Chapter 33 - Derek
We walk back down the hill towards the village and my whole body feels light. I haven’t experienced anything that intense since… I don’t even know. Maybe ever. My body is still tingling from the earth-shattering orgasm I just had. Ellie’s hand is in mine and I give it a light squeeze, still not quite believing that we’re here together, and that she said the three little words I never thought I would hear.
She loves me.
Even just thinking about it makes the smile creep onto my face. In this moment, I don’t care that we’re still in North Korea. I don’t care if we’re being pursued by Kim Jong-un himself, or how much danger we’re in. I don’t care that there’s a rebellion happening around us and that we’ve somehow become wrapped up in intrigue and violence. Nothing could make me care about anything except the fact that the woman I love told me she loves me back.
We walk slowly, breathing in the night air and letting our feet take us down the hillside. The beaten dirt path winds down and our steps fall in together, dodging tree roots and dips in the road as we make our way back to the village. I never thought any moment of our escape could be this peaceful.
When we re-enter the house, two small cots have been made up for us on the floor. They’re made of two old straw mattresses, and I imagine the family living in this house will be sleeping without their beds tonight. A wave of gratitude washes over me as we walk towards the beds. Ellie slips her hand out of mine and lays down on one of them, me on the other. Even though there are only inches separating us, it’s too far for me. I want her near me, on top of me, with her arms and legs intertwined with mine. I want to feel her heartbeat and feel her breath on my skin.
I lie down on my back and I feel Ellie shift beside me. Her arm creeps towards me, and I place my hand on top of hers. Our fingers slip together gently, and I relish the softness of her skin against mine, this small connection that binds us together in the dark of the night.
I didn’t expect to sleep at all but I wake up when a rooster crows at dawn. I shift on my mattress, feeling my back and legs ache with stiffness after sleeping on the floor. I groan as I stretch, turning my head to see Ellie still asleep. I stop moving for a moment, watching the way her chest rises and falls slightly with every breath, the way her face is completely relaxed and peaceful as she sleeps.
She’s beautiful.
I watch her for a few moments until her eyes flutter open slowly and she sees me, smiling gently. She turns over and reaches up slowly with her hand, stroking my cheek with a finger. I can feel the rough stubble of my beard against her touch, feeling the way her fingers drift across my jaw. I close my eyes and relish the warmth of her touch, drinking in every moment I can with her.
In a few moments, Jang-mi appears with a small tray, with boiled eggs and rice on it.
“Breakfast,” she says simply. We sit up and take the food gratefully. She’s made a pot of tea for us and places everything down on the low table. We get up and fold our blankets before sitting on the floor with Jang-mi, Lee and our hosts.
I can’t help looking over at Ellie as she eats. She chews her food thoughtfully, staring out the window at the front of the house. I want to ask her what she’s thinking but I can’t bring myself to break the silent spell that’s over us. As if she senses me watching, her eyes flick to me and she smiles slightly. My chest swells and I feel like the luckiest man in the world, even on the run in North Korea.
Once we’re done eating, Jang-mi and Lee pack us back into the Jeep. We say goodbye to our hosts and I slip them a few American dollars. I’m not sure if they’ll have any use for them up here, but I’m all too aware that they’ve endangered themselves by helping us.
Once the car rumbles to life, Lee turns his head and speaks.
“We will reach the Chinese border in six hours. Once we cross, we will drive to Shenyang. From there we will go to the American Embassy and you will be protected.”
Ellie and I exchange a glance and Lee speaks again. Sounds simple enough.
“The border crossing is dangerous. You will need to hide, we have a friend in a border town who will help us. Once we’re through, we will all breathe a sigh of relief, but until then we must be careful.”
The two of us nod in understanding and Lee turns towards the open road. Jang-mi is steel-faced, staring straight ahead. The air hangs heavy between us all and the car lurches forward, towards the border and towards freedom.