A Second Chance: "Stop!" | shouted, my whole body trembling, as the car driver stopped sharply.

I knew it was a mistake, but I couldn't handle my feelings anymore. I wanted to die, but somewhere deep inside me, there was still a small, flickering hope for a happy ending. That someday, life would regain its color. I had to make this mistake, so I could finally end it, knowing I truly deserved it.

The strange woman, the driver of the car, was running fast toward me. She looked kind, and I felt guilty that she had to witness this. If I could, I wished I had stopped someone else. She seemed like a person full of dreams and love, someone who made the world a little better every day. But I had to do it. If not now, when? My hands slowly raised, and when she was standing directly in front of me, I pointed the hidden gun between her eyes.

Tears started to fill my eyes. "I'm sorry,"I stuttered.

The young woman looked into my eyes, then down at the gun.

"What... what's this? NO! I'm not even 20, l've never had a boyfriend! I haven't achieved anything in my life. I can't die now!"

"I have to..."

Terrified, she grabbed the gun from my hand and pressed it against her own head.

"Is this what you want? Killing my body and destroying your soul? How old are you, 25?"

My knees weakened, and I collapsed onto the cold, empty street. "23."

"Man, you have your whole life ahead of you. Do you want to live with this one mistake for the rest of your life?"

"No, that's why I want it. I'm sorry."

"If you kill me, you have to live for me. Reach my goals. I'll die for you, but only if you live for me"

"But... I can't anymore. It doesn't have any meaning anymore!"

"Now it does. Live to reach my goals.

When you have achieved what I couldn't, you can die, but I'm sure you won't want to anymore."

"But..."

"No, promise me!"

"I promise?"

"Good! Live my life. I will see you in heaven next to Jesus!"

Then, in that very moment, I heard the sound of the gunshot. She pressed the trigger, and I screamed, wanting to push her away, but it was too late.

After her death, I read an article about her. It said she had been battling cancer for months. She hadn't even had time to see it throug & her heart attack that took her away so suddenly was the final blow-an unforgiving twist to a life already filled with quiet pain.

She wasn't anyone famous. She was just a kind woman from a little town, always helping those around her. Her greatest desire was simple: for others to be happy. That was her only reason to live, until she found out that she had only one week left to do anything at all.

That week was all she had left, and in the end, she gave it to me.

I read about how she wanted to spend her last days making sure others could live, even if she couldn't. She lived her whole life for others.

And I, lost and trapped in the shadows of my own mind, hadn't yet figured out how to live for myself.

But now, I will know: from now on, her dreams will be my reality. With that, I stood up and walked out the door.