You're Not Forgotten

• Magenta Watts, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2018

I'm lucky enough to live in a place where I am free to have my own opinion, unlike a man in Africa who got arrested for what he believed. I heard it last night on the news and the more I think about it, the less sense I can make of it. My parents were talking about it and I listened to their conversation, trying to find out why it happened. Maybe they have the answer, maybe I missed something because it just doesn't make any sense to me. Someone should not be arrested, taken from their home and their family, just because of their opinion. So, then why did it still happen?

When I heard about it, my family and I were watching the news and the story came up. Even though it was all just words to me, I saw everything so clearly in my mind. The images of what happened were so vivid I felt like I was there, watching the injustice happen right before my eyes but not being able to do anything about it.

The man was sitting in a cafe with his friend and they were talking over coffee. Nothing important, just a chat. The conversation they were having was about the government. The man believed that it didn't always do what was best for the people and didn't have the peoples’ best interests in mind. Well someone over heard that conversation and didn't quite agree with what he was saying. A few days later the police came knocking at the man’s door and arrested him. The man was locked up, thrown in jail without any trial. But there were people who weren't going to stand for it.

He didn't know it, but all the way in Australia there was a group of people that were going to help him get out of that prison cell. They were; The Justice Group. It's been a couple of months now and still I’m wondering if that man has been released from prison yet. We haven't heard anything so far, but that night on the news everything changed. Those people did take a stand they did something. Something so unexpected but also ingenious. I'm sure by now the man has given up all his hope but The Justice Group had not.

They sent letters all the way from Australia to Africa. The letters were smuggled into the prison and given to the man. They were the hope letters. They explained how they were going to get him out, no matter what, how they were fighting for him. The last letter, however, was short, merely three words. Somehow, however, those three words were the words that made him realize he wasn't alone.

He enjoyed reading the letters, but he never really believed anything they said. But this letter was different, it changed everything for the man and his future. That letter read: Jy is nie vergeet nie. “You're... not... forgotten.”