A Crime of Freedom

As soon as we were dismissed, many of my classmates were cheerful. However, I was skeptical about the announcement, the public rally, and of course, the soldiers themselves who now guarded every entrance and block in the school district. Questions and strange thoughts flashed in my mind. Why did armed soldiers surround the campus? Why did the teacher warn us not to approach soldiers, confront, or provoke anyone? The government should have informed the public about the rally in advance. Yet no one could be surprised anymore by the Communists’ unconventional and secretive methods. With their surprising tactics, they could keep their enemies off balance. Since I had seen these soldiers in action before, I would always be afraid of them. They were cruel and merciless – running down and shooting students – as if they were the enemy. As the soldiers surrounded the campus again, I sensed that something awful would occur. Despite my fear, I was anxious to learn more. When I stepped outside, I saw many students rushing out of their classrooms.

Once their troops surrounded the area, the political leaders and military officers started to arrive in jeeps and black sedans. A dozen of these vehicles entered the stadium through the front gate and parked between other military trucks. However, two black sedans continued toward the wooden stage about a hundred yards from the school’s wall where many students gathered. The small company of soldiers then welcomed their officers and leaders. Soon more uniformed personnel started to arrive with several hundreds of plain clothed civilians. Many of them were villagers, farmers, laborers, and the city’s workers. They seemed to be all classes of citizens: young, old, poor, and uneducated. They continued to come, marching inside the stadium from north, south, and east. Within an hour, the crowd grew from several thousands to ten thousands. For a stadium that could hold up to twenty thousand spectators, a half of its area now filled with the green uniformed people, the government’s secret agents, spies, and common citizens. However, there were no monks and nuns. Some of them were the new residents who had taken over the abandoned properties. They were strong supporters of the Communists. It turned out to be one of the largest assemblies. I reckoned a half of the city’s population might have come in the area.

Soon hundreds of students joined up with the large crowd. They walked all the way to the stadium’s entrance in the small groups of their classmates. I saw some of my classmates walking with them. “Come on, let’s join them,” my friend, Kham, urged me.

“No, I think it’s better we stay here behind the wall inside our school. Somehow I feel more comfortable and safe on top of the wall behind these tree branches.”

“Alun, there’s a lot of people in there, and we’ll know and see things better inside. Come on, it’s like the big festival in there.”

“No, Kham, you can go if you like, but I’ll stay here.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling about this large gathering.”

“What do you mean?”

“Something is strange about this rally that came rather sudden. They’re saying this is a public rally, but why are there so many soldiers here? And if it is so public, how come none of us heard about it until recently? When something doesn’t look right, I know it’s not right.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right, Alun. So what’re we going to do?”

“Nothing. Stay right here and keep our heads down with our ears and eyes open. Though I prefer to be home if they’re allowed us to leave.”

“Yeah, me too, Alun.”

As they walked to the stadium, passing the armed soldiers, some students were talking and smiling. Under the watchful eyes of the green uniformed men, the students avoided making eye contacts. Shouldering their rifles with muzzles pointing away from them, the soldiers stood in a single line formation about ten feet apart along the outer edge of our campus’ perimeter. The students did not stop walking or try to approach the soldiers. Some of the soldiers looked very young, and perhaps they were only a few years older than the students. Nevertheless, they looked strong and confident. And I had no doubt in their abilities to shoot or kill anyone. In the world where people had to work hard earlier on, I reckoned all youngsters could become soldiers. The younger they were, the more they could be programmed into the system.

After the soldiers took over the streets, they did not allow any civilian vehicle get close to our campus. They only allowed the pedestrians, who had been ordered by their local authorities to attend the rally, getting through them. In addition, they did not check people for their identifications or concealed weapons. However, once the pedestrians were inside their controlled area, the soldiers did not allow anyone to leave. Of course, only the governmental people were allowed to move freely. Many students and teachers, who did not want to attend the rally, were confined to their classrooms, library, around buildings, along and on the wall that separated the school from the stadium. I selected my favorite spot on the wall behind the tree branches. I was glad that the soldiers did not come inside the school, round up students, and contain us in one location.