I couldn't believe my eyes, an apocalyptic scene appeared before me. Standing over the cliff, I felt the scorching rays of the sun on my skin, but for some reason everything turned cold inside. Cold fingers of defeated hope grip my neck, squeezing out a painful moan. I fell to my knees, the hood flew off my head, hitting my shoulders lifelessly. A weak wind ruffled my hair, tearing dust motes from the once familiar scenery, it seemed to mock, taking with it my heart-rending cry:

"AAAAAAAAA."

The echo echoed through the giant crater, breaking the lonely voice into many parts and coming back to me again, like a beaten dog to a nondescript owner. The black hole occupied the entire territory of the center. Through my tears, I watched the slanting sun rays illuminate the ruins at the edges of the crater, but they never reached the bottom. Rebar, like broken bones, stuck out here and there.

As if swallowed all living things, the abyss looked at my grief. There were no lanterns to light the narrow roads on winter nights. There were no trees, no building where my parents worked... The blast wave did not spare anyone.

I tried to calm the dull pain throbbing in my veins. And I looked at the sky, so beautiful.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Wiping my tears with my sleeve, I smeared dirt on my face, feeling an unpleasant taste on the tip of my tongue.

I got to my feet, breathed in softly and stepped into the abyss with a smile.

"Mom, I'm coming to yo... Kh..."

I was unceremoniously grabbed by the hood and thrown to the other side of the desired exit.

Сough, cough.

Clutching my throat, I looked at the silent neighbor with hatred. "From the very beginning, I didn't have a single chance. Ha..."

The fine gravel cut into the exposed parts of my legs and arms, making me wince. Clenching my fingers, I screamed:

"From the very beginnig, i didn't have a single chance!" I gasped fervently. "I couldn't, I had no choice. Ah, what now?"

Pushing off with bleeding palms, I got up from the ground and was about to turn my intention into reality, running a short distance, when Mr. Mark blocked my view with an unshakable chest.

He threw me off the edge from the abyss several times. He has never been outraged by my persistence. Even when I scratched his face, he just knocked me to the ground.

"LET ME GO!" grabbing non-existent silhouettes with my fingers, I rushed forward again. "Why should I live?! Where and how?! Wouldn't it be better to end this WORTHLESS LIFE now?!"

A loud bang and a hot cheek cleared my thoughts for a second. I looked incredulously at the neighbor's raised hand and his upset face.

Opening my mouth, I stepped back and grabbed my head.

[No one warned me, no one said that there would no longer be that "tomorrow" that usually comes after a long sleep. Everything happened so fast that even now I can't keep up with events. And now I have to put up with everything?]

I looked at Mr. Mark with a mute question, to which I received a short nod.

"Now I understand what it's like to be stabbed alive without a knife."

I sobbed, watching the desolate, bleak landscape.