We all would have read about the illegal Myanmar immigrants, a couple of months ago. This story is an imagination about a 10-year-old boy who gets stuck in a boat and no country was willing to offer them any kind of help.
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"Thein, be careful, you might slip off" cried an elderly woman from the other side of the boat. I don't know her name. She knows my name because all my friends keep calling me and I am one of the most popular guys on this boat. I have many friends with whom I will start playing once we reach a shore but I don't know when will that be. When we started from Myanmar, Pha uncle told me that we will reach a shore in 3 days, where we will get a lot of food, clothes and also some toys to play with. People there are very kind and friendly but a couple of days ago, all the other uncles in the boat threw Pha uncle in to the sea when he was sound asleep. I heard some people saying that Pha uncle died but I don't believe it, he will swim to the shore and get us help.
My name is Thein, I was born in Myanmar. My father Zeya was a farmer and mother was Hayma had a small shop outside our house where she used to make Atho (a Burmese delicacy that's more like spaghetti.) Daddy always comes home before sunset and since he will be very tired, I enjoy giving him a foot massage in the evenings. One day, while I was giving him a massage inside the house and mom was busy in the shop, when we heard a sudden outcry of my mom shouting "Leave me! Leave me!: when Dad and I rushed out, we only saw an SUV speeding away with my mom inside it, my dad sprinted behind the SUV when he was shot by one of the occupants of the vehicle, right in his chest. I saw my dad falling down lifelessly. I didn't know if I have to check my dad or run behind the vehicle, I decided to hide behind a stone instead of doing both. I was scared if I will also be shot. Pha uncle rushed to me and carried me in his arms, he was all covered in soot. His house was burnt down with his 2 sons and wife still inside the house. Little did I know that there were many of my other friends who were already burnt alive.
Pha uncle brought me to this boat and told me that my Dad has now gone to stay with god forever and he will ensure that we are all taken care of. I asked him about my mom for which he started crying, I didn't know why but I never asked him that question again.
Pha uncle has told me that there are Angels waiting at the shore for us who will provide us with whatever we ask for, I will ask for new trousers, mine has become so wide that I am having to tie a knot to hold it in my hip. I will also ask for a plate of Atho and Mohinga too. Today we saw another lady being thrown in to the sea, I think she will catch some fishes for us to eat and get back to the boat.
I was sleeping when I heard everyone in the boat shouting so I also woke and saw another white color boat coming towards us with uniformed men in that. Mom has told me that Angels will always be wearing white color clothes only, I was sure they were angels. They came near us, spoke to 2 or 3 uncles and left without taking any of us with them. Everyone in the boat started crying. I was searching for the friends so that we can start playing again. A boy whose name I didn't know was sleeping next to me but he didn't wake up even amidst all this noise. I knew that they will throw him also in to the sea. All these people will be waiting for us at the shore when we get there.
After 4 days, a boat came and asked all of us to board their boat. Didn't I tell you that angels will come back? We were all very hungry since we haven't eaten anything solid for so many days now. We have only been eating raw fishes and drinking salt water. I was very happy since I know that I will get Atho and Mohinga once we reach the shore.
At the shore, we were all made to stand in a queue. A long one, I could not see what this queue was for, but I could see a table at the end of the line, but the table was not manned. One of the uncles fell down while standing in the queue for over an hour, but a khaki-clad officer started beating him and made him stand in the line again. This was not what I had imagined. I told the boy standing behind me in the line that they are preparing Atho and serve it to all of us that is why we were asked to stand in a line but it took almost 4 hours, after which a person with a white jacket manned the table. He was a doctor, he was checking everyone with a stethoscope, examined every part of the body and we were made to stand in another queue.
This queue again did not have anyone and we were told that an office will note all our records and send us in.
Pha uncle was not there, my friends who were thrown into the water to catch fishes are not there, mom is not there, I now know that dad is dead. Pha uncle has lied to me that he has gone to stay with God. We are just transported from one hell to another through a boat.
I wish I was thrown into the water too. I can't see any more of my people dying. I am going back into the waters, I stepped in, no one noticed me, I jumped into the water, I could not breathe, water entered through my nose and mouth. 5 more mins, I wasn't feeling hungry anymore, I was feeling very light. A glorious bright light is all that I could see, but it didn't irritate my eyes. It was so nice, I looked down for a minute, the line was still there and I chose to never look down again.
I am traveling to be with God now. Not sure how long this journey would be but I am loving it. I wish all those in the boat also die and come along with me, this is far better than being there.
