No Longer Human

by Osamu Dazai

It frightened me even that I had accepted a moment’s kindness: I felt I had imposed horrible bonds on myself.

I drop steadily, inevitably, into unhappiness, and I have no specific plan to stave off my descent.

I was completely shattered and smothered by that one gentle smile.

Disqualified as a human being. I had now ceased utterly to be a human being.

Now I have neither happiness nor unhappiness. Everything passes.