Page 87 - Thorn In The Heart

Chinh Nguyên

"Two of you must remember this placed and a bamboo-
joint. I had put a stone beside it to make a mark. Nguyen, it was
important to your life. Your grandma worked so hard to make
money and save it for your future. Because you were the first
grandson of our family, therefore you will have a responsibility
for the family future. Do you know that?" In the emotion and
tearful eyes, He said.

Nguyen looked at his grandpa.

"I do not understand what you said, but I will try as my
father had done..."

"Good..." Then he held Nguyen's shoulders, turned him
around and said: "Nguyen, you must look around this area and
try to remember. Do not forget this place!"

Nguyen node his head.

"Yes, Sir ... I never forget this place, Grandpa..."

The war continued to the next day. Nguyen and his
grandparent were captured beside the bamboo’s bushes by
another combat division of French militarist soldiers. Nguyen's
grandparent made the sign of the cross on their faces before they
raise their hands over their heads. A French militarist soldier
held his grandparent hands on their backs and tied up, while
other soldiers directed their rifles with the bayonets setting on
the gun-barrel heads at Nguyen and his grandparent. Nguyen
was afraid to die. He squeezed tightly on his grandpa's left foot,
cried after a soldier kick on his buttock and forced him
following his grandparents toward the village on stand up while
he cried loudly. Even Nguyen did not feel sympathy for Viet-
Minh, but in this situation, he had wishes: Viet-Minh will kill all
of the French militarist soldiers. Also, Nguyen had a strong
aversion to express his extreme enmity for the French soldier's’
actions. He hated the dirty actions that French soldiers had done

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