When I stepped inside I discovered that a disgusting old badger had taken up residence. I searched for a long stick that I could use to try to drive it out, but he was a ferocious little guy: he kept blocking my stick with his paws and lunging at me in fury. His shrill cry was terrifying, but I was no less tough, having already faced certain death and prevailed more than once. I chased out the badger, cleaned up the little hut, dug up the cache of grain that I’d buried in the woods, and proceeded to hunker down for the next month or so, until one day I heard someone moving around outside. It was the farmer. He pulled back the piece of vinyl covering the door and poked his head in. “Ya! Look who’s here! You’re still alive!” His eyes reddened with tears, and he clasped my hand tight. I went with him back to the farmhouse. The family already knew about Hyun’s death and Father’s departure. I told them all about Grandmother dying, my going back to North Korea to search for the rest of my family, and losing Chilsung.
