"The Bridge Between Despair and Hope"

A young man, in his early 30s, slowly walked up to the bridge spanning the river. Amid the noise of passing cars, his thoughts were equally tumultuous.

Today was the day he would find freedom. He was finally going to escape the suffocating feelings of entrapment that had consumed him. With firm resolve, he climbed the bridge.

Back in 2019, when COVID-19 started, he lost his job. The General Manager at his department had exploited his authority and forced him to resign, despite no apparent fault on his part. He had only been on probation, waiting for his confirmation letter. At 29 years old, he had high hopes of settling into that job, only to see them crushed.

After being dismissed, he searched for other work, but during the pandemic, job opportunities were scarce. Lockdowns followed, and for nearly a year, he remained unemployed. His younger sister faced a similar fate.

Unemployment became a source of shame within his family. His mother's harsh words about his situation weighed heavily on him. Though he tried to endure her comments, there were moments when he couldn't hold back and retorted. Then, in 2021, Myanmar faced further turmoil, and job prospects completely dried up. His joblessness stretched from one year to two.

And so, here he was.

It was 4:30 in the evening.

He climbed the bridge, determined to silence the storm of thoughts raging in his head. He was ready to find peace.

As he neared the middle of the bridge, he heard the sound of the river below, the gushing water almost beckoning him. Taking a deep drag from his cigarette, he exhaled slowly, as if trying to release the burden he carried.

In the middle of the bridge, he noticed a man, likely in his 40s or 50s, standing on the railing. The man's body leaned precariously forward, with both arms outstretched, as if embracing the wind. His eyes were closed, and his neatly dressed appearance-polo shirt and slacks-hinted at a man who once held composure.