Romans & histoires The World Isn't Wrong It Just Is

BERTHA There are two types of people in this world. There are the people who think there's a difference between good and bad and then those who know that there is no such thing. The world isn't black and white. It is a whole array of colors and even murder can be justified when the perpetrator is a sweet talker. When he tells you his reasons. My mother has raised me this way, these words have resounded in me my whole life. There is no good and there is no bad. Which is why one must always take what they want in this life because the only thing that's constant is change…and it isn't often pleasing.

Or maybe the realm laughs for it—high, sharp, splitting the horizon like thunder on steel. “Still clinging to your broken tether? Do you not feel the hollow where it burned out?” My stomach twists. Because I do feel it. Gods, I feel nothing else. But I don’t look away. “You want me. Not him.” The mirrored thing tilts its head again, and I swear the suns flicker when it speaks: “We do not want. We correct. And you, little fracture, are the greatest error this world has ever made.” The glass at its feet blossoms into spikes.

“No, no, no. There’s always a pre-beginning. Like… were you spiritually prepared for this?” Amani stared at her. “No.” “Okay,” Liya nodded seriously. “That’s your first mistake.” Amani groaned and dropped back onto the bed. “I feel like I’ve been assigned to something I didn’t apply for. Like I’m a pawn in a board game.” Liya’s eyes widened slightly. “A pawn?” “Yes,” Amani said. “A very confused pawn.” Liya paused. Amani continued, voice lowering. “And there’s him.”

"And sympathy things, like I understand why you can't love people because you've been taught your whole life that emotions are weakness." "They are weakness." "No they're not, they're what make us human." She squeezed my hand again. "Your father was wrong about that." I didn't respond because I didn't know if my father was wrong or right and I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to analyze my entire life philosophy while sitting in Sophia's room holding Elena's hand. We sat there for a long time, maybe an hour, just holding hands in silence while the light outside changed and the city kept moving and Sophia's things surrounded us like ghosts.

After a short break, she finally sent a text. "Sorry, I sent those to the wrong person. But I can't delete the photos anymore. Which one do you like, by the way? I'll just get one for you as well." I frowned and replied, "I don't like watches." I could see the bubble appearing on the screen that told me she was typing a response, but I never got her message after that. Just as I was about to put the phone back inside my pocket, she finally sent another text message that said, "I see. That's hilarious. I didn't want to buy one for you anyway."

I murmured, settling into the warmth of my bed. His Adam's apple bobbed and he shook his head, "You know what happens when you do a job like mine. You tend to see how fucked up the world is. It blurs that line between right and wrong. Maybe killing the asshole who did this to you is wrong to you but it's right to me. So, don't thank me until I rid the world of a piece of shit like him." With those words, he turned to leave without looking back.

After my sister was born, my mother's love turned into a game decided by a coin toss. Mom had a custom gold coin made: the flower side stood for my sister, and the number side stood for me. For ten years, that coin decided who got the bigger slice of cake, who got a new dress, and even who went to the doctor when we were sick. But the number side never once landed face up. I cried, because none of it was fair, and Mom just looked at me coldly and said, "Your luck is worse than hers. Who are you going to blame for that?" The day my acceptance letter from the elite prep school arrived, all I wanted was a steak cooked by Mom. So I secretly swapped in a rigged coin engraved with a number on both

I shrieked. “Tantrums back-to-back? Seemed pretty childish to me.” I glared at him. “You insulted me.” “You insulted me first.” He shrugged. “I’m perfectly sane, not a punching bag. I just thought since you wanted to insult me, I should return the favor… You aren’t looking so hot right now, though, just saying.” I lifted my head. “You’re talking about other worlds. There’s only one world, and you all are living in caves!”

Layla raised a question in a low voice. Asher smiled devilishly. "I am never after doing the best thing, I only chase to have the best thing." She mimicked his smile and loosened her hands from her chest. "That’s why you can’t distinguish between what’s right and wrong, right?" "Right things were long lost in the world. All we are left with are those things human beliefs are wrong. The world is dark, and no one can light it because it’s too late," he lectured her.

‎I look again, hands clasping my mouth, body shaking. ‎And the world tilts. ‎Two lines. ‎Clear. ‎Unmistakable. ‎Positive. ‎For a second, everything goes completely silent. ‎Like the universe just… paused. ‎“No.” ‎The word comes out small. ‎Broken. ‎I grab the test like it might change if I hold it tighter. ‎“It’s wrong.” ‎It has to be wrong. ‎It has to be... ‎But I know. ‎Deep down. ‎I know.