Page 497 - Thorn In The Heart

Chinh Nguyên

" I had a friend; She was working in Bar Thien-Thai, her husband
lost all his arms and legs...She was much to be pitied...! " In a low
voice, Phuong said. She turned to look at Nguyen.

" How is Mr. Long? Where is he now? " Phuong asked.

" I don't know...! Because each of his letters is a different
location address on the battlefield. He was born to be a fighter. Since
where has the fire of bombs, the sound of guns, the screams of
wounded, the cries for help of the people and the casualties cover
with dry blood laying on the battleground...! He was there."

" How is his family? He never is back to visit them? "

" Yes, I thought he did one a year with his vacation. Sometimes I
see his mom in the accident, she looked at me and cried in a silent. I
felt guilty and sad... "

" Why...? " Phuong interrupted.

" Because I was lucky more than most of my friends, I was born
to be a watcher. I opened wide my eyes to look at my friends, who
was going to the dead zone, but I could not pull them out of it. I
screamed to call them back, but they could not hear my voice...! My
weak voice was away from the sound of bombs and guns. " Nguyen
said in his emotion and softly.

Phuong was quiet looking at Nguyen in emotion with his moist
eyes; she

knows his heart was renting by the death of his friends in the
war.

Nguyen looked at her, nod his head and continue :

" Long was one of my close friends. We were born in a different

part of North Vietnam. In 1954, we followed our families to
escape Viet-Cong to South Vietnam. We met each other in the first

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