A short story in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Văn Thiện
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Đinh Trường Chinh

Imagine

The Nation placed in the palm of my hand, my fingers slowly wrapped around it, me holding tightly onto the Nation as though it was my lover. The chaos ensued inside my fist. Clobbering of sledgehammers, frantic eddies in the ponds, lullabies, yearnings of the heart, singing softly, laughing wistfully. I tightened my hold and louder were the clambered sword fights, locomotion, pounding heart beat, teasing, moans… The tighter my fist the louder it got, the shrieking, bellowing, screeching as though a bridge was collapsing, flipping over cars, homes were burning, everything was in flames. Triggered by the onslaught of sound, I tightened my jaw, grinding my teeth, my hold was stronger than ever. The explosions in my hand were thunderous, earthquakes, tsunami, devastation.

I loosen…