The Cliff

"I was in the aftermath of being expelled from the Military Academy on the day following an incident I cannot tell you about right now. I was just nineteen, a wild young man wandering around Karagümrük in a state of rebellion and bitterness due to the conspiracy that led to my expulsion. It was one evening in the Kariye district when I encountered these thugs in a hilly street. That night, while they behaved like thugs, I, driven by a lingering mental turmoil, resentment, and misery, got into a fight with them as a result of a provocation between us. Until..."

Here, I paused for a moment, seemingly to catch my breath, but in reality, I wanted to further pique Mr. ükrü's curiosity. As my silence prolonged, Mr. ükrü eagerly grabbed my arm.

"Yes, until!"

"Until I heard that voice. I was locked in a brawl with this thug, whom I would later learn was called Mr. Hamdi, when I heard the voice. But facing this rugged man, bearing deep scars on his face and arms, witnessing the battles he had fought throughout his life, it was certainly impossible for me to overcome him. In fact, it wouldn't be accurate to say we fought one-on-one. The man in front of me simply started beating me senseless, leaving my mouth and nose bloody."

"It was at that moment I heard the voice..."

"'Stop! If anyone values their life, don't move an inch,' said the owner of the voice."

I was already swaying where I stood, barely able to remain standing. But realizing my own strength wasn't enough to stop him, I looked around to see who had intervened for the first time. This encounter was our first, just like with Hamdi from Karagümrük."

"In fact, the person I'm going to tell you about now isn't the one who stopped Mr. Hamdi, it's the other man standing next to him like a statue."

The rather clean and neatly dressed gentleman, with a white shirt and a tie neatly arranged around his collar, confidently approached us with slow steps while adopting a mocking tone as he spoke.

"From Karagümrük!... I see you've taken to using inexperienced kids for your training sessions now, haven't you?" he said.

Frankly, the belittling nature of his words and his sarcastic tone struck a nerve, not just for me but even for someone who knew me, causing me to behave in a way that would astonish even myself.

"You're mistaken, sir," I said, turning to face him. "The incident between me and Karagümrük wasn't a fight, just a wager."

The young man hesitated where he stood upon my unexpected response, then turned to me and looked me over before slowly walking toward me. He continued with his mocking demeanor, indicating a hint of pity in his tone.

"Just a wager, you say? I'd find it hard to believe, my lad. What kind of wager could have left you in such a state? I'm genuinely curious. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me? If I knew the truth of this intriguing wager..."

Dettagli