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<<set $end to 0>>The sky is hazy as fire smoke blocks out the sky.
In the distance, there's a bang and more screaming.
The sound of falling rubble is the background of every moment of my time here.
But, not anymore.
[[I'm on my way out]]I check my silver watch again,
3:23pm..
They said to wait 10 more minutes.
[[I can't wait any longer.->or worse.]]
If I wait too long they'll find me.
They'd put me in a reeducation camp
or worse.
[[I can't wait anymore]]
Under the florescent lights that stare down at me, sweat trickles down my forehead.
It's so hot in this room with all these other bodies.
[[I can't wait to get out of here.]]I don't want to become like my brothers,
The ones that never came back home that night.
People disappear all the time [[here->I can't wait to get out of here.]].
But I don't want to be here.
[[3:25...]]3:23pm..
Around me, people sit in their plastic chairs.
One by one their numbers are called to the little desks
Just a couple more minutes until my moment of truth.
Until I'm finally released from this [[nightmare]].
[[I'm almost out of here.->3:25...]]All the endless paperwork and mindless reading.
It's so stressful thinking about if I have all my papers signed,
If I have all my papers with me,
What other thing I forgot to get notorized...
[[I just want to get out there!->or worse.]]
[[3:25]]!!I look around down at the water for any sign of the boat.
I look down toward the billowing smoke for any sign of my friend.
I see nothing.
Is today the day they finally [[catch me]]?
Or will I finally be able to escape and [[see the bigger world->driver]]?I keep staring at the the clock hands, willing them to move faster.
Just let me take the test!
As soon as I get my license the world will [[open up to me->driver]]!In the practices I've had in the parking lot,
I could already imagine and [[taste the freedom.->catch me]]
All I needed now was the little plastic card that made me official.
[[3:30!]] I've been lucky so far,
Only two attempts, and [[loyal friends and family.->driver]]
We all want to get out. no one wants to die.
[[3:30.]]<<set $end to $end +1>>Just as another landmine went off,
I could see the front of the boat peaking out from a tree.
Finally.
I sighed in relief.
I won't die today.
<<if $end is 1>>
[[At least not today.->3:30!]]
<<else>>
[[At least not today.]]
<<endif>><<set $end to $end +1>>Finally!
A computer voice called my number and I was beckoned to a desk.
Quickly they looked over my paperwork, until they cleared me for the driving test.
No one was going to deny me of my freedom!
<<if $end is 1>>
[[At least not today.->3:30.]]
<<else>>
[[At least not today.]]
<<endif>>My mom escaped Vietnam more than 50 years ago.
I got my drivers license more than 5 years ago.
[[restart?->start]]