Jia: A Novel of North Korea Read Online Free PDF Page B

rubbed my head. "Ready to go?"
    "Why do we have to go right now? Let's go later. It's
still night."
    Uncle Shin took my hand, still rubbing my eyes. "No...
it's already late. Let's go right now, Jia."
    He exchanged brief words with my grandparents; my
grandfather patted his shoulder. My grandmother hugged
me tightly and my grandfather stood up next to her, smoking. With a blank face, he said, "Don't forget what we told
you, Jia."

    I couldn't even say good-bye to my sister. When I
looked back, my grandparents were just two dark lumps
under the starlight. They didn't move until my eyes lost
sight of them.
    I couldn't walk very well in the dark; Uncle Shin carried
me on his back, walking fast, and talked about his daughter.
Half asleep, I heard only part of what he said.
    "I never carried my daughter on my back. Can you believe that? I was such a strict father. I always wanted to
kiss her cheek and hug her, but I just didn't. I didn't know
how to express my feelings about her. She was my trea
sure.. .such a treasure. I was not a good father, but she always
jumped on me whenever I came home, like you did."
    I wondered if my father would carry me on his back, if
he saw me just one time.
    We had been walking for quite some time when Uncle
Shin suddenly stopped and looked around. Emerging from
the bushes, we came to a big road, and he took me down
from his back, holding my two arms before me.
    "Jia, just sit down here and don't move. Wait for two
army cars to come. When you see them, sit up and wave
your hands. If you see me among those soldiers, pretend
you don't know me, just say you're lost. Whatever they ask,
say you don't remember anything and ask us to take you
to your home, then show the pictures and say they're your
grandparents. Do you understand, Jia? I know you are a
very smart girl. I know it will be scary to be here by yourself, but it's just for a few hours. After that, we'll take you
to your grandparents safely."
    He gave me rice balls with sesame oil and salt and a
brown red-bean cake.

    "If you feel hungry, eat these."
    Uncle Shin sat me by the road at the edge of the bushes.
It was almost dawn.
    As he ran away, uphill, he turned back and shouted,
"It'll be bright soon! Don't be scared!"
    Then he disappeared from sight.
    I was totally alone. It was cold and there was nothing
but trees and grass in every direction. I had never been so
far away from home, and the path I was on lay far beyond
the realm that I knew, back in the forest. I looked back at
the world that had been my home; now, from the outside,
it no longer felt familiar. Tall reeds swayed in the wind. I
heard the occasional stirring of cicadas in the bushes. Starting and then falling silent, the more the insects cried, the
closer they seemed to me. I was frightened an animal would
appear in front of me and attack me.
    I began sobbing, crumpling with fear. I missed my sister and grandparents. I didn't know what I was doing. I
couldn't understand why I had to meet my mom's parents
this way. After I had exhausted myself I lay down on the
road, curled up, and fell asleep.
    I didn't hear the cars pull up and stop in front of me.
One of the men nudged me with his boots, and I woke up
to find soldiers all around, looking down at me.
    "Hey, kid. What are you doing here?"
    I was confused, I thought I was still in our room at
home, lying next to my sister, but my surroundings were
strange. I couldn't answer his question. I was too scared to
talk at all, and froze until my eyes fixed on Uncle Shin. He
was almost covered by the other soldiers, but at the sight of
me, he smiled slightly, his eyes filled with worry. As soon
as I found his face, I remembered the night journey and falling asleep alone in the darkness. I burst into tears, not
out of fear, but comfort-relieved that I had discovered
him.

    "Look at this girl..."
    One soldier sat down to console me. He had bushy eyebrows that wriggled along above his eyes like