FIFTY FOUR | Open Your Eyes

[ZARINA]

“No!” I yell, “No no no no no no no, it’s all wrong, all wrong.”

For the past two hours, I’ve been trying to cook something decent and edible for myself. Something uncomplicated, something that shouldn’t be this challenging. But all my attempts confirm to be in vain. It took me ten minutes just to make sure the stove was working.

This is all so new for me.

Not the cooking quite so but this kitchen. Everything is modern and stylish; half of the things, the utensils, the food. I don’t even know what to do with them, how to use them, how to cook.

Back at the orphanage, things were simple. We had limited kitchen wares and a fixed portion of food for each mouth. So, imagine my surprise and powerlessness when I tried to figure out this place. It’s even more complicated than those stubborn math problems. I don’t know what to do, or where to start.

I should have paid a close eye to Vladimir when he cooked us breakfast and dinner the previous day. Should have woken up early, instead o