I stood on the lost pier, gazing at Manhattan. Every breath and sigh of the city, every light in a window, every whisper of the wind became for me a dance of hope for revenge. Once, I was like them all - a mere inhabitant of this world. But a keen sense of justice made me despise all those hypocritical smiles, people chasing after power and money, artificial happiness, and instant satisfaction without a shadow of concern for the future.

"How I hate you all."

A relentless fury blazed within me. My hate towards mankind was immeasurable, and my plan was to plunge it into a world of pain and torment, where each day would stretch into infinity and infinity would morph into hell.

Once, I learned to travel between worlds. In one of them - the world of old games, the world of pixels - I discovered bacteria capable of altering reality. They infiltrated every cell, every thought, every emotion. My eyes shimmered with ecstasy as I watched billions of these bacteria infect the air, water, and every corner of Manhattan. Soon, the whole world will feel my wrath. The thought that every soul on earth would become captive to my spell was intoxicating.

"I will cure all your diseases, and you will live forever. You will never die. Months will turn into years, years into decades, and you will find yourself trapped, drowning in the absurdity of your own existence.

Someday you will realize the consequences of all your choices. Someday you will grasp the full depth of your mistakes. And someday, you'll realize that the only ones to blame are yourselves."

Art info: Artists: Alexander Seleznyov, Alexia Genre: Photography, Pixel art Resolution: 8256 x 5504 Location: Old Pier 1, New York, USA Date Photo Taken: 12 June 2022 Date Art Drawn: 09 April 2023