Story: The other side

He woke up as the morning came. His view was hazy. Every single muscle in his body felt like burning as he tried to move. His head hurt like no tomorrow and his mouth dryer than a desert. He saw one bottle of vodka too many laying by his side. The roof above his head was clearly not maintained since long; filled with holes and nothing to cover it. No wonder it was cold. He got up and hurried to find a source of warmth. He shivered with every step as the wooden floor creaked beneath his feet. It felt like an eternity. The lighter he was looking for was on the other side of the room after all. He grabbed a cigarette, walked towards the window, blocked the cold breeze with his hand and finally lit it up. His body relaxed as the smoke passed through his lungs.

The white mist covered the grasslands like a blanket. The sky, a blueish gray blurred by the fog. The outlines of the darkened green trees were barely visible. Yet, the faint orange lights of campfires and light poles were clear as day. A brave bird chirped once in a while to break the eerie silence.

No gunshots this morning.

He, who leaned out of the window, already burned up his cigarette and threw it away. Where to? Only god knows. In deep thoughts, he played with the strands of his thick beard which hasn't been taken care of for months. His eyes weary yet restless.

He grabbed a can of tourist delight and ate as he kept watch. It was difficult for his beard to not get in the way, but it didn't seem to bother him. He kept staring at the distance, hoping to spot the unusual. Yet, that moment didn't come. Putting his hand on his forehead as he leaned on his elbow while looking down, he let out a loud sigh.

"What if Dovya didn't make it back?"
"No, it can't be."

He grabbed a bottle of water, threw some of it in his face and gathered himself. Got dressed, packed his bag, got his gear, and went downstairs. He grabbed his old but trusty AK74U and did the usual checkup before departing. His solar-charged PDA lit up. The received message contained a map update, coordinates for a secret stash and the words "The other side". Everyone questions why no one who crossed the border made it back, yet none can resist the urge of a better life.

Just as Dovya did before him, he closed the door behind and walked the path of dirt towards the horizon. There was a long road ahead of him.