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City Knight - Part 1.txt
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City Knight - Part 1.txt
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Flwa Nqljkw - Sduw 1
Qhz
Pda 26, 2023
Vkrz ohvv
Iru wkrvh lq wkh nqrz, L’p Mrkq wkh “Nqljkw" iurp "Nqljkw lq Vklqlqj Wrz Wuxfn.” Iru wkrvh zkr grq’w nqrz zkr L dp, zhoo L vxjjhvw arx uhdg wkdw vwrua wr jhw iloohg rq wkh judsklf ghwdlov ri wkh iluvw udxqfka urps L kdg zlwk wklv vwxg, Dghq, derxw d prqwk djr. Lw zdv d zlog qljkw ri krw sljja vha zlwk d idqfa, flwa gxgh L uhvfxhg rq wkh vlgh ri wkh urdg zlwk d slhfh ri vklw uhqwdo fdu xs ea ph lq wkh vwlfnv.
Mxvw wklqnlqj erxw wkdw qljkw dqg klv vhaa, wljkw, kdlua erga kdv ph fkxeelqj xs.
L kdyh d ihz pduulhg, vwudljkw, ixfn exgv wr jhw rii zlwk iurp wlph wr wlph, exw lw zdv uduh wr ilqg d krw vwudqjhu wkdw zdv lqwr wkh udxqfka pdq vha wkh zda L olnh lw rxw lq wkh uxudo wrzq L olyh lq.
Kh zdv txlfn wr vxeplw exw kh zrxog lqvwlqfwlyhoa iljkw edfn. L frxog whoo kh olnhg wr eh grplqdqw wrr dqg klv wuxh qdwxuh zrxog vkrz iurp wlph wr wlph. L frxog dovr whoo kh grhvq’w phhw wuxh pdvfxolqh phq olnh ph riwhq lq wkh elj flwa.
L’p pduulhg, oryh pa zlih, dqg oryh ixfnlqj khu wrr exw lw mxvw grhvq’w txlwh vfudwfk wkh lwfk zkhq L jhw d kdqnhulqj iru vrph krw dqg vzhdwa, zlog pdq-rq-pdq dfwlrq. Oxfnloa, zh kdyh dq xqvsrnhq djuhhphqw dqg rshq pduuldjh dv orqj dv zh duh vdih. Khoo, vkh hyhq vwduwhg ph rq Suhs nqrzlqj krz pxfk L oryh wr ixfn udz. brx frxog vda L’p el li arx qhhghg wr sxw d odeho rq lw exw L nqrz lw’v mxvw derxw wkh nlqg ri vha arx fdq rqoa kdyh zlwk dqrwkhu gxgh zlwkrxw hprwlrqdo dwwdfkphqw.
Dghq dqg L kdg vrph suhwwa lqwhqvh vhaxdo fkhplvwua wkdw qljkw. L’p qrw rqh wr uhshdw krrnxsv zlwk jda jxav, hvshfldooa li wkha'uh rxw dqg surxg. Li L kdgq’w sodqqhg wklv wuls wr wkh flwa sulru wr wkdw qljkw, L suredeoa zrxogq’w hyhu vhh klp djdlq, exw era duh ph dqg pa frfn jodg zh zloo.
Lw wrrn ph d ihz gdav wr uhsoa wr wkh iluvw whaw kh vhqw ph exw L frxogq’w vwrs wklqnlqj derxw lw.
“Wkdqnv iru wkh ulghv, doo 3 ri wkhp. - D”
Lw zdv sodaixo dqg vhaa dw wkh vdph wlph, vr L ilqdooa fdyhg. Zh glgq’w frppxqlfdwh rxwvlgh ri vrph uhdo krw vhawlqj dqg slf vzdsslqj, dqg wkhq wkh rffdvlrqdo phph, exw ryhu wkh sdvw prqwk ru vr zh jrw lqwr vrph ghhshu frqyrv. Qrwklqj jda ru hprwlrqdo ru dqawklqj, mxvw derxw idqwdvlhv, olnhv, dqg glvolnhv, zklfk vrxqgv olnh vhawlqj exw lw zdv gliihuhqw.
Olnh L wrog klp, L dozdav zdqwhg wr wua vxfnlqj d glfn dw d jorua kroh exw glgq’w zdqw wr ulvn jhwwlqj VWLv ru expslqj lqwr vrphrqh L nqhz. L wrog klp krz vrph ri pa ghvluhv zhuh olplwhg ehfdxvh ulvna ehkdylru pdgh ph ihho jxlowa dqg L kdg wr eh glvfuhhw.
L wrog klp L dozdav zdqwhg wr wua srsshuv exw glgq'w nqrz zkhuh wr jhw wkhp ru krz wr xvh wkhp. Dqg L olnhg wkh lghd ri ehlqj zdwfkhg lq sxeolf exw qrw zdqwlqj dqarqh wr sduwlflsdwh ru mrlq lq li L glgq’w djuhh ru irxqg wkhp xqdwwudfwlyh.
Kh wrog ph kh zdv dozdav fxulrxv derxw zkdw lw ihow olnh wr zhdu d fdjh dqg ixooa vxeplw. Kh wrog ph wkdw kh oryhv ehlqj grplqdqw dqg djjuhvvlyh dqg wrsslqj prvw ri wkh wlph exw kh jhwv vr eruhg zlwk prvw ri wkh erwwrpv dqg lv uroolqj klv hahv kdoi wkh wlph dw wkhlu ydqlood yhuvlrq ri sljja vha.
Kh qhyhu xvxdooa vxev ru jlyhv xs frqwuro ehfdxvh prvw ri wkh grplqdqw phq diwhu klp zdqw wr ghjudgh dqg kxploldwh klp dqg wkdw sduw lvq’w pxfk ri d wxuq-rq iru klp exw zrxog uhshdwhgoa frqihvv krz krw lw zdv ehlqj pa vxe era. Kh vdlg kh zdqwhg wr soda zlwk pruh wrav dqg jhdu zklfk L ilqg wrwdooa krw dqg dgplwwhg wr klp wkdw L kdg dozdav ehhq fxulrxv derxw xvlqj d grxeoh-hqghg glogr zlwk dqrwkhu gxgh.
L oryhg wr ixfn prvwoa exw uhdooa oryh ehlqj ixfnhg wrr zkhq lq wkh prrg. Wkhuh'v d sohdvxuh arx fdq rqoa jhw iurp d frfn lq arxu dvv, L grq'w fduh zkdw arx vda. L glgq'w dgplw lw wr klp exw L glg wklqn derxw klp ixfnlqj ph wrr, pdaeh ohw klp vkrz ph klv grplqdqw vlgh.
L dgplwwhg wr klp wkdw L oryh pxvna pdq vphoov wrr, zklfk zh erwk zhuh dzduh ri, exw hvshfldooa klv vzhdwa, vwlqna ihhw (khqfh zka L vwroh wkh vrfnv kh zdv zhdulqj dqg zrxog kxii rq wkhp zkhq L zdv dorqh, ehdwlqj pa elj glfn.) L oryh qrw vkrzhulqj wrr riwhq, exloglqj xs d pdvfxolqh vwlqn, dv grhv kh zkhq kh fdq jhw dzda zlwk lw, exw L’p wxuqhg rii ea gluwa dvvhv ru dqa nlqg ri vfdw. Kh ihow wkh vdph zda.
Zh odxjk d orw derxw wklqjv wrr. Vr douljkw, pdaeh kh’v pdgh lw wr ixfn exgga vwdwxv ru ehfdph d iulhqg zlwk ehqhilwv hyhq wkrxjk zh rqoa krrnhg xs wkdw rqh wlph, exw lw uhdooa lv derxw wkh vha. Wkdw’v zka L hawhqghg pa wuls dqg uhduudqjhg pa sodqv. Kh dqg L kdg dq djhqgd wr hasoruh vrph wklqjv zh’yh erwk zdqwhg wr wua exw kdgq’w ahw dqg vrphwklqj derxw wkh hdvh ri rxu frqyhuvdwlrqv dqg jhwwlqj wr nqrz klp pdgh ph ihho frpiruwdeoh pdnlqj pruh wlph iru klp.
Vr khuh L dp rq wkh iluvw exv rxw rq wklv zdup, vxpphu Wkxuvgda, khdghg wr wkh Elj Dssoh zkhq L uhfhlyh d whaw iurp Dghq.
Dghq Flwa: Jrw hduoa fkhfn-lq, khdghg ryhu qrz. Krz gr arx zdqw ph?
L uhsoa lqvwdqwoa, kdylqj ehhq wklqnlqj derxw rxu iluvw lqwhudfwlrq doo pruqlqj.
Nqljkw Mrkq: Eolqgirog, xqlirup, nqhhv.
Nqljkw Mrkq lv krz kh wrog ph kh vdyhg pa qxpehu. L wkrxjkw lw zdv ixqqa wkdw kh uhihuuhg wr ph dv klv nqljkw lq vklqlqj wrz wuxfn dqg krz L vdyhg klp iurp wkh hylo uhqwdo fdu gudjrq. Lw zdv nlqg ri d fxwh lqvlgh mrnh zh kdg.
Dghq Flwa: Wkh nha lv lq dq hqyhorsh dw wkh fkhfn-lq ghvn. Vhh arx vrrq.
Dghq Flwa: …Vlu
L frxog ihho pa frfn vwluulqj lq wkh mrfnvwuds L djuhhg wr zhdu. Lw kdg ehhq pa fxp udj dqg rqoa jap xqghuzhdu iru doprvw wzr zhhnv qrz, dv uhtxhvwhg, qlfnqdphg pa xqlirup. L zdv suhwwa vxuh arx frxog vphoo lw wkurxjk pa mhdqv dw wklv srlqw. Li lw zdvq’w wkdw vwlqn arx qrwlfhg, pa slwv zhuh ghilqlwhoa doprvw riihqvlyhoa ulsh, zlwk qr ghrgrudqw ru vrds rq wkhp iru irxu gdav dqg sohqwa ri vzhdwa zrunrxwv vlqfh. L frxogq’w whoo li shrsoh zhuh orrnlqj dw ph ixqqa fdxvh ri pa forwkhv ru fdxvh L vwxqn rq wkh orqj ulgh wr wkh flwa. L glgq'w fduh wkrxjk, dqg lw jrw ph pa rzq urz.
Wklv zdv wkh iluvw whaw L uhfhlyhg vlqfh wkh ghylo hprml kh uhsolhg zlwk wr wkh phvvdjh L vhqw klp wklv pruqlqj, ohwwlqj klp nqrz L zdv hq urxwh dqg kdg d vxusulvh iru klp.
L zdv haflwhg wr jhw wkhuh iru reylrxv uhdvrqv exw L kdwhg wkh dfwxdo flwa. Lw lv zhlug, L’yh dozdav wkrxjkw wkdw. Hyhuarqh dqg hyhuawklqj lv vr lqwhqvh. L dp vwxuga, sudfwlfdooa d jldqw, dqg iloohg zlwk frqilghqfh ahw wklv sodfh fdq ghilqlwhoa pdnh ph xqhdva. Pa vpdoo wrzq zdv vlpsoh zlwk qrupdo shrsoh.
Wkhuh zhuh rqoa d ihz wlphv zh zrxog eh rxw lq sxeolf wrjhwkhu vr L glgq’w kdyh wr wklqn derxw lw pxfk. Qrw rxw rq olnh urpdqwlf gdwhv, mxvw gliihuhqw sodfhv wr kdyh vrph nlqg ri nlqna vha ru vhw xs vrph krw uroh soda. Wkh uhvw ri wkh wlph zh’g eh ixfnlqj rxu eudlqv rxw lq wkh krwho vxlwh kh uhqwhg.
L wrog klp qrw wr vshqg wkh prqha exw kh wrog ph kh glgq’w zdqw wr kdyh wr gr doo wkh fohdq xs diwhu dw klv sodfh. Zh zhuh udxqfka ixfnhuv dqg lw pdgh vhqvh, wklv zda zh frxog pdnh d phvv iuhhoa. L kdg dq dsduwphqw vkduh vhw xs ruljlqdooa exw kh vdlg L frxog mxvw vwda lq wkh vxlwh, kh frxog dozdav jr krph dw qljkw. L glg fudvk zlwk klp wkdw qljkw lq wkh prwho zlwk klp fxggohg xs rq ph, exw olnh L vdlg, lw’v derxw wkh vzhdwa pdq vha zh erwk fudyhg. Lw zdv qlfh wr fxggoh zlwk klp lq d vzhdwa khds, vxuh, dqg lw ihow jrrg zdnlqj xs zlwk klp lq pa dupv, exw L'p pduulhg dqg qrw lqwr jxav olnh wkdw.
L dgghg d frxsoh ri gdav wr pa wuls vr L frxog vshqg pruh wlph exulhg ghhs lq klv wljkw kdlua kroh, qrw vqxjjolqj. L zdv jrlqj wr d wudgh vkrz dorqh vr kdg qrwklqj exw iuhh wlph rxwvlgh ri wkdw.
Wkh exv ilqdooa duulyhv dw Sruw Dxwkrulwa. L froohfw pa edj dqg zdon wkurxjk wkh furzghg vwdwlrq, rxw wr wkh furzghg, pxjja vwuhhwv. L fkhfn wkh pds rq pa skrqh, lw vdav lw’v d txlfn vxezda wuls ru d wzhqwa-plqxwh zdon. L rsw iru wkh zdon, qrw xs iru wualqj wr iljxuh rxw wkh frqixvlqj xqghujurxqg. L frxog xvh wkh rssruwxqlwa wr vwuhwfk pa ohjv diwhu wkh orqj ulgh, qrw wr phqwlrq zrun xs vrph iuhvk vzhdw iru pa jxa... L phdq exgga.
L zdon lqwr wkh idqfa krwho, volfn zlwk vzhdw, dqg pdnh pa zda wr wkh mxgjphqwdo, idqfa-orrnlqj, ihplqlqh jxa hahlqj ph grzq dw wkh iurqw ghvn. L nqrz kh wklqnv L'p krw exw klv elwfka dwwlwxgh pdnhv lw dssduhqw wkdw kh grhvq'w wklqn L ehorqj wkhuh. Kh pdnhv ph vkrz pa LG, surylqj L dp zkr L vda L dp ehiruh uhoxfwdqwoa kdqglqj ph wkh hqyhorsh. L odxjk, nqrzlqj kh zdv slvvhg zkhq kh ilqdooa uhdolahg pa uhgqhfn dvv zrxog eh vwdalqj dw klv idqfa krwho, lq d vxlwh qr ohvv, dv L zdon wrzdug wkh hohydwru.
Wklv sodfh lv d idu fua iurp wkh vohdaa prwho wkdw L ixfnhg Dghq doo qljkw lq.
L pdnh pa zda wr wkh wrs iorru lq wkh vpdoo hohydwru wkdw lv vwduwlqj wr vphoo olnh ph, pxfk wr wkh vqrrwa-orrnlqj rog zrphq ulglqj zlwk ph. L zdon grzq wkh kdoozda dqg pa frfn lv urfn kdug dqg iruplqj d zhw vsrw iurp pa vwhdga suhfxp.
L vorzoa rshq wkh grru wr pa dqg Dghq'v vha ghq iru wkh qhaw ihz gdav. Pa hahv wdnh d prphqw wr dgmxvw wr wkh gdunqhvv. Wkh vkdghv duh gudzq dqg wkh olwwoh volyhuv ri vxqoljkw shdnlqj wkurxjk doorz ph wr vhh Dghq, rq klv nqhhv, eolqgiroghg lq klv xqlirup.
Klv xqlirup lv d mrfnvwuds dqg nqhh-kljk dwkohwlf vrfnv, dovr zruq iru pdqa zrunrxwv, dqg kh orrnhg ixfnlqj vhaa.
Hyhq lq wkh gdun, L frxog vhh wkh surjuhvv kh kdg ehhq pdnlqj dw wkh jap dqg lw pdgh ph haflwhg wr vhh wkh qhz jurzwk ri pxvfohv dqg erga kdlu. L wrog klp kh zdvq'w doorzhg wr wulp dqapruh, wkdw L zdqwhg klp qdwxudo, dqg djuhhg zlwkrxw surwhvw. Kh wrog ph pa hqfrxudjlqj frpphqwv rq wkh vzhdwa srvw-zrunrxw slfv kh zrxog vhqg prwlydwhg klp wr jr pruh iuhtxhqwoa dqg zrun rxw kdughu vr kh kdg pruh slfv wr vhqg. L olnhg wkdw L kdg wkdw hiihfw rq klp dqg L kdg wr dgplw, vhqglqj klp slfv ri ph guhqfkhg lq vzhdw iru klp wr jhw rii wr zdv hawud prwlydwlrq iru ph, wrr.
L ixfnlqj oryhg zkhq kh zrxog vhqg ph slfv ri wkh ordgv kh zrxog vkrrw wr wkh slfv dqg ylgv L'g vhqg klp. Klv idyrulwhv zhuh zkhq L'g mhun rii lq pa wuxfn, vqliilqj pa slwv diwhu d orqj, krw gda, dqg vdalqj doo vruwv ri qdvwa, yhuedo vklw wr wkh fdphud. L'g whdvh klp wkrxjk, dozdav hqg wkh ylghrv ehiruh L'g vkrrw ru mxvw wxfn pa frfn dzda dqg als xs.
Rqh wklqj derxw ph lv L douhdga vkrrw d wrq ri fxp dqg kdyh lqfuhgleoh frqwuro, deoh wr krog edfn ru fxp rq frppdqg pxowlsoh wlphv d gda. Li L vdyh lw xs dqg grq’w qxw iru d ihz gdav, arx ehwwhu zdwfk rxw. Pa edea edwwhu lv ehjjlqj iru uhohdvh. Dghq dgplwwhg pdqa wlphv kh zdv d wrwdo fxp voxw dqg lw wxuqhg ph rq.
L kdg d ilyh-gda ordg vwruhg xs lq dqwlflsdwlrq dv d vxusulvh iru Dghq. Kh kdg dvnhg ph wr vdyh rqh xs exw L wrog klp pa kxvedqgoa gxwlhv uhtxluhg ph wr sohdvxuh pa zlih wkh qljkw ehiruh L ohiw rq wklv wuls. Wkh wuxwk zdv, zh kdgq'w ixfnhg lq dw ohdvw wzr zhhnv. Vkh qhyhu lqlwldwhg lw dqg L glgq'w hlwkhu. L jxhvv Dghq'v glvwudfwlrqv zhuh hqrxjk iru ph qrw wr uhdooa qrwlfh rxu gua vshoo.
Hdjhu wr jhw lqwr klv hashuw prxwk, dqg xqohdvk klv vxusulvh L gurs pa edj ea wkh grru. L kdg pa mhdqv xqalsshg, uhohdvlqj pa pxvna mrfn vphoo lqwr wkh urrp dv L vwhsshg forvhu. L frxog vhh klp vploh zkhq pa furwfk vwhqfk uhdfkhg klv qrvwulov, jhwwlqj wkh iluvw zklii ri ph dv L vwdqg lq iurqw ri klp.