1943. World War II. The Vietnamese government, under the control of France, began to build a military base near Lakewood, the border province of Indochina-Cambodia. The base spans 260 acres of land and it is called Camp Huntsville. Rumors suggest that the Camp was run by both the Thai and American governments, not the Vietnamese government.
After gaining independence from France in 1953, Cambodia's official name was changed to the Kingdom of Cambodia. However, a successful coup led by the general of the nation resulted in the country getting its name changed again to the People's Republic of Cambodia in 1955. The Vietnam War began in the same year.
By the end of the Vietnam War and the fall of Saigon in 1975, Camp Hunstville was shut down for undisclosed reasons.
*----*
The Day of Independence Day, Ninth of November 1960
Lakewood was a small and quiet town in the People's Republic of Cambodia. It had been returned by France to Cambodia in 1955, after years of colonial rule. Nothing ever seemed to go wrong in Lakewood.
Alice was a typical teenager who lived in a small rural town. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slender figure. She was smart, kind, and independent. She liked to keep her problems to herself and be on her own.
Alice lived with her foster mother and her two half-siblings from her first husband. Her foster mother was a nice lady who had taken Alice in after her parents died in a fire. She loved her as her own, but she had her own troubles. Her second husband worked away from home, and she had to take care of everything by herself.
Alice began her day as usual. She woke up early, took a shower, and got dressed. She went downstairs and saw her brother in the living room. He was eating cereal and watching TV. She didn't see her mother anywhere.
"Good morning, Max," Alice greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, Alice," Max replied happily.
"Where's Mom?" Alice asked.
"She's still sleeping," Max said.
Alice sighed. She knew that her mother had been drinking again last night. She had heard her stumbling around and mumbling to herself. She had hoped that she would get better, but she hadn't.
Alice went to the kitchen and made some toast and eggs for herself and Max. She brought them to the living room and sat down next to him. She turned off the TV and told him to eat his breakfast.
"Hey, I was watching that!" Max protested.
"You can watch it later. You need to eat something healthy," Alice said.
"But I don't like eggs," Max whined.
"Too bad. You have to eat them anyway," Alice said firmly.
Max pouted, but he obeyed his sister. He knew that she was in charge when their mom was not around. He respected her for taking care of him and their sister Lily, who was at their grandma's house for the weekend.
Alice ate her breakfast and checked the time. She realized that she had to go soon.
"Max, I have to go now. I'm meeting my friends at the usual spot," Alice said.
"Okay, sis. Have a good day at school," Max said.
"Thanks, squirt. You too," Alice said.
She grabbed her backpack and kissed Max on the cheek. She told him to lock the door after she left and not to open it for anyone except their dad or grandma. She also told him to call her if anything happened or if he needed anything.
"Bye, sis. Love you," Max said.
"Bye, Max. Love you too," Alice said.
She left the house and got on her bike. She rode to the usual spot where she met her friends every morning.
Her friends were Ellis, Miles, and Sebastian. They were all in the same class at Genevieve Middle School. They had been friends since kindergarten.
Alice arrived at the usual spot first. She checked her wrist watch and saw that it was 7:45 a.m. She had fifteen minutes before school started. She leaned her bike against the fence and sat on the curb. She looked around and saw the familiar houses and shops that lined the street. She wondered what her friends were doing.
She waited for a few minutes until Ellis showed up. He rode his bike fast and skidded to a halt next to her. He wore a blue hoodie and jeans, and his brown hair was messy from the wind.
"Hey, Alice," Ellis greeted her with a wide smile and a friendly face. He was always cheerful and outgoing, unlike his twin brother Miles, who was more quiet and reserved.
"Hey, Ellis," Alice smiled back. She liked Ellis, he was fun to be around. He always made her laugh and feel good. He was also very loyal and protective of his friends, especially her.
They chatted for a while until Sebastian came along. He rode his bike slowly and carefully, as if he was afraid to fall off. He wore a black leather jacket and black pants, and his blond hair was neatly combed. He had a handsome face and blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence. He was smart and polite, but also shy and awkward around people.
"Hi guys," Sebastian said shyly. He parked his bike next to theirs and joined them on the curb. He smiled nervously at Alice and Ellis.
"Hi, Sebastian," Alice and Ellis said in unison. They liked Sebastian, he was kind and sweet. He always helped them with their homework and gave them good advice. He was also very talented at music and art, but he didn't like to show off.
They waited for another few minutes until Miles finally arrived. He rode his bike recklessly and dangerously, as if he didn't care about anything. He wore a red leather jacket and ripped jeans, and his brown hair was spiked up with gel. He had a rebellious face and green eyes that flashed with mischief. He was wild and adventurous, but also rude and sarcastic around people.
"Sorry I'm late," Miles apologized with a grin. He parked his bike next to theirs and jumped on the curb. He winked at Alice and Ellis.
"You're always late," Ellis teased him. He rolled his eyes at his brother's antics.
"It's okay, we're used to it," Alice said with a laugh. She didn't mind Miles, he was exciting and unpredictable. He always challenged them to try new things and have fun. He was also very brave and confident, but he didn't like to follow rules.
They all got on their bikes and rode to school together. They talked about their plans for the day and the night.
"So how is your mom?" Sebastian asked Alice casually. He knew that Alice had some issues with her mom lately, but he didn't want to pry too much.
"She's doing okay," Alice said vaguely. She didn't want to talk about it in front of everyone.
"That's good," Sebastian said gently. He sensed that she didn't want to elaborate.
Alice's mom had been depressed ever since her dad left for work in another country six months ago. She had been drinking a lot and neglecting her responsibilities as a mother. Alice had been taking care of her younger siblings, Lily and Max, who were eight and six years old respectively. She had been doing all the chores, cooking, shopping, paying bills, etc. She had been trying to keep everything together for her family, but it was hard.
"What happened last time?" Ellis asked curiously. He overheard their conversation and wanted to know more.
"It's nothing," Alice said quickly. She didn't want everyone to know her business.
Last time, Alice's mom had gotten drunk again and started yelling at her for no reason. She had accused her of being selfish, ungrateful, worthless, etc. She had slapped her across the face and left a bruise on her cheek. Alice had run to her room and locked the door. She had cried herself to sleep that night.
Ellis looked at her with concern, but he decided not to push it further.
They arrived at the school parking lot and parked their bikes in the bike slot. They walked into Genevieve Middle School together.
"Alice, are you okay?" Ellis asked softly as they walked.
Alice felt annoyed by his question. Why was he so protective all of a sudden?
"It's nothing, Ellis!" Alice snapped at him.
Ellis looked hurt by her tone, but he didn't say anything else.
"Ellis, leave her alone," Miles intervened.
Sebastian sided with Alice as they continued to walk toward the school's front door.
"I just wanna know what's going on," Ellis said defensively to his brother.
"She's not comfortable right now," Sebastian explained calmly.
Alice walked ahead of them and left them behind. She didn't want them to talk about her behind her back.
"Why did you go and do that?" Miles asked Ellis. He thought that Ellis was being too nosy.
"I'm just worried about her," Ellis said sincerely.
Sebastian caught up with Alice and put his arm around her shoulder. He gave her a cute smile and tried to cheer her up.
"It's okay. You don't have to tell him anything," Sebastian said reassuringly.
"I wish it was easy to forget, but the memories keep replaying," Alice said sadly.
Alice's foster dad was an engineer who worked for a big company that built bridges and dams across the region. He had been assigned to a project in Thailand that would take a year to complete. He had promised Alice that he would come back soon and that everything would be fine. He had left them a lot of money and a nice house to live in. He had called them every week and sent them gifts and letters. He had told Alice that he was proud of her and that he loved her.
Alice's foster mom was a nurse who worked at a local hospital. She had been happy and loving before her dad left, but she had changed after he was gone. She had become sad and lonely, and she had started drinking to cope with her feelings. She had quit her job and spent most of her time at home, watching TV or sleeping. She had stopped caring about herself and her children. She had blamed Alice for everything that went wrong in their lives.
One night, Alice's mom had gotten drunk again and decided to drive to the store to buy more alcohol. She had taken Lily and Max with her, leaving Alice alone at home. She had crashed the car into a pole on the way back, injuring herself and the kids. Alice had gotten a call from the hospital, telling her what happened. She had rushed there, hoping that they were okay.
She had found out that Lily and Max were fine, just some cuts and bruises. They were scared and confused, but they were glad to see Alice. They hugged her and cried on her shoulder. Alice had felt relieved and angry at the same time.
She had found out that her mom was not fine, but she was alive. She had broken some ribs and fractured her skull from the impact. She was conscious but in pain and confused. She was hooked up to machines that monitored her vital signs. The doctors said that she would need surgery and rehabilitation, but she would recover eventually.
Alice had felt mixed emotions. She was glad that her mom was alive, but she was also hurt by her actions. She wanted to forgive her mom, but she also wanted to confront her mom. She hoped that her mom would get better, but she also feared that her mom would relapse.
She had called her dad and told him what happened. He had been shocked and worried. He had apologized for leaving them alone. He had expressed his concern for his wife and his children. He had praised Alice for being brave and responsible.
He had told Alice that he would come back as soon as possible, but it would take some time to arrange everything. He had told Alice that he would help her with everything when he arrived. He had told Alice that he loved her very much.
He had said goodbye and promised to call again soon.
Alice felt a little less alone in the world.
"I know, it's hard to forget. But you don't have to do it alone. You have us, your friends. We're here for you, Alice. We'll help you get through this," Sebastian said gently. He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. He was a good friend to Alice for a long time, but he never told her how much he cared for her. He thought she was beautiful, smart, funny, and strong. He admired her for everything she did for her family, but he also felt sorry for her. He wanted to help her, to make her happy, to support her. But he didn't know how to show his affection.
Alice smiled weakly at Sebastian and thanked him for his kindness. She felt a warm feeling in her chest, but she didn't know what it meant. She liked Sebastian, he was always nice and helpful to her. He always listened to her and gave her good advice. He always made her feel special and appreciated. But she didn't know if he liked her more than a friend.
Miles joined them and tried to change the subject. He wanted to lighten the mood and make them excited for the night. "So Sebastian, you're still going tonight, right?" Miles asked Sebastian. He was referring to the Full Moon Festival that was taking place tonight at the church.
The Full Moon Festival was a big event in Lakewood. It was a celebration of the Independence Day of Cambodia, as well as the lunar cycle. There would be music, dancing, food, and fireworks. Everyone in town would be there.
"Of course, I'm going. I wouldn't miss it for the world," Sebastian said enthusiastically.
"What about you, Alice? Are you coming too?" Miles asked Alice.
Alice hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go. She didn't feel like celebrating anything.
But then she looked at Sebastian's hopeful face and decided to go along with it.
"Yeah, sure, why not," Alice said casually.
"Great," Miles said happily.
"Wait for me in front of my house, okay? I might be late because I need to help my mom with my brother's homework," Alice added.
"Okay, no problem. We'll wait for you outside, maybe around 7 o'clock, okay?" Miles said.
"Okay, got it. 7 o'clock," Alice confirmed.
"Sebastian, you're coming to our house first, right?" Ellis asked Sebastian as he caught up with them.
"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you guys at your house at 6:30," Sebastian agreed.
"Okay, it's set then. Now let's go to class, we're late already," Miles said.
They all nodded and headed to their classrooms. They had a busy day ahead of them, but they also had something to look forward to at night.
The school day went by really fast for them because all they could think about was the Full Moon Festival that was about to happen tonight. They hoped that it would be a night to remember.