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Pistols shoot and rifles unload thunderous banters initiate the race she dives into the Mekong River stealth head start she leads amongst the pack of four boys and three girls paddles faster than catfish other swimmers dive chasing for the finish line the Thailand border no one trains for this race many do not know how to swim instincts ignite energy in their arms and legs signals their brain to pick up the skill on the spot faces splash into murky depths greeting a timezone between breath and drowning some legs fail to flap some racers sink and one boy gives up swims back to Laos the rest continue down to Paiyanag's home death cries with people underwater either bullets pierce their flesh or the breathing seizes water filling lungs 100 meters 200 meters 400 meters her Olympic debut two hours long she peeks ahead sand and shore on the horizon her feet do not give up her hands cup away whispers to submerge beneath the Mekong she ignores temptation to call it quits the finish line waits at Nong Khai refugee camp no one cares where they place first or second or last as long as their knees can sink into dry earth rather than their corpses be fish food she crawls out the Mekong River looks back at her homeland torched ammo shells whizzing no audience present no cheers no celebration only the moon and the stars watching her speed tracking her velocity until the finish line her medal for winning Prison then, a new Life in America
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