The stone was thick enough to get a foothold. Bill was seven years old, and he was strong enough to pull himself up easily.
But as soon as he did...
STOP!?: "Hey, kid, what are you doing there?"
Bill was pulled back sharply from the ledge and landed on his backside. Looking up, he saw a young man with olive skin and a beard, dressed in a sailor's blue-and-white uniform with "MARINE" inscribed on the cap.
Staring at the young man for a few seconds, Bill thought he hadn't seen anyone on the wall as he approached, but without hesitation, he replied, "I was looking for a way down to the docks."
?: "You thought of jumping? Why don't you just ask someone for directions? Hold on, kid, does your father even know you're here?"
As he was about to respond to this crazy assumption, it hit him, and he asked, "Do you know my father?"
Looking at Bill with puzzlement, the olive-skinned man casually raised his index finger and said, "Kid, everyone here knows your father, and we all know you. And don't think for a second that we won't spill the beans about your antics if you cause any trouble! You're lucky it was just me who saw you climb up the wall!" "And now tell me, does your father know you're here?"
"Yes, he said I can go out and play now," Bill answered honestly. At his level of maturity, he wouldn't typically trust a stranger, but considering he may have been too hasty climbing the wall, this sailor probably just wanted to protect a child.
The man asked doubtfully, "And did he say you could go to the docks?"
Bill replied, "He didn't say I couldn't. He just said I can't leave the base or wander around the shipyard."
Nodding with some understanding, the man responded, "Hmm... Got it. Well, if you want, I can take you there or show you the way. This is an active naval base, so it's easy to get around. But in any case, be careful. It's easy to get into trouble there. We're loading and unloading ships all day."
Then, leaning a little closer and covering one side of his mouth with his hand, the man added, "If you want to know the truth, all the fun stuff really happens up top!"
Pointing to the palace, Bill followed the man's gesture.
Bill: "In the future, I definitely want to go there, but for now, I'd like to take a closer look at these ships." After pausing for a moment, he continued, "You can come with me or just point me in the right direction, either way works for me."
Man: "Alright, then! I'll personally escort you. It won't take long to get down from here. We'll just walk along the main road and then go down the stairs. By the way, kid, what's your name?"
Raising an eyebrow, Bill replied, "I thought you said everyone here knows who I am."
Pausing for a moment and then bursting into laughter, the tan-skinned man said, "I know your name, William Ox! But remember, it's always polite to introduce yourself!"
Nodding slightly in agreement, Bill responded, "Okay, I'm William, but my friends call me Bill."
Man: "Bill? Not Will? Well, alright. My name is Oliver Barba, but my friends just call me Oliver.Standing upright, Bill realized that Oliver was probably two meters tall. Not as tall as his parents, but still taller than any adults or doctors he had seen so far.
Shaking his hand, much to Oliver's surprise, Bill replied, "Alright, Oliver. My plan was to follow the fortress wall to the ramps and circle the base by levels. But since you know the base better, can you show me the way using the elevator?"
Oliver: "The officers' elevator? Haha, no, I can't do that yet. I'm just a first-class sailor, so I can't use that elevator without the proper clearance. But your idea wasn't bad, so we can take that route or go down the emergency staircase. The staircase will be faster, but if we take that route, you'll miss the view of the base."
Looking up at the sky for a moment, Oliver looked back at Bill and asked, "What time do you need to be home?"
"By dinner," Bill answered.
Nodding, Oliver crossed his arms and continued, "Alright, here's the deal. If we go down the emergency staircase, you'll have about four hours to explore the docks before you need to head back. If we take the most direct route via the ramps, you'll have about three hours. I can also guide you along a scenic route and show you some interesting sights, but we might not make it to the docks at all today.Without hesitation, Bill already knew what he wanted: "Let's go by the ramps, and if we meet later, you can show me the interesting places."
With a thumbs-up, Oliver replied, "Alright, cool, let's go!"
The descent to the first level took a bit more time than Oliver anticipated: after more than an hour of walking and talking, Bill learned that Oliver was only nineteen years old. Despite his modest rank, this teenager had just completed basic training and immediately received his position.
Although Oliver seemed proud of this fact, Bill noticed bitterness in his voice when he stated that he could have become an officer if he had been accepted into the cadet academy. However, according to Oliver, the academies were only for the children of officers and nobility. People like him couldn't get in.