please improve my story script: By nature, I am composed during challenging situations; I don’t feel much, and I see this as a positive thing. It acts like a defensive mechanism that distinguishes me, allowing me to move beyond any painful event, no matter how difficult. However, this mechanism only kicks in when I’m alone in my cocoon, away from the infectious emotions of humans. That’s why I prefer to be alone when something tough happens. I don’t want to see anyone or talk about the issue. I have a way of convincing myself that if I pretend it didn’t happen, then somehow, I won’t feel it.

But a single word from someone trying to alleviate a sad situation by telling me not to be sad is enough to make me feel upset. “Don’t be afraid” instills fear, and “don’t worry” absolutely makes me worry.

The time: February 24, 2022, 5:00 AM.

The place: Odessa, Ukraine.

- I woke up at dawn, as I wake up every day, but I am not sure if it was the sound of the bombing or the call to prayer because the bombing coincided with the prayer time.
- But it’s normal; any noise could be anything, and as long as I’m alone with no human influencer present, I won’t feel or fear, right?
- I received a message from a friend who lives far away asking me: “Did you hear that sound?” This means it was a huge explosion, but no, no, I won’t let your human feelings affect me, I’ll continue my day as if nothing happened.
- The news started to talk about shelling and about the invasion and the war and about… No, no, it won’t affect me; I’ll continue my day as normal.
- I have a final online exam soon, and it hasn’t been canceled. That means everything is still normal and there is nothing to fear or worry about, right? The exam turned out to be difficult, but it’s not a problem, that’s normal. But the most important thing is that the situation is normal, and there is nothing to worry or be afraid of, and nothing will affect me, right?
- My family and friends are calling to check on me, their fears beginning to rub off on me.
- Another explosion, birds flying away from its source, and I can see the smoke from my window.
- I went down to stock on a lot of food from the supermarket, not because of the war or anything, no. I would have gone out anyway because I didn’t have enough food (that’s what I tried to convince myself of).
- A worried mother carrying a bag in one hand and a crying child in the other, the source of another explosion unknown, queues at the ATMs, and queues at the cashier, fear and panic everywhere. Young people grabbing whatever they can find on the shelves, a girl stumbles over products beneath her feet but nobody cares, including her. Bags of rice and bread are gone. I tried to grab what I could of tuna cans and any ready-to-eat food, I spent all the money I had on food.
- Went out and stood in the long, crowded ATM queue for an hour to withdraw money, seeing the fear and worry in people’s eyes. An old man cracks a joke trying to lighten the mood.
- My Egyptian Visa card got blocked and I couldn’t withdraw any money. But no problem, what do I need money for if I have a week’s worth of food? And after that, God will provide.
- What I saw since going out affected me, and my mechanism no longer worked.
- The only solution was to return to my room and draw; it’s the only thing that would bring me back to the state of numbness I was in before.
- I returned to my room infected with the panic and fear and varying human emotions.
- I found my Moroccan neighbor coming out of his room, and I asked him, “What’s happening?! What are you going to do??” He said, “Nothing, I’m going to take a shower and then smoke up. You want to join me?!”😂
- Thanks to my Moroccan neighbor, not because he invited me over for a hashish cigarette for the first time, but because he helped me more than the calls of my family and friends to return to my indifferent mood I was in before I went out and saw people.
- Now I can continue my day until I see what will happen in the upcoming days. God willing.

Note in the Margin -

Dear all, please let’s refrain from using a negation when we try to comfort or reassure someone. Avoid saying “don’t be afraid,” “don’t be sad,” “don’t worry,” etc. Let’s use positive words like “be reassured,” “God willing, everything will be fine,” “God will sort it out,” and “This too shall pass.