It rained heavily, our foxhole collapsed, so we run into an abundant house ...

Towards the end of the Basic Military Training, we were scheduled to do a field exercised that last for three days and two nights. The field exercise could be either an "Attack" or a "Defense".

"Defense" is normally more tough than "Attack". In an "Attach", there can be a number of troops movements. When the troops move, soldiers can take the opportunity to rest unless they are vehicle commanders or drivers (Recruits will be neither one of these). In a "Defense", more physical exercises are expected. First of all, soldiers should dig operational posts, trenches and foxholes once the defense location is identified. They are then expected to be alert all the time to look out for and fight against approaching (mocked up) enemy force. When the enemy got too close to you, you have to do knife fighting instead of using rifles. (The close distance made it not possible to use rifles.)

I felt sick on the first day of the exercise (before the exercise started) and was given one day medical leave to stay at our dormitory. On the second day of the exercised, I have no excuse but to be sent to join my platoon mates who moved out on the first day.

Upon reaching the exercise field, I was assigned to be with Jimmy Lin, sharing the same foxhole to guard against our command post. When having training in teams of two, I was normally not assigned to be with Jimmy (as our army identification number is not too close to each other). To be arranged to team up with Jimmy this time was because Recruit Tan (who was teamed up with Jimmy the day before) had an injury to his arm during the afternoon exercise a day ago. He was then sent back to the unit.

"It is lucky that I am not alone now, guarding without a partner is extremely tedious. There was no chance to take a rest (for exchange of looking out duty) last night, and I was left alone in this foxhole (i.e. a two-men guarding position dig from the ground)." Said Jimmy Lin soon after my arrival.

"Well, I hope it is not going to rain. I am not sure whether this foxhole could take it if it does." I said with some worry.

Unfortunately, it rained very heavily that night. Slowly, we saw water seeping from the soil wall of the foxhole. And in about 10 minutes times, the foxhole was filled with one and a half feet of muddy water.

"Recruit Han, I think the foxhole is going to collapse soon. We have to get out of here." Shouted Jimmy Lin form the other end of the foxhole.

"Yes, let's get out". I replied and jump out of the foxhole. Jimmy was out soon. We looked around and decided to run and hide in the abundant house located at about a minute's run away.

The house was big and, of course, dark. We looked around once we entered the house, and did not see any other person in the hall. So we think that it will be safe to stay there. We were both very wet then. So we took off our uniform and try to dry them, at least to some extend, using our hands. It was a bit strange (but we did not immediately think of something wrong) then that there seemed to be some light and soft voices from one of the bed room not too far from where we were standing. We did not say anything, but walked together towards the room, and pushed the door lightly. The door opened and in front of us were two beautiful ladies in the process of changing under the deemed light.

The ladies looked at us with friendly smiles.

"Sorry, we do not mean to ....." I started to apologize.

"It's OK!" said one of the girl. "It seems that we are not lonely tonight." She continued to talk while turning her face to the other girl.

"Come in our guests, make it a home." The other lady spoke with an irresistible smile.

"It is not too convenient this way, we shall leave now. Sorry for the inconvenience caused." Jimmy replied.

With that, we repacked ourselves, and leave the house. The rain was still very heavy. We run back to our foxhole, but noted that it had collapsed completely. We run the other direction towards the vehicle park. Without a second though, we rolled ourselves under an Army truck and spent the night there.

During the next morning's roll call (i.e. soldiers assembled together to do head count), two soldiers (not from our platoon) were found missing. A detailed search was undertaken. These soldiers were finally found in one of the bed room of the abundant house at their subconscious conditions. They seemed very exhausted and very frighten that they could not speak properly.

"There is, there is .... in the abundant house ...." were what some soldiers described that the two soldiers were saying, as reported later when we returned back to camp.

© By: H Han 16 Jul 98