No… no matter how I felt about Mina, I just couldn’t bring myself to believing that it was them who stole it. It couldn’t have been…
“Hey,” Jun Ha squatted down to me. “Maybe I can help you, but it will take some time. Rice, as you know, is a luxury item in here.”
“Time…? How much time?” I asked.
“I can’t say… but the good news, if you can call it that, is that it usually takes a long time for pellagra to kill you. Ao you don’t have to panic… she will make it.”
“How can you be sure?” My voice was cracking up. “She’s so weak… she has been sick her whole life… and last month she vomited almost every day… maybe it was the pellagra growing in her… she’s not a normal healthy person… I’m not sure—”
“Hey,” Jun Ha gave me a friendly smile and stroked my shoulder. “I’ll work as quickly as I can, okay. Just calm down. Nari needs you to be strong in the meantime. I know you’re helping her with her quota… you have to continue doing that for her. Can you continue being strong for her?”
“Strong,” I mumbled. “I’ve been strong for her my whole life… when will it end?”
“Just a little while longer. We’ll get you through this,” Jun Ha said. “Come on, let’s get back to work now before we get into trouble with Mr. Ma.”
However, as I went back to my spot next to Nari, Dong Suk and Sang Jun were already glaring at us in silent contempt.
I sighed.
This war will never be over…
When we came home that night, I explained to Nari what Jun Ha had told me and said she needed to show me the rash. She started to cry, but to my surprise complied with my request without me having to ask twice.
“It’s okay, Nari, we’ll get through this… we always do,” I tried to comfort her.
“I’m not sure anymore,” she sobbed as she opened up her shirt and showed me the red circle with white skin flakes at the base of her neck. Just looking at it made my skin feel itchy and uncomfortable under my shirt.
“Thank you,” I said, and Nari covered herself up again. “Jun Ha said it develops very slowly, so at least we have time to figure something out.”
“That’s good,” Nari whimpered, but I knew we both were thinking the same thing.
That’s how it is for normal people… how will it be for her?
Later that night, as we lay on our quilts with our empty stomachs screaming with hunger pains, Nari turned to me.
“I don’t want mom and dad to know. Don’t tell them… please,” she whispered.
“Okay.”
I had no intention of involving mom or dad, but I wasn’t sure if I could wait for Jun Ha to come through either. I had known guys like that before - always full of confidence, promising the moon. But in the end, when it came to delivering on their promises… suffice to say, they’re not all that reliable. And just like that, the heavy burden of having the responsibility of both of our lives returned to my aching shoulders.
I need to take matters into my own hands… that’s the only way! Apply self-reliance - the principles of Juche… General Roh said so himself. I need to get her rice… NOW!
My fear and worry slowly turned into determination… a determination that was fueled by hunger and desperation.
But where could I get my hands on rice? Maybe I could steal from some newcomer… maybe there are some rich ones from the Capital, like us?
But I hadn’t seen anyone that fit that description in a long time… and the thought of doing to another poor family what had happened to us made my intestines twist more painfully than the hunger.
Maybe I could steal from the guards? They have it… at least sometimes…
But breaking into a guard’s house would be extremely risky. And I only had the opportunity at night, which was the only time they were all at home. Of course, some of them probably go out drinking… and some must have night duty, but without knowing their work schedules, it would likely be a one-way ticket to Cemetery Hill.
Lying there on my hard quilt bed, racking my brain on how to get rice for Nari, my mind circled back to Hana and her offer.
No… if she would have acted instead of just watching my sister get raped, we wouldn’t have any of these problems to begin with… I will NEVER go to her for help!
Then, after an infinite row of hopeless ideas, I suddenly remembered the granary right next to the Lotus Garden where the guards live.
That’s where they keep the crops that are going to be shipped off to the Capital. There must be rice… and plenty of it! It is most likely under lock and key and heavily guarded, but…
… I am a national gymnast in the Great General’s Gymnastics Team! And this is my best shot to save Nari.
Besides, it must be less risk than breaking into a village with hundreds of sleeping guards…
I can do it!
I must do it…
The plan was forming in my head, but I had to be discrete. Dad came home shortly after nightfall. He just ate and went to bed. I pretended to sleep to make sure he didn’t stay up longer than necessary. I didn’t know for sure if Nari was asleep or not, but she hadn’t greeted our father either. The biggest unknown was whether mom would come home tonight or not, but I waited some more just in case. I was glad I did because after half an hour or so, she quietly snuck through the door. Even though I knew dad had left a little soup for her, she went to bed without eating. I wasn’t surprised. Surely her stomach was still bursting from her plentiful dinner in the Chrysanthemum Garden.
I didn’t have to wait long before she was snoring as well. I carefully made sure Nari wasn’t pretending and snuck out of the house without making a single sound. Tonight, I wouldn’t attempt to enter the granary. I would only check it out… unless it turned out to be a walk in the park, but I seriously doubted that would be the case.
The night was clear and warm. The camp lay in silence apart from the backdrop of a distant cicada symphony. The nights I didn’t pass out from exhaustion, I cursed at them for keeping me awake, but tonight their relentless buzzing would provide a perfect audial cover as I snuck through the camp. I took off my worn-out shoes and ran silently along the main dirt road until the end of the Village of the Strayed and then headed for the cornfields. I could easily avoid the guard posts, which I had memorized from all those times I had gone to the river for water after curfew. The buzzing of cicadas in the fields was almost deafening. They must have been everywhere, but I had yet to see a single one during the day… though not for lack of trying.
The last distance through a still unharvested cornfield just before reaching the granary was the easiest. Rushing through the jungle of tall cornstalks, I was completely hidden from all sides. The strong scent from the corn, however, made my hunger pains come back in full force, and at one point they even made me fall on all fours on the ground. It was so intense I had to press my mouth against my shoulder to make sure no sound came out. The next stab of pain was even more intense, and my fingers dug deep into the warm and moist soil that released its slowly accumulated heat from the day. The pain subsided slowly, and I stayed in that position a bit longer still… just to be sure. While I waited, I looked up at the abundance of unharvested corn around me with greedy eyes.
Nobody’s around… nobody would see if I take just one tiny little corncob… I can share it with Nari…
Harnessing all my will-power, I forced my head down, away from the temptation.
Get it together, Areum! You’re on a mission… there can be no distractions! And this is dangerous enough without adding even more risk!
Besides, more corn wouldn’t cure Nari… Jun Ha had told me so.
As the pain was finally gone, I stood up with full determination and broke off a leaf from one of the cornstalks. I folded it and put it in my mouth. The taste was vile, but it slightly distracted me from the hunger as I continued my path through the corn jungle.
The Lotus Garden, unlike the rest of the camp, didn’t appear devoid of life, despite it
being the middle of the night. Even if most residential houses and barracks had their lights turned off, there was one building up the main street splitting the village in two that had an abundance of light and sounds emerging from it. I saw guards standing in small groups in front of it, drinking, smoking, making jokes, and laughing. The last night with Su Mi suddenly appeared in my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder where she was and what she was doing right now. I hoped my disappearance hadn’t made her drink even more than she had before.
Will I ever see her again?
While remaining hidden behind the dense foliage, I moved away from the main street with its joyous nightlife and continued along the edge of the village until the cornfield ended. The large granary was now in sight. I made sure the coast was clear, then emerged from the field and ran from tree to tree until I was close enough to get a good look.
The granary was a large wooden building, about twice the height of the guard barracks behind it in the village. The outside was illuminated by electric lamps on all sides.
I guess the bar and the granary are the only things important enough to spend electricity on in Yodok…
I observed the structure for a while hidden behind a large bush. There were two guards stationed by the front entrance, which was large enough to fit an entire truck, and two guard patrols that ceaselessly circled the building.
Keeping a safe distance, I walked along the outer side of the granary, searching for possible ways to enter. The front entrance wouldn’t work because the guards never left their post. There seemed to be some openings in the upper part of the building - probably for ventilation to prevent mold from destroying the crops - but there were no other buildings close by that I could jump from.
After having done the same round one more time without finding any viable entrance, I started to lose hope. It also became increasingly difficult to ignore how tired and hungry I was.
I’d better go home and get some sleep… tomorrow I’ll find another way! Or maybe Jun Ha will come through…
I worked my way back into the cornfield the same way as I had come, and from behind a utility pole right at the edge of the cornfield, I stared at the granary for a while, hoping that some magical entrance would appear.
It didn’t.
I let out a sigh of defeat.
Then, just as I turned around, I suddenly noticed something else. Something above me.
The power lines!
They came from somewhere in the darkness and were connected to the top of the utility pole towering up next to me. From there, they went to…
The granary!
That’s my way in!
Before the euphoria had time to spread throughout my brain, however, the image of my lifeless electrocuted body hanging like newly washed laundry from the power line high up in the sky penetrated my mind. Beneath me stood a pitiful group of the Strayed gasping and pointing at my rotting corpse that the guards had left hanging as a warning to the rest.
I tried desperately to shake this image out of my mind, but I couldn’t help my heart from once more sinking to my empty stomach.
Is this it? Was that my last chance?
Then a thought - or rather a vague and distant memory - tried to enter my brain.
What was again that they taught us about this in school? I remember myself sitting in the classroom, listening to the teacher’s boring lecture… but what was it she said?
At these moments, I truly wished I had Nari’s photographic memory.
I furrowed my brow so hard I got a headache…
It’s right there! I can feel it!
Then something broke through.
Birds!
That’s right… birds sit on the power lines, right… so is it safe for people?
I slapped my forehead to jolt my memory. Then again.
Come on, brain! Don’t fail me!
The teacher said… the teacher said that electricity… looks for… the fastest route to the ground. Right… so if you stand on the ground and touch them, you get fried. But birds don’t stand on the ground… and that’s why the electricity doesn’t care about them and just continues on its way, uninterrupted. So… as long as I don’t touch anything else while I’m holding the wires, I should be… okay?
I swallowed.
I guess there is only one way to find out! But not today…
As I turned around, the air suddenly filled with a drizzle. I stopped and turned my head up, embracing the wonderful cool sensation on my face. I opened my mouth and let the droplets fall on my tongue.
I stood like that for a while, and when I finally went home, there was something in my chest that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
There was hope.
CHAPTER 30
Filling the quota the next day went easier than any other day since General Roh had announced the increase after the shocking news about our Father - the Great General. The excitement mixed with panic I felt thinking about tonight’s trial kept a steady stream of adrenaline circulating through my body, and I worked like I had never worked before. Seeing the flaky rash growing from under Nari’s shirt also helped give me extra motivation.
Breaking into the granary was, however, a very last resort that I would gladly avoid if I could, so during the first water break of the day, I went over to Jun Ha with the desperate hope he had already come through with his promise to get us some rice. My hope was unfortunately short-lived, and when he once more said he needed more time, I knew I was out of options. I briefly considered asking Miss Ae for help again but knew everybody - except for the highest-ranking officers - received rice only on special occasions. It was unnecessary to make her feel helpless as well by requesting something she couldn’t give.
To my surprise, mom came home tonight as well. I waited until everybody was fast asleep before I moved. I couldn’t risk any interference.
I put on the darkest pants I owned and a black long-sleeved shirt, packed two pieces of strong cloth I would use to wrap around my hands when climbing the power line, and a small cloth bag to put the rice in. Once ready, I went outside, again leaving my shoes behind to be able to run more quietly. I found a nearly dried-up puddle next to the far-end wall and rubbed the cold wet mud onto my hands and face. Since I would be climbing high up in the air, I needed to blend in with the surrounding darkness. I applied several layers until I couldn’t see my skin anymore and then ran the same route as last night. The buzzing of the cicadas once more provided a welcome sound barrier around me and drowned out the soft thumping of my bare running feet. The guards would have probably not heard me even if I had my shoes, but connecting with the soil directly made the gymnast in me feel more in control.
The night was warm with a few dark clouds contrasting against the stars in the sky. I rushed through the narrow passageways along the outer wall, deftly avoiding the rolls of left-over barbed wire, until the end of the Village of the Strayed, passed the food distribution building and the School of Juche. I briefly hid behind a group of trees before entering the safety of the nearest cornfield without being detected by a guard patrol that was coming my way. Crossing the main road went without problems, and once in front of the utility pole, I waited in the foliage for two guards to pass before I silently rushed over and climbed up the rusty brackets attached to the sides. I had just reached the top when another guard patrol rounded the corner of the granary. I pressed my body against the utility pole without moving a muscle. The only part of me moving was my chest, since I couldn’t prevent myself from panting.
As soon as the guards had disappeared around the corner, I raised my head to figure out my next move. There were three power lines attached to the top of the pole. Two led to somewhere in the Lotus Garden and the last one to the granary. They were closer to each other than I would have preferred, but I decided it was doable.
It has to be!
I carefully wrapped my hands with the pieces of cloth I had brought while salty drops of sweat painfully stung my eyes. My heart raced in my
chest. Three months ago I would have laughed at this challenge. Now, I wasn’t sure I would make it… and I really hoped I remembered correctly about how electric current flows.
But it must be like that… otherwise the birds would fry…
I got in a position to jump. The sweat was not only bothering my eyes but had soaked my entire body, and I worried if being wet would increase the risk of being electrocuted. I reminded myself that the most important thing was that no part of me touched the utility pole when my fingers grabbed the power line… and I also needed to control my swing so I didn’t get in contact with the other power lines.
I looked down to see the position of the guard patrols and waited until both patrols were the furthest away from my location. I said a prayer in my head to the spirit of my Father - the Great General, exhaled, and… jumped.
Time stood still as I soared through the air like an eagle.
The next moment, I was swinging from the power line with a firm grip.
I wanted to scream with joy.
I didn’t get electrocuted! I’m still alive!
I slowed down my swinging until it stopped completely. I looked up at my hands, which were mere inches away from the other power line, and sighed with relief.
Suddenly, there was a piercing pain shooting from my left hand, and I felt something warm and wet running down my wrist.
Blood!
Shit! I must have messed up when wrapping the cloth.
But I couldn’t concern myself with this now. My breathing became heavy, and I knew I couldn’t maintain the grip forever - I had to move. I swung my body forward and grabbed the line anew with my left hand. Another jolt of pain shot through it and I had to bite my lip not to scream. My feet dangled like a pendant, and I felt my grip slipping.
It must be the blood!
I quickly swung forward and grabbed the power line with my right hand, then let go with my left hand and quickly wiped the blood off on my clothes before grabbing the line again. There was a new shot of pain from my cut, but…
The Weeping Masses: A Young Adult Dystopian Survival Saga (Juche - Part 3) Page 25