In this gripping second chapter of The Falcon & The Whale, Shahin recounts the perilous journey across the Iran–Turkey border — on foot, through the night, and into the unknown. What begins as a calculated escape soon unravels into a descent through snowfields, tight passages beneath stone, and the near-loss of life on an icy mountainside. Through exhaustion, terror, and unlikely grace, three young men inch toward freedom, carrying nothing but fear, faith, and each other.

Blending lived memory with poetic reflection, this episode explores the somatic weight of exile — how the body remembers even when the mind dissociates. From drinking meltwater with bare hands to being pulled back from death by a mountain guide’s arms, each moment reveals the fragile thread between survival and surrender.

The falcon begins its flight. The whale dives deeper. And we are brought to the valley between who we were and who we must become.

Ney solo by Shahin.

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