The Sentimental Journey

                The Sentimental Journey

A novella in seven chapters, recreating a solo journey from the Ukrainian town of Konotop to Stepanakert in Karabakh. The narrative navigates the explosive, fractured landscape of the Caucasus during the fragile lull between the First and Second Russian-Chechen Wars.
Commuter trains, military checkpoints, smugglers, death as a fellow traveler, roads you couldn't make up if you tried, and people who prove to be far more human than they give themselves credit for. But trying to prove it is useless: they won't believe it anyway, they'll just say I'm lying. As if I have nothing better to do.

"The absolute bleakest moment of a man’s life, his darkest streak, is kicked off by his getting exactly what he wanted most.“And there it is—my golden dream, finally come true!”
Oh-o, my deep consolations! Watch your back now, kiddo... What comes next is always the hardest part to survive.
The ardently coveted goal secured, safely pocketed, the very thing that gave life meaning, that filled it with drive...
Yes, the fairy tale came true, flashed by, slipped into the past, vanished—and now it’s gone. It’s behind you, you can’t claw it back, and you can’t achieve it over again, because the current ruthlessly drags you forward. Your fulfilled dream is turned already part of the past, a place of no return, because you can't step into the same river twice...
And, as a booby prize for a dumb ass, go hang your Olympic gold medal on a nail; wipe the dust off your "Oscar" for best performance; admire the look of your fiery passion's object snoring peacefully right next to you in bed. The dreams came true, but life suddenly lost its meaning: there is nothing left to strive for, go after, and nowhere to haste..."


https://www.litres.ru/74601937/   -- 299 rub.

https://books2read.com/u/brDjpz  -- $2.99

           Content:
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven

words: 17,153; pages: 55