Pacifica Military History Free Sample Chapters.pmd

466 Pacifica Military History
As I marched along, grateful for the warmer air which lessened
the earlier biting sting, I was stunned to see Father sitting in front of a
house, soaking his feet in a basin of water. With him was my third uncle,
the one whose wife had been so brutally murdered at the Chu-ul hot
springs and whose body I had identified. Uncle was leaning on a cane,
his feet bound in bandages.
Breaking free from the Volunteer Youth Group I rushed toward
them. “Father,” I shouted, “I knew you would be coming with me.”
At the moment all the years of emotional deprivation I had suffered
because of this cold and distant figure fell away as I instinctively reached
out my arms to hug him. He returned my embrace with vigor, something
he had never before done. All the animosities built up over the years
seemed suddenly and swiftly washed away. It felt like the beginning of
something new and wonderful.
Father looked totally wasted. Besides the blisters on his soaking
feet, his lips were a mass of fever blisters. Gone, too, was his erstwhile
meticulous clothing, replaced by ragged clothing such as my own.
Despite their utter exhaustion, Father and Uncle seemed to brighten at
the sight of me, Dong-kyu, standing before them.
Instantly, Father opened his pack and pulled out two pieces of
rice cake which he gave to me. Hesitating briefly, I took one small bite.
Then, as though the present rushed in over me like a tidal wave, I hastily
mumbled, “Good-bye. Soon we shall meet again in the South,” and
rushed off to rejoin the Volunteer Youth Group.
Whether it was a resurgence of lifelong loyalty to Mother and the
imbedded memories of Father’s denial of any fatherly affection, I
disregarded the momentary filial reaction I felt upon seeing Father in
his piteous condition.
Now it was I who directed my steps as I saw my real future
beckoning, knowing that the past, like a long-held umbilical cord, was
finally and irrevocably cut from my body.
The Volunteer Youth Group was not assigned any duties by the
ROK Army that day—or ever, really—but we did receive definite orders
to get to Songjin as soon as possible.