"In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer"~ Albert Camus

~'~

Turkey, Istanbul.

"How many places have you people visited yet?," Fidel inquired.

"Don't know. We aren't really keeping a count,"Akane replied, looking at the streets of Istanbul- the mosques, the minarets, cars and buses. Women with burkhas, men and the gentle laughter of young innocent souls.

"Why is it called the Blue mosque anyway?," Agnes asked Jason. But he didn't listen, his eyes were fixed on Fidel and Takumi.

"What's wrong Mr. Lecturer?," she said, placing a gentle hand on his manly shoulder.

"Oh..," he began. "I'm sorry, Cherry. It's just Fidel and Takumi...."

Agnes chuckled. "You're such a sweet brother, my my"

~'~

The blue mosque in Istanbul was eye- striking. It stood on on the street with minarets and domes. The five of them entered the mosque, full of curiosity, waiting patiently to experience the beauty and grandeur of Islamic mosques and how the followers of Islam worshipped.

The interiors of the mosque offered jaw- dropping views. At its lower level the mosque was linked with more than 20,00 handmade iznik style, ceramic tiles with more than fifty different tulip designs.

"Wow," Agnes remarked, feeling the intricate and meticulously carved designs on her soft palms. "This is beautiful"

"I know, right," Fidel agreed, her marble green eyes filling with ecstasy at the sight of the mosque.

They saw the prayer area where the people were on their knees, their hands joined together, their eyes closed, murmuring something deep in prayer.

"This is splendid!," Akane chirped loudly.

"Ssssh! Akane! What's wrong with you?," Takumi scolded her.

"Sorry, sorry," she said, keeping her finger on her lips as a gesture of silence.

Jason looked at Agnes. She had her eyes closed, her head bent down and her hands joined with her fingers entwining each other. She was murmuring a deep prayer.

Jason smiled. It was nice to see that wild girl so silent and serene.

"Oh lord, Jason! You're so deeply in love that you can't even stop staring at her?," Takumi smirked. Fidel laughed and her laughter echoed in the silent mosque. She held her mouth.

Agnes looked at them. "What happened?"

"Jason just showed his true feelings and you missed it!," Akane said to her.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. They are joking, really," Jason said, moving forward.

"No we aren't. Jason was staring at you with such love, I swear I thought he was going to propose you. But nah," Takumi whispered in her ear. Agnes laughed.

Jason looked at her. He liked the sound of her laughter a lot, it was like music to his ears. Jason Marbles? Your neurons. Need. To. Be. Controlled.

Fidel looked at her brother. Truly, madly, deeply? Definitely maybe. She smiled at herself.

The gallery level at the mosque was prettier. The tiles became more flamboyant with representations of flowers, fruits and cepresses. The upper levels of the mosque was dominated by blue paint. More than 200 stained glass windows with intricate designs allowed the blazing warm sunlight to enter and alight the mosque. They felt at peace, at the lap of a supernatural mother, cradling them in her maternal arms. Outside, they heard a light sound of flute.

"Flutes sound beautiful, don't they?," Agnes said. Jason nodded as if he exactly knew what she was talking about.

"Indeed. And since Jason knows how to play it, I've heard flute a lot," Fidel smiled.

"What?," Akane, Takumi and Agnes said in unison. They felt as if they were falling from the sky. Jason ran his hand through his thick brown hair as he let out a sigh.

"He didn't tell ya'll?," Fidel asked.

"No he didn't!," they said and shot a look at Jason.

"And as punishment he has to play it for us. Right. NOW," Agnes said, folding her hands across her chest.

"What?," he asked, surprised.

"GOOOOO AGNES! YES AGNES!," Takumi and Akane shouted as a gesture of supporting her. Fidel laughed, walking behind the four young people waiting to see what follows next.

~'~

Jason sat down under a tree with the flute in his hand. Akane, Takumi and Agnes looked at him intently.

"You know, if you stare at me like that, I won't be able to play," he said, amused. They looked around.

Jason brought the flute close to his lips and blew lightly. Slowly, his fingers began to move majestically on the holes producing a sound so beautiful and mellifluous, as if water flowing down a rock. Agnes looked at him, totally surprised and utterly impressed by the music which filled the air.

Fidel remembered about 'Krishna' in the Hindu mythology. He played the flute and his love, Lord Radha, would sit beside him, lost in his music. That's exactly how she saw Agnes and Jason right now. Beautiful and majestic.

Takumi shifted towards her. "Your brother is very talented."

"I know"

"Like you"

"Thank you," she said, laughing.

"Do you have someone in your life?," Takumi asked, nervously.

"Nope"

"Well you're about to," Akane bujed in, smirking. Takumi shot her a killer look. As for Jason and Agnes? They were too lost to pay attention. Drifting and floating in Jason's music, Agnes closed her eyes and smiled and Jason kept on playing for one reason- her smile.

~'~

Konya

Konya was one of the oldest cities in the world, best known for its Seljuk architecture and it's whirling dervishes. The five of them looked around admiring the rich architecture which still had the impression of the Seljuk architecture. They saw different mosques like the Aladin mosque and thr ruins of the Seljuk palace. But what they saw in the evening when the sun had set left a deep mark of admiration in their hearts.

They were walking on the streets of Konya when the music in an alien language began to play. People in long, white bellowing gowns assembled on the streets. Slowly they started whirling round and round in circles on their left leg.

"Oh my, what are they doing?," Fidel asked.

"They were the followers on the sufi mystic, Rumi. The followers of Sufism. They are perfoming their religious ceremony, "Jason replied.

And how beautiful and mystical they looked! Their hands in the air, their white bellowing gowns and caps moving round and round, they were like an unforgettable gift to their eye.

Agnes and Akane ran behind them and whirled around as well like a Sufis. Jason with his hands folded across his chest, smiled at them. A green light shined between the whirling Sufis and Akane and Agnes.

The world is huge. It has everything a human craves for. But there are certain things which a gift to their eyes. Things so majestic, so splendid , shinning in their own aura. Jason felt something exactly like that for Agnes. Something so unique, different and unusual. Brain neurons? Not really. Beating heart? Definitely.

~'~