The morning was different.
The sounds of my siblings filled the house, their usual chaos with books and bags, while I remained curled up in my bed, wrapped in the blanket as if it were a fortress shielding me from the world.
Nora approached first, shaking me lightly:
― "Get up, Nariman… we'll be late."
I ignored her. The others tried their usual ways: Noor yanked the blanket harshly, while Nora laughed as she tried to pull me by my arm. Elias, the youngest and most persistent, ended the little performance by splashing a cup of water on me.
I gasped sharply, then jumped out of bed angrily, and the scuffle erupted instantly. I shoved Noura away, splashed water at Noor, while Elias laughed as if it were all a game. But the anger was blazing inside me — I wasn't in the mood for laughing, nor for school.
After minutes of chaos, I left them all, returned to my bed, and closed my eyes stubbornly. They were silent for a moment, then Elias's angry voice rang out as he ran toward the door, shouting:
― "I'll tell Dad! I'll tell him you don't want to go!"
I didn't care, pulling the blanket back over my head. Minutes later, my father's firm voice echoed through the house:
― "She will not go to school."
My siblings stood stunned at the doorway, whispering among themselves, before catching my smirk beneath the blanket—a mocking, triumphant smile.
Nora, furious, threw her bag to the floor and shouted:
― "It's not fair! Why are we forced to go to school every day while she doesn't? I won't go!"
Suddenly, my father grabbed the belt and rushed toward Noura, his voice strict:
― "Enough!"
Everyone panicked. My siblings hurriedly ran, grabbing their bags and rushing out of the house. Father paused at the door, watched his fleeing children, sighed slowly, and closed the door behind him in silence.
The day passed with Nariman helping her mother organize the house, washing dishes and tidying rooms, while her siblings busied themselves with their own affairs.
She noticed her father preparing to leave, carrying some small tools and putting on his coat. Suddenly, he turned to her, his eyes shining with a faint smile:
― "Do you want to come with me?"
Nariman raised an eyebrow, hesitant:
― "Where to?"
He smiled lightly and replied:
― "Beyond the mountain."
Her eyebrow arched further, curious, before she hesitated for a moment and finally said:
― "Alright."
They walked along the dirt road, the sun streaming through the trees toward the distant mountains. Time passed, and Nariman panted from exhaustion, her steps heavy. She looked up at her father with tired eyes and said:
― "When will we arrive? I'm tired… I can't walk anymore."
He smiled calmly, his voice filled with reassurance:
― "We have already arrived."
Suddenly, he stopped in front of the towering mountain. He raised his hand and pointed downward; the earth trembled slightly as the rocky barrier slowly moved, revealing a valley beyond imagination: lush greenery, diverse trees, and thick grass covering the ground like a velvety carpet. In the center stood an unfinished house, as if still under construction.
Nariman's eyes widened, staring at the place in silence. She turned quickly to her father, her voice filled with awe:
― "What is this place? It's… beautiful!"
Adam walked slowly toward the place among the dense trees, his steps steady and calm. He approached a fruit tree, plucked a ripe orange, and held it out toward her. Nariman watched it for a moment before looking up at him and asking:
― "Who is this place for?"
He turned to his daughter, then back at the vast space before them, his eyes clear and serene:
― "This place is for us."
He smiled faintly as the wind filled the surroundings.
Nariman gazed around and then asked:
― "Who planted this place? Is it just for us, or for your siblings too? And why is it hidden?"
Her father looked at her, surprised, then said:
― "First… what do you think, instead of calling it this place, shall we give it a name?"
Nariman's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed with enthusiasm:
― "Wonderful! Let's call it Nazaria!"
Her father whirled toward her, startled:
― "Where did you get that name from?"
Nariman was flustered:
― "I don't know… it just came to mind."
Then he asked firmly:
― "Did you touch my books on the upper shelf?"
Nariman shook her head quickly:
― "I didn't touch a single book."
Her father stared at her, unconvinced, remaining silent for a moment.
Adam sat on the grass, gesturing around him:
― "This place was built by our ancestors for us, the power users, to hide in times of need."
Nariman sat beside him, listening intently, as her father continued:
― "The last person who took care of this place was my father."
Nariman, astonished, asked:
― "My grandfather knew you had powers?"
He smiled:
― "Yes, he took care of this place, perhaps thinking one of his children would inherit the powers someday."
Nariman quickly interjected:
― "Do all my uncles have powers?"
He shook his head firmly:
― "No, no one has powers except me. And no one knows except my father and mother."
Nariman remained silent for a moment, staring at her father, then asked:
― "Who are we hiding from? And why don't we stop them?"
He looked at her seriously and said in a low voice:
― "We hide from the world… if they find us, they will conduct horrific experiments on us until we die."
Nariman shivered at his words, then said determinedly:
― "Then I'll stop them!"
Her father looked at her silently, expressionless, and said:
― "Until when?"
Nariman blinked, confused:
― "Huh?"
He continued steadily:
― "Until when will you keep stopping them?"
Nariman stared at him, uneasy annoyed, silent for a moment before catching her breath.
Father stood, looked at her seriously, and said:
― "Let's return home, and remember… don't mention the name Nazaria. It's a secret."
Nariman sprang up, impulsively:
― "Who is Nazaria?"
Her father continued walking silently, unreactive, which made Nariman increasingly annoyed. Her irritation reached its peak; she stretched her hand toward the mountain, and the rocks in front of them shifted, blocking the path in an instant.
Her father froze, eyes widening quickly, then grabbed her hand firmly, shouting:
― "Didn't I warn you about using your power?!"
Nariman stared at him in awe and fear:
― "But… you used your power just a moment ago…"
He said firmly:
― "My power is limited; no one can detect its trace from this distance. But you… you are different. Your power is vast! They can sense it from very far away!"
Nariman nodded quickly, then her father released her hand:
― "We must return quickly; we cannot let anyone discover this place."