“Empire of the Sun” by J.G. Ballard

My dear friend Patrick, How are you my friend? How is Singapore? I hope you are fine and healthy. I am very lucky to be able to write this letter to you because not many people got the chance to do so. As you probably did not know, I am in a prison camp right now because of the Japanese. I have been here for more than one year and without my parents. It is a very long story about how I am not with my parents anymore, so I will just tell you that we got separated when we were running in town from a bombing. It was a very big shock for me but I am al right now. I still hope that I will find them, though. I do not even remember what they look like. It hurts to think that they might even not be alive anymore. I just do not know what to do anymore. I am a prisoner†¦ and all I can do is hope. I have some good friends here and they have helped me through everything, but I am still very sad and I miss my mom and dad a lot. I just hope that they are al right, so I can maybe find them one day. I miss my mom's hugs and the long chats with my dad about planes. And I just wish I could remember what they look like. This camp is horrible. I cannot live a normal life here, but we have all learned how to deal with the fact that there is no other choice. We all miss London a lot and cannot bare the fact that we might never come back there again. We do not get enough food and barely water. All we eat is potatoes. They are almost always either rotten or old and do not taste that good either. So many people get sick only because of the potatoes or the water in it†¦ some even die. It is often the old people or the small weak kids. I can not do much for them but I try. Oh and I forgot to mention that there are all these bugs inside the potatoes. The women always clean them out but I just cannot be bothered! I eat them! As your dad says, â€Å"It's full of protein, anyway! † your dad is funny sometimes! Everyone gets one potato per day and if they have something good to trade, they might get lucky and get another one. People here even fight for the food. But I have learned how to survive and get what I need or want very easily. My friend Basie taught me everything. I steal the items and the food sometimes and trade with others. I know you probably think that stealing is a wrong way of getting something, but you would do it too if you were here. We all become so desperate for things that there is no other way to get what you want. When I trade I try and be fair all the time because then I will get the fairness back next time. Another thing about the camp is that it has become like a small town for all of us. Basie even has his own office inside one room. You should see all the different things he has in there! He uses them all to trade for what he needs. I get a lot of nice items from him! I do not think I mentioned Dr. Ransome. He is also a very good friend of mine. He is the only doctor in the camp and he works with the nurses in the small hospital. I help him with the sick patients sometimes and it feels good. I even brought someone back to life, but only for a few seconds. Dr. Ransome did not believe me though and he told me it was just some kind of body reaction. But I think the person was alive, because I pumped the heart! It feels really good to be able to help someone and make them healthy. Oh! Patrick! There was an Air Raid the other day and it was the most exciting thing I have ever seen! There were all kinds of planes flying everywhere! The Cadillac of the sky even! You should have seen that! The pilot even waved to me! He waved to me! The planes were shooting their guns and destroying the camp. I was on the top of the roof watching everything! It was so exciting and I felt so happy for the first time in a long time. You should have seen all the chaos and heard all the noise! The planes were amazing and they were flying so perfectly in the clouds! I loved it! Well my dear friend I think I have written enough for you. They told me that I will be able to write one more letter to you. This makes me very happy! Expect a letter in a month or so when something else exciting happens! Let's hope for another Air Raid! ‘Till then, bye!