Kou: Sisophan Escape

J and I return from shooping to find Sea Lion sitting beside Aunt. He so excited. He going to joion small group of people travelling to refugee camp on Thailand border. Many people going to buy suppplies, bring back to families here. He leave today.
Aunt very nervous. Word comes from two of Sea Lion’s friends that he safe, journey not so dangerous.
Now my turn, Aunt says. She want me to travel to refugee camp where Sea Lion waits, buy big bag of rice and carry it home for us. She tie a sliver of gold in a small sac and give it to me.
but now she decide it time for me to go, too. She want me buy big bag of rice and carry home.
We leave early in the morning and walk across the ponds. Sea Lion’s friends are so fast. The ponds so deep they take off their pants to get across. Water p to my chest.
I already so tired. We walk into the jungle and then Sea Lion’s friends too fast for me. They leave me behind. But a lof of people escape now, they walk past me to and from the camp, some carry grociers back to Sisophan to trade.
Later in the day a group of men sit near me. I move closer but they donot want to talk to me. They nshare a little bit of rice with me and then a group comes by heading to Battambang.
“be careful,” they say. You have to run so fast. The Vietnamese shoot at you. They just down the road.”
Now we can hear the sounds of rifles firing in the distance. Boom! Boom! Boom! These men stand up, begin to walk. I not want to be left behind again. I rush to keep up with them and then we are in the kill zone. Run so fast. Bullets fly by me. Men so far ahead. My legs so tired. I do not know. I think I will die here.
Finally it is over, I am safe. I fall down to my knees next to a smallgroup of people who are resting in a safe o
An older woman comes to sit beside me. She has grey hair and deep lines scar her face, no teeth. Her leg is wrapped in a big brown bandage, stained with blood. She look so tired.
“You alone?” she asks, offering me some water from her supply of groceries.
“I not fast enough, they leave me behind.”
She is kind woman. She give me dried fish and banana to eat.
“This my second trip,” she says. “Gun hit me yesterday. Not too bad. I have to get food home to my family. They so hungry. I wait here with you while you eat.”
She is quiet. Her injured leg is swelling above the bandage, and an ugly red line stetches beneath her torn sarong. I touch the hot skin and look up into her face. I see fear in her eyes, I know she worry she not fast enough now to escape the bullets. Who feed her family then?
“I fix you, I get all the heat out.”
“no, you have long distance before night. You go now. I be okay. Walk later tonight when not so many soldiers. Much safer.”
I stand and look down at her. She so brave. She protect her famly. She hurt trying to take care of family.
“I loose my family. My daughter, my son. Mi and Ba. You so lucky. Not alone.”
I do not think she hear me anymore. She lay down and close her eyes.
“Just stay on the path with the others. Do not stray far,” she calls after me as I start to walk away. “The jungle here is full of mines. Still long way to go.”
I wak until sunset, still in jungle. I do not think I ever get there.
“Oh my god, why don’t you push me a little bit harder? I cannot walk. My eyes not see so good anymore”
What that? I stop to listen. Music, music from a radio. Not too far..
I am so happy. Don’t know where energy come from. The jungle is behind me. The land clears, it is no longer so dark. I walk so fast, trippig over my feet. Finally, the camp is in front of me. People everywhere. Even hear some laughter. I walk down aisle after aisle of people, little sqaures of families. Looking for Sea Lion.
It is so dark now. Finally, I find him. He hug me, happy to see me.
“Why it take you so long” “
“You run away from me. “
“You walk too slow.They kill me if they catch me. Maybe not do anyting to you. You only a woman.”
He takes me to a section of the camp where he has set up some bedding. “You rest here, I go get some food for us.”
All around me peole talking, babies crying. I not used to so much noise. I can smell food cooking. But I so tired. I lie down on Sea Lion’s mat and close my eyes. When I open them again the sun is high in the sky. Sea Lion has left a bowl of rice and vegetables for me. There is a large bucket of water and a cup to drink from. I look around. What is this new world? All these people? Like me? Still alive. I try to sit up but too weak. My legs on fire. I llie there and reach out fir some vegetables. But I tii weak to eat, Just ckise my eyes again. I am safe for now.