the moment.
I replenish my water supply, and Peh points into a teak grove. “That’s the way to the healer’s hut,” he tells us.
He hasn’t put down his load to fill his canteen. Neither have the other men. They’re used to trekking through the jungle with big loads for weeks.
“What healer?” I ask. It’s my first mission. I’ve been asking questions nonstop.
“Two sisters live in a hut with their grandfather,” Peh answers, handing me my pack. “People in hiding go there for treatment.”
“The younger girl used to come into camp for supplies,” another man adds. “She’s a tough one—makes her way there alone, loads her bag, and heads back again the same day. They say her sister was captured and tortured by the enemy.”
“Shh!” Peh says suddenly. “Listen!”
I strain to hear past the twitter of birds, the trickle of water, the drone of insects. Are those voices? Is that the tramp of boots?
It must be, because Peh pulls me into the trees. “Soldiers,” he hisses.
Every muscle in my body tightens with anger. Those Burmese will stop at nothing. They kill without remorse—that’s why our village had to evacuate three months ago. Most of the villagers hid in the jungle on the Burmese side of the border, but a few escaped into Thailand, like my family. I grabbed Mango and followed Peh and Mua and my sister. None of them turned around. They didn’t see the soldiers burning our home and bamboo grove. But I did. My mind blazes with the memory.
“Get down,” Peh orders now.
We obey instantly, flattening ourselves under the bushes and camouflaging each other with leaves. I reach out one hand and quickly cover the hem of Peh’s trousers and his boot.
“Good work, son,” Peh whispers.
I can’t help feeling pleased, despite the danger. It’s been a while since I’ve heard praise from either of my parents. Lately it’s been lectures from Mua and disappointed looks from Peh. In fact, the entire camp was surprised when he chose me to be a member of the team, but I know why I’m here. I overheard my parents talking when they thought I was asleep. As usual, I was staring into the darkness, remembering the soldiers who burned our house.
“The boy’s changed,” Peh said. “He’s full of anger.”
“It’s that new friend of his,” Mua whispered. “He’s a bad influence.”
“You’re right. Maybe it would be good for Tu Reh to join me on the next mission.”
I almost jumped up and shouted, “Yes, Peh!” before remembering I was supposed to be asleep. I’d been wanting to join Peh’s team since we got to camp. I was tired of wasting time with school and chores and games with my little sister while other Karenni fought to stay alive in the jungle.
“But it’s dangerous,” said Mua.
“He’s sixteen now, my love, becoming a man.”
“I know.” Mua sighed.
“But what kind of a man is he becoming?” Peh asked, and he sounded worried. I could hear him crunching on the bamboo shoots Mua fries and stores as snacks.
“A brave one, like his
peh,”
Mua said. “With a big appetite like his
peh’s”
My parents laughed. I saw Peh reach over and take Mua in his arms. One of them blew out the candle, and darkness hid them.
I don’t care why my parents let me come. I’m here now, with Sa Reh so jealous he can hardly stand it. My parents were right about him and me being angry. He hates the Burmese as much as I do, maybe even more. When he was small they forced his
mua
into hard labor. She wasn’t strong enough to survive it. Sa Reh once told me about the day they captured her. He hasn’t talked about it to anyone else.
“Kill a soldier for my
mua,”
he told me before I left.
I made the promise, but our mission on this journey isn’t to fight. We’re carrying medical supplies and food to Karenni hiding in the jungle. We don’t even have any weapons. Peh said our camp needed to reserve them for direct combat.
The voices and footsteps are distinct now, closer,
I replenish my water supply, and Peh points into a teak grove. “That’s the way to the healer’s hut,” he tells us.
He hasn’t put down his load to fill his canteen. Neither have the other men. They’re used to trekking through the jungle with big loads for weeks.
“What healer?” I ask. It’s my first mission. I’ve been asking questions nonstop.
“Two sisters live in a hut with their grandfather,” Peh answers, handing me my pack. “People in hiding go there for treatment.”
“The younger girl used to come into camp for supplies,” another man adds. “She’s a tough one—makes her way there alone, loads her bag, and heads back again the same day. They say her sister was captured and tortured by the enemy.”
“Shh!” Peh says suddenly. “Listen!”
I strain to hear past the twitter of birds, the trickle of water, the drone of insects. Are those voices? Is that the tramp of boots?
It must be, because Peh pulls me into the trees. “Soldiers,” he hisses.
Every muscle in my body tightens with anger. Those Burmese will stop at nothing. They kill without remorse—that’s why our village had to evacuate three months ago. Most of the villagers hid in the jungle on the Burmese side of the border, but a few escaped into Thailand, like my family. I grabbed Mango and followed Peh and Mua and my sister. None of them turned around. They didn’t see the soldiers burning our home and bamboo grove. But I did. My mind blazes with the memory.
“Get down,” Peh orders now.
We obey instantly, flattening ourselves under the bushes and camouflaging each other with leaves. I reach out one hand and quickly cover the hem of Peh’s trousers and his boot.
“Good work, son,” Peh whispers.
I can’t help feeling pleased, despite the danger. It’s been a while since I’ve heard praise from either of my parents. Lately it’s been lectures from Mua and disappointed looks from Peh. In fact, the entire camp was surprised when he chose me to be a member of the team, but I know why I’m here. I overheard my parents talking when they thought I was asleep. As usual, I was staring into the darkness, remembering the soldiers who burned our house.
“The boy’s changed,” Peh said. “He’s full of anger.”
“It’s that new friend of his,” Mua whispered. “He’s a bad influence.”
“You’re right. Maybe it would be good for Tu Reh to join me on the next mission.”
I almost jumped up and shouted, “Yes, Peh!” before remembering I was supposed to be asleep. I’d been wanting to join Peh’s team since we got to camp. I was tired of wasting time with school and chores and games with my little sister while other Karenni fought to stay alive in the jungle.
“But it’s dangerous,” said Mua.
“He’s sixteen now, my love, becoming a man.”
“I know.” Mua sighed.
“But what kind of a man is he becoming?” Peh asked, and he sounded worried. I could hear him crunching on the bamboo shoots Mua fries and stores as snacks.
“A brave one, like his
peh,”
Mua said. “With a big appetite like his
peh’s”
My parents laughed. I saw Peh reach over and take Mua in his arms. One of them blew out the candle, and darkness hid them.
I don’t care why my parents let me come. I’m here now, with Sa Reh so jealous he can hardly stand it. My parents were right about him and me being angry. He hates the Burmese as much as I do, maybe even more. When he was small they forced his
mua
into hard labor. She wasn’t strong enough to survive it. Sa Reh once told me about the day they captured her. He hasn’t talked about it to anyone else.
“Kill a soldier for my
mua,”
he told me before I left.
I made the promise, but our mission on this journey isn’t to fight. We’re carrying medical supplies and food to Karenni hiding in the jungle. We don’t even have any weapons. Peh said our camp needed to reserve them for direct combat.
The voices and footsteps are distinct now, closer,
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