That same night, at one end of Guanzu town, Eun Mei and three other kids started sneaking at the back of a particular building and going through its trash disposal bin.

The other girl beside Eun Mei crinkled her nose as she saw what they were rummaging in. “If I knew we were going to muddle in disgusting trash, I would not have joined you guys! ," she said in a sort of wailing half-scream.

Eun Mei hesitated, then adjusted the heavy work gloves she stole from her mother’s new friend’s tool box and waded into the garbage bin herself. Cho Garam, the 17-year-old kid who led this small endeavor, glared at the other girl.

“I hid nothing from you,” he growled. “I said we would go sort out some trash and get certain things that we could resell to guys I know. Each one of you will get 150,000 won if we reach a certain quota. So stop your whining and help us! ”

The other girl continued grumbling, but she did as she was told and gingerly joined the other three in the massive trash bin.

They were behind the Guanzu clinic, and they were looking for syringes, needles, and maybe other expensive medical tools. The syringes are going to be cleaned out, and the needles are going to be boiled. Then they can resell them to certain people, who could then resell them back to the hospitals. Medical supplies are always in low supply in North Korea, and the cost of even second-hand syringes is very profitable in certain black markets.

“Make sure you don’t get nicked by those sharp things,” the older boy warned. “One dude got nicked once, and he was in the hospital convulsing the following day. Some of this stuff is nasty.”

Eun Mei didn’t say anything, but she heeded his warning, and she was careful with everything she touched. They prepared a specially thick sack to gather their loot and place it carefully inside. The boy is responsible for holding the sack and will carry it back to their hideout later.

The other girl gagged as she waded inside. There were diapers and other disposable clothing that were thick with blood, gunk, and even feces. The potent smell was literally making them tear up. The older boy took a moment to place a handkerchief over his nose before resuming his work. Eun Mei simply held her breath as much as she could, then breathed with her mouth if she needed air.

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The job was gag-inducing, and the whining of the other girl didn’t help the situation any. But they were able to get a sizable number of medical supplies as promised, and Eun Mei is already dreaming about where she will spend her cut once they are done.

Suddenly, a flashlight turned in their direction in the darkness of night, and someone suddenly shouted, “Hey you! What the hell are you doing there?! ”

“Run! ” Garam suddenly shouted, and they scrambled out of the trash bin like mice and ran in different directions. Eun Mei cursed, but she was one of the faster ones as she stumbled out of the trash bin, rolled to her feet, and started sprinting away.

She gasped when a hand grabbed her long hair, and she was pulled back. She fell on her back, and flashlights were all around her. “Fucking scavengers! "the older man snarled as he placed his weight to pin the girl down. The man didn’t even look like a security guard. He looks more like a gangster. And why does a clinic even need a security guard? A knee smashed between his legs, and he released his hold on Eun Mei.

The girl scrambled to her hands and knees before crawling away. The flashlight was moving in every direction and didn’t help Eun Mei the least in her own disorientation. But she can hear the guard still thrashing and cursing on the floor, and all she can think about is creating distance from that point of reference. Eventually, she stood back up and started running away as far as her pumping feet could send her.

Her lungs were burning, and the adrenaline was pushing her forward. She did not dare look back and watch for any pursuers. As long as there were shouting, dogs barking, or footfalls behind her, Eun Mei ran. She weaved from one street corner to another and barreled through a few pedestrians.

“Hey! Watch where you are going! "someone shouted at her, but she ignored it and continued running.

When she was further away and no one was around her, only did she finally relent and slow down. She looked around and attempted to find her bearing, but her lungs were bursting, and she concentrated on sucking up more oxygen inside her.

The next thing she knew, as she heaved more air into her lungs, she burst out crying. She can’t believe she is reduced to scavenging some trash and getting pursued like some cheap criminal because she just wanted to have some pocket money back in school.

Her mother barely gave her anything, and her “uncle” is useless. She tried to endure it, but she is to the point that her stomach is not only growling, but she can barely think straight in classes.

Eun Mei angrily wiped the tears from her eyes and started walking again. She would rendezvous with her friends and get what was owed her. She’d be damned if she was not paid for the clusterfuck she just endured. Eun Mei will survive this, and she will earn enough money that, after high school, she will finally leave this god-forsaken town and everything in it.

Fuck this world, she thought grimly.

This town is not gonna break her.

“You’re not going to break me,” she repeated to herself as the darkness swallowed her form in the night.