Short story: Echo

In the middle of the forest still in deep sleep, Vien suddenly heard the long, sad neigh of a horse, echoing endlessly.

Under the moonlight shining on the vast grassland, he vaguely saw a white horse. It was a silver-colored horse with a coat that shone silver, and eyes that were red like burning coals. With its long, powerful strides, its thick mane fluttered like clouds. He was stunned to see the white figure gliding across the dark forest edge right in front of him.

Under the moonlight shining on the vast grassland, he vaguely saw a white horse. Illustration Internet

- Do you see anything?

Thuy shook her head slightly. It was still not dawn yet, they were standing together at the foot of the foggy hill, continuing their journey to do an investigative report based on the distress letter from the people living in Cam Son about the water source suddenly being polluted.

- Will I continue to follow the direction of the car to Lung intersection today?

- Don't go towards Lung intersection anymore. I think Thien A Company is just camouflaging to distract us. Today we will go deeper towards Ma hill.

Mentioning the name of that hill, Vien suddenly realized that his voice seemed to have changed somewhat. This forest, this hill and this vast Cam Son area had become his second home after the times he and his parents went to find the remains of Uncle Thanh, their youngest son. Once, while receiving medicine from the supply station with his comrades, they fell into an ambush when they reached the bank of Nhan stream. Uncle Thanh sacrificed himself while distracting the enemy so that the remaining comrades could cut through the forest to bring the goods safely to the medical station. Those were the days when the country was still at war, and until now, there are still so many silent remains under the canopy of that forest...

***

Vien and Thuy cut through the forest following the tracks of people searching for honey bees. In the dry season, leaves rustled underfoot, and the sun beat down on their heads. The forest was much thinner than before, with some areas almost completely cleared, exposing the eroded mountainside.

They chose the highest spot on Horse Hill. From here, they could observe the entire Dragon Bone Alley. Around eleven o'clock in the morning, a truck appeared from somewhere, covered with a tarpaulin. Then, one by one, other trucks followed like insects. They crossed the trail, turned into the dug-out lot, roaring as they dumped the contents of the trucks in a cloud of dust. After the trucks finished dumping, a bulldozer that had been quietly sitting on the cliff suddenly appeared, quickly scooping up the dirt to cover everything. When it was done, it retreated back inside, waiting for the next batch of trucks.

For about three hours at noon, the convoy silently entered and exited the forest like that. While Vien used the camera, Thuy used binoculars to observe and calculate and take notes. Just as he had predicted, Vien knew where these cars came from.

He looked across the ravine, remembering the farmers he had met, their haggard faces beside the rice fields that had turned red for no apparent reason. He thought of the clear river that flowed through Cam Son, now murky with sludge. The lush green forests that were no longer there. And then one day the fields would die too.

The two quickly packed up their things and left. They stopped to rest for lunch after crossing a small stream. Vien bent down to scoop up some water to wash his hands when he suddenly saw the reflection of a white horse looking at him. He raised his head and in a flash, everything disappeared into silence.

Illustration by Huy Tung.

***

On the other side of the Dragon Bone Gorge, there were a few wandering souls. They were two soldiers from the reconnaissance group that set up an ambush on the banks of Nhan Stream in April 1971, killing the medical lieutenant. Later, they were shot in another battle. War is always tragic and the unfortunate ones had to sadly stay in the deep forests and mountains.

On moonlit nights, they often sit on the slope and sing a sad and sorrowful song. The song echoes in the mountain wind, echoes with the rustling and rustling of the forest trees, sounding as sad as a soul-calling cry.

Then one day they suddenly noticed that this wild forest suddenly became bustling. The cliff was dug into a jagged area along with many materials from trucks dumped into Xuong Cactus alley. While wandering around in panic, they unexpectedly met a military medic by the stream. The souls looked at each other in silence. They had been living together in this forest for decades but they still avoided seeing each other.

Lieutenant Thanh was also silent for a long time. Finally, he softly sang to dispel the heavy atmosphere, a song he had accidentally heard a few years ago when young students were camping near where he was lying.

“Southern night, listening to… the river flowing

Hear a lullaby in the middle of a stormy night

Southern night lying listening to the distant sound of horse hooves

Heard from the beginning of time horses cross the river.

Mixed with the rustling, sad wind of the South, the song evokes many memories. They think of the dewy grass with the fluttering handshake on the day they left. Think of the thatched house with the blue smoke curling on the roof reminding them of a hot dinner. Whether holding a gun on this side or the other, the memories that remain are as gentle as that.

The song had stopped long ago, but the soldiers were still immersed in silence. After a long time, a soul with sad eyes spoke softly:

- It's all over now. If only we could do something different now.

Everything has changed, and so has Cam Son. They both looked down towards the river flowing through the Xuong Rong alley, where in the past few days two young reporters had quietly walked along the deserted road. The new war in peacetime was also full of hardships and difficulties. Could Vien hear the long neigh of the white horse in the quiet night?

***

Returning from Cam Son, Vien worked continuously for several days without rest. He quickly expanded his investigation and gathered evidence showing that Thien A was the company behind the illegal dumping activities in Xuong Rong Alley.

Thien A is the company that bid for the project to treat solid waste from Binh Khe Industrial Park. They submitted documents to build 4 sedimentation tanks in an area of several hundred hectares, ensuring that they met the standards. But when they broke into the area, Vien discovered that the system was not operating according to the approved process. A large amount of untreated waste was buried in the forest, bringing in huge profits.

The final stages of the report were almost completed when yesterday afternoon, on the way home, Thuy was hit by a motorbike with an unknown license plate on a deserted road. She lay on the hospital bed, her hands wrapped in white bandages, her eyes still filled with shock. Vien left the hospital with a heart full of anxiety. Just then, his phone suddenly rang.

- If you hand over all the investigation documents and keep quiet, the upcoming appointment will definitely be yours. Otherwise, both you and that reporter will have a hard time keeping their lives. You know who we are.

The man hung up, and Vien understood who he was dealing with.

***

Thuy recovered a few days later, she called Vien but he did not pick up the phone. She called the office, her colleague said Vien was on sick leave. Her insides burning like fire, she hurriedly took a taxi to Vien's house.

"This forest, this hill and this vast Cam Son area have become his second home." Photo from the internet

Vien was sitting pensively in front of the open window. Beyond was the night forest stretching out in the deep darkness. He turned back as if to avoid looking into Thuy's eyes. On his face, she could see that something had happened. Thuy felt her heart being squeezed. She gently sat down next to him.

- Is there anything you can't tell me, Vien?

Vien suddenly moved closer to her. He told Thuy about his hometown in the North, where there were villages called widow villages, river wharfs called husbandless wharfs. Children were born named Doi, Mong, soldiers left and never returned. In those sad stories, his grandmother always mentioned her youngest son who died at the age of 24. His remains were still somewhere in the deep forest out there.

Thuy looked deep into his eyes and said softly:

- I also have an uncle who stayed in Cam Son since then. That's why the whole family later evacuated to the other side, but my grandmother and mother stayed in this land.

There was an endless silence between the two. Then suddenly Thuy saw a faint light passing by. She quickly walked to the window:

- Look, over there is a white horse.

It was that white horse. The white horse that had been calling him in his dreams from midnight to dawn. The sound of its hooves rustling in the dark forest echoed deep into his heart like a desperate longing. It reminded him of noble and beautiful things, of the age of heroes, of integrity and courage. Of the intense desire for revival on the earth and in the hearts of every human being.

Vien returned to his desk. The computer screen lit up. He decided to contact his trusted colleagues at the Central Television to broadcast the completed series of reports. Surely the press and agencies would step in to keep the forests green.

***

Vien and Thuy went to Cam Son on a foggy morning.

The waste-strewn gorge was cleared to make way for newly planted trees. Today was Uncle Thanh’s death anniversary, they walked down Ma Hill, gently placing white chrysanthemums on the ground. The spirits of soldiers from both sides sat side by side, watching the footsteps of the two young people, the passing of years softening the wounds of old stories.

At the end of the Dragon Bone Alley, Vien suddenly heard a horse neighing in the morning mist. He bent down to touch the soft, moist ground at the bottom of the forest. There was sweat and blood mixed in. Everything would eventually melt into the ground, leaving peace deep in his heart.

Tran Thi Tu Ngoc

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/van-hoc/truyen-ngan-tieng-vong/248097.htm