Chapter 17 — In a Tizzy to Hear From Benjamin
A serial novel in the form of correspondence among a family while the world as we know it collapses around us. I recommend you start at the Introduction:
https://readmedium.com/climate-for-change-introduction-5331d5ab9313
But you can start anywhere you want.
— -
Website Chatbox (Translated from Bulgarian):
Dear Dad,
Great news! I’m crying right now! We got a letter from Benji! He and his friends are in a prison camp in northern Minnesota, and they were able to smuggle a letter out with a guard. She went to great personal peril to hand deliver the letter yesterday. We have 48 hours to get a letter ready to send back to Benji; we will meet the guard in the park tomorrow morning before she goes back up north. I hope you get this and can respond before we see her. I know Benji would love to hear from you and Mom.
He and his friends are alive, although they are cold and hungry much of the time. Here is his letter:
[the letter was transcribed here]
According to the letter, he is at a former environmental education camp. I looked up the camp location on my paper map, and Benji is right — it is not very far from the Canadian border. That is so far away!
It looks like it has been a week since he last wrote. I hope he knows by now that World War III hasn’t quite started yet. What does your English Broadcast Group say? I only get the texts from the Circle and General Stewart saying to get ready for anything. The soldiers in my neighborhood are have a big backhoe and they are digging a fallout shelter in case Russia sends a nuke our way. I’m not sure I would want to survive if it gets to that!
Everything is a little easier now that we know that Benji is alive. I have started to sing again. Mel noticed me singing when we were walking to the bus stop. We went to the store to get some yarn today. I am going to do some speed-knitting tonight to send him some warm socks if the guard will take them.
We also went to his friend Jeremy’s family’s house while we were out. His parents were astounded to see the letters. They had started to give up on him. It was like we had brought Jeremy back from the dead.
Melody had called Jorge right away after we got the letters. Jorge said his parents want to go break Daisy out of prison now that they know she is alive. I think I agree. Do you think we could do it? How would we do it? It is a cold time of year to be contemplating a journey up north. What would we do, even if we could get to the camp?
— -
Dear Carol and Melody,
I am so glad we got your message this afternoon. I can’t tell you how glad. Your mom and I will get some sort of message ready to send up to Benji right away. Too bad we can’t get some yarn to you. Our gift group has some alpaca farmers who are also quite skilled spinners. Their yarn makes the best socks I have ever felt.
In regards to your instinct to go north and try to get him out, I like your spirit, but we need to think this through. With your chip trackers, I don’t think you would get very far. From what he says, he doesn’t seem to be in imminent danger. We can take some time to plan what the best course of action might be. I have some ideas.
The EBG is in full panic mode about the conflict in Europe. Russia has annexed Turkey as of two days ago. The Turkish prime minister fled to Israel, of all places. The NATO nations have declared war but have not done anything yet, except move millions of troops and tanks and ships into place. Russia has been spreading disinformation into Europe, telling people not to fight. Their message is that Europe has been in the grip of people who are against jobs and economic growth and that Russia will restart the economy by turning on the fossil fuel tap again. The EBG is 100% anti-Russia. The EBG presenters are urging Britons everywhere to steel their resolve and prepare for the battle to save the planet.
I’m off to write the letter to Benji!
Love,
Dad
— -
Next chapter:
https://readmedium.com/chapter-18-a-letter-for-benji-from-the-country-cf4cd1535891
— -
Author’s note: And if you are not yet a Medium member and want to find out what happens to Benjamin, you have two options:
- Join Medium. I think it is worth it! Use my referral link: https://gaertner-andy122.medium.com/membership
- Email me, and I will send you a friend link: