chapter 10

Chapter 10

Not long after I was born, my father left to work away from home, only returning for the New Year.

In 1985, on his way back to the village, my father’s car broke down, and he had to walk a stretch of the road by himself. At night, he found lodging at a local family’s house.

Because he was carrying a considerable amount of money, he was especially cautious while sleeping. Sure enough, in the middle of the night, he heard someone sneaking into his room-it was the man of the house.

Anger surged in my father, and he grappled with the man. The man immediately pulled out a knife, determined to rob the traveler.

My father panicked; the more anxious he became, the fiercer his actions grew. In the struggle, he managed to seize the knife and killed the man.

With a life taken, my father became even more nervous, afraid of being reported by others. His blood rushed, his mind clouded, and his eyes reddened.

When he finally caught his breath and came to his senses, he realized he had killed all five members of the family, including the women and children.

Knowing he had committed a crime, my father fled in the night. The crime scene was in the neighboring province, still some distance from home. He crossed two mountains, gradually calming down. After reaching the main road, he caught a ride and finally made it back home.

After that, my father never went out to work again and stayed home to farm.