Rescue forces are making efforts to search...". He shouted loudly:
- Damn it, Doc Proi is my hometown. Mr. Cang, open it big, open it again for me to hear.
Mr. Cang, panicked, pushed the door open and said:
- Open it, they'll replay it soon.
Thoang poked his feet, scratched his head, and scratched his hair: - What else do you say, do you hear that'Doc Prui' is right?
- That's right, a landslide. Mr. Cang resolutely replied.
- No storm. Only rain, what is a landslide?
- It's flood discharge.
Thoang pressed the phone number of a brick, several times my wife didn't answer.It's dangerous, drifting home, Thoang quickly grabbed things and stuffed them into old backpacks, running out on the street.Mr. Cang chased after him, gave him a little money, I don't know how much, and then said quickly: - Take it and go on the road, calm down, it's a waste of time, how can you call me.
Not having time to say thank you, Thoang disappeared to the back of the small street.Mr. Cang looked along, worriedly thinking back...
About two years ago, that day he came home from work, went to the market and saw a guy standing blankly at the beginning of the street, people used to call it "the porter market", approached and asked about it, he hesitantly said: "Sir, do you know who hires people to work?" Looking at his whole body, Mr. Cang slightly nodded: "Yes, but do you know how to pick coffee?" He grabbed Mr. Cang's arm, repeatedly said: "Yes, sir, please let me do it, I am grateful to you".Mr. Cang gently said: "That's asking, let me tell the landlords first.I also work as a hired worker for them".He still begged: "Yes, sir, please help me, thank you very much".So Mr. Cang took him home, stayed overnight to go to the coffee garden tomorrow to meet the landlords.
Talking with the owners, I learned that his name is Ho Van Thoang, from Doc Proi, more than a hundred kilometers away, just follow the steep mountainside to go. It is called Doc Proi because in the old days this was a sacred forest with poisonous water, with schools of pythons living there that no one dared to approach. Then a strong, strong young man from somewhere with the talent of catching pythons and snakes bravely rushed into the cave, destroying all these evil creatures. Bringing peace to the village, green forests, fresh stream water. Humans and nature harmonize, feeding each other from generation to generation. The name Doc Proi is like that.
In recent years, groups of people more aggressive than pythons and snakes have rushed in to cut down forests, build embankments, and block water from above to pour down to build hydropower plants. In the dry season, the water ran out, the fields cracked. In the rainy season, the hydropower plant discharged floods, the water flooded vastly, sweeping away houses. Doc Proi villagers specialize in hunting and picking cinnamon trees in the forest. Up to now, there is no longer forest, no longer fragrant cinnamon scent, no more bamboo shoots, mushrooms, people abandon the village, abandon the village to find food. Ho Van Thoang, his parents died early, were poor, married for a long time before giving birth to a little son, so he had to stay at home and go to the highlands to find work.
The coffee garden owners are kind, accepting him to pick coffee with Mr. Cang and arranging accommodation close to each other for convenient travel and care...
2
It was not until late afternoon that Thoang returned home. Proi slope was filled with pain and mourning. Horrific landslide, the mountain was shattered, huge amounts of soil and rock buried the whole village, where was the peaceful scenery. How many relatives and neighbors were gone? Stopping before piles of soil and rocks and scattered furniture, Thoang shouted:
- Oh my god, where are my wife and children, where is my house?
The entire Doc Proi area, at this time, cried out: the mother looking for her child, the wife looking for her husband, their bodies still buried somewhere among the desolate rubble, drifting along the vast sea of water.
Prouy Pass is also soaking in the sweat and effort of hundreds of soldiers day and night, regardless of wind or rain, struggling to dig and search for missing people. A soldier in wet, dusty clothes stands up and comforts Thoang:
- No more crying, stand firm, your wife and children have been found and transferred to the Forward Emergency Station.
- What did the soldiers say? Is that right? - Thoang asked repeatedly.
- Yes, this is the amount of money from the relief team, helping your family overcome this difficulty.
Thoang clenched his feet and shouted loudly:
- I don't need money, just a ride to the emergency station to see my wife and children.
Accepting the people's wishes, the soldier started the engine, jumped on the car, revved the engine and drove Thoang out onto the road. It was raining heavily, water from the sky poured down, water from the hillsides and mountain crevices poured out profusely. After a few kilometers, the road in front of him collapsed into a deep hole. At both ends, people and vehicles rushed back. Out of the way. Without hesitation, Thoang jumped off the car, sped up the hillside, turned back and said loudly, covering the whistling of the wind:
- Soldiers, go home, I'll cross the hill to the other side, find a way.
The soldier rushed to stop him:
- No, come down, it's very dangerous.
Suddenly, he kept tattooing on the hill. The soldier pulled back:
- Down, back, the mountains are collapsing, trees are falling and dying now.
- Going to find your wife and children and dying, is better than sitting there and letting your wife and children die. Soldiers go home.
Unable to stop it, the soldier gave Thoang a flashlight:
- It's dark, walking in the forest is dangerous, here's a flashlight, illuminate the road and go.
- Thank you soldiers, we're used to going to the forest.
3
The two broke up in the torrential rain, the wind was so strong, the sky was pitch dark. Thoang was born and raised from the forest, the paths in the forest he knew like his palms. Every day he went to the forest to find trees and pick fruit. There was a time when it flourished, going to find ancient lingzhi mushrooms to make medicine to treat cancer. Ancient lingzhi mushrooms weighed a few dozen kilograms, clinging to hundreds of years on ancient tree trunks, several people hugged them. During the war, the US and the puppet regimes did not dare to venture into this place, neither entering nor leaving. After liberation, it was honored as a national primeval forest, strictly protected, biodiversity and phytosanitary conservation. Then, I don't know who said, electricity is more necessary than wood, wood lost this tree, another tree grew, even a square meter of land covered it, "old bamboo and bamboo shoots grew". Electricity could grow, only disappeared, so it had to be built
The rain is still drizzling, thanks to the soldier's flashlight, Thoang skillfully climbed up near the top of the hill to avoid landslides, quickly going from one hill to another. Fortunately, the forest has no trees left. People have cut down trees for a long time, only the roots are left for free to walk without having to crawl and sneak into the bushes. Wild animals and snakes no longer have nests have disappeared, both grandparents and grandchildren have disappeared. The original forest, naked, leaning its belly up to the sky for "heaven to pour water down". Thoang walked for a long time, walked for a long time, the sky had stopped, the east was covered in red in the misty mist, tired, hungry, face turned gray because of the cold, lying resting on the treetop, someone had cut down equally, like a canopy, spreading both legs and arms but still not completely. Sleeping, then waking up, Thoang hurriedly looked down at the foot of the hill, a vast water area like the open sea,
4
Thoang ran down the hillside, here there was no landslide, only the water was rising, no matter how high the water was, everything was shrinking down there. Villagers loudly shouted to each other to throw away their belongings and run to get people. The adults carried the children, the elderly sat on rafts, on bamboo beds, children and grandchildren joined hands to push. Thoang was confused and didn't know what to do when a tall old man, with a loud voice, pushed him into the water:
- Wait what, climb up, quickly, I'll come back.
- What is it? Silly, unfamiliar, but he kept making himself like family members inviting each other to have a drinking party.
My uncle glared and replied:
- Get on the buffalo, cling to me like a motorbike taxi driver.
Gradually, obediently following, the buffalo swam out into the sea of muddy water and garbage, then just recklessly asked:
- Uncle, where are we going now?
- Oh, this guy, go to Go hamlet to avoid the flood, you fell from the sky, nonsense.
Our uncle both snatched the buffalo's tail and shouted them... they... squeeze, controlling the buffalo in the right direction. Slightly embarrassed, confused, not knowing what to say, if he confessed, he would be thrown into this vast sea of water and die. Gently turning his head, our uncle asked as if shouting:
- Where are you from? Whose child, I find it a bit strange?
Well, we have to tell the truth:
- I'm far away from Doc Proi - Thoang told everything and then begged - Uncle, please give me, how much money is spent, I'll send it.
- Are you crazy, why am I taking money, you think I'm a buffalo driver, I'm a tank soldier, along this Truong Son road I'm still strange - Uncle said softly - Why are you talking now? Just got a boat to take my mother to the hospital, it's miserable.
- Yes, thank you, I didn't know.
- If it rains, Mom will still thank you, thank you very much. Going to Go hamlet and then going down that path to the emergency station is also okay.
The buffalo was really strong, carrying the two brothers and sisters scattered, sometimes swimming, sometimes jumping up to run through the water, soon reaching the shore. In Go hamlet, people were running in floods. Uncle Ho called his wife out and said:
- If you have anything to eat, bring it out to the guests, you'll be hungry soon.
The two mothers and daughters loudly carried them out into a basket of boiled corn. Throughout the afternoon and last night, they hadn't eaten anything, really hungry, Thoang ate deliciously two corns. The old man said in a flustered voice:
- After eating, I'll come back to pick up a few more people, your mother will take your uncle to the village, guide him to the emergency station.Immediately, your wife and children have just been pulled out of the rubble, clearly suffering, missing the pregnancy?
The wife acted yes and then teered to prepare.
Going all the way to Go hamlet, there is a road to the other village, the water has not been completely flooded, there are still some places to go. The wife said enthusiastically:
- You hold a few corn cobs, I don't know what's going on in this world, the rain is coming, there's nothing to eat and you're hungry.
Thoang choked up, his eyes stinging, his hands trembling, squeezing the corn. The wife gently hit Thoang's back, advising:
- Let's go in time, no need to say anything anymore. Take care of your wife and children, later he will repay you.
- Yes, after the flood, I will take my wife and children to visit you.
Strolling quickly to get through this short, rare farewell moment.
5
The road to the village is easy to go. Through the new rural construction movement, a dozen targets were set, perhaps the target of concretizing village roads is effective, clean, without potholes. Gradually accelerating like a marathon athlete about to reach the finish line. Approaching the spillway, the water flowed rapidly, an old woman struggled and did not dare to go. Gradually stopping politely and said:
- Grandpa, I'll carry you over.
The old woman looked at Thoang and nodded and laughed. Quickly, he leaned back to carry her across the bridge, walked a short distance, intending to put her down, then she slammed her hand to point forward. Far away, there was a two-story school, water was gradually flooding into the first floor, people swimming, people wading, people carrying belongings, kitchen utensils... coming in and out loudly. The old woman did not say anything, slammed her hand continuously, probably urging her to go faster. It was raining heavier, the water had risen above her knees, Thoang scooped it up so that her legs wouldn't get wet, gave her a pack of corn to hold for her, and then said:
- Grandpa, cling tightly to me, I'm going quickly.I still have to go to the emergency station.My wife, children and I are being treated there.
On Thoang's shoulder, every now and then I see grandpa's chin hitting, surely grandpa hears and understands what he is saying.Unlike being bored with everyone, hearing but not understanding what people are saying.At school, Thoang carried grandpa straight up to the second floor, villagers all rushed in here to avoid floods, children and the elderly were lying and sitting crowded together.Holding a package of corn, greeting grandpa, Thoang quickly ran down the stairs to continue.
6
The sky poured water, the wind whistled, the water had risen to the stomach, no longer seeing where the road was, where the field was, Thoang just walked, walked and would come, conveying his own feelings like that. From behind there was an urgent call:
- What are you? What are you!
Turning around and shouting loudly:
- Who's calling? Is it calling me?
Approaching, a little girl, standing in the rain, said blankly:
- Uncle, did you just carry your grandmother?
- That's right, what's wrong, kid? Panic, afraid of something related to me.
Rainwater flowing from her forehead down her cheeks through her mouth smiled brightly, the little girl said softly:
- My grandmother told me to chase after you, thank you uncle. Please sympathize, my grandmother is mute, listening is okay, speaking is not.
Vaguely confused, he argued:
- Oh my god, you're so careful. You don't have to do that, wading through rain and wind like this is miserable for me.
The granddaughter still tried to explain:
- Before, when I was a commune official, my grandmother and grandchild spoke very well, everyone praised them. Then, I don't understand why, when there was internal unity, my grandmother didn't speak anymore, or didn't want to speak, she listened to everything anyone said, understood, recorded and left it there, just like a ghost doing it, uncle.
- No wonder you tell stories, my grandmother listens to everything but doesn't show any feelings. Now my grandmother is asking me to take an apology in the rain like this, I'm so touched. I told my grandmother, let me ask.
While speaking, Thoang raised his elbow to wipe away tears. Rainwater, tears melted and fell into the vast sea of water, Garbage, pigs and chickens with white bellies slowly drifting. Somewhere, incense smoke, flying from the floating banana rafts, praying for the souls of pigs and chickens, falling, who knows, for eternity of human life, it is the soul of the reborn man. Silence, suppressed in the heart, outside still boiling with storms and storms. Granddaughter, holding Thoang's hand, shook strongly: (see next page 76)
- Uncle, my grandmother told me to wear this life jacket to swim through the deep. Here it is, gold star box, when it's cold, I'll swallow it a little, warm it up and go, uncle.
From yesterday until now, Thoang has carried so much gratitude, pouring it down on the heavy legs that are gradually sinking into the mud, pushing water, the two uncles and grandchildren are in disarray.
- Come back, I'll lead you on the inner road - The girl pulled Thoang out of the puddle - A little far away but on the hillside it's easier to walk, uncle.
The two uncles and grandchildren helped each other turn back, suddenly a wave appeared, pushing the two people a distance away, followed by a motorboat approaching. Temporarily waving and calling:
- Boat, let me go.
The boat screamed loudly and then rushed forward, leaving waves without soul. The little girl turned back and said:
- They won't let you go, uncle.
- What's wrong, the boat is going to rescue, if you don't carry your uncle and grandchild, who will you carry? Thoang said curiously.
The little girl laughed:
- That's the boat of that communal house over there - the little girl pointed to the high hill - they're going to pick up guests for a meeting. Don't you see the big banner?
- What meeting?
- The general meeting of shareholders, I don't know what's wrong with her.
- Why are you meeting now?
- It's because of the rain, not because they are exposed, uncle! In a little while, we will pass by that side, there is a road called the soft curve.
- Sounds nice, why did you call me that?
- It's just like this, on the hill there is a cemetery, his communal house is located next to the road, terrifying, he forces the village to build another road. The village refuses because the cemetery has been around for hundreds of years, and his house has just arrived. But then there is a handwritten piece of paper from somewhere, the village has to bear it, bend it to the back far away. The curve is so soft, uncle.
- Huh, sounds like a myth, doesn't it? Who is he?. Suddenly surprised and asked back.
- I don't know, I just heard that he did something very big at the hydropower plant. The house is full of columns, shiny wood, huge, dozens of times the size of my house. Never flooded.
- He's good at calculating, isn't he?
- But it's very stingy, uncle. Yesterday someone died in the village, asking to hire him a boat to carry the coffin but he wouldn't allow it, saying he was still busy preparing for a meeting. So, the son had to use a rope to hang the mother's coffin on the tower to prevent it from flooding and rotting, which would be miserable.
Listening to her granddaughter's story, Thoang shuddered, her spine twitched, hurriedly opened the "Golden Star" box, swallowing it quickly. The granddaughter still calmly continued:
- Can you hear anything?
- Isn't it the sound of funeral trumpets? These days in the rain, worried and tired, my ears are buzzing, listening to one side but losing the other.
- Yes, on the left is the funeral trumpet. Uncle turned to the right and heard the rustling music coming from the hallway welcoming guests.
- Yeah, that's right, the floods are like this and they still have meetings?
- They don't have to worry like our uncles and grandchildren, uncle.
The little girl who leads us along this road is really lucky, it's indeed a soft curve, passing through the large, struggling bamboo house is also fragrant. The water is only tattooed on the feet, where it's deepest, it's to the knees. In no time did the two of us reach the riverbank, Thoang sobbed:
- Honey, I don't know what to say to fill your kindness. You are so kind to me.
The granddaughter struggled:
- What's there, uncle, my grandmother told me to do it. Uncle is even more miserable than me, the house is buried, my aunt and I don't know if we are still alive or dead, our hearts are in turmoil, what should we care about you. Uncle, hurry up so as not to be late.
Thoang's feet whispered again, not knowing which step to take first, which step to take later, looking back in confusion, the girl had already wandered, her hair behind was wavy. Oh my god, not asking the name of the old woman and grandchild, too dazed, who knows when I will find her.
7
While wearing the life jacket his niece just gave him, preparing to swim across the river, Thoang was hit by the waves and fell backwards onto the road. The motorboat that just turned around and rushed forward, running fast, big waves. The float in the boat was several heads, wearing blue and red tie around the neck, interspersed with girls holding umbrellas to cover their heads. The waves chased the waves, stretching a streak, disorganizing the formation of the duck herd that was looking for food. The duck herding sister sat on the bamboo bed, panting and holding a pole to chase after, but it was too late. Seeing Thoang, she called loudly:
- What are you guys doing, stand at the top and steer the duck for me.
Jumping faintly into the river, wading out into the middle of the stream to welcome the duck herd. Two pincers closed, the duck herd obediently swam back home. Her yard was flooded with water across the floor, the duck entered all, she closed the gate. Sighing down, she said:
- Without you, I'll lose a few hundred ducks, I'll have to blow his boat, the waves are already big and even add waves to the waves. Dividing profits, what benefits are there to argue about for a few days? Dyke breaks, dams break, just blame evil on heaven. If you've created karma, you have to pay, people are burdened with their common karma. It's the Law of Cause and Effect, Uncle. Isn't that miserable! Even the duck doesn't love you, it still loves you... - If her mouth was dirty, she covered her hands and laughed heartily, then she said - I'm really dying from the rain and wind, I don't have firewood to boil water, I'll drink this water for a while, yesterday a delegation came to rescue.
She rushed into the room, leisurely sipping water, standing looking at her small house. Some frames of photos, or certificates of merit, or medals had been lowered, not yet taken to the attic to avoid the flood. She said:
- That's a Truong Sa soldier, a lot of certificates of merit. It's been six years, the two mothers and children have been at home hard but proud, wife of an island soldier. Do you agree?
- Yes, he looks handsome, isn't he? Suddenly I picked up the photo and praised him. She smiled again.
In the attic, someone's lecture sound came from a small speaker. She freely boasted:
- Luckily, the laptop has charging, he's taking advantage of studying online, the university entrance exam is coming in a few days.
Sometimes I don't understand what online learning is, but I also praise him one sentence for kicks:
- Well, sister, being diligent like this, you will definitely pass.
She smiled again, tears flowed out, wiped quickly with her hand, and said:
- I also hope so, no need to be a big man or a big woman. The point is that they are good at studying, do whatever they want, don't be stupid, don't be greedy, so that the village is not flooded, that's good news.
After hearing Thoang's situation, she sighed and pushed, and she had a duck egg in one hand. Thoang refused:
- Are you paying me for that?
- You say that, I'm angry - Suddenly my sister called you, I made Thoang surprised and became closer - This is me giving my younger sister and granddaughter, she is miserably moaning in the hospital, coming back from the dead and having to kill cows to celebrate, but what are the eggs. Understand?
In this situation, Thoang couldn't say a word, covered in duck eggs, off her shoulders, hot-tempered, trembling feet pushing down the mud, wading through the water, walking. She pulled the boat closer, saying as if ordering:
- On a boat, you can't swim across the river.
- How can I return the boat to you?
- No need to pay, go to the other side and take a short distance to the main road to the army's emergency station, just leave the boat there, whoever needs it will take it. If you lose this boat, buy another boat, if you lose someone, can you buy it?
Afraid that Thoang would not know how to row a boat, she bent down and pushed the boat out into the deep water, the boat gently glided on the river. Luckily, the water was clear today, not as turbulent as in the previous days. She reassured herself to turn in, and let the duck flock roar for dinner.
8
From childhood until now, Thoang has lived entirely on mountains, knowing every branch of the trees and grass in the forest, not knowing what rivers and waters are. I don't understand what power has given Thoang to overcome everything, doing things that he has never done before. Speaking words that many people cannot say. Stepping out of the forest, Thoang seems to step into a vast sky, people's hearts are wide open, everyone loves, gives too many things, the corn is still there, too happy to not feel hungry to eat. Solid feet overcoming ten thousand miles, flexible hands pushing down the bow.
Thuan sails in the wind, the sky is pitch-black, Thoang jumps a boat ashore, quickly enters the front-line emergency station. The road is slightly flooded, occasionally reaching his knees. The weather is still sunny and rainy. Without asking for directions, Thoang went straight to the emergency room, immediately recognized his wife lying on the other bed, and his son sitting on the side bed saw it and shouted:
- Oh Dad. Mom, Dad is home!
The whole family hugged each other and cried uncontrollably, the whole hospital room paused for a moment, watching and buzzing with a rustling sound. The station chief shared the joy in an atmosphere of emotion, patting his shoulder. Thoang said:
- Your family's fortune is very great, when you take it out from the mud, the two mothers and children are like two soil statues of "husbands" waiting for their husbands.
Thoang's whole family collapsed in the embrace of the Station Chief. A moment later, Thoang gently said:
- The merits of the doctors are as high as the sky, as wide as the east sea, we don't know how to repay them. These are small gifts from everyone, I gathered them on the way, please send them to the Station Chief.
- What is this? - The station chief asked grimly.
- Yes sir, duck eggs.
The station chief smiled brightly.
- Why is it like this? Okay, you take it down to the kitchen and tell them to make dinner for all patients this afternoon, to celebrate together, to welcome people back from the dead...
9
A few days later, Thoang's wife and children were about to be discharged from the hospital, the army's relief team came to visit, Thoang recognized the soldier of the day, frantically looking for something, and found out he had dropped it on the way. Understanding the meaning, the soldier smiled and said:
- It's not that I came here to demand a flashlight. At the most critical moment, we still remember him saying: "I don't need money, just ask for a bus to meet my wife and children, live or die". Today the whole family has been reunited, his dilapidated house has also been rebuilt. The relief team gave him a motorbike, tomorrow he will take his wife and children back on this bus.
Not Mr. Thoang's family, but everyone, hearing this saying, raised their hands and poured tears, rolling down their cheeks. Everyone imagined, Mr. Thoang's whole family on a motorbike, traveling all over the country to thank the Fatherland for giving birth to Vietnamese people like that.
2025 flood season
