chapter 1
huseyin efendi is a physician at mahmut dede bimarhanesi. he is a graduate of western medical education. although he tries to approach mental illnesses scientifically, he struggles to change the mystical beliefs of the public about the mentally ill and the old methods still practiced in the asylum. huseyin is a systematic and orderly man; for him, madness is merely a brain disorder, nothing more.
one day, a new “patient” is brought to the asylum. this man, known among the public as “mecnun cemal,” has gained fame by wandering the streets of galata, reciting strange poems, and making prophecies. however, his madness is not ordinary. cemal is the son of a wealthy merchant, and his family has confined him to the asylum to avoid causing a scandal in the eyes of the state.
cemal’s behavior disturbs huseyin efendi. because cemal is often incredibly logical and intelligent but then suddenly lapses into strange prophecies about the fall of the ottoman empire. sometimes, he speaks as if whispering the secrets of prominent statesmen of the time.
chapter 2: cemal’s prophecies
a deep silence reigned within the cold walls of mahmut dede bimarhanesi. but this silence was shattered by cemal’s arrival. as his footsteps echoed through the corridors, even the guards accompanying him to his cell were affected by his peculiar aura. it was certain he was mad – or at least everyone thought so. but the sharp look in his eyes hinted that a part of his mind remained entirely intact.
huseyin efendi felt a surge of curiosity when he heard the other doctors whispering about cemal. most of the so-called mad patients were confined to the asylum due to societal prejudices or political schemes. but cemal was different. much was said about him: he was once an important figure around the palace, privy to the sultan’s secrets, and now he wandered the streets, making prophecies about the collapse of the ottoman empire…
“how could a madman know the palace’s secrets?” huseyin thought.
after being placed in his cell, other patients began to gather around cemal. some saw him as a sacred figure, while others feared him. cemal, however, remained silent, staring at the ground. but when night fell, the silence was broken by whispers. cemal began to speak in the dark room. his words were chilling:
“the empire is rotten. there are cracks in the palace’s dome. one day, that dome will collapse, and everyone beneath it will be crushed. but i saw this end; a bridge, with blood flowing beneath it.”
cemal’s voice captivated the other patients so much that they listened to him intently. when huseyin efendi came for a morning check, he noticed a strange calmness on everyone’s face. cemal had started influencing the other patients. and this situation unsettled the asylum’s staff.
huseyin began investigating cemal’s past to determine whether he was truly mad. according to what the other doctors had heard, cemal had worked as a scribe in the palace in his youth but was suddenly expelled one night. the reason was unknown. since then, it was said cemal wandered the streets, speaking of prophecies.
huseyin efendi wanted to speak with cemal one-on-one. one day, he entered cemal’s cell and sat alone with him.
“mr. cemal,” he said calmly, “why do you think you’re here?”
cemal locked eyes with huseyin and replied with a faint smile: “because i told the truth. truth has always been a threat to the palace.”
“and what is this truth?” huseyin asked.
cemal leaned toward the corner of the room and whispered, “the ottoman empire has come to an end, doctor. but this is only the beginning. if you knew what was hidden in the sultan’s shadow, you would go mad too.”
after hearing these words, huseyin began to suspect that cemal was not mad but possessed dangerous knowledge. that same night, the whispers among the other patients in the asylum grew louder. cemal’s prophecies had started to transcend the asylum’s walls, influencing even some of the staff. his words seemed to align with rumors of rebellion circulating among the public. it was as if he embodied the empire’s darkest secrets.
huseyin decided to investigate the truth behind cemal’s claims by accessing the palace archives. but this decision would take him beyond the limits of being a physician. he was now chasing not only madness but the empire’s deepest secrets.
chapter 3: the shadow of the palace
huseyin efendi, driven by his curiosity about cemal’s words, delved deeper into the mystery. meddling in such matters was a great risk for a physician, yet he felt that cemal’s words were more than the ramblings of a madman. “the ottoman empire has come to an end,” cemal had said. but what could this mean?
the next morning, huseyin searched through old patient records hidden in a corner of the asylum. yet he found no mention of cemal’s name. such an omission was unusual; it was as if cemal had been brought to the asylum under no official record. this only fueled huseyin’s suspicions.
“who is this man, really? and why is he so dangerous?” he thought.
a week later, a decree arrived at the asylum from the palace. the document explicitly mentioned cemal and strictly ordered that no information about him should ever leave the asylum. the physicians were also strongly warned not to discuss this patient under any circumstances. holding the decree in his hands, huseyin felt as though a cold wind had swept through his room. this was no ordinary order; the palace was clearly trying to hide something.
after reading the decree, huseyin became certain that someone in the palace had deliberately arranged for cemal to be confined in the asylum. but why?
cemal had begun to exert influence over the other patients in the asylum. at night, whispers from his cell reached every corner. cemal acted as a leader, telling the patients how rotten the ottoman system was and calling on them to rise for freedom. his prophecies were not about madness; they spoke of revolution.
“doctor,” he said to huseyin one day, “this is the largest hospital in the world. but only i can cure this empire. and for that, blood must be spilled.”
huseyin’s mind was in turmoil. was cemal truly mad, or was there a method to his madness?
to uncover cemal’s past, huseyin enlisted the help of an old friend, a librarian who worked at the palace and was known to have access to its darkest secrets. late one night, he secretly entered the palace archives.
amid the old documents, huseyin found a report bearing cemal’s name. the report stated that cemal had once worked as a scribe in the palace but had been caught leaving the sultan’s secret chamber one night. no one who saw him emerge from the room had ever revealed what he might have seen. all that was known was that after that night, cemal was declared insane and expelled from the palace.
the final sentence of the report sent chills down huseyin’s spine:
“he saw the crumbling pillars of the palace. this must never happen again. silence him.”
the unease in the asylum grew with each passing day. cemal called on the patients to break free from the asylum’s walls. he told them that these walls symbolized the decay of the ottoman empire. the patients now followed him like soldiers.
one night, an unexpected rebellion broke out in the asylum. the patients had gathered in the corridors, banging on the doors. cemal stood at the front like a leader, speaking with authority:
“these walls must fall before we can be free. we will be the ones to cast the first stone that topples the sultan’s throne!”
huseyin watched from behind the door and realized two things: this was not a mere uprising of madmen; it was the beginning of a revolution. and cemal was not just a madman; he was the living embodiment of the empire’s darkest secrets.
chapter 4: the collapse of the walls
the asylum’s quiet night erupted into chaos under cemal’s leadership. doors were shaking with a deafening noise, and patients were using metal rods to break the locks. cemal stood tall in the middle of the corridor, speaking as if he were a sultan himself:
“these walls are rotten, and we will tear them down! let everyone hear: a new era is about to begin!”
huseyin considered calling the guards to stop the uprising but found himself unable to move. cemal’s words echoed in his mind. could he be right? was the ottoman empire truly so decayed?
cemal’s eyes locked onto huseyin’s for a moment. “you are with us, doctor,” he said in a calm voice. “either you are with us, or you will remain trapped behind these walls.”
huseyin didn’t fully believe in cemal’s words, but he sensed something was wrong. the secrets hidden by the palace were too significant to ignore, and they seemed to be the reason cemal had been labeled as mad. yet, as a physician, wasn’t his duty to stay away from chaos? he kept asking himself this question as he faced a decision: to stand with cemal or remain loyal to the orders of the palace.
cemal led the patients through the corridors toward the main gate of the asylum. locks were breaking, guards were fleeing. when the gate finally opened, cemal turned around one last time and looked at huseyin:
“if you try to stop us, you’ll be complicit in their crimes.”
with hesitation, huseyin took a step forward, then drew a deep breath and walked behind cemal. he had made his choice.
the patients poured into the streets under cemal’s leadership. the narrow streets of galata became the stage for their rebellion, and the public watched in awe at their defiance. people had already heard of cemal’s prophecies. many began to see him as a mystical figure, a savior.
cemal reached the middle of galata bridge and addressed the crowd with a loud voice:
“the sultan’s throne is rotten! the empire is about to collapse, and we will not just watch it fall. we will destroy its foundations and reclaim what is ours!”
the crowd quickly grew. behind cemal, patients and ordinary people alike gathered, turning the uprising into a popular movement.
meanwhile, news of cemal’s escape spread rapidly through the palace. the sultan summoned his advisors, issuing orders to suppress the situation at all costs. cemal was no longer just a madman; his words had ignited the people. the palace feared his existence would turn into a larger threat.
“find him,” the sultan commanded angrily, “and silence him. no matter what it takes!”
a group of palace agents set out to track cemal. but his transformation into a folk hero made their mission far more difficult. no one wanted to betray him.
huseyin continued to follow cemal, even as the situation spiraled out of control. the streets of galata were now filled with chaos. shops were being looted, guards were being overwhelmed, and cemal’s leadership had become a rallying cry for revolution.
huseyin noticed an elderly woman sitting in a corner, trembling with fear. she muttered, “these madmen will destroy us all.” this sight stirred something within huseyin. was cemal truly saving the people, or was he merely a symbol of chaos?
at that moment, a palace agent spotted huseyin and approached him. recognizing him as the asylum’s doctor, the agent whispered:
“you will help us end this rebellion, won’t you?”
huseyin’s decision would not only determine cemal’s fate but also his own. would he aid the palace and stop cemal, or would he fully align himself with the chaos unfolding around him?
chapter 5: the final stand
huseyin ignored the agent’s question and continued following cemal. the dark streets of istanbul had turned into a battlefield. cemal stood at the center, a leader whose words carried the weight of prophecy. but huseyin still didn’t know where this movement was headed. was it leading to freedom or a greater disaster?
cemal finally reached the galata bridge with his followers. standing in the middle of the bridge, he raised his head to the sky and shouted:
“this bridge connects two worlds. but when one side collapses, the other cannot stand! the spark that begins here will topple the sultan’s decayed throne!”
as the crowd cheered in support, a group of palace guards appeared at the far end of the bridge. armed with swords and rifles, they were determined to suppress the uprising. huseyin looked at cemal, who stood as though he had been waiting for this moment.
as the guards advanced, huseyin approached cemal. “cemal,” he said firmly, “you’re leading these people to their deaths. if you don’t stop, everyone here will die. is it worth it?”
cemal gave a faint smile and replied, “freedom is always won with blood, doctor. but don’t be afraid; my death will be the torch that lights their path to freedom.”
huseyin hesitated. he wanted to believe this man was mad. yet cemal’s words carried a truth that was impossible to ignore. if huseyin stopped him, the uprising would end, and order would be restored. but betraying cemal would extinguish all hope he had inspired.
as huseyin wrestled with his thoughts, a palace agent appeared beside him once more, whispering: “give us the signal. we’ll take him down and end this here. all it takes is one word.”
huseyin stood motionless in the middle of the crowd, his eyes fixed on cemal. no matter what choice he made, this story would end in tragedy. but this time, he made his own decision.
just as the guards aimed their rifles at cemal, huseyin raised his hands and shouted to the crowd: “disperse! this is a trap! you will all die here!”
huseyin’s words caused a momentary silence among the crowd. but cemal ignored the warning and stepped forward. spreading his arms wide, he walked toward the guards. “even if you kill me, you cannot kill these ideas!” he shouted.
a gunshot rang out. cemal collapsed in the middle of the bridge. blood seeped through the wooden planks and dripped into the water below. huseyin stood frozen. cemal’s eyes turned to the sky one last time, and his final words escaped his lips:
“this is only the beginning…”
epilogue: the quiet echo
cemal’s death caused the crowd to scatter. the guards cleared the bridge, leaving only cemal’s lifeless body behind. huseyin sat by the edge of the bridge, staring into the water. cemal’s final words echoed in his mind.
the next day, cemal’s name was whispered across istanbul. some saw him as a madman, others as a hero. but everyone felt that his death had changed something. even the palace could not suppress the movement he had sparked.
huseyin never returned to the asylum. after everything that had happened, he abandoned his profession and lived in seclusion, trying to understand cemal’s prophecies.
but every night, cemal’s voice echoed in his mind: “this is only the beginning…”
