Forbidden City - A Short Summary

Not all heroes wear capes. I learned that the day I came home from China. I learned that the day I heard the gunshot. And I learned that the day I saw his frail, lifeless body fall to the ground. And after everything, I realized quite a lot of things. One, that there are no winners in a war, only survivors and two, that war tears people apart. Even those who were once close as brothers. Lao Xu was like a best friend to me. Like a brother to me.

I became fully aware of the fact and understood fully that, none of the people protesting for the rights of their people, had experienced the world, let alone a war. They were just kids. Like me. And despite all the thoughts that came to me, nothing scared me more than one in particular. The fact that I was the lucky guy. The one who survived out of all of them.

These thoughts replay in my head. Again and again and again until I find myself drowning in what is a tidal wave of guilt, regret, and pain. This is what no one told me about war, behind the scenes of it. The raw emotions that come after it. The feeling that makes you feel like you’re right about to get crushed by a tank-like all the people who did and when you picture them. And how their families must have felt to see just remnants of their bones. Or what their reaction must have been when they received the bill for the bullet. 

And to be honest, I’m grateful. Really grateful for everything. Sure, everything that happened emotionally tortured me. Traumatized me. But what I’m really grateful for is the people. All the heroes like Lao Xu and Xin Hua who sacrificed themselves and saved me and many others in many ways. And that, that is what I call, a true hero without a cape.