Disclaimer: I apologize for any copyright violation of any kind. It was not intended. I have no money. I have nothing you would want.
Summary: This is a story based on Hemingway's Farewell to Arms. The plot (war, love, angst, etc.) is very similar to the original. However, it is a short story written from the point of view of a French man, Jacques LaFlemme, who travels to Korea to help in the war. I wrote this for an English assignment, but I think that its okay even so (its probably not, but humor me). Please read and review.
Jewel of Death
by Karasumacrow
It was a small town in the hills of the east. The smooth water flowed evenly down from higher hills. It was green and lush, an idyllic setting. Even here, I saw hints of war; fresh troops marching smartly to the front and tired, injured boys limping back to the front lines. Thus, I did not have much opportunity to practice my love, boating, of which I am accomplished at.
It was my first summer in the country of Korea, as I am from France. I had jumped at the idea of helping people, because I have no family. I speak the language and in my short time have made several acquaintances like my new friend Chulsoon. That night I met him and several other men. We drank excessively and talked about the war. I remember Chulsoon saying to me, "You will not do much. The war will be over soon and we will lose. After they capture our capital, no hope will be found."
That night we saw some young women. I did not take much notice of them at first. Later, Chulsoon introduced his friend Ae-Sook. He was very courteous and afterwards he declared that he planned to run away with her. I was supportive of them. I began to spend more time with Ae-Sook, as Chulsoon was our mutual friend. She was very smart and pretty. I've never been in love, but then I truly felt strong desire for beautiful Ae-Sook.
It was she that I was thinking of as other "helpers" and I settled down for a good night. More often than not we heard were sounds of war; guns, bombs, screams, but we did not pay much notice
at first. One, a man named Po-Sun, brought up that he did not believe in war. The others chimed in, agreeing. Communism and arguments would run their course, but there was really no need at all for us to kill others, over and over again. I went to a man and he gave me some cigarettes. As we were smoking them, I suddenly saw explosions and blackness.
When I awakened, I saw Po-Sun. He was dying and before I could help him, he was gone. I was wounded too, in the shoulder. I came up and, despite much heartfelt protest, people put me on a stretcher and carted me off to a hospital. I remained in that hospital for several weeks. Several associates, including Chulsoon, came to visit me in that time. After this, they spoke of a hospital farther south that specialized in treating foreigners. They took me in a car and it was very cold and wet.
Countless hours later, we arrived at the hospital. I was their first patient, as it had just reopened after random explosions destroyed it. I met the head doctor and did not like him; he was old and disagreeable. I had been in this new place for a few days when who should appear at my side but Ae-Sook.
I had never felt adoration for another before, but I soon realized that I truly did care for Ae-Sook. I was in love and it was beautiful, our time together. Our secluded times were alight with truth and beauty. Afterwards, we would sit, smoking together. I had always been a smoker, but in that hospital, recovering and bored, I smoked like I never had before. So perhaps it was not surprising that I developed a hacking cough. The doctors were extremely sympathetic, but one night, the despised superior found my large collection of cigarette butts. These enraged him and ordered me back to the front. Ae-Sook and I said a tearful goodbye before I boarded the train.
Seeing Chulsoon and my other colleagues again was wonderful. However, I no longer felt like I should be there. I had glimpsed the horrors of war and could not go back to my previous state of ignorance. Less than a month after I had come, I left with An-Kor and his friends. We simply roamed the South Korean countryside, oblivious to the growing danger.
One morning while we were talking, several North Koreans came into our camp. After the conversed a while, they shot An-Kor and his friends. It happened very quickly. I only escaped with luck. I ran very far, trying to go away from everything that had ensued. After a few days of wandering, I found myself in Taegu. It was a welcome distraction with seldom reminders of the war.
It was here, a time later that I saw Ae-Sook again. She came down the street as I was standing lost in thought. We greeted each other lovingly as if no time had passed. We left Taegu to find a place where we could be together with no incriminating face or punishment for me, the deserter. After days of travel across the hilly landscape, we found an ultimate home in Wonju.
We settled down in Wonju. I took an easy job, nothing significant. Ae-Sook and I had the most wonderful time. It was like a dream. We took long walks. We discussed starting a family. After all that we had been through, believing that we were not still in that train station was hard, saying goodbye for what would seem forever. Or, perhaps, in that first town, growing closer with no knowledge of what was to come. We would not live there a year. It seemed like forever and, yet, time stood still. We heard news of war and rumors of an attack but did not believe.
It was a fine, lovely evening. She and I stood and confessed our love. Ae-Sook said that she was pregnant. I laughed and congratulated her. As we walked back to our house, we heard gunshots. I dove to the ground, but Ae-Sook looked around. She was shot, fatally wounded. My only love was gone; it will not be safe, for love only brings inevitable defeat.
"I'm sorry, Mr. LaFlemme," a doctor intoned. I nodded curtly and walked out, not looking back.