Youth by Denis Vinnik

The sun fades away

to let the darkness creep in — a cold February Odessa settling in the air. We see a boy walking up a street of solitude, his path lit only by streetlights standing in line like well-trained soldiers. He is tired — really tired — all energy drained from this young vessel. His body is wrapped in a comically large coat that covers him from his knees up to his chin, and a woolly winter hat sits on his head, his hair overgrown to such an extent that it’s hard to see his eyes. A duffel bag swings from side to side, trying its best to escape the boy, but he is relentless. He is walking back home — somewhere he belongs at this time of day.

He crosses the street to walk into complete darkness. Now, only his phone’s flashlight illuminates the way, which soon becomes a dirt path as he reaches the park. His face looks calm and collected, even though his soul feels a sense of lingering fear. After a few minutes, he finally escapes the dark place. Now, it’s a clear path straight to his home.

As the feeling of terror wears off, he starts to feel something else. Is it sadness? A feeling that accompanies him everywhere he goes and just won’t disappear. But why is he sad? All feelings should have a reason — shouldn’t they? He may find the answer someday, but only God knows when that day will come.