/story/213307/time-and-tide/issue/15
Time and Tide - "Bargaining" | Penana
arrow_back
Time and Tide
more_vert
  • info_outline Info
  • toc Table of Contents
  • share Share
  • format_color_text Display Settings
  • exposure_plus_1 Recommend
  • report_problem Report
  • account_circle Login
share bookmark_border
info_outline
format_color_text
toc
comment 0
exposure_plus_1
Search stories, writers or societies
Show More Tags
Continue ReadingClear All
More
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
See more results for ""
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Turn on notifications
Later
Time and Tide
ISSUE #15
Author: Viktoria Fyodorova
Time and Tide
Author: Viktoria Fyodorova
ISSUE #15
"Bargaining"
No Plagiarism!Hg4mRiTbjE8oakeRODfCposted on PＥNAＮＡ

Why?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjAuOLX8kC

Why was it him?

Why did the world take my parents’

only biological child?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qgkkvkHtj

Why wasn’t it me?

I have sinned so much in the past few years,

to the point that I have lost track

of all the horrible things

I have done.

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpQEwwIkYt

Why was my brother the one punished

and not me?

Why did this have to happen so close to his

32nd birthday?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YLcUsN2mX

After everything he has been through,

this is how the world repays him for

overcoming his

alcoholism?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcSbT74ERl

Why is the world such a cruel place?

Why is there just as much good in the world

as there is evil?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSBivjrmE3

Why were Mom and I the last people

he talked to?

Why did he die

only 20 minutes after getting off the phone with us?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjjT2xT3UP

Why did he accept those drugs from someone?

a straight-up murderer?

on the street?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzyXWh8Nke

Why am I still here?

Why did I survive those 24 hours

on the doorstep of the orphanage

in frigid Russia,

with only a blanket and crib to guide me?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmouKSwcB1

Why,

out of all the orphans,

did my adopted parents

choose

me?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5MSodfnmh

Why did my brother want a little sister?

I was a chubby, little thing—

severely malnourished—

and now I struggle with anxiety.

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4lWfBKCvU

Why is grief so

mentally and physically exhausting?

Why are there so many people

who support us?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPylrvDxCuN

Is this really what love is all about?

Is that all grief is?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G5Ez38VFp

Why am I down here

and not with my family during this time of mourning?

Why did I come back to school

only a week after the tragedy?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGelwAnaMK

Why am I so desperate to succeed,

considering the current circumstances?

108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk8b4tdndH

Most importantly...

What is the true meaning of this anomaly

that we call “life”?

216.73.217.114

ns216.73.217.114da2
Comments
BOOKMARK
+RECOMMEND
LIKES 0
READS 104
BOOKMARKS 0
Login with Facebook or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
< Prev Issue
Next Issue >
Click to load the next chapter
Be the first to like this issue!
X
X
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.

Pena Coins Credit Card

×
Time and Tide
Poetry
Adventure
Short Story
Last updated: Jun 3, 2026
Total word count: 3,470
Total reading time: 16 Minutes
adventure magic comingofage college timetravel warriors poetrycollection foundfamily animals destiny lifelessons prose nostalgia diversity collegestudents symbolism writingchallenge undiscovered schoolassingment wildcard
Report this story
×
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically


Reset to default

X
×
x
Proceed

x
Before You Publish
Please ensure your story does not contain illegal, hateful, inciting, or violence-promoting content, or any infringing, plagiarized, or spam material, and that it complies with Penana’s Terms of Use.
Penana reserves the right to remove any content that violates these rules or causes legal or community risk, and to suspend or terminate related accounts.
arrow_back
×

Select a reason:

×

Install this webapp for easier offline reading: tap and then Add to home screen.