The three men had recently been released from prison, but they had no intention of changing their lives. They continued doing exactly what had once earned them time behind bars. They searched for lonely people, preyed on their fear, and took their homes and property. They worked roughly, quickly, and without remorse.
They had been eyeing the old man’s house on the corner of the street for a long time. A large plot of land, an old but sturdy house, no neighbors or relatives around. They had learned everything in advance. The old man had no family. His daughter hadn’t spoken to him in years, lived in another city, and never visited.
Easy prey, they decided.
That evening, they approached the gate and knocked on the door.
The door was opened by an elderly man dressed in black, wearing a worn leather jacket. His face was calm, his gaze attentive.
— Didn’t expect us, did you? But here we are, one of the thugs said with a smirk.
The old man slowly looked over their tattoos, their tense shoulders, their brazen faces.
— What do you want? he asked calmly.
— Your house. And we’ll settle this peacefully.
— No. Anything else?
— Hey, old man, what’s wrong with you? We told you clearly: you hand over the house, and we leave. Otherwise, we’ll have to use force.
— Just agree, old man. You don’t have much time left anyway.
The elderly man narrowed his eyes.
— Are you stupid or deaf?
— What did you say? one of them snapped and grabbed him by the collar.
The old man didn’t even flinch. His face remained just as calm.
— Sorry, boys. I didn’t recognize who you were at first. Come inside. I’ll pour you some tea. And I’ll look for the house documents.
The men exchanged glances. Satisfaction flickered in their eyes. They thought the old man had broken.
The three men entered the house without their previous arrogance, though still pretending to be confident. They looked around, exchanged glances, trying to keep up their bold act. They assumed the old man was just stalling for time.
The elderly man calmly closed the door from the inside and turned the key. The lock clicked. The sound echoed loudly in the silence.
— Go ahead, he nodded toward the couch. — Have a seat.
They looked at one another but sat down. One sprawled out like he owned the place, the second sat closer to the exit, the third kept his eyes fixed on the old man.
The old man slowly walked to the door, checked the lock once more, and turned to face them.
— Now… we’ll talk without witnesses and without prying eyes.
He sat opposite them. His back straight, his gaze heavy.
— Let’s get acquainted properly. Of course, you don’t know me. I’m too old to be in the spotlight now. But your fathers definitely remember me.
The room grew silent.
— I used to be a criminal authority. I ran this district. I’ve served several sentences. And not for petty things—for serious matters.
One of the guys tried to smirk.
— Old man, you planning to scare us with fairy tales?
The old man didn’t even raise his voice.
— Listen carefully. You came into my home with threats. Without permission. Without understanding where you were stepping. That was your first mistake.
He leaned slightly forward.
— The second mistake was assuming I’m weak. That if someone is old, they must be helpless.
He slowly pointed toward the closed door of the neighboring room.
— In the next room, I have equipment of a scale you can’t even imagine. If I want to, you won’t walk out of here. Ever.
They were no longer laughing.
— I can make you regret ever being born.
He spoke quietly. And that made his words even more terrifying.
— You have one chance. Stand up, apologize, and get out of here. And forget the way to this house.
The silence stretched on. One of the thugs swallowed hard.
— Are you really… that guy?
The old man looked at him calmly.
— Try me.
The men exchanged glances. There was no arrogance left in their eyes. Only doubt and unease. They understood one thing—if he was telling the truth, messing with him was dangerous. And if he was lying… they didn’t want to test it either.
The one who had grabbed his collar earlier stood up first.
— Let’s go, he said quietly to the others.
They headed for the door.
The old man unlocked it and stepped aside.
— Smart decision.
The three men walked out without looking back. The gate slammed shut. Their footsteps quickly faded down the street.
