The air raid siren sound loudly like it’s hurrying people to run for their life. The sound of planes’ engines that are covering the sky shake people’s heart even more.

“Mom…Mom!”

“Alright…alright, I’m coming, I’m helping Grandma putting on her jacket”

Aom hurry to help her mom, it’s was kind of hard to see because it’s evening time.

“Here, let me help you Grandma” Aom go in and hold on to the old lady arm so she can walk faster, while her mom close the front door of their house.

Aom helps the old lady down the steep stair while warning her, “Grandma, it’s ok, walk down slowly, we still have time”

“Where is Orn?”

“She is locking the door, she’ll follow us”

“Why does she have to lock it so safely? Nobody is going to steal anything, right everybody is running for their life” the old lady mumble.

“Here she is”

“Come on Orn, hurry”

The sound of the plane feels like it just flying above their heads and suddenly they heard firework sound. The sky is now brightly lit like it’s in the afternoon.

“WHAT? What is going on?!” the old lady scream

“What is that light? Why is it suddenly bright?” said Mrs.Orn as she meets up with Aom and her mother.

“We should hurry, the plane just drop firework, I think so they can be more accurate in dropping the bomb. Let’s go to the trench, we are so close to the Japanese troop’s boat dock”

The firework helps light the way so Aom can see better. However, in a glimpse of second, the petite girl can’t help worrying about that person. Aom quickly shakes that thought out of her head.

“Where do we go Honey?” Mrs.Orn asks with a shaken voice.

“Right here, be careful it’s very steep”

The drop of bomb shaken the ground took the three ladies by surprise. The three ladies hold each other tightly and slide down the trench.

“Lay down, they’ll fire the machine guns soon” Aom warns her mom and grandma.

After Aom finishes her sentence, the sound of machine guns cover the area.

“Don’t perk your head up”

Not long after the light of the firework started to fade away. The sound of machine guns and the plane engines also disappear.

Mrs.Orn sigh out loud, “Hurrr…they’re probably gone”

“I don’t know, maybe they might come back. I’ve live to be this old, never experience anything like this in my life. It was just as bright as day a while ago” the old lady mutter

The all-clear siren sound bring relief to everyone.

“The warning siren send chill down my spine, but oddly, the sound of all-clear siren feels so uplifting to me” said Mrs.Orn

“Let’s go home, dirt is everywhere on our cloth”

“Be careful Grandma, it’s kinda hard getting out of the trench because it’s pretty steep, not like getting into the trench, we just roll down” Aom said jokingly

“Honey, why don’t we pick a new trench then, this one is too steep. We have other spot of dry trench”

“But Kimhan said that right here is the safest” Aom just said that with so much confident in that person without realizing it.

Mrs.Orn was going to oppose it but decide not to.

“She said it’s deep and it’s far away from the boat dock. It’s very good to shield the bomb and machine gun, if it’s not a direct hit, Kimhan said we are very safe here”

“Ok…why don’t you and I help each other tomorrow to shape the soil into the steps so it’s easier to get down next time” said Mrs.Orn

BOOM!

“Duck down!” Aom hold her mom and grandma tightly

“What?!? There isn’t a plane insight” Mrs.Orn mumble

“I know…maybe it’s a time bomb Mom, it’s probably just went off. I think we should be safe now”

“Aom, are you sure? What are those people yelling about?”

The sound coming from the speed boat that is shining flashlight on to the shore like they’re trying to find something.

“Honey, isn’t that the Japanese patrol boat? What are they trying to find? Oh my god! Maybe there are bomb floating in the river!!”

“Mom, bomb doesn’t float. It’s probably none of our business, they probably lost something, let’s go home”

As Mrs.Orn walk up the stair and touch the front door, she immediately pause because it isn’t lock and a little open.

“Hmmm…why isn’t it lock, I thought I locked it before we left”

Aom help her grandmother up the stair and tell her mom without caring much about the situation.  

“You probably were in a hurry and didn’t fully close it all the way Mom, the bomb shook the ground, so it’s probably open because of it”

As the old lady walk into her house she said, “Why is the floor wet?”

Aom quickly turn her attention to the drip of water on the floor that is path from the front door to the dark kitchen of her house.

“Hmm…Honey, I didn’t spilled any water on the floor before we left, why…”

Aom squeeze her mom’s arm as a signal to lower her voice down, “Mom, shhhhh….”

“What?”

Mrs.Orn look at her daughter and pause as she sees the petite girl has a very serious face.

“I think…”

“Still here?” Mrs.Orn whispers to her daughter.

“I think so”

“What are we gonna do? There are only women in this house”

The gesture of Aom and Mrs.Orn made the old lady ask, “What is going on?”

Mrs.Orn looks at her daughter with a very unsure looks, so Aom answers her grandmother, “Grandma, it’s very late, I think you should go rest in your room now”

“It’s ok, I’m still not sleepy and I want to finish up sewing this shirt”

“Grandma, it’s a cold night why don’t you continue it in your room where it is warmer. I’m tired as well, I’ll go to sleep too”

“Ok, can you help me bring the sewing kit into my room too?”

Mrs.Orn walk pass Aom to go help her mother, “Mom, you stay with Grandma in her room and don’t let her out ok?” Aom whisper to her mom as she pass by.

“What about you? Are you going to be okay by yourself?”

“I’ll try to make a lot of banging sound, I think it should be scare and runaway”

“Be careful, I’ll come out and help you when I finish helping your grandma to her room. There is a butcher