Vinh Quyen was born in 1951, Hue City, Vietnam. He graduated from Hue University in 1974, a!

u"ty of Vietnamese #iterature. Quyen is a member of Vietnam $riters %sso!iation and Vietnam &ourna"ists %sso!iation. He has 'ub"ished more than ten boo(s in Vietnamese. Debris of Debris is Vinh Quyen)s first nove" written in *ng"ish.

DEBRIS OF DEBRIS

% s'e!ia" than(s to Zac Herman for 'o"ishing Debris of Debris.

Vinh Quyen

DEBRIS OF DEBRIS
A NOVEL

Co'yright Vinh Quyen +he right of Vinh Quyen to be identified as author of this wor( has been asserted by him in a!!ordan!e with se!tion 77 and 7, of the Co'yright, -esigns and .atents %!t 19,,. %"" rights reserved. /o 'art of this 'ub"i!ation may be re'rodu!ed, stored in a retrieva" system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, e"e!troni!, me!hani!a", 'hoto!o'ying, re!ording, or otherwise, without the 'rior 'ermission of the 'ub"ishers. %ny 'erson who !ommits any unauthori0ed a!t in re"ation to this 'ub"i!ation may be "iab"e to !rimina" 'rose!ution and !ivi" !"aims for damages. % C1. !ata"ogue re!ord for this tit"e is avai"ab"e from the 2ritish #ibrary. 132/ 97, 1,4945 55, 5 www.austinma!au"ey.!om irst .ub"ished 678149 %ustin :a!au"ey .ub"ishers #td. 75 Canada 3;uare Canary $harf #ondon *14 5#2

.rinted and bound in <reat 2ritain

%!(now"edgments
1 wou"d "i(e to start by than(ing my wife +hu Van for a"" the 'atien!e, hard wor(, and su''ort you have given me so that 1 !ou"d rea"i0e my dream. +o !hi"dren = -ong %n, +hai +ri, 2ao Chuong, Hong %n, and my grand!hi"dren = 3ao >hue, 3ao :o, 2ao %nh, 2ao 2ao = 1 "ove you a"". +o my friends +ran +hanh #ieng and *dward $. ?)Conne"" for !orre!ting my *ng"ish throughout the time 1 was writing the first manus!ri't of this boo(. $hi"e writing this nove" 1 re!eived !onstant en!ouragement from my !"ose friends = artist Hoang -ang, artist Vu -uong, writer /go +hi >im Cu!, @ourna"ist /guyen +rung -an, and -r /guyen -inh Huynh. 1 wou"d "i(e to eA'ress my gratitude to %ustin :a!au"ey .ub"ishers for '"a!ing my wor( into the homes of readers around the wor"d. ina""y, this nove" is for my generation, the "ost generation of young Vietnamese inte""e!tua"s 'i!(ing u' the Bdebris) of their "ives and trying to start over fo""owing the end of the Vietnam war in 1975. Quyen

To survive the war is one thing To live happily in the postwar time is another

Prologue
>ha was !raving a !igarette. He gent"y 'u""ed the thin b"an(et over +huy)s breasts, then ste''ed out of the bunga"ow barefoot onto the sandy bea!h. >ha figured she needed some s"ee' after her "ong f"ight from the U3, and after their "ong !onversation "ast night. ?utside, the #ang Co resort was ;uiet in its "ow season. % !urtain of "ight grey mist seemed to unite the s(y with the sea, and "ate sunrise reminded him that s'ring had on"y @ust arrived. >ha inha"ed the refreshing"y bitter !igarette smo(e as he "eisure"y a''roa!hed the waves. 3udden"y, he 'aused before the magi!a" s!eneC the ye""ow sandy shore, whi!h had been tainted by foot'rints the 'revious evening, was now even and 'ure as if it had remained untou!hed sin!e the dawn of time. 3te' by ste', >ha de"iberate"y moved his way down the virgin shore, "istening to the sound of moist grains of sand !run!hing beneath his feet, and imagining he was the first man to tread on the 'rimordia" earth. D>ha, wait u'EF +huy ran eA!ited"y after >ha, her white nightgown 'ressed !"ose to her body and f"uttering behind her in the sa"ty sea wind. >ha stood waiting to re!eive her in his outstret!hed arms. He sudden"y (new what he wou"d say to her to give rise to this new day. D rom the sea, :an !an "earn how to hea" the debris of his 'ast.F +his wou"d "ater serve as the o'ening "ine of a signifi!ant nove" of his.

ha!"er #
%n %meri!an @ee' with a white star 'ainted on its hood drove s"ow"y through the main streets of the !ity in the dim "ight of dawn. % s'ray of bu""et ho"es adorned its windshie"d "i(e a new"y dis!overed !onste""ation, but none of the on"oo(ers !on!erned themse"ves with su!h mundane ;uestions of whether anyone had been in@ured or (i""ed. +o them, death was no "onger a stranger. +he fa!es of the 'eo'"e were fi""ed with various emotions, whi!h manifested for some from visions of greatness, and for others, from the ines!a'ab"e nightmare fast des!ending u'on them. +hey stood at the 'o"ar o''osites of destiny, whi"e tens of mi""ions of others "ived hesitant"y and unsure somewhere in between. 1nside the @ee' were three young men. % s'e!ia" tas( for!e agent drove, whi"e a 2uddhist mon( in a saffron robe informed the !rowd through an iron "ouds'ea(er of 'oints 'roviding food and medi!ine for war refugees. He a"ternated his s'ee!h with a /orth Vietnamese so"dier, who read out the "atest orders issued by the -a /ang City :i"itary :anagement CommitteeC at 9 a.m. that day, a"" tea!hers who had 'revious"y wor(ed for the 3aigon Gegime were to 'resent themse"ves at City Ha"". >ha and Cuong were two young tea!hers who rented rooms at the same boarding house. +hey heard the orders as they sat together in the guest room for brea(fast. D1t hasn)t sto''ed sin!e five o)!"o!(EF Cuong grumb"ed. D%re you goingHF the owner as(ed them with an uneasy voi!e as she !ame into the room. +he two tea!hers "oo(ed at ea!h other, then nodded their heads in si"en!e. +hey worried about their futures. % wee( before, a"" mi"itary offi!ers and highIran(ing !ivi" offi!ia"s of the 3aigon Gegime had been sent to reIedu!ation !am's. +oday, their brea(fast wou"d have to be !ut short. Cuong and >ha ;ui!("y returned to their rooms to !hange !"othes.

>ha tried to imagine what his first meeting with the Brevo"utionary inte""e!tua"s) wou"d be "i(e, but he !ou"dn)t. +he entire !ity had !ome under new management in @ust two wee(s. 3udden"y, >ha saw the ref"e!tion of himse"f wearing a dar( b"ue tie in the mirror. +he "ong time habit gave him a start. He hasti"y too( it off and threw it into the !orner of the wardrobe. D arewe""EF he thought sad"y. /obody went out with a tie in those days. %t that time, >ha !ou"d not have be"ieved that he wou"d find it again about ten years "ater. Cuong was a"so under a "ot of stress. 1t was a''arent from the worried eA'ression on his fa!e. *ver sin!e :ar!h 79, the day the !ity of -a /ang had been "ost to the northern troo's, he had been "osing s"ee' every night. He was a mi"itary offi!er se!onded to the edu!ation bran!h. 2esides being a high s!hoo" tea!her, he was a"so an offi!er in the 3aigon %rmy. D1t must be gui"t,F he thought to himse"f. Jesterday, 'retending not to be invo"ved in the issue, he as(ed a so"dier from the /orth he met by !han!e on the street what he thought about mi"itary offi!ers being se!onded to the edu!ation bran!h, be!ause as everyone (new, most young men in the 3outh were drafted into the 3aigon %rmy, tea!hers were no eA!e'tion. :aybe that was the first time the man had heard the word Bse!onded), but being a northern so"dier and vi!torious in the war, he didn)t hesitate to 'rove their worth, and re'"ied in a raised voi!e. D:i"itary offi!ers se!onded to the edu!ation bran!hH %''"ying %meri!an edu!ationa" 'o"i!y to o''ose the so!ia"ist revo"utionH ?h, they are dangerous for sureEF Cuong was awa(ened from his re!a"" by a (no!( at the door. 1t was >ha. D-on)t be "ate todayEF he warned. K +he tea!hers of -a /ang !rowded into City Ha"". +hey guessed that after this meeting, some of them wou"d be!ome Btea!hers of the 'eo'"e) whi"e the rest wou"d be re@e!ted and sent home. .ersona" as we"" as fami"y 'o"iti!a" biogra'hies

'"ayed a de!isive ro"e in the se"e!tion. *veryone wondered what wou"d ha''en if they were not a!!e'ted into the new regime. 1t was a vita" ;uestion at that time, es'e!ia""y for those who had been 'o"iti!a""y a!tive and had served the former government. ?btaining a desirab"e 'osition seemed easier for members of the younger generation "i(e >ha and Cuong. +he worries were not on"y in the 'o"iti!a" fie"d, but a"so in everyday "ife. +he eA'erien!es of the northern 'eo'"e showed that foodstuffs and !onsumer goods had on"y been a""otted to Bgovernment 'ersonne"). 1n !om'arison, the 'ri!e of a thing subsidi0ed by the government was ha"f as eA'ensive as the same one in the o'en mar(et and even more. ?f !ourse at that time they !ou"dn)t be"ieve that some of them wou"d buy im'orted !ars about twenty years "ater. DHere they !omeEF someone whis'ered. *verybody sudden"y sto''ed ta"(ing. >ha "oo(ed !urious"y at the edu!ation managers who were now entering the bui"ding. +hey !ame either from the /orth or from the war 0ones in the 3outh. 3ome of them a''eared in green mi"itary uniforms and wore 'isto"s at their sides. +hey sat at a "ong tab"e fa!ing the tea!hers. +he tab"e was !overed with a stret!h of white !"oth and to''ed with a vase of gaudy '"asti! f"owers. Cuong and >ha furtive"y "oo(ed at ea!h other. +hey were astonished by the unusua" use of Vietnamese by the 'eo'"e who !ame from the /orth. +here were many new words in their s'ee!h and some words had !hanged in meaning. $hen they said Bboi duong) the southern tea!hers understood it as Bto have ade;uate food and '"enty of rest in order to im'rove one)s hea"th). 2ut the northerners had ado'ted the 'hrase to mean B!u"tivating a 'o"iti!a" stand'oint). 1t was the "o!a" revo"utionaries, however, that made >ha fee" even more un!omfortab"e than those from the distant /orth. 3ome of them !rossed over to the new regime as ear"y as on :ar!h 58L and immediate"y donned the broadIbrimmed !a' and rubber sanda"s of the northern 'eo'"e. /obody be"ieved they wou"d doff their Brevo"utionary fashion) a few years "ater, "i(e >ha himse"f wou"d wear his tie again.

+he !hairman of the meeting, a !ommissar of about fifty years o"d, de"ivered a brief statement, then yie"ded the f"oor to an edu!ationa" offi!ia". %s he too( his seat, the !hairman s"ow"y "oo(ed round the ha"" fu"" of southern tea!hers. 3udden"y his eyes, fi""ed with !on!entration, 'aused at >ha. 1n an attem't to avoid his ga0e, >ha turned his attention to the s'ea(er who was in the midd"e of a "engthy address. 3ome time "ater, >ha g"an!ed ba!( at the !hairman. He was sti"" "oo(ing fiAed"y at him, seeming"y un!ons!ious of what was ha''ening around him. His stare made >ha free0e in his seat. D$hy me and not someone e"seHF >ha wondered to himse"f. D$hy does he on"y "oo( at me with sus'i!ion when there are hundreds of -emo!rati! .arty members and mi"itary offi!ers se!onded to the edu!ation bran!h hereHF +he !hairman "eaned his head toward the se!retary to say something and 'ointed his finger at >ha. +he se!retary nodded, then wa"(ed straight down to the row of tab"es where >ha was sitting, and re;uested him to stay after the meeting to see the !hairman before immediate"y returning ba!( to his wor(. :eanwhi"e, the !hairman was sti"" "oo(ing at >ha. D-id he mista(e me for some b"oody rea!tionaryHF >ha wondered. /o answers for him yet. D>ha wi"" be detained by the !hairmanEF +ea!hers throughout the ha"" s'read the sensationa" news to one another in eA!ited "ow voi!es. :y +huong, a former university !"assmate of >ha)s and his fian!Me of three months, turned to him from the front row and as(ed !on!erned"y, D$hat)s this a"" aboutHF D1 have no idea,F he re'"ied. >ha didn)t "isten to a word the s'ea(er said. He was too busy waiting for his own 0ero hour. % sudden thirst rose u' in his throat, but he didn)t dare "eave his seat for the drin(ing fountain in the "obby. +he meeting ended with deafening a''"ause. >ha near"y @um'ed out of his s(in and automati!a""y began !"a''ing his hands. 1n su!!ession, the tea!hers began fi"ing out of the ha"".

+hey fe"t sym'atheti! toward >ha be!ause of his embarrassing situation. +he northern edu!ation offi!ia"s a"so "eft the ha"" in turn, a"" eA!e't for the !hairman. D1)"" wait for you outside,F Cuong said as he 'atted >ha on the shou"der. >ha nodded his head in si"en!e. :y +huong !ame and sat beside >ha to share his burden. He g"an!ed at her gratefu""y. +hey had been !"ose for many years but it was on"y "ast wee( that he !ame to (now that her father was a member of the Communist .arty, (i""ed in 1948 in Quang /am 'rovin!e. 3he to"d everyone that her father had died of an i""ness. %s a revo"utionary martyr)s daughter, she fe"t no fear of the new 'owerL it was the very same 'ower her father on!e he"d. 3he was even 're'aring to ta(e over the 'osition of headmistress at a "o!a" high s!hoo". +his made >ha worry about their future "ife together as husband and wife. 2y now, the ha"" was near"y em'ty, though the !hairman remained motion"ess in his seat. -o0ens of e"e!tri! !ei"ing fans whirred "a0i"y. 1n the !a"m midday, the sound of iron fri!tion they !reated seemed to dri"" into their ears. 3udden"y, the !hairman stood u' and '"anted himse"f in front of :y +huong. D*A!use me, but this is a 'ersona" matter.F %"though he s'o(e gent"y, both :y +huong and >ha understood that it was a"so an order. Having no other o'tion, :y +huong resigned herse"f to "eave >ha a"one. +he !hairman waited for her to "eave the room, then sat down o''osite >ha at the tab"e. D:y name is +an,F he said in a warm voi!e >ha did not eA'e!t. D1 wou"d "i(e to (now a "itt"e about you.F >ha wasn)t sure where to start. +he !hairman re'eated his re;uest and waited 'atient"y. %fter a short de"ay, the young tea!her fina""y began. His eA'ression gradua""y im'roved as he grew more !omfortab"e. 2ut he sto''ed ta"(ing when he noti!ed the !hairman was no "onger "istening. $ith his !hin in his hand, the !hairman was ga0ing out the window, his attention absorbed by the bran!h of a f"amboyant tree !oated in tender young s'ring "eaves, swaying "ight"y in the midday bree0e.

K %t a nearby !offee sho', >ha narrated to his friends what had @ust ha''ened. D+urns out 1)m the s'itting image of his son whom he has never met sin!e 1945. 1t was a"so the year he es!a'ed from 'rison and moved to the /orth. 3eeing me today, he got his ho'es u', but ...F >ha ended his story in a me"an!ho"y tone. D$ar is war. 1 fee" sorry for him,F said Cuong. :y +huong too( out a hand(er!hief and wi'ed her tears.

ha!"er $
1n the "ate hours of night, at the foot of Que :ountain eighty (i"ometres from -a /ang, a grou' of four men sat round a !am'fire in the yard of a ravaged mi"itary infirmary. Quang, .han, #ong, and 2inh were a"" former !"assmates of >ha)s at Hue University and @oined the revo"ution army together in 1977. Quang 'oured tea into four tin !u's and distributed them among his friends. He tested its heat with the ti' of his tongue, "oo(ed u' and said, D-rin( u', for we !an fina""y return homeEF D$e)re sti"" a"ive but siA of our friends were "ost in the @ung"e,F .han sighed and said things a"" others around him didn)t want to mention at this moment. D1t)s a"" over, though N isn)t itHF 2inh as(ed as he "oo(ed into the fire. DJeah, it)s over. Hanoi Gadio stated that our armoured units have o!!u'ied -a /ang,F #ong re'"ied. D:eanwhi"e, we)ve gotta be here guarding this deserted hos'ita". -amn itEF Quang gave 2inh a reassuring s"a' on the shou"der. D-on)t worry, you)re going to see -uyen again.F However, 2inh sur'rised his friends as he s'at into the fire. D+e"" her 1 died in batt"eEF D/onsenseEF .han s!o"ded. DJou s!o"d me but you (now there)s not a sing"e gir" out there who !ou"d "ove a fa!e "i(e mine,F 2inh sudden"y said "oud"y as he raised u' his fa!e and "oo(ed at .han, then at the others around him. +he 'angs in his heart, together with the f"i!(ering "ight made his na'a"m !harred fa!e "oo( doub"y more monstrous than usua". D%"" women are the sameEF 2inh grumb"ed, then stood u' and stormed off into the dar(ness of night.

Quang @um'ed u' to !hase after him. D#et him be,F .han said. +he three remaining men !"imbed into their hammo!(s. #ong "ay si"ent"y, "ost in meditation. D$hy are we so sorrowfu" when vi!tory is near"y within rea!hH 2inh is 'itifu". /ot a woman out thereE 2ut !ou"d it be that he)s a!tua""y rightHF 3udden"y, #ong fe"t a dee' 'ang of "onging for -ung. K 1t was on a night during the rainy season of 1977 that #ong found himse"f surrounded by an unre"enting series of b"inding na'a"m b"asts. He ran as fast as he !ou"d in sear!h of she"ter, whi"e behind him a sea of 'hos'horus fire enve"o'ed the wet @ung"e. 3udden"y, he tri''ed over the body of a gir" "ying @ust outside the entran!e to an underground hideIout. He dragged her inside and se!ured the door. +he intense "ight of the bomb b"asts dyed the dar(ness of the she"ter an eerie !rimson red. #ong !ou"dn)t te"" if the na'a"m storm had !eased or not, for he o!!asiona""y heard !ries e!hoing from dire!t"y over head. D%meri!an GangersEF he whis'ered then he"d his breath. #ong sensed the gir" was s"ow"y re!overing !ons!iousness. 3he moaned soft"y and tried to move out of the strange man)s arms, but he signa""ed her to re!ogni0e the danger of their situation. 3he "istened to the sounds !oming from above ground, and !ur"ed ba!( u'. +he voi!es of the %meri!ans soon faded into the distan!e of the @ung"e. % sudden f"ash of "ight 'assed through a s"it in the hideIout door and #ong !aught a g"im'se of the gir")s 'retty fa!e. +he "ight ;ui!("y eAtinguished and everything again sun( into dar(ness. ?n"y her sweetIs!ented hair miAed with the sten!h of bomb smo(e remained. D-on)t worry,F #ong said as he tried to 'ut the gir")s mind at ease. D:y name is #ong, 2atta"ion 787.F DJou !an !a"" me -ung, of the Centra" *nsemb"e,F she re'"ied in a Hanoi a!!ent.

D3ingerHF #ong as(ed. DJes.F 3he tried again to move out of his arms but !ou"d not !om'"ete"y deta!h herse"f from his body be!ause the she"ter was so narrow. Her eAhaustion, however, didn)t a""ow for any observation of eti;uette and she soon san( into a dee' and tiring s"ee'. %s she s"e't, #ong gent"y "ifted her hand from his !hest, and !re't toward the door of the hideIout. 3udden"y, the gir" wo(e u' and grabbed him by his ammunition be"t. D-on)t worry. 1 won)t "eave you here a"one,F #ong "oo(ed ba!( and reassured her. D+he %meri!ans are gone now. 1 wi"" try to find the way to +hanh Giver. :y batta"ion is garrisoned on the o''osite ban(. $e must !ross the river as soon as 'ossib"e.F DCross the riverHF her voi!e tremb"ed with fear. D2ut 1 !an)t swimEF #ong b"urted out under his breath, D3on of a bit!hEF D-on)t worry about me, you)ve got to get out of here,F -ung entreated him. D+he %meri!ans !ou"d !ome ba!( at any moment.F #ong ;ui!("y !orre!ted himse"f. D/ever mind a"" that. 1)"" find us a way to get a!ross that river before dawn, but for now, s"ee' is the most im'ortant.F +hey "ay shou"der to shou"der, side by side on the hard earthen f"oor of the she"ter, breathing in the !oo" night air infused with the smo(e of bombs. /ear"y an hour 'assed before -ung sudden"y s'o(e u'. D%re you as"ee'HF D/o,F #ong re'"ied. D1 wou"d "i(e to (now something about you,F -ung !ontinued soft"y. D+here)s nothing to (nowEF #ong re'"ied !urt"y. D1 find it hard to be"ieve your "ife is as uninteresting as that.F D#et)s @ust forget it, o(ayHF

D1 shou"d be a""owed to (now who 1 wi"" be s'ending the "ast moments of my "ife within this awfu" '"a!e, rightH 1t)s the "east you !ou"d do for me before 1 dieEF D-on)t ta"( about deathEF #ong said in a gruff voi!e. D."easeE &ust te"" me anything you !an NF she begged. D1 fear the si"en!e NF D$ho am 1, huhH ine, here it isC 1 grew u' during the students) movement at Hue University, wor(ed to get (ids off the streets, then 1 en"isted as a s'e!ia" tas( for!e member of -a /ang !ity, and now 1)m stranded somewhere in +ruong 3on :ountains, "ying here with you. +here, that)s my "ife, end of storyEF -ung burst out "aughing. D3hhEF #ong 'ut his finger to her "i's. D+he %meri!ans may sti"" be nearbyEF D1 don)t !are,F she 'u""ed ba!( his hand and gigg"ed. D+e"" me about your "over, is she 'rettyHF D1 don)t have a "over. %"" 1)ve got are these damned batt"efie"ds and the @ung"es. Chan!es are, 1 won)t have a gir" of my own unti" after the war NF then his words sounded in so"i"o;uy. DN 1f 1 ever "ive to see it, that is.F 3udden"y a hai" of ro!(ets rained down from the s(y. #ong and -ung were @o"ted u' and down severa" times. D+hose must be our ro!(ets,F #ong @udged. -ung he"d him !"oser as the dust sett"ed. +he ro!(et atta!( eventua""y sto''ed, and si"en!e was on!e again restored to the @ung"e. 3he uneA'e!ted"y rea"i0ed that she wanted to hang on to this brief moment for as "ong as she !ou"d. :eanwhi"e, #ong turned his attention to the entran!e of the hideIout. D+he door)s !overed with giant ro!(sEF he !ried. -ung was numb with fear, and didn)t res'ond right away. D-on)t worry, 1)"" get it o'en,F #ong said as he s"ammed his shou"der against the door. D/o, do that "ater, '"ease @ust "ie down here with me,F she said in a gent"e voi!e. D+he o'ening is sti"" wide enough for me to s;uee0e through it,F she then "ied. DJou shou"d save your strength. *verything wi"" be a"" right.F

He !om'"ied with her re;uest. +heir bodies warmed u' as they "ay shou"der to shou"der together on the earthen f"oor. 3e!ret"y, ea!h (new that they wou"d not be ab"e to get out of the she"ter. +he !on!e't of time seemed to be "ost in the dar(ness. How mu!h "onger wou"d they "iveH +hey tried to avoid the ;uestion. /either of them s'o(e a word. +he on"y sounds now were the rhythm of their heart beats. % moment "ater, -ung sudden"y rea!hed for #ong)s hand and 'ressed it against her !hest. D:a(e "ove to me ... 1 am yours ...F she whis'ered. +hree nights "ater, a northern army unit dis!overed their she"ter buried under the 'i"e of fa""en ro!(s and they were resus!itated, @ust minutes before it was too "ate. %fter a wee( of medi!a" treatment, do!tors a""owed #ong to return to his batta"ion. He was very ha''y to (now that -ung was in the base)s medi!a" station. -efying his wea( hea"th, he trudged through the @ung"e in the 'ouring rain. /othing !ou"d hinder his thirst for meeting Bhis gir"). +he neAt morning, a young nurse he"'ed him find -ung. #ong stood beside her bed with a bou;uet of wi"d or!hids he had 'i!(ed a"ong the trai". +he gir" was s"ee'ing. D-ung ...F #ong whis'ered gent"y. +he gir" s"ow"y o'ened her eyes and fo!used on him, and then a''eared 'u00"ed. D-id you !a"" meHF DJes, it)s me, #ongEF he smi"ed. D#ong, #ong whoHF D-ung ... don)t you remember meHF D1)m sorry. 2ut 1 don)t (now you. Jou must have me mista(en for another -ungHF she said, then "oo(ed over at the nurse. DHe)s got the wrong 'erson.F +he gir" then !"osed her eyes and turned over her side as if she wanted to s"ee' some more. D$hat the he"" @ust ha''enedHF #ong !ried. +he nurse, somewhat !onfused herse"f, !ou"d on"y offer her a'o"ogies to the young bro(enIhearted so"dier.

#ong set down the f"owers on the eAamination tab"e and "eft the room. +he nurse "oo(ed down and saw -ung "oo(ing after the man, her eyes fi""ed with tears. 3he ran after #ong to te"" him what she had @ust rea"i0ed, but de!ided it was best not to get invo"ved in the !om'"i!ated "ove affairs of young 'eo'"e, so she turned the !orner and wa"(ed away. %s he was "eaving, #ong ran into an o"d a!;uaintan!e @ust outside the front gate of the medi!a" station. D2rother VanEF #ong eA!"aimed. D#ong, o"d boyEF the man re'"ied @oyfu""y, re!ogni0ing the young man he had re!ruited into the resistan!e severa" years before by the ban(s of the +hu Giver. D$hat brings you hereHF as(ed #ong. D1)m visiting my fian!Me. $e)re getting married neAt month, as soon as we)re ba!( in Hanoi. 1)m sorry 1 didn)t send you a wedding invitation but it)s going be @ust a sma"" gathering for the two fami"ies. %nd you, are you visiting someone hereHF D:y friend, but she has a"ready been dis!harged,F #ong "ied. D."ease send my best wishes for a s'eedy re!overy to your fian!Me. 1 have to go now.F D+han( you, my friend, and 1 ho'e to see you againEF Van said as he started toward the women)s ward. D2y the way, what)s her nameHF #ong !a""ed out after Van. D-ungEF Van shouted ba!( @ust before he disa''eared from sight. K D*verybody go home, it)s overE *verybody go home, the war)s overEF +hang, a do!umentary fi"m dire!tor, and his !rew !ame rushing into the !am' "i(e a whir"wind, shouting the "atest news from 3aigon. #ong was @o"ted out of his sad re!o""e!tions. His 'ersona" issues now too( a ba!( seat to the nationa" event.

Quang ran out into the midd"e of the yard with his >I54 and fired re'eated"y into the air. DJou must be out of your mind. .ut that gun downEF %n offi!er shouted. D2ut the war)s overE 1)m ma(ing firewor(s to !e"ebrateEF Quang !ried and shot to the "ast bu""et of the !"i'. +he offi!er)s anger was ;ui!("y forgotten among the !ommotion when everybody f"o!(ed into the yard to ta(e 'hotos. 1t was a day worth remembering for a"" of them, for a"" time. Quang "eft the offi!er and ran over to a !rowd of gir"s who were @um'ing u' and down with @oy and "aughing "oud"y. %fter ta(ing 'hotos of everyone, +hang handed his !amera to Quang. D+a(e one of me nowEF he said eA!ited"y, then !a""ed out to the gir"s. D?(ay, "adies, who wants meH 1)m a free man and ba!( on the mar(etEF DChoose meE Choose meEF the gir"s shouted and surrounded him for the 'i!ture. D?(ay, !a"m down everyoneEF Quang !ried as he fo!used the "ens of the !amera. DGeady now, one ... two ...F 3udden"y, Quang remembered the offi!er standing behind him, sti"" "oo(ing u'set. 3o he waved him over. DHey, !ome @oin us for the 'i!ture, !omradeEF +he offi!er for!ed a "augh as he @oined the !rowd. Quang 'ressed the button on the !amera but nobody heard the B!"i!() of the 'hotogra'h being ta(en. D:oronE Jou don)t even (now how to ta(e a 'hotogra'hEF +hang said and grabbed the !amera from him. %fter a ;ui!( "oo( at the !amera he smi"ed shee'ish"y, D?h, it)s out of fi"mEF 1n the evening of the same day, a Gussian mi"itary tru!( 'a!(ed with uniformed so"diers s"ow"y !rossed the +rinh :inh +he 2ridge, the southern entran!e to -a /ang City. .ounding away at the !abin from outside, Quang shouted to the driver. DComradeE ."ease "et us off hereEF +he tru!( s"owed down but !ou"dn)t sto' !om'"ete"y. Quang, .han, and #ong @um'ed down onto the surfa!e of the

bridge, whi!h was sha(ing from the weight of the 'ro!ession of mi"itary tru!(s and tan(s. +he three young men a"so shoo( with miAed emotions inside. or the 'ast five years, none of them rea""y be"ieved they wou"d someday return home to where they had first @oined the resistan!e. +hey were eAuberant as they "oo(ed around from their s!eni! vantage 'oint on the bridge. +he Han Giver sti"" f"owed !a"m"y toward the *astern 3ea as it a"ways had sin!e the beginning of time. D1t fee"s "i(e a dream,F said #ong. D1f on"y 2inh was here now,F .han added. D-on)t ta"( about him,F Quang burst with anger. D+here are none so deaf as those that wi"" not hearEF D%s a"" rivers return to the sea,F #ong said whi"e ga0ing into the river. D2inh wi"" one day return to -uyen.F D1 ho'e he wou"d not be too "ate,F .han sighed. Quang too( off his rubber sanda"s, a symbo" of the "iberation for!es, and threw them into the f"owing water be"ow. D$hat are you doingHF .han as(ed with wideIeyed wonder. Quang 'ut on "eather shoes as he wat!hed his rubber sanda"s bobbing in the waves. D+he sea !an (ee' the souvenirs of my warrior)s "ife.F He said soft"y as if he were a 'oet.