We are expired (Stace Kramer). Not the kindest review. We Are Expired read online Description of the book We Are Expired

Year of book publication: 2016

Stace Kramer's new book, We Expired, did not go unnoticed after the scandal. This time the work was not marked by scandals and litigation. Thanks to this, the book went on sale and was received with interest by readers. Well, the young writer’s numerous fans ensured high interest in her new creation.

The plot of the book "We Expired" in brief

In Stace Kramer's book We Are Expired, you can read about seventeen-year-old Virginia Abrams or simply Gina. This girl is doing well - she graduates from high school today, she has a boyfriend, Scott, she is the best student in school and is predicted to succeed at Yale University, where she plans to enroll. Tonight's graduation could be the best night of her life. Moreover, dad even gave Scott the keys to his Cadillac. Twins Paul and Sean had a really great party. Virginia decided to have a blast - the alcohol was flowing like a river, and then there was a joint. In general, when the main character came to her senses, she decided that she had simply lost Scott. The search ended in the shower, where her boyfriend was hugging some Pamela. It was then that it turned out that, as in, Scott had long ago decided to break up with Jean. Not remembering herself from anger and resentment, the main character gets into the car and drives home. The result of this crazy race is an accident and disability. What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life turned into an inability to walk.

Jean's adaptation to the new reality is going very poorly. She even almost commits suicide. Therefore, her parents decide to send her to a rehabilitation center for people like her. Contrary to the expectations of the main character of the novel “We Expired” by S. Kramer, here the girl finds new friends. And they are different from her in many ways. She goes on a trip with new friends, she enjoys life and learns to live in a new way. Here, in a rehabilitation center, she finds new love.

As for the reviews of Stace Kramer’s book “We Expired”, they, as with the writer’s first book, are far from unambiguous. The disadvantages of the work include the stereotyped and banal plot. Many of the main character's actions are inexplicable and incomprehensible. The actions of others also raise questions. At the same time, the advantages of the book include the simple and exciting language of the work, as well as the noticeable successes in literature made by Stace Kramer. As a result, the book “We Expired” can be recommended to read by true fans of the writer. If you are not one, then the novel most likely will not make an impression on you.

The book “We are Expired” on the Top Books website

The novel “We Expired” by Stace Kramer is so popular to read that the work took a high place in our winter 2017. At the same time, interest in it is noticeably decreasing. Therefore, it may not be included in the next ratings of our site.

A new book from a rising star of Russian contemporary literature - Stace Kramer "We're Expired". Not recommended for persons under 18 years of age.

The book tells the story of a seventeen-year-old girl, Virginia. Confident in her own beauty, well-being and career, she goes to her graduation. But her whole life suddenly goes down a terrible slope: her boyfriend leaves her and cheats on her; under the strong influence of alcohol, she sets out on a risky journey in a car and gets into an accident. Her life is now confined to a wheelchair, but will she be able to believe in life again?

Read online and download the book “We Are Expired”

On our website you can read Stace Kramer's new book thanks to a beautiful and very convenient reader that will perfectly fit your tablet or phone. The book is published in the “Runet Star” series and, according to the author, film adaptations of her works will be waiting for us very soon, but for now you can download the book in convenient fb2, txt, epub or torrent formats.

Book Review

text version: If you are a fan of Stace Kramer's work, we strongly recommend that you do not read this review, especially if you cannot take criticism of your favorite author normally. Well, if you like to watch me tear books to smithereens, welcome!

I have a new review in which I will discuss, condemn and criticize the new book by Runet star Stace Kramer, “We Are Expired.” In January, I learned that Stace Kramer's underage fans can't take criticism and don't know about concepts like dark humor and sarcasm. May you die piece of shit! The book is awesome, an unreal book. You just don't understand. The book is amazing.

A new product from Ms. Kramer, popularly simply called Anastasia, “We are Expired.” Even at that moment, when I read the first chapters of this book, I honestly set myself a goal: that until the very last page I would abstract myself from the factor that it all came out of the hands of Nastenka “Stace” Kramer. Abstract from this fact and get an unbiased opinion about the work. I practically succeeded, I want to say in advance that I have no goal to belittle or offend anyone, especially the author of this book.
What I like about the book is the cover. It is quite interesting, enticing, better than most covers that are generally in bookstores. Not counting those terrible birds that fly away in the background, but since they are part of the plot, this is basically understandable.

First of all, I want to say that this is indeed an allusion to the book. May God forgive me, but this is really some kind of book, unlike “50 days before my suicide,” where there was nothing similar to a book at all.

This book can not only be squeezed in for money, but also appreciated! The book is divided into four parts, but I think the reader will find the division into two parts clear. Before travel and after travel. But auto made four parts, thirty-one chapters, but the book is half as long as “50 days before my suicide,” about 300 pages.
I want to say in advance that, in principle, this entire review is spoiler, so watch at your own risk.

The main innovation of this book by Stace Kramer is logic, or rather some kind of premonition of it. It was as if the spirit of logic was flying around and decided to hit Nastenka so that she would realize that logic is a very important part of the book. You heard right - I put the word logic and the name Kramer in one sentence.

The plot revolves around a girl named Virginia, who calls herself by the abbreviation Gina, which for some reason reminds me of the nicknames of strippers, but that’s not what we’re talking about. This same Gina finds out on her graduation day that her boyfriend is cheating and getting drunk. Gets behind the wheel. Boom. Accident. Gina is confined to a wheelchair.
Her parents send the girl to a rehabilitation center, which she herself calls a center for people who have expired. The main character can be praised, she is not so bad and stereotyped. She is quite adequate, more or less showing the existence of her gray matter and even the ability to use the cranium. She grows spiritually throughout the entire plot of the book. We no longer have an idiot main character who decided to dye her hair blue, thinking that this would solve all her life problems and the problems of the whole world.

Another positive aspect of this book is the sensitive topic of disability that was raised in the book. We give Anastasia such a small plus to karma for the fact that she was not afraid to cover such a complex topic.

Now I’ll start distributing the book, you didn’t think that I would only praise the book. The first part describes the clinic where Virginia undergoes rehabilitation; it is described in a rather uninteresting and monotonous manner. By chapter 4, the main character’s mother abandons her daughter, saying that she needs professional help. Somehow fast? Just four chapters. It is necessary to bring the plot to the main part, but still not so quickly and, in general, the mother drove off there, and we will not see her until the middle of the book.

Stace Kramer in We Are Expired tries to make everything look very romantic and attractive to the audience of girls, but the author’s style is incredibly weak. The incredible far-fetchedness and sweetness caused my nerves to twitch and my eyes to roll for a long time. The sentences are “sprinkled” with complicated words. Phrases seem to be taken from numerous VKontakte public pages. Just the phrase about “Falling in love is not a diagnosis, but you suffer from it no less” in the context of the location of the main character, it looked inappropriate.

It is not possible to create the atmosphere of a dark and gloomy Stace clinic, the descriptions are scant, there is no drama, there is no ideology, the dialogues between the characters do not really fit in with each other. Everything turns out to be some kind of incomprehensible, simply flat picture that is impossible to imagine in your head.

As soon as I started to think that this was just the beginning of the book and the author would show and be able to reveal the clinic from the other side, she was already sending the heroes on a trip around the world: starting from Mexico and ending in New Zealand. An unexpected plot twist from a bad fanfic. It seems that this part of the book was written by a schoolgirl who, at the age of ten, went with her parents to Turkey and there decided to play at being a mystical and mysterious girl.

The whole plot comes down to a simple formula: there is a disabled person or a person in a difficult life situation and there is his mentor-mother hen who takes care of him, tries to restore faith in life, a lifelong journey takes place together and the main characters fall in love with each other against the backdrop of this drama . That's the whole story "We're Expired" And "Me Before You" Jojo Moyes(the novel was written in 2012, filmed in 2016). The plots are very similar.

The very idea of a disabled person traveling is quite interesting, it is even intriguing in some aspects. But the descriptions of the places are described as if they were taken from the interesting facts page on Wikipedia. Of course, there is a love line, unlike her previous book, here Stace Kramer decided to limit herself to one love line, not counting her ex-boyfriend. In fact, by the middle of the book you will have no problem writing out all the love lines and there will be no intrigue left for you. Psychotherapist Adrian goes on a journey as an assistant and finds himself in love with the main character from the moment they first meet. Meanwhile, towards the end of the book, idiotic throwings typical of romance novels begin, but the time for these drinking sessions has already passed - the book is almost over, so everything happens rather boringly in the final part.

Here's a review of the book. After reading it, do you think this book is worthy of a film adaptation? Is it good? Write - in the comments!

Current page: 1 (book has 20 pages total) [available reading passage: 14 pages]

Stace Kramer
We're expired

Alexandra, Irina and Valentina

women

Only great pain leads the spirit to the final freedom: only it helps us reach the final depths of our being, and the one for whom it was almost fatal can proudly say about himself: I know more about life...

Friedrich Nietzsche

I woke up when the rays of the midday sun touched the edge of my hospital bed. After waiting for a moment of clouding of consciousness, I try to lift my head from the pillow, which seems to have become several times heavier. The room is so quiet that I can hear every beat of my heart. I'm trying to remember why I'm here, but it's not such an easy task. Small scraps of memories pop up in my mind, and I try to grab onto each of them. And when my gaze falls on my hand, which is tied by a bandage, all the memories fit into a single puzzle and finally give the long-awaited answer.

I tried to commit suicide.

I had been waiting for that evening for so long. While still in elementary school, I imagined what dress I would wear at prom, with what jewelry and hairstyle. And so, when I was already dressed in the very dress I had dreamed of, and was holding in my hands a crumpled piece of paper with a solemn speech, which I had to read in front of the rest of the graduates and teachers, I smiled and was amazed at how quickly time flies.

I couldn’t even imagine that that very long-awaited evening would make my entire familiar world collapse overnight.

If you met me by chance on the street, you wouldn’t remember me. I am ordinary, with an ordinary figure, with ordinary black hair, which, coupled with pale skin, gives me the appearance of a vampire or a terminally ill girl. An absolutely unremarkable person with his own shortcomings and a handful of advantages.

But that evening I was not like myself.

I looked completely grown up. Even his facial expression changed. It was now so concentrated and serious. And this custom-made dress complemented me so much. Black, strewn with microscopic sparkles. The luxurious, voluminous hem hid my legs.

For exactly three hours and fifteen minutes, my mother circled me with a comb and hairspray. It was worth it. She turned my lifeless hair into beautiful curls. Mom is a former stylist, so she has the power to turn a frumpy girl like me into a real princess.

Nina, my younger sister, sat opposite me all this time and watched my mother’s actions.

Nina is only six, she is madly in love with ballet, she does not miss a single class at her ballet school, and all the walls of her room are plastered with photographs of famous ballerinas, whom she tries to emulate.

“I want to be just like Virginia,” Nina screamed.

- Why? – I asked.

- Because you are beautiful, smart and your boyfriend looks like Zac Efron.

I started laughing.

- By the way, where is this Scott of yours going to study? - Mom asked.

- He hasn't decided yet. But he will still move to Connecticut to be near me.

“How sweet,” Mom said sarcastically.

I dated Scott for two years, and all the most wonderful moments of my life were associated with this period. Before him, I didn’t have a relationship with anyone, because my priority was always study and only study. Scott and I studied at the same school, but we never talked and met very rarely, and it was only at my friend Liv’s birthday party that we met. Although “met” is a strong word. He and Liv dragged my drunken body home. Frankly, this was the first time in my life when I got drunk to such an extent that my consciousness passed out for several hours. The next morning Scott came to see me and only then was I able to get a good look at him. His short, light brown hair was thrown up, and he reminded me of a hedgehog. The upper lip is thin, the lower lip is plump. Eyes the color of a gloomy sky. Dark, beautiful. I never considered myself pretty enough to attract boys, so I was very surprised when he noticed me. He has a peculiar sense of humor. He has a hot temper, but that’s what attracted me to him.

Our interactions with Scott caused dramatic changes in my relationship with my mother. She probably dreamed from the very moment I was born that I would go to Yale University and devote my life to science. And, as expected, mom considered Scott a direct threat to her plans. We often had real family scandals when I was getting ready to go on a date. Only my dad was on my side, he always told my mom that I was already an adult and could fully make my own decisions. And even on that fateful graduation night, he gave Scott and me his new convertible, since Scott's car was being repaired.

- Dad, are you serious?

- Yes, today I am too kind.

- Thank you. – I rushed into my father’s arms. - I adore you.

- Hold it. – Dad gave me the keys to his new convertible. “I hope she’ll be okay?”

- Certainly.

- Scott, are you a good driver? - Mom asked. Her cold tone sent shivers down my spine.

- Um... of course.

“Just don’t think anything, we just trust you with our daughter.”

“She'll be fine, Mrs. Abrams.”

I could feel Scott starting to get nervous. He squeezed my hand so tightly that I almost squealed.

“Well, I think it’s time for us to go,” I said.

“Have fun there,” said Dad.

I should have realized a long time ago that my relationship with Scott was not what it used to be. We saw each other less often and talked on the phone. Scott became secretive and stingy with revelations. But then it didn’t alarm me at all; it seemed to me that everything that was happening was explained by stress due to exams.

The ceremonial part began. Our director, Clark Smith, came to the center of the stage and began to give his memorized speech. He had a lisp, which made half of what Clark said incomprehensible. At the end of his speech, the director put a smile on his face and left. Next, Mrs. Verkhovsky, the assistant director, appeared on stage. On the screen behind her, photographs of the school's best students were displayed. Among them I found mine. Verkhovsky began to talk about what this year had been like. I, like everyone else present, could barely resist falling asleep. But it turned out that the “fun” event did not end there. Every now and then some important people came on stage with congratulations written down on paper, then each of them talked about how he studied at school. My eyelids stopped obeying me, I felt like I was about to fall asleep on Scott’s shoulder, but then my name came from the stage.

– And now we give the floor to one of our best students, Virginia Abrams.

I stood up to the sound of applause. How scared I was. Speaking in public is not my thing. I already know in advance that I will definitely stumble somewhere or, even worse, fall, getting up on stage, because my legs are treacherously giving way due to trembling. When I got on stage, I started looking for Liv or Scott. Everyone stared at me intently, I took the microphone with shaking hands and forced myself to give a rehearsed speech.

– Hello everyone, I... I want to congratulate all of us on graduating from school. We have all been waiting for this day for a long time, and it has finally come. I want to thank the teachers who put up with us for so many years. Now we all begin a new stage in life. When we were in school, we had two worries. The first is how to cheat on a test without being noticed. “Everyone started laughing, and it instantly gave me confidence.” – And the second is how to sneak out of physical education class unnoticed. And now new problems, new worries begin, and they are much more serious than those to which we are all accustomed. I wish us all to cope with all the difficulties that we will face. “After a moment’s pause, I continued: “I love you, school, and I will miss you very much.” Thank you.

Everyone started applauding me again.

Twenty minutes after my speech, the ceremonial part ends. The crowd has gathered in the hall again, everyone is hugging, kissing each other on the cheeks, taking photographs of the teachers as souvenirs.

– Virginia, can I see you for a second? – I hear Mrs. Verkhovsky’s voice.

“We’ll be waiting for you in the car,” Liv said.

I approached Verkhovsky.

- Excellent speech.

- Thank you.

“I heard you’re going to Yale?”

– Although I am sure that everything will work out for you, I still want to wish you good luck. You have a great future.

At that moment I was overcome with heat, I was so pleased with her words.

- Thanks again. – We hug each other.

All the graduates, including me, Liv and Scott, headed to the party of twin brothers Paul and Sean. These are famous partygoers throughout Minnesota, in whose house the noisiest parties in the state are held.

Although no, this is not a house, this is a real palace. Three floors, two buildings. The house itself is designed in a strict classical style, but multi-colored lights, stuffed into almost every window, make it not so ascetic. They also have a swimming pool, which caught my attention as soon as I stepped through the gate. It's huge! Blue water mixes with snow-white foam. Near the pool there is a bar with shiny bottles of alcohol on the shelves.

I vaguely remember the details of what happened at the party that fateful day. It will also be difficult to remember the amount of alcohol that I consumed. I wanted to enjoy for the last time that sweet period when you are no longer in school, but not yet a student. I remember that Liv got hold of a couple of joints somewhere that I couldn’t refuse. I also remember how my friend and I, in the company of several equally drunk graduates, simultaneously jumped into that same pool. I was already in such a state that I didn’t care about my dream dress, hairstyle and makeup. And this is probably the most vivid memory of that evening.

I remember Liv and I lying on the grass in wet dresses, looking at the night sky, laughing and talking about something. I don’t even remember what exactly it was about, perhaps about our future, about the fact that soon we will stop seeing each other altogether due to the fact that we will be in different states. Liv wanted to go to Chicago and audition for one of the best dance troupes in America. She has been dancing since childhood, and I dare say that Liv is one of the best dancers in Minneapolis.

- Hey, have you seen Scott? – I asked one of the graduates.

- I think he's in the house.

- Thank you.

On the way to the house, I ran into four people who were just as drunk as me. I don’t know how everyone had the strength to continue dancing and drinking. I manage to find one of Scott's friends among a huge crowd of people.

- Luke, have you seen Scott?

I started to feel dizzy. I reached the left building. It was so quiet there, only the laughter of secluded couples could be heard behind the doors. I call Scott again.

- Come on, pick up the phone!

I walked down the long corridor, still holding the phone to my ear. She stopped abruptly. I thought I heard Scott's phone ringtone. I walked a couple more meters. I approached each door and listened, and after a few minutes I stopped in front of the next door. There, the sound of the ringtone was clearly audible. I opened the door. It's dark in the room. She turned on the light and noticed Scott's phone lying on the dresser.

- Scott? – I asked quietly.

Laughter. I heard laughter. It was coming from the bathroom. I carefully crept to the door and opened it. And at that moment I would really like someone to hit me on the head so that the memory would leave me forever. I don't know how to describe what I felt then. This pain is comparable to the pain that occurs if you fall into a hole filled to the brim with broken glass.

I saw Scott standing with his back with his pants down, and his arms hugging some girl. It took my breath away. The body simply refused to obey me, I stood rooted to the spot and could not say anything.

Soon the couple noticed me. I felt disgusted when I saw Scott's frightened look. Acid rose in my throat. I took a few steps back, still looking at him, then turned around and left the room.

"I do not believe. No. It is not true. I’m drunk, I’m high, I’m dreaming, this isn’t real,” flashed through my head. I leaned against the wall and slowly rolled down. I wanted to take off and run, but my body did not listen to me, I just sat there, in a stupor. Scott and the girl left the room.

- Well, what are you silent? Are you going to tell her yourself or what?

- As you say. Just don't forget to grab my panties.

- Gina... - Come on, say it’s a mistake, say you love me, come on. “I’ve wanted to break up with you for a long time.”

-Her name is Pamela. We've been dating for several months now, I wanted to tell you this, but... but I didn't want to look like a bastard! I like you, I really like you, but you, your parents and I are two different worlds. Find yourself smart, rich, someone who your parents want to see next to you. I can not take it anymore. I'm tired.

I remember getting up from the floor, going up to Scott, looking into his blue eyes, because of which I fell head over heels in love with him, looking at his lips, the softness of which I liked so much, and which I longed to kiss again and again, but now they show traces of Pamela's faded pink lipstick.

“You’re not a bastard, Scott,” I said, clenching my hands into fists. - You're worse.

I turned around and walked away.

I didn’t hear the music, the figures of people blurred before my eyes. Everything inside me was trembling, it seemed that somewhere there, in the depths of my soul, there was a bomb that was about to explode. The whole body was shaking with hatred and pain.

I remember how I push past the crowd, get out into the street and run to the parking lot. Leave. All I wanted was to leave. I wanted to get home faster, lie down in a cold bed and fall asleep. I hoped that he would call me the next morning. I was just sure that he would call me. He will apologize, say how much he loves me. Make excuses that he was drunk at the party and didn’t understand what he was doing or what he was saying. I didn’t understand much at the time, but my condition was as if my lungs were being compressed. I couldn’t breathe, and every beat of my heart was reflected in pain. I got to my dad's car, turned the key, and the engine started. With a loud squeal, the convertible started moving. I remember a noise ringing in my ears that became louder and more irritating. The highway was in double vision, the car swerved every now and then to the right, then to the left. Tears covered my eyes like a transparent veil, everything became blurry. At some point I realize that I started crying out loud. My hands were shaking, I completely lost control of myself. Tears fell into my mouth, their salty and sour taste was so disgusting to me. Then I hear my phone ringtone coming from my bag. Mother. Well, of course it was mom, because it was quite late and she was worried. I was unable to pick up the phone because I felt that I would not utter a single intelligible word. The loud sound of the ringtone continued.

– Enough... enough, enough!!! – I shouted.

I turned onto the main road; there were a huge number of cars. My heart began to pound even harder in fear. And the phone didn’t stop ringing, which made me even more furious.

Then I heard the sound of a siren. It turned out that I had two police cars on my tail.

- Your mother! – I shouted.

Apparently I was significantly speeding. Nothing smart came into my head, except how to press the gas even harder. I didn’t see anything in front of me; I was driving, one might say, blindly. I remember pressing on the gas even harder, the speed only causes a surge of adrenaline in the blood. It seemed that there was a turn ahead of me, I turned the steering wheel to the left as hard as I could, and then I was blinded by the bright headlights of a huge truck. My body was numb with horror. I remember how the truck driver honked at me, but I, blinded by the bright light, feeling that fear had completely taken control of me, dropped the steering wheel and closed my eyes.

Dim sun, small clouds scattered across the blue sky. I was surrounded by strange lilac flowers that reached to my knees. I ran with my arms out to my sides, touching the wet stems of the flowers with my fingertips. I didn’t understand where I was, but one thing I can say for sure, I liked it there. It's very nice there. I ran forward, the warm wind caressing my hair.

– Virginia, what are you dreaming about?

Mom and dad are sitting in front of me, looking at me and smiling.

“About a new bike,” I answer.

– What else do you dream about? Or about someone? - asks mom.

– I dream of a dog... Did you buy me a puppy? – I ask joyfully.

“No, baby, mommy will soon give you a brother or sister,” says dad.

– Will I have a younger sister?

One of my best memories. I was twelve years old when my mother announced her pregnancy. Then I was simply overwhelmed with a feeling of joy. I have always envied those who have younger brothers and sisters, and now I will have a little treasure myself.

Mom was already in her ninth month. One of my favorite pastimes was watching Nina push her legs and arms in her mother's belly.

Mom is sitting in a rocking chair, I go up to her.

- Mom, can she hear us?

- Certainly.

I lean over to my mother’s belly and begin to whisper.

“Hey, little sister... you weren’t born yet, but I already love you.” We will play with you, I will comb your hair, and then, when you grow up, I will teach you how to paint.

Mom laughs. I kiss her stomach.

It was winter. Me, Liv and Scott were playing in the snow. We run and laugh like little children. My hands were already red from the snow and frost. Scott tackles me to the snow and grabs my wrists with his hands. His eyelashes are covered with frost, making him look very funny.

- Scott, I'm cold.

Scott leans towards me and our frozen lips find each other. At first it seemed to me that I had turned into ice, but after the kiss I felt myself slowly melting.

- And now?

- Warmer...

Our lips meet again, and now the kiss lasts much longer. I forget about the minus thirty frost, that my clothes are soaked in snow and can now be wrung out. It seems to me that I was put in a bathtub filled with hot water, and instantly I feel good.

“Now it’s hot,” I say.

This time the flash was brighter than the previous ones. I open my eyes. The white light blinds me again. My eyelids seem so heavy, I don’t want to blink, because I’m afraid to fall again into that unearthly space where I was a few seconds ago. Five minutes pass before I realize that I am in a hospital. There is discomfort in the body. The muscles of my back and arms ache, my mouth is dry. I notice the IV tube stuck into my vein. The head is tied with a bandage, and a ventilator mask is on the face. I see my mother sleeping next to me, sitting on a chair. I feel like I've been asleep for an eternity.

“Mom...” I whisper, “mom, mom.”

Her eyelids lift, and, seeing me conscious, my mother instantly jumps up from her chair, grabs my hand and begins to examine me.

- Lord, Lord... Virginia, how are you... how are you feeling? – Mom starts to stutter out of excitement. She takes off my mask.

- Fine…

- I'll call the doctor now.

Mom runs out into the corridor. I feel some kind of heaviness in my body. It feels like all my muscles are numb. In some places the skin is very tight, probably there are stitches or something else. I can only guess what happened to me while I was unconscious.

Mom enters the room in the company of the doctor. Its outlines blur before my eyes.

- Well, hello, Virginia, how are you feeling?

“She said she feels fine,” my mother answers for me.

– Do you remember what happened to you?

I nod. God, my neck is so stiff, it hurts so much to turn it.

- I... was driving a car and...

“And I got into a terrible accident.” But you're very lucky. In rare cases, people survive such accidents. You underwent three operations and spent several days unconscious. But now all the terrible things are behind us. You will get better very soon and go home.

I look at my mother, her eyelids are full of tears.

- Mom, why are you crying? – Pronouncing every word is difficult for me. The voice is hoarse, the lips are completely dry.

- Yes, that’s me... out of happiness. I thought I would never hear your voice again.

I feel severe pain in my spine, which prevents me from taking a deep breath. At the same moment, a new feeling took possession of me. This is not a feeling of pain, not a feeling of discomfort. It's such a strange feeling, like I'm missing something. It feels like my body doesn't belong to me at all. It's only a few minutes later that I finally realize what I'm missing. I can't feel my legs. I can't move my feet, and it feels like these aren't my feet at all.

- Doctor... why can’t I feel my legs? Is this some kind of anesthesia or something else? “My voice is trembling, and I understand that I don’t want to hear the answer to my question.

The doctor remains silent for another minute and looks at the floor.

“You see, Virginia, as I said, the accident was serious, and the fact that you survived is truly a miracle.” But, unfortunately, every accident entails consequences. Your lower vertebrae have been severely displaced, your spinal cord has been damaged, all this has caused paraplegia, in other words, paralysis of the lower extremities.

His words pierced my chest like hundreds of daggers. I can't say a single word. My tongue refuses to obey me. I just close my eyes and force myself to sleep. Most likely, this is some kind of bad dream, I will wake up, and everything will return to normal again.

– Doctor, but this isn’t forever, is it? After all, you can have an operation... we will pay any money. “I hear my mother start to cry.”

- Alas, we did everything that depended on us. I know of a couple of cases where people with the same diagnosis as Virginia got back on their feet, so maybe she will be lucky too. In the meantime, before she is discharged, you must prepare your home. Make handrails, equip a staircase, buy a toilet chair for the disabled, and, accordingly, a comfortable wheelchair.

DISABLED. I open my eyes wide and start breathing through my mouth. The physical pain is completely overshadowed by the pain his words caused me. These are not just words, they are a sentence. I squeeze my mother's hand tightly.

- No no no! This is impossible! – I scream through the pain.

A nurse immediately runs into the room.

- Give her a sedative immediately.

- No! This is mistake!

The blood is mixed with a dose of sedative. Instantly my muscles relax and I let go of my mother’s hand. I freeze in one position. The last phrase I hear before falling asleep is the doctor’s phrase:

– I'm so sorry, Virginia.

Stace Kramer

We're expired

Alexandra, Irina and Valentina

women

Only great pain leads the spirit to final freedom: only it helps us reach the final depths of our being, and the one for whom it was almost fatal can proudly say about himself: I know more about life...

Friedrich Nietzsche

I tried to commit suicide.

I couldn’t even imagine that that very long-awaited evening would make my entire familiar world collapse overnight.

But that evening I was not like myself.

Nina, my younger sister, sat opposite me all this time and watched my mother’s actions.

“I want to be just like Virginia,” Nina screamed.

Why? - I asked.

Because you're beautiful, smart, and your boyfriend looks like Zac Efron.

I started laughing.

By the way, where is this Scott of yours going to study? - Mom asked.

He hasn't decided yet. But he will still move to Connecticut to be near me.

How sweet,” Mom said sarcastically.

Dad, are you serious?

Yes, today I'm too kind.

Thank you. - I rushed into my father's arms. - I adore you.

Here you go. - Dad gave me the keys to his new convertible. - I hope everything will be okay with her?

Certainly.

Scott, are you a good driver? - Mom asked. Her cold tone sent shivers down my spine.

Um... of course.

Just don’t think anything, we just trust you with our daughter.

She'll be fine, Mrs. Abrams.

I could feel Scott starting to get nervous. He squeezed my hand so tightly that I almost squealed.

“Well, I think it’s time for us to go,” I said.

“Have fun there,” said dad.

And now we give the floor to one of our best students, Virginia Abrams.

Hello everyone, I... want to congratulate all of us on graduating from school. We have all been waiting for this day for a long time, and it has finally come. I want to thank the teachers who put up with us for so many years. Now we all begin a new stage in life. When we were in school, we had two worries. The first is how to cheat on a test without being noticed. - Everyone started laughing, it instantly gave me confidence. - And the second is how to sneak out of physical education class unnoticed. And now new problems, new worries begin, and they are much more serious than those to which we are all accustomed. I wish us all to cope with all the difficulties that we will face. - After a second pause, I continued: - I love you, school, and I will miss you very much. Thank you.

Everyone started applauding me again.

Virginia, can I talk to you for a second? - I hear Mrs. Verkhovsky’s voice.

“We’ll be waiting for you in the car,” Liv said.

I approached Verkhovsky.

Excellent speech.

Thank you.

I heard you're going to Yale?

Although I am sure that everything will work out for you, I still want to wish you good luck. You have a great future.

At that moment I was overcome with heat, I was so pleased with her words.

Thanks again. - We hug each other.

Pages: 278

Year of publication: 2016

Russian language

Description of the book We Expired:

Great time in high school. When you are young and full of hopes and dreams. Especially if your parents made sure that you didn’t need anything.
Virginia was such a girl. She possessed not only bewitching beauty, but also intelligence. Her plans included entering Yale University. But alas, the plans were not destined to come true. At graduation, she learned that her boyfriend was leaving her. All dreams of an ideal future together came crashing down. And alcohol, a lot of alcohol, helped her smooth out the gap. The girl, holding her feet, sat behind the wheel. That evening was full of disappointment, combining the beginning of adulthood with a broken heart. And the next thing Virginia saw was a hospital bed. But the first thing that was difficult to realize was the deprivation of my legs. The terrible accident took away not only her dreams, but also her ability to walk. Instead of a place of honor among the most successful students - a certificate of disability. Now she faces a very long and difficult path of accepting her new self.

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