My Resignation
36 years late
To Whom It May Concern,
_
I hereby tender my resignation as bearer of my life and legacy,
I resign from my former clan and lineage,
I wash the stain of all generations preceding me.
_
I'll no longer stand as a vessel to the haunting of memories possessing my mind and ravaging my body. After years spent chained to my screen and keyboard, transcribing chapters of the past. Episodes flashing as they grip my mortal extension, shunting me into a trance. I've run out of patience for unraveling the tangled web of viewpoints, scattered and hung on walls. Pinned and strung like a gaslit pulp mystery. Fiction is told as law on one side, while my floating, disembodied recollections pile up, overlapping to tell a flowing tale across the other. I labored under the weight, and I struggled in vain. It took pouring out every pent-up letter to lighten the burden and regain my footing. Now, I walk a path guiding me away.
_
The sickening stress, the terrible gaping maw of blackness, is a comfort I think back on fondly. Though I know I can never return. Each crushing morning, it's for ignorance I yearn. This decision is always made involuntarily, fired off into oblivion without warning. Today stands out historically. I don't choose to forget what's been revealed. The people, the places, I record every name. Acknowledgment, making a chronicle, helps strike down the waves of shame. I walk forward, head held high, bearing a new name. Trading in the label "victim" for the badge of "survivor." Laying down the shackles of fear and uncertainty for the freedom of knowing when to cut and run.
_
Grievances?
_
That's a crime novel I wasn't planning on writing today. No one cares about the husk of a human being slumped behind the blacked-out buzzwords anyway. Once I've been censored, what would be left of my story? I've tried to pour the fetid injuries out, only to get lost in the ocean of tears gone unshed. Swimming laps till I forgot why I dove in head first. I'm not going to bother, but to release this official statement:
_
"Everyone possessing knowledge of this extremely serious, probably not provable, but still legally sticky and more importantly EMBARRASSING situation has been FIRED.
Removed from the emotional payroll, terminated for refusal to uphold moral decency, for profiting off the theft and sale of my soul and sanity. Family, teachers, doctors, neighbors, and church-going citizens. Gone in the first wave. That's why I'm here today, announcing my resignation."
_
My entire life spent in the lengthening shadow of this eminent decision, the excruciating weight of a partitioned brain. I admit that I've never been up to the task of bearing such a load, and faking this face. I bow out gracefully. It won't stop the torrent or cork the fire hose of pent-up memory and regret. At least I can say I did everything that was asked of me.
I've shed the uniform of grief and left it hanging on the sink, sick-spattered, crusted in hidden truth. Ripping off the mask of grins revealed blank, mournful scorn, which I left with my yearbooks and a list of numbers blocked in my phone. Before I locked the final door, I lit the kindling and watched it burn.
Puzzle pieces fished from the depths of my youth. The picture I know they form is eye-gougingly despicable. It's been unceremoniously burned, unfinished, unviewed, unbrought to the light. Tossed on the pyre, adding fuel to the fire. Where are the rest? I don't know; I don't have to care. I quit, remember? That's not even me anymore. That helpless, confused girl grew into a person with a plan and the will to make it happen.
_
My family can keep the childhood I was never generously gifted. The one cleverly masked behind exhaustion and high achievement. I know my college degree and that shrine of pictures must have long been eaten by the black hole masquerading as my mother's heart. She can wail and collapse, lie about me for attention. I have no opinion or comment past this letter, my swan song.
I won't be back for any last this or that. I'll never show my face crying or voice my rage in spiteful discontent. All professional relationships have been terminated. After recent evaluations, I see that's all I ever was to the lot of them. My entire life has just been a money-making scheme. No wonder I was such a disappointment, never moving up the ladder. The day I became "unmanageable," I failed intrinsically and ceased to matter. Valueless, unusable, at home, and in the "real world," or so I'm told.
_
I decided my energies would be better spent elsewhere. So, I'm shutting down operations, turning off the lights, and walking out, no looking back.
_
If you are reading this,
You surely weren't the one intended to see it
Now, I've gone on to better things
If something seems off, don't hesitate
Save someone's life today
~K.B. Silver
About the Creator
K.B. Silver
K.B. Silver has poems published in magazine Wishbone Words, and lit journals: Sheepshead Review, New Note Poetry, Twisted Vine, Avant Appa[achia, Plants and Poetry, recordings in Stanza Cannon, and pieces in Wingless Dreamer anthologies.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Keep reading
More stories from K.B. Silver and writers in Journal and other communities.
CH 20~ Party Down
Argento’s ninth (eighteenth in earth years) Birthday came and went Thursday, the thirteenth, and he’d already received his father’s gift, if you could call it that. You had to commit a fairly serious infraction to be cut off; the Arch-Baron was keeping up appearances and maintaining his own reputation as much as any sense of love or attachment to Argento with his “gift.”
By K.B. Silver Exclusive • 6 days ago
No Power or Water and -19°C: Kyiv Seeks Relief from Russian Strikes and Cold
Kyiv is facing a winter of unprecedented hardship, as Russian missile strikes continue to ravage the city’s infrastructure while plummeting temperatures push residents to the brink. With temperatures dropping as low as -19°C, the capital of Ukraine is struggling to provide basic necessities like heat, electricity, and water to millions of its citizens, highlighting both the human cost of war and the resilience of a population under siege. The ongoing Russian attacks have targeted critical infrastructure, leaving swathes of Kyiv without electricity and water for days at a time. Energy facilities, power grids, and water treatment plants have been repeatedly hit, exacerbating the already severe winter conditions. For residents, the combination of cold weather and a lack of utilities has created a life-threatening situation. Families are relying on makeshift heating methods, from wood stoves to improvised electric heaters, while authorities scramble to provide temporary shelters and emergency relief. Local authorities in Kyiv are under immense pressure to respond. City officials have activated emergency protocols, opening warming centers and providing water trucks for areas cut off from the municipal supply. Volunteers are delivering fuel and blankets, while international organizations have pledged aid, though logistics remain challenging in a city facing ongoing military threats. The Ukrainian government has emphasized the need for international support, calling on allies to provide both humanitarian assistance and diplomatic pressure to prevent further attacks on civilian infrastructure. The humanitarian impact of this crisis is profound. Hospitals are operating under strained conditions, with some forced to rely on generators to maintain critical care, including for patients undergoing dialysis, neonatal care, or surgery. Schools have had to adjust schedules or temporarily close, further disrupting the lives of children. Residents report that basic tasks, such as fetching water, preparing meals, or keeping children warm, have become daily struggles. The psychological toll is also evident, as families cope with fear, uncertainty, and the constant threat of further attacks. The cold itself is a formidable adversary. Temperatures of -19°C are well below freezing, putting vulnerable populations—particularly the elderly, children, and those with preexisting health conditions—at significant risk. Frostbite, hypothermia, and respiratory illnesses are rising concerns. Medical experts warn that the combination of physical hardship, stress, and lack of access to health services could have long-term health consequences for the population if the crisis persists. Despite the dire situation, the spirit of Kyiv’s residents has shown remarkable resilience. Community initiatives have sprung up, with neighbors helping each other stay warm, share supplies, and look after those most vulnerable. Local businesses and NGOs have coordinated relief efforts, setting up temporary shelters and food distribution points. International media have highlighted these stories of solidarity, illustrating how ordinary citizens continue to support one another even amid the dual threats of war and winter. The broader geopolitical context cannot be ignored. Analysts note that targeting civilian infrastructure in winter is a calculated strategy, designed to demoralize populations and strain government resources. Kyiv’s ability to maintain essential services, mobilize emergency response, and keep residents alive under these conditions has become a critical factor in the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, global attention to the humanitarian crisis has pressured both governments and organizations to respond more effectively, emphasizing the intersection of warfare, human rights, and climate challenges. The situation in Kyiv also underscores the importance of energy security and infrastructure resilience. Experts argue that rebuilding efforts in Ukraine will need to focus not just on restoring utilities, but on creating systems that can withstand both military and environmental threats. Investments in decentralized energy, emergency water supply systems, and community preparedness could mitigate the impact of future crises. As Kyiv faces this harsh winter, the city’s residents and leaders are navigating a precarious balance between survival and resistance. Relief efforts continue, but the combination of freezing temperatures and ongoing attacks means that every day presents a new challenge. The story of Kyiv is one of both vulnerability and courage, reflecting the human cost of conflict and the extraordinary lengths communities go to preserve life and dignity in the face of adversity. For the world watching, Kyiv’s crisis is a stark reminder that war does not pause for winter. It also underscores the urgent need for global solidarity, humanitarian aid, and robust infrastructure planning, to ensure that populations under siege are not left to endure freezing nights in darkness and silence.
By Fiazahmedbrohi a day ago in Journal
Comments (7)
Congratulations on placing! This is powerful and radical. Really great work.
Congratulations, KB, on your challenge win! I saw myself in this part: "Where are the rest? I don't know; I don't have to care. I quit, remember? That's not even me anymore. That helpless, confused girl grew into a person with a plan and the will to make it happen." Ah, such a self-freeing statement!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congrats on Runner Up. Great line: “Trading in the label "victim" for the badge of "survivor." “
That "unmanageable" bit is so deeply felt. The moment you don't conform to what those who used you want, they don't want you anymore. Your piece is so moving. Thank you for sharing.
Congratulations on Runner up! It was a great resignation letter.
🫂hugs, great resignation letter