Come Down for Dinner

“Kids, come down for dinner,” I shouted. “We’re playing games,” they shouted. “Eat first, then more games,” I said. “Ugh, it’s the same thing every night, corn and shrimp,” John complained. “Yah,” his brother agreed. “You’re lucky we get anything at all, including those games. The government is negotiating for our release. In the meantime, keep your heads down and a smile on your face. Like the guards keep saying, if they come in and think we’re ungrateful, they’ll shoot us. Do you understand? Keep smiling, damn it! There’s cameras watching,” I said. The kids nodded and smiled. They understood.