a bad person, he just doesn't understand you, she said.

Deniz lowered his head.

— I don't understand him either.

He returned to his room. Didn't go back to the game. Walked to the window and looked out. A cat was sunbathing on the wall of the building across the street. The tree leaves swayed gently in the breeze. Everything was quiet, ordinary.

But still, he felt nothing inside. No peace, no anger. Just emptiness.

He turned to the computer. Opened a voice recording program. Checked the microphone.

But he didn't speak.

He just waited.