A.N: The story starts off dark, but don't worry — in the coming chapters, he'll slowly rediscover what it means to live and feel like a human again.
A.N: Burnout is real. Life is short, so cherish every moment you can truly enjoy.
"I just want to sleep. I wish I was never born."
These were the final thoughts of Daniel as he lay dying, drowning in alcohol.
Once a bright and ambitious student, Daniel had always poured all his effort into achieving perfect marks. He constantly tried to please his parents and teachers by following their instructions—a model, law-abiding student striving for perfection.
Despite coming from a family that could barely be considered middle class in a Third World country, his grades in high school earned him admission to a top university on a scholarship.
And he used his scholarship to go above and beyond, eventually graduating in Computer Science Engineering as the university topper.
But this victory came at a cost—his friends, his personal interests, his passions, and much more. The triumph he had spent his entire childhood striving for, the one that should have brought him happiness, instead left him feeling only numbness.
Because he had forgotten how to feel joy.
Yet, he pushed forward with his new job — because he needed money. His parents could no longer support him financially. He had to rent a place, cook his own meals, and take care of himself.
His days fell into routine — long hours at the office, and the rest spent sleeping at home. There was no "outside life" beyond that.
At work, he always wore a polite smile, always eager to please his boss and coworkers. Slowly, he became the go-to person everyone relied on to dump their work. He truly believed that his relentless effort would one day earn him a promotion — that if he worked hard enough, he could finally relax like his boss.
But he was wrong.
Not only did his boss promote someone who barely did any work — a distant relative of the higher-ups — but Daniel himself was laid off under the excuse of "trimming the fat of the company."
He was devastated. But he didn't give up immediately. His savings could last him a few months, and after that… he had no idea what to do to survive.
He had no support from his parents or relatives. No friends to rely on.
He tried, month after month, applying for job after job. But no one wanted to hire him — not even as a waiter, cleaner, or driver.
He was tired of trying. Tired of failing. Tired of everything.
And so, with the last of his money, he bought liquor for the first time in his life — whiskey, vodka, beer, and wine.
His plan was simple: to let dehydration do its part while he drowned himself in alcohol.He wanted to taste everything, one drink after another, hoping to feel something — anything — other than exhaustion, disappointment, and sadness.
And as the burn of alcohol filled his chest, he felt something new.Thrill.Anticipation.Peace.…Joy?