Soline: The Bride of Shadows – Chapter 1
Psychotic Depression or a Spiritual Siege?Signs of a Soul Under Attack
She was staring at the ceiling, lost in a deep void. The doctors called it “psychotic depression,” but in Soline’s eyes, I saw something far beyond a medical condition: the darkness of shadows.
Her soul seemed fragmented, imprisoned in a cold silence. This wasn’t mere anxiety; it was a primal fear brought by the darkness. It was as if her spirit had been trapped there.
For me, this situation was not foreign at all. There is a distinct line where medicine ends and the metaphysical begins. Soline was not just “depressed”; she was being hunted.
Mysterious Streets of Izmir: A Paranormal Encounter on Church Street
I had missed the scent of the sea so much. I hadn’t been in Izmir for years. I was wandering through streets filled with memories. The narrow alleys leading to the shore, the sweet breeze from the sea… I had truly missed it all.
What kind of city are you, Izmir? You have nothing, yet you bind a person to yourself. Even when the soul is drowning and screaming, you touch the heart.
I was at the same spot again: Church Street… The street where everything began. Only the cries of seagulls on a Sunday morning broke the silence. My whole life had passed here; I realized now how many memories I actually had.
I was lost in thought until a woman collided with me. She fell to the ground, and as I reached out to help her, I recognized that familiar face: Soline’s mother… Madam Beatrice.
Unexplained Handprint Bruises: When Medicine Fails
“Ali! It’s you… I’ve finally found you!” Beatrice said. Her words poured out breathlessly: “Ali, where have you been all these years? Your phone is disconnected, unreachable… No one I asked knew where you were. Ali, where were you?”
I felt a moment of shock. Memories rushed back the moment I saw Madam Beatrice. I smiled bashfully and replied, “There were some problems; I was away from Izmir for years. Never mind me, what are you doing here on a Sunday?”
“I came to the church to pray for Soline…” she said, then began to sob uncontrollably: “Soline attempted suicide.”
“What are you saying, Madam Beatrice? What happened while I was gone? Where is Soline now?”
“Ali, she is at the hospital…”
We set off toward the hospital with Madam Beatrice. I was in shock. The last time I saw Soline, she was a vibrant, joyful 19-year-old girl. She possessed a unique elegance; she was sharp and meticulous. I couldn’t wrap my head around this.
We entered the hospital. Those endless, nightmare-filled corridors again, and the heavy scent of medicine… My feet hesitated; memories of past pains and the funerals I carried from the morgue rushed back. “Ali, wake up, get a grip; you are here for Soline,” I told myself.
The Failure of Medicine: The Soline Case File
Finally, we reached Soline’s room. The doctor was inside. Soline was staring blankly into the void, devoid of emotion. I called the doctor out to hear the diagnosis: Psychotic Depression.
What nonsense was this doctor talking! On what basis was he making this diagnosis? Soline was a girl full of life and energy. Apparently, she was hearing voices and seeing shadows—that was the only reason.
Yet, when I entered the room, I had noticed bruises on Soline’s arms and neck—marks like handprints. I asked the doctor, and he dismissed it, saying, “In these types of cases, the patient harms themselves.”
Patience, patience… I called the doctor, Madam Beatrice, and the nurse inside. I had them uncover Soline’s back. It was covered in bruises too—and they were all clearly handprints. Everyone froze. I shouted at the doctor in rage: “Did she do this to herself as well?”
The doctor looked at me and asked, “Who are you? How do you know about the bruises on her back? Or did you do this?” I thought to myself, God give me patience, let me not beat this doctor. When he continued to talk nonsense, I lost control and grabbed him by the collar. He called the hospital police.
The situation escalated. I was framed as a man committing violence against Soline. The whole hospital gathered around us. I almost had the doctor in my hands when a familiar voice rose:
“Ali, stop! What are you doing?”
The police had arrived, led by a Commissar… Commissar Hasan! The head physician arrived and wanted to start legal proceedings against me for both assaulting the doctor and allegedly harming Soline.
I explained the situation to Commissar Hasan and the head physician. Hasan stated that I hadn’t been here for years and it was impossible for me to have harmed the patient. He even told the head physician that the same thing had happened to his own daughter and that I had helped her. He explained that there was no need for legal action, and the situation was settled.
Shadows in the Night: How a Spiritual Attack Begins
The doctor and the nurse had left. I re-entered the room with her mother. Madam Beatrice asked: “Ali, what is wrong with my daughter? What are those bruises? Is it something you know about?”
“Madam Beatrice, could you tell me what happened when this first started with Soline?”
“Ali, first she started seeing shadows at home; I didn’t take it seriously. Then she started having nightmares. She would wake up screaming. At night, she would say, ‘Even while I’m sitting on the sofa, they are coming; they are inside, they want to take me.’ Then these bruises and nail marks appeared on her arms and back. Ali, what is happening to her?”
“Yes,” I said. “I know exactly what is wrong with Soline. This is a situation I have encountered many times. But do not worry, I will solve this. Soline will get better. You are not alone; I am here, Mother Beatrice,” I said, embracing her.
The Abyss in the Darkness: Spiritual Bonds and Traces of the Past
Her mother collapsed into the chair, exhausted. I sat on the edge of Soline’s bed. I began to hum her favorite song: “My loneliness, my loneliness, my moss-covered loneliness…” Soline used to get so angry when I sang it because my voice was terrible.
Soline opened her eyes; the effect of the sedative had worn off. She sat up timidly. She looked at my face blankly. “Ali, are you really here, or am I dreaming? If it’s a dream, what is this song?” she said.
Then she added: “Stop, for God’s sake, stop! You are murdering the song with that crow’s voice of yours.”
Madam Beatrice stood up with a cry of joy and embraced her daughter. But Soline’s eyes were fixed only on me.
Soline: “Ali, where have you been? I needed you, but you weren’t there. Why did you leave me alone? Why weren’t you by my side? I fell from cliffs; I got lost in the darkness. Where were you while I was going through all this, Ali? Why didn’t you hold my hand? Why did you let me fall?”