Chasing the one I believed responsible for all my anguish, I walked a long road filled with hardships that deepened my pain and my hatred.

At the end of that road, consumed by rage, I came upon a deep, dark abyss that split the path in two. Far away, on the opposite edge, stood my enemy. Motionless. As if he had been waiting for me all this time.

Desperate, I descended into the abyss. Its walls were so steep that the only way across was to climb all the way down before climbing back up. I stumbled and fell.

When I awoke, I realized I had been unconscious. I was still inside the abyss, but now much deeper than before. I looked up and saw the silhouette of my enemy, still standing, still motionless, watching from the edge above.

I tried to stand, but pain consumed me from within. Looking down, I discovered that my leg was broken. I cursed him and blamed him for my misery.

I wrapped my leg as best I could and began to walk. I had to climb. My revenge would have to wait, but I had not abandoned it.

I placed my hands against the wall of the abyss and began to climb with the strength of my one healthy leg. The rocks were sandy and narrow. One careless step was enough to send me falling again. I looked up.

My enemy was still there.

Motionless.

Then I slipped…

and fell once more.

Again, I blamed him.

I tried again, this time more carefully. I stopped trusting my strength alone and began making sure of every step. Halfway up, I found a narrow ledge where I could rest.

Two withered plants were growing there. The lack of water had left them barely alive. I looked at them for a moment…

then looked away.

“I won’t give them my water,” I thought.

“I’ll need it for my revenge.”

I continued climbing, only to fall once again to the bottom of the abyss.

Lying on my back, I looked up once more. High above me, outlined against the light, my enemy still stood without moving.

I blamed him again…

and forced myself back to my feet.

A long time passed.

So many times did I scrape against the walls of the abyss that my fingers eventually broke. My head bled, and my broken leg refused to heal.

During one of my rests, I reached that same narrow ledge again. The two plants were still there, still fighting to survive.

I don’t know why…

but I felt compassion.

I took the little water I had left…

and poured it over them.

Then I returned to the wall.

My wounded fingers brushed against the rock as I lifted my eyes.

My enemy was still there.

This time, however…

I felt no hatred.

No anger.

Nothing at all.

Only silence.

And I kept climbing.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally caught sight of the edge above me. The surface was within reach. Relief washed over me.

Before pulling myself out, I looked up one last time to see if my enemy was still there.

He was.

Still standing.

Still motionless.

And I remained silent.

When I finally reached the surface, I clung to the edge with everything I had left, refusing to let myself fall again. I dragged myself across the ground, something I once would have considered beneath me.

Slowly…

I raised my eyes.

My enemy was still there.

Motionless.

Standing.

I looked at his leg.

It was broken.

A chill ran through my body.

I lifted my gaze a little higher.

His waist was torn.

His hands…

their fingers were broken.

My breathing grew heavy.

I couldn’t stop looking at him.

The blood running down his face was the same blood that had run down mine.

And the longer I looked…

the more familiar he became.

Until I realized I was staring into my own face.

And then…

I understood.