trouble in North Korea

trouble in North Korea

fiction
Edward w Pritchard


The last part of myself I refused to reveal to my inquisitor. He knew there was one thing left I wouldn't reveal about America. Under torture, mostly lack of sleep and guk food.

His name was Salt and he knew everything about America. He knew about the boardwalk in Atlantic city, and laying on the beach at Nesbitt Lake in my hometown in Ohio with a girl in summer and taking her tee shirt off in the water at night. He told me she won't remember me now that I am a prisoner and she wouldn't care anyway. Ten years ago back in America is forever ago.

I am very special though. When we crossed the demilitarized zone I am the one who stood up and hit a baseball at the North Koreans. They have the pictures, they were in the American papers. Whatever my captors do to me I will die famous back Home. They hate that. They shave my head. They make fun of my tattoo.

I get in Salt's head too. It drives him crazy when I don't know anything about Korean history or culture. I'll go on for hours under deprivation torture about how beautiful Chinese Art and sculpture is and how I like the Japanese giant Wave painting or Mount Fuji prints but I really don't know anything about Korea North or South and he losses his professionalism and sometimes slaps me in the face over my ignorance and that keeps me going.

There's on thing about America I know that is just my secret. If I die it dies with me and I will have won even though my buddies in my unit can't rescue me and I'll never get Home. One thing, that's why I go on. A secret only I know; I won't tell the North Koreans and won't reveal to the world even under torture.

I always smile at Salt now when we start our sessions. He knows that smile guards my one thing. He is so determined. They watch Salt too as he works and I can tell they are getting upset with him. Maybe he is over budget and they will fire him. I laugh out loud, Salt is starting to hate me I can see it in his eyes.