The Great Empire--Bilingual Edition

by Joaquim Augusto Ferreira Barbosa De Melo

  -We’d better be prepared!

  -I’m delivering it to the publisher today! Said Sun, with a decisive voice.

  Two months later...

  The book has been reviewed and prepared in the greatest secrecy and distributed with exceptional security care. It was ready to be presented to the public in some bookstores trusted by the publisher. Lili, from the very beginning, had made contacts with leaders of the Academic Associations in conflict with the regime, pledging to announce details of the book to them shortly before it was distributed by the bookstores. At the time announced, previously agreed with the publisher, the books were put up for sale in the shop windows and the clandestine student movements were made known. From the very first hours, the book proved to be a great sales success - much because a great effort of information and secrecy was made at the launch. But if the sales didn’t wait, neither did the Party’s reaction. Three days after its release, the “storm” (predicted by Lili) arrived strong and ugly: Sun was expelled from the Party; the book was banned; the bookstores selling Sun’s books were inspected, and the authorities seized all the copies and later burned them. The publishing house, although not identified in the book, was closed shortly after. Lili had anticipated all this: she kept thousands of copies in a safe and secret place; she arranged for an underground distribution network, so the book, although forbidden, was still being distributed throughout the country. Thus, months after it was officially banned and burned by the authorities, it continued to circulate in the face of the perplexity of the Party and the President - despite the Party’s protests to the civil and military authorities, they were unable to stop its distribution. Lili and Sun’s strategy was a war of nerves and a clear confrontation with the law and the regime, so the Party called on the President to take tougher measures. The President, after much thought, and before granting the request for Sun’s imprisonment, decided to publish a book himself, because, according to him, “only one idea is fought effectively with another of equal nature and stronger”. Thus, sometime later, the whole Party was mobilized to publish the President’s own book, which had culture as its line of strength, as a vehicle for the future. As the months went by and the Party and the President became very impatient, their opponent’s book had an outstanding influence on a large part of the student and educated population. With confirmation from the authorities that Sun’s book continued to be distributed throughout the country in total disregard for the law, the President had no choice but to order the arrest of his opponent. Sun’s arrest was widely reported in the national media. His supporters, fearing equal reprisals, no longer promoted the circulation of the book and it broke abruptly. Thus, for the Party and President, the damned book “My Country and the Future” had finally been silenced.

  Months later...

  When everything indicated that the regime’s adversary had been consigned to oblivion, news began to appear in the foreign press, a little bit everywhere, that Academic Sun had been arrested and was held in prison without any formal charges. The regime and its President were harshly criticized by the foreign press for keeping political opponents in prison without trial. While this wave of opposition remained confined to the press, the President did not see this as a major concern, but when the protests took to the streets with demonstrations at the country’s embassies, the situation became increasingly untenable. Inside the country, everything remained calm until one day the unease spread to the academic world as well. At first, the protests were organized by some students but the repression did not wait. As time went by, the students organized themselves into movements that were more and more numerous and difficult to control. One day, the Party, knowing the location of one of these secret meetings, exercised strong police repression on the students, promoting mass arrests. In response to this government action, the students decided to hold a protest meeting in one of the main squares of the capital, gathering thousands of supporters there. For the President, that challenge to power was unacceptable, so he gave instructions for an army intervention in force. This confrontation resulted in riots with several dozen injured and hundreds of arrests. But the biggest surprise for all was coming! Among the detainees was, to the great perplexity of many, the son of the President himself! When the President learned of the situation, he could not resist a cardiac arrest...!

  PART III

  The Great Opportunity

  20th century

  On the horizon the sun was hiding announcing the proximity of the end of another day. On the city streets, at that time, an increase in traffic was felt, while on the sidewalks there was a growing wave of hasty passers-by. The illuminated screens began to wake up here and there for another night that would only end with the return of dawn. As the advertising signs turned on, a myriad of other lights followed, which, of all colors and shapes, sought to be an alternative to the departing King Star. Paris was thus preparing for the gradual gathering of its people, as in other places around it.

  On the ninth floor of the Great Warehouse building, Lili listened attentively over the radio to recent news, reporting the death of her country’s President. The great helmsman had not withstood a heart attack. Following this information, the first moments were lived by her in silence and great sorrow. Assaulted by contradictory feelings, Lili felt, on the one hand, bitterness at the disappearance of someone who had once been very close to her and, on the other, she was reborn with the hope of achieving freedom for Sun, her son, who was in prison! The news had aroused a symbiosis of feelings that were difficult to manage - from deep bitterness to intense joy! With the news of the President’s death, a whirlwind of memories now passed through her mind: “the political detention of her son”; “the brutal form of imprisonment ordered by the now deceased”; “the colossal error of the regime in allowing imprisonment without trial”; “its strategy in making use of the students’ discontent for its cause”; “the President’s imprudence in placing the army to make arbitrary arrests of the students without taking care of the implications”. Since Sun’s arrest, Lili had been involved in an intense and unprecedented campaign for his freedom. On national level at first, and later with her arrival in Paris, also on the international level. In fact, the decision to come to Paris was the alternative she found to fight more intensely for his freedom. She never wished for the death of the President, but she never forgot the brutality used when her son was imprisoned. Among the various strategies that she outlined to reach the President, one turned out to be decisive for her success - involvement in the political struggle of the President’s own son. Even before she came to Paris, Lili had already won several battles, but not the war, which, in her opinion, could only be achieved outside her country.

  That afternoon, before leaving the office, Lili took several steps to prepare for her immediate return to her homeland - she wanted to be present at the funeral ceremonies. By the time she arrived at the hotel, it was already late. She felt a great deal of tiredness accumulated that day, not so much because of the intense work of the last few hours, but above all because of the strong emotions she experienced. The news developed by the various channels allowed her to foresee the possibility of achieving a rapid release for all political prisoners. That night, Lili, despite her great tiredness, had great difficulty in falling asleep. As a result, the following day, not even the best cosmetic products were able to hide the marks on her face. In the office, in the meetings that followed her return to the country, she indicated that she could be absent for an uncertain time - hence the exceptional care she put in delegating responsibility to the directors of her companies.

  Two days later...

  Already on homeland soil, Lili made several inquiries with the authorities and friends to arrange a visit to her son; however, this was not possible. As a result of the President’s death, these authorizations now depended on a Supreme Council that would decide on the political prisoners. Some time later, Lili had been approached by an old friend of hers, a member of the party, who had announced to her that
Sun would soon be released. That information was a balsam for so much anguish and uncertainty. The possibility of her son going free, from one day to the other, added, however, a lot of anxiety! During those long days of waiting, she repeated over and over again to herself that she had to be patient. However, as the weeks passed, her enthusiasm began to fade. In the various attempts she made with her acquaintances, she had total silence from them. The only information she managed to obtain was that the party would meet “soon” for a decision on political prisoners. That time of waiting added to each day an unspeakable anguish, hard to bear.

  On a beautiful sunny morning, with nothing to predict it, Sun entered the house, to his mother’s great surprise. They took the first moments to share a long hug filled with much emotion and countless tears.

  - I have no words to express the immense happiness I feel!

  Lili hugged her son again, bathed in tears and with great difficulty to contain her emotions.

  - Right now all this seems unreal to me, out of a dream! Let me look at you better!

  Sun, although thin, downcast and very anxious, expressed a huge smile at having his mother there in front of him.

  - I’ve got some great news for you!

  - What better news could I wish for than to have you here in front of me! You’re here and that’s all I need!

  - Yes, but listen to what I have to say!

  At that moment Lili’s mind had been assaulted by the many nightmares she had experienced during the immense nights her son had been in prison, hence her eagerness to know details, so much so that she didn’t even heard what her son had just told her.

  - Tell me how they treated you the whole time you were in prison.

  - Reliving the past only makes me suffer! Now I’m free and I have some good news for you!

  - Before all that, I want to know how they treated you there from the beginning!

  - That’s not important! The news I have for you is surprising and very recent!

  - Yes, but it’ll have to wait! I can’t wait to hear all about what happen to you, all that time in prison. I went through unspeakable anguish in that time. Now I can’t have peace again until I know everything they put you through!

  -I’d rather leave that time buried forever. Those were very painful times for me!

  - You understand, for the wound that has opened in my heart to heal, I must know the details of that time.

  - Nobody can change the past, Mom! The important thing is the present!

  - I know, son, but I’d like you to understand my point of view.

  - If you insist, I’ll tell you a little about it, but on one condition! You don’t ask me to tell you about that past I want to forget!

  - You have my word!

  In the following moments Sun referred to the silence, as if gaining courage to then move on to describe his recent past.

  - The worst moments were the initials. When I arrived they put me in an individual cell, a small, cold and humid space, without natural light and isolated from all the other prisoners. Shortly after, I was led into a room for interrogation. As I did not answer any of the questions they asked me, they began to torture me with increasing cruelty (Sun paused).

  The strong emotion installed by the memory of his own words, blocked his narrative - on his face, tears began to run, without him being able to contain them, it was thanks to his mother who, by putting her hands on his, allowed him to gain strength to continue.

  -Those were endless moments of horrible suffering! Don’t ask me for details, please. During the interrogation I should have lost my senses, for when I became conscious of myself I had returned to my cell. Hours later, they took me back to interrogation and, as I continued to remain irreducible in silence to the questions they asked me, they returned to the methods of torture, infringing on the sufferings of increased cruelty. Finally they gave up torturing me and ordered the guards to take me back to my cell. Since I couldn’t get up, they had to drag me there. They left me on the tile and without clothes. I can’t remember how long I was lying directly on the tile. When I woke up, I couldn’t feel my hands or legs, just horrible pain all over my body and a growing, painful cough. In one corner of the cell they had placed a blanket and the clothes they had taken from me. Since I couldn’t move to drag myself to them, they were of no use to me. At that time I thought I’d never see you again.

  His mother, visibly moved, couldn’t help herself and say:

  - Wretched men!

  - Please, Mom...

  Lili made an effort to contain her, allowing her son to continue.

  - I couldn’t move with such intense pain, and though exhausted, I couldn’t sleep. Periodically they opened the cell door, possibly to confirm if I was still alive. I don’t know how long I was like this, I just remember that at a certain moment they moved me from one side to the other and at that time I should have fainted, because when I opened my eyes again I was in a different place. My nostrils were blocked with tubes and I could only open my eyes with great difficulty, at that time I should have fainted again, because when I woke up, I noticed someone in a white coat babbling something I did not understand. Soon after I heard steps from several people in the room, I don’t know what they did or said. I felt, however, that my body was numb and painless. I closed my eyes and stopped feeling anything around me. I don’t know how long I remained like this. When I woke up, it was another day already. At that point, I was catheterized. Many days went by before I could eat by myself again. One day, assisted by a nurse, I was able to get up and walk a little. From then on, I gradually recovered my movements. At that time the hours in the infirmary were long and painful, but compared to the horrible time I spent in the cell, it was a paradise. One day, a guard who always accompanied the nurse in the infirmary waited for him to leave the room to tell me, secretly, that he knew who I was and that he had read my book. That completely changed my mood, “I was in cloud nine”. It allowed me to find forces where they did not exist and a firm will to recover. Weeks later, already partially recovered, I was sent back to my cell. The time spent there was of great loneliness and bitterness. The good memories and the words of the guard that were engraved in my memory as an anchor of permanent support. Weeks later that same guard came back to me asking how I felt. It was then that I asked him to get me some paper and pencils, because I had to occupy my mind urgently. The next day he brought me what I had asked for, with the promise that as soon as he could he would get me more. From then on, time became much less painful. Soon after, I was changed to another prison and I never saw that guard again.

  Lili now looked at her distressed son, but with a more serene expression, which encouraged Sun to continue.

  - In the new prison, although they kept me isolated, I got better conditions. The cell was airier and bigger. It had a wicket through which the natural light entered. In addition to a bed, I also had a table and a bench next to a tiny reserved place for my physiological needs. One afternoon they sent me out and led me to an interior terrace. An open space surrounded by buildings on all sides made it possible to see the sun. At first, I thought that the gods had finally designated themselves to look after me again - such was the difference I felt between the inside of the cell and that outside space. Besides seeing the sun I could breathe at full lungs which were a true blessing from the sky. However, I soon realized that I was there to satisfy someone’s whims. Two guards came to meet me, ordering me to put myself “in a position flexed forward with arms open and supported on one leg, with the other raised behind”, simulating a plane. At the same time that they gave me orders, they made a serious warning: “if you leave this position we have orders to shoot”. I put myself in the indicated position, but after a certain time I started to feel my arms and raised leg heavier and heavier. As time went by the knee of the leg supporting the body began to hurt too. At a certain point, with the loss of strength, I began to waver in position, feeling that I would not hold on much longer. One of the guards, realizing my difficulties,
positioned himself in front of me with the gun pointed ready to fire. That’s when I thought my days were over. So I tried to go to the limit of my strength. When I could no longer resist the torment of that position, the mind began to panic, waiting for the machine gun to fire. Shortly after, one of the guards ordered me to relax to a normal posture - I fell on the ground and stayed there for some time. Several times I tried to get up, but I couldn’t - I felt horrible pains that were holding me back. In the evening two guards dragged me into the cell. A few weeks went by without me being able to get up - I could hardly move. Full recovery was only possible gradually and after almost two months. Later I learned that I was in that position on the orders of the President himself - he had been there with some of his ministers.

  - I didn’t know he was capable of such cruelty! - said Lili, her eyes bathed in tears.

  Silence set in for brief moments until Sun found the strength to continue:

  - We must bury this immense bitterness and leave room for the future that still has much to offer!

  - If we use the memory of suffering to improve the future, then it has not been in vain! - Said Lili, forcing a smile.

  - I want to bury this bitterness, because I feel I have a lot of positivity to build. The news I have to give you from the beginning speaks of that future.

  -What is this news that makes you so excited?!

  -After getting out of prison they took me directly to the Party building to attend a meeting of the Central Committee. After a long wait in a room next door, I was taken to that meeting. After several considerations, I was informed that there was a possibility for the Party to propose my candidacy for the Presidency, if that was also my will. That news left me perplexed! At first I was unable to say a word, and then I think I babbled about something that was understood by those present to be affirmative, and then I regained my clarity and asked for a twenty-four-hour deadline for a final decision. This is the news I have to give you, what do you say?!