Excerpt
A shadow emerged. Widest at center. PaNou’s expression iced while still holding a fresh ball of mud. Cheng’s eyes followed PaNou’s, and he turned around to look up. There, less than ten yards away stood Blong—a tall man with midget legs, oversized hips, bulging belly, and a large grizzly bear nose.
“I’m sorry, we were—” Cheng said.
“Are you two humans or pigs?” Blong interrupted, crossed his arms—eyes scrutinizing the couple.
Carefully, PaNou wiped the mud from her forehead and skirt. Such effort was futile as they were completely covered with mud.
“You see those pigs there?” Blong pointed to the fence, where pigs and cows cuddled in their own groups.
PaNou and Cheng looked. In the near distance, two pigs rested like giant brown pillows—snorting in their slumber.
Like a weasel, Fong popped from the house. He wrapped his hands around his mouth, holding back an explosion of laughter. It was perfect vengeance for the trip to Dae Lia.
“Both of you are dumber than those pigs,” Blong swung his head. “Is that mud or cow dung that you two are covered with?"
Cheng cringed at PaNou, and shamefully, turned away.
“Dad—” PaNou tucked her hands under her armpits.
“Shut your mouth, or I’ll cut your tongue off and feed it to the pigs.”
People could call Cheng names and he could live through it. But the way Blong was yelling at PaNou harpooned his heart. Pushing his sleeves further up, Cheng slapped his soaked hair back and straightened his back. I have to say something. I have to.
PaNou’s father reclined his head, displaying oversized nostrils. Without moving his neck, Blong’s eyeballs glared at Cheng, staring him down. Upon recognizing the young man’s face and more importantly, his rudeness from their prior encounter, Blong’s eyebrows tightened.
“You’re that miserable orphan.”
“Dad, we were just having fun. Can’t I just live for once?”
“I’m not an orphan. I have a father,” Cheng said, though he had little respect for his own father.
“You! You are an orphan! Else you’d know your manners.” Blong turned to his daughter. “PaNou, tell your pig here to get the hell out of this place. We have enough pigs already.”
Cheng cleared his throat. “Sorry, but what you’re saying is not right. You—” Cheng gulped his saliva.
“If your life has any value to you, then get your dirty face out of my sight!” Blong stomped closer to Cheng.
“Dad, stop it!” PaNou stepped in front of Cheng, confronting her father. “How could you say such things? We’re all human beings, Dad.”
The thunder of fighter planes erupted overhead, followed by intense gun firing and bomb explosions on the mountainside. Blong stood, indifferent to the bombings. In recent years such blasts became a norm to the Hmong like the dawn crowing of roosters. Then a sudden and lively exchange of artillery ricocheted throughout the high hills. Spots of orange and white illuminated the hillsides. The gunshots gave Blong an idea.
“Maybe this pig understands a bullet better.” Blong returned to the house.
“Cheng!” PaNou turned to Cheng and started pushing him. “Cheng! Get out of here. Now!”
Cheng slipped and fell and struggled to get back up. He was devastated.
With eyes closed, she continued shouting. The pushing became open-hand punches.
Cheng anchored his legs and absorbed her punches—until finally PaNou’s knees dropped to the ground followed by her hands and head. She grabbed him by his shirt, and struggled to speak. Cheng looked over to the house where Blong had disappeared.
“You promised that you’ll love me no matter what,” she wept. “So why aren’t you doing what I’m telling you?”
Cheng didn’t budge.
“Do you love me like you keep saying?” Shaking frantically, PaNou looked at Cheng’s round eyes, switching rapidly from one to the other.
In the distance, the exchange of gunshots grew livelier.
Cheng exhaled. Long and loud. A massive explosion took their attention to the mountains. The fiery blasts brightened the dark sky like day, momentarily. Cheng saw the reflection of the mushroom-shaped explosion from PaNou’s sparkling eyes. He lifted his hand, and caressed her right cheek. PaNou was cold, scared, and shivering.
PaNou pulled him nearer. “Do you truly love me?”
“I love you with all of my heart.”
“Then listen to me, please? Get out of here!” she begged. Looking at the soggy ground, she scrubbed some mud from Cheng’s feet and smeared it over her own toes, and said quietly, “Go…run away and don’t come back.”
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