Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 26: 𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓐𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽 𝓗𝓾𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂

August 09, 1971

Somewhere in the jungles of Yunnan, Chinese Worker's Republic

(WARNING: THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES VIVID WAR CRIMES COMMITTED DURING THE SINO-AMERICAN WAR [1956-1960] PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION)

Premier Li Qiang Zhang of Communist China was bringing me to one of the sites of my mother's crimes against humanity. I was bracing myself for literally anything I was about to see.

I was scared if I was being brutally honest.

Chinese State Media and American media were going to film this for the public. So the Chinese people can see me and my reaction. So the American people could see the horrors of my predecessor. My leg bounced repeatedly, something that showed I was nerve-wracked. Lord Halley placed his hand on my knee, which calmed me down.

"Deep breaths your majesty, we have no idea what we're about to see..." He said.

"Halley! Don't touch her like that!" Lord Corbon snapped, rebuking the good noble.

"I am not hurting or harassing her, she's naturally concerned," 

"Still," 

"It is fine milord," I growled towards Lord Corbon, who shut up. 

I didn't respond as the car jerked to a halt. I took a deep breath as a Chinese soldier opened the door. I stepped out and my eyes widened. It was already worse than I could've thought. I knew those cameras were already rolling.

But this wasn't for the camera, but my pure, unrehearsed reaction.

"Your majesty, welcome to Dachaoshan-Dongzhen, one of the countless death camps built throughout the endless mountains and jungles of Yunnan," Li said, his own confidence slowly breaking.

The camp was unlike anything I could imagine. Four towers, at least forty feet high, with a thick barbed wire fence circumventing the perimeter of the camp. A gate appeared to be the only obvious way in. The only way to witness the horrors that I knew were waiting on the other side.

Tears pricked in the corners of my eyes, slowly watering up.

"This is not what you were expecting madame?" Li asked.

"I... I- just thought they were rounded up and killed, not... not this," I muttered.

My usual bold confident voice had been reduced to a low squeaky murmur.

My response shocked Li Qiang, the cameras were all aimed at me.

"Your shock madame... it's genuine... your tears... they're real," He stammered.

I guess he didn't think I'd mind seeing a death camp where thousands of Chinese were indiscriminately slaughtered.

"Kāimén!" The Chinese soldier who had opened the car door shouted out.

I looked at Lord Halley for a translation.

"They're opening the gates majesty," Halley answered.

I nodded my head down. The soldiers turned a large hand crank on either side of the massive gate and the rusted iron squealed as it opened. I winced as the sharp screech penetrated my eardrums. Finally, after what felt like hours, the gate was opened and birds flew out of it, escaping the compound. The soldiers loaded their guns and moved in quickly, aiming all the way.

"Premier Zhang, why are your soldiers acting like they're infiltrating a war zone?"

He looked distraught at the question.