The Honey Trap (short story)

 

Our online overseas relationship began with all the romance one can possibly have without actually seeing the person, and had all the signs of a true connection, though, in the end, this story is now being written from a jail cell.

Facebook has its good points, contacting old friends, old lovers, and surrogate families; sending music, writing one's thoughts, but when one receives a “friend request”, from a total stranger that happens to be living in a war zone, in this case, the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in twenty-twenty hindsight is not a good idea.

What a fool.

My political persuasion is, well, really, apolitical. (In reality, no-one can be “apolitical.”) America's invasion of Iraq was executed by the then Bush government, with utter precision. I believe the attack of 9/11 was a “Black Flag” operation. In other words, the war on “Terror” had been escalated because the government organized the entire operation: a perfect ruse and excuse to invade Afghanistan. You can believe what you want, but the evidence is too compelling to ignore; and to brush it off as a fringe, idiot's conspiracy theory reveals brainwashing and false patriotism. The operation worked, and NATO troops are still there fighting a war for drugs, oil, and precious minerals over the last 10 years. When, if ever, NATO does leave, the Taliban will move in, and the Afghani people will be living under theocratic fanatics.

This belief put me in a lot of trouble.

Our exchange on FaceBook began with wholly innocent messaging, exchanging love songs, etc. Then we started talking politics. My Facebook page became a c-grade 'still.' movie of a true romance. My Achilles Heel, so to speak, is romance, and I was pulled in like trout on a fishing line.

How could I have been so stupid?

Because of “love” and empathy for her plight, I began posting anti-Americanism, and Israel reports. Over-posting would be a more accurate description. Only within three weeks my computer started doing strange things: not properly booting up, not letting me post certain ideas, then paranoia set in. But like a puppy in -love, I truly believed I was right in my actions, and put the “Big Brother” paranoia out of my mind: a very, very, bad move on my part.

At two in the morning only a month ago, my apartment was raided by black helmets with big guns. I was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location. I was sleep-deprived for a week, the best form of torture. Now, they say, I’m awaiting trial for treason.

I love America and Australia, but certainly not their governments.

What I'm really being put on trial for is foolishness and believing the written love of another.

My life as I knew it is over, sitting in a jail cell for “Love?”