Chapter Eight: The Beginning of the Journey to Germany

After their emotional reunion, Abboud and Abbas decided to take a short rest at Abboud's place before embarking on their new journey. Abboud's small home in Urfa was modest, barely providing the essentials for daily living. Despite the simplicity of the place, Abbas felt a sense of relief; the place represented safety after all the hardships he had endured.

They sat in the living room, which had a few old chairs and a worn-out wooden table. The sun was setting, and the night began to blanket the sky in darkness, giving the place a relative calm.

Abbas (lying back on the chair): "Man, I never thought I’d make it here... I just need a few days to recover my strength."

Abboud (smiling): "The road was tough, I know it well. Rest now, but remember, the journey isn’t over yet."

In the days following Abbas’s arrival, the two began planning the next phase of their journey. Abboud knew they needed to move from Urfa to Istanbul, but Turkey had tightened its refugee laws during that time. Refugees could no longer travel freely between major cities without special government permission, which made things much more complicated.

Abboud (looking at his phone in frustration): "I applied for a travel permit to Istanbul weeks ago, but it got rejected. I don’t know why. The situation is getting more complicated."

Abbas (worried): "And I don’t even have a temporary protection card (kimlik). If I get caught at any moment, they could deport me."

Turkey was dealing harshly with unregistered refugees during that period, and anyone without official papers was at risk of deportation. Abbas was fully aware of how dangerous his situation was, so they had to be extremely careful.

Abboud (talking to himself out loud): "The road to Istanbul isn’t easy now... We can’t take the bus or train. We’ll have to rely on smugglers again."

Abbas (with a despairing tone): "But what if they catch us? If I’m deported to Syria, it’ll be the end for me."

Abboud knew the decision was tough, but he was determined to find a way to reach Istanbul and from there, Europe. After days of searching and asking around, he managed to get in touch with a smuggler who knew the way to Istanbul. The smuggler was known for operating discreetly, taking refugees through mountainous routes, far from the eyes of the police.

The Smuggler (on the phone): "The situation is tough these days, but I can help you. You’ll need to pay a hefty amount, and we’ll have to move with extreme caution. The journey takes several days, and there are no guarantees of safety."

Abboud (nervously): "How much will it cost?"

Smuggler: "It’ll be 2,000 Turkish lira per person. But like I said, no guarantees. And if anything goes wrong, we’ll have to change our plans immediately."

Abbas, listening to the conversation beside Abboud, began to feel the fear creeping in. Money was tight, and any problems along the way could endanger their lives.

Abbas (with a hesitant voice): "Do you think it will be safe?"

Abboud (thinking carefully): "Nothing is completely safe, but we don’t have another option. We have to move. Staying here means waiting for the worst."

Days began to pass quickly, and Abboud and Abbas started preparing for their journey. They gathered what little money they had left and tried to reach out to people who might help them if they ran into any trouble along the way. One day, they packed all their belongings into two small bags and left Abboud’s house in Urfa, heading to the meeting point with the smuggler.

The air was cold that night, and the sky was dark, adding to the tension of the situation. The streets were mostly empty, except for a few hurried passersby, as if they were running from something. Abboud and Abbas arrived at the agreed-upon meeting point, where the smuggler was waiting for them in a small car.

The Smuggler (grinning slyly): "Ready? The road is long, and we need to be careful. We’ll start now."

They got into the car, and the journey to Istanbul began. The road was rough, winding through mountainous and challenging terrain. The driver continued along dirt roads, trying to avoid checkpoints. Every sound and every movement outside sent waves of anxiety through Abboud and Abbas.

In the middle of the night, the car suddenly stopped, and the driver turned off the lights.

The Smuggler (in a low voice): "We need to wait here for a while. There’s a checkpoint nearby."

Everyone sat in the car in silence, tension hanging thick in the air. It felt as if time had stopped, and every minute that passed only heightened the anxiety. Abbas began to recall everything he had gone through in Syria, how he used to hide from bombings and battles. These moments reminded him of those dark days, but he knew this journey was his only chance to reach safety.

After what felt like hours, the smuggler cautiously resumed driving, and the journey continued.

Abboud (whispering to Abbas): "It’ll be okay. We just need to hold on for a little longer."

Abbas smiled weakly and said nothing. This journey was filled with fear, but they both knew that the end could be better than they ever imagined.