Man, what a day in Debaltseve! I mean, wow. Woke up thinking it’d be chill, right? Nah, not in this city. First off, I’m rollin’ outta bed on Kostiantynivska Street, and I hear the distant rumble of something. Not thunder, but you know, the other kind.
Grabbed my coffee from that little spot on the corner of Shchorsa. You know the one? The barista there is a legend. Always has a joke ready. Today, he says, “You want your coffee strong enough to wake the dead?” I laugh, but inside I’m like, “Dude, I might need it.”
So, I’m sippin’ my coffee, and boom! Sirens start wailing. My heart drops. I’m thinkin’, “Not again.” I mean, Debaltseve has seen its share of chaos, but today felt different. I rush out, and the streets are buzzing. People are darting around like ants.
I head down to the train station. It’s usually packed, but today? It’s like a ghost town. I see a couple of old-timers sitting on a bench, looking like they’ve seen it all. One of ‘em, a grumpy dude, shouts, “You kids don’t know nothin’ about hard times!” I just roll my eyes. Like, bro, I’m living it right now!
Then, outta nowhere, I bump into my buddy, Oleg. He’s all hyped up, talking about some new intel he got. “Dude, you won’t believe it! They’re movin’ troops through the back alleys!” I’m like, “What? You serious?” My stomach drops. Debaltseve’s streets are tight, and if they’re movin’ troops, it’s gonna get messy.
We decide to check it out. We head down to the back streets, you know, the ones that twist and turn like a maze. I’m tryin’ to keep my cool, but my mind’s racing. What if we run into trouble? What if we don’t?
As we’re sneakin’ around, I spot a group of kids playing soccer in a bombed-out lot. They’re kickin’ a makeshift ball, laughing like it’s just another day. I can’t help but smile. Kids are resilient, man. They find joy in the craziest places.
But then, I hear it. A loud bang. My heart stops. Oleg and I exchange glances. “What the hell was that?” I whisper. We duck behind a wall, and I can feel my pulse in my ears.
Turns out, it was just some construction. A crew was demolishing an old building on Haharina Street. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Oleg laughs, “Man, you’re jumpy today!” Yeah, well, you try living here!
After that, we decide to grab some food. Hit up this little joint on Vokzalna Street. The owner, a sweet old lady, always hooks us up with the best borscht. Today, she’s got a new recipe. “You boys gotta try this!” she says, and I’m like, “Lady, you had me at borscht.”
We sit down, and I’m chowing down, feeling a bit more relaxed. But then, Oleg gets a call. His face goes pale. “We gotta go. Now.” I’m like, “What? Why?” He just says, “Trust me.”
We bolt outta there, and I’m thinkin’, “What now?” We rush back to the main square, and it’s chaos. People are running, shouting. I see a group of soldiers moving in. My heart sinks.
I can’t believe this is happening. I’m angry, scared, and frustrated all at once. Why can’t we just have one normal day? Just one!
But then, I see that same group of kids again. They’re still playing soccer, oblivious to the madness around them. I can’t help but laugh. Kids really do have a way of making everything seem okay, even in Debaltseve.
As the sun sets, I finally head home. I’m exhausted, but there’s a weird sense of hope. This city, with all its scars, still has life. And I guess that’s what keeps me going.
So yeah, that was my day. Just another wild ride in Debaltseve. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.