MERSING CHRONICLES

Chapter 10 Psalm 91

26 years ago

October, 2054, somewhere in Singapore

The sermon that Sunday was on Psalm 91.

The preacher opened his sermon with the story of William MacDonald, a well-known Bible Teacher in the 20th century. When William was five, his mother expected him to die of diptheria. The boy was having difficulty breathing and this was 1922 off an island in Scotland. Antibiotics, an effective treatment, would not be available for many years later. When his mother turned around so she couldn't see him take his last breath, there was a knock on the door. It was her brother-in-law. He told her the boy would live because God told him so. As he was reading the bible in front of the fireplace in his home which was in the next village, he read the last three verses of the Psalm:

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

And God spoke to him through these verses that William would live. And he did. William went on to become a principal of a Bible School and the author of many Christian books.

Hiang had been attending church a few times over the past one year dragging John along. She found a familiarity in the services that made her closer to Nur. The Psalm hit a nerve. The first verse, or a part of it was on the hatch at Paku Point. And he remembered Nur's last words to her, "Remember the words on the hatch, you will need it".

And she had gone back to the Psalm frequently over the years and the two verses were as familiar to her as the opening words of the Singapore National Anthem:

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

It has been a considerable solace to her during the war and afterwards.

Could it be that simple? she thought.

But Nur was referring to the strength she would derive from reading it, wasn't he? He was asking her to trust his God. Or was he referring to the code that would open up the folder? The idea excited her. She had over the past one year - ever since receiving the file from General Sofi - attempted over a thousand possibilities of the code without success.

As soon as the service was done, she rushed home and attempted the code again this time with Psalm 91 in mind.

She tried 'secretplace', and 'mosthigh' with its many variations. Non worked. Could it be as simple as 'psalm91'? She tried that and the folder opened up!

There were two files, one named "Open me First" and the other named "Vietnam". She opened the first file. Words from Nur to her for the first time in 4 years. Her pulse was racing as she read it.

"My Dear Hiang,

The 3 months spent on Paku Point with you has been the happiest of my life. I never thought I could experience such joy again. I enjoyed our chats, your inquisitive questions, your delightful laugh (which sounds like someone I once knew), your stubborn nature (as when you refused to eat sardines out of a can), and your smile. I didn't think I could move past this person I knew from my university days... until I met you.

I have looked at all the possibilities of escaping from Paku with all of us alive. Could I abandon the boat and all four hide in a village nearby? The Chinese would do a thorough search of the villages and towns within a 100 km. Who knows what atrocities they will commit while looking for us. Many innocent villages, farmers, fisherman, and their families will be killed in the process. Can I live with that?

What if I rigged the boat to travel straight out to sea on its own after we arrive at the coast? There's no guarantee the boat will keep heading out to sea. The flow of currents are unpredictable. And the boat could smash onto some rocks or an island nearby and they would know where we are.

Could I leave you three on land than head out a few km out to sea where it is deep and sink the boat so it can't be found? This was the best idea and it sounds workable. An explosive charge below the waterline would do the trick. However, because they didn't find the boat they will assume it made land and somehow is hidden somewhere. Or they will spot the oil slick on the surface and will know the boat was sunk there. This will start a major search and people will be killed.

What if I lead the boat out about 30 km away from you and then rig it so it travels on its own further out to sea, and I jump out at that point and swim to the nearest land? The unmanned boat will be discovered and the Chinese would know someone from the island is still alive and would continue their search.

The only certainty is that I lead the boat as far as I can out to sea and make a stand out there. Someone has to give up his life so many will live. This way the Chinese have their man, and there is nothing else to look for.

There is that one last option, I surrender and become a POW. But given what I know and they know I have intelligence critical to their war effort, they will spare no effort to extract what I know. I may even give you three away involuntarily. This option is not acceptable. Too much risk to the war effort and to you.

I so desperately want to live and continue our chats, to listen to your voice. I so desperately want to hold and protect you from the war. And I am feeling the pain that this will end very soon, our chats, your voice, your laughter, your smile, your presence. But to have it continue for me will cost many lives. I am grateful to God for the life I lived. My life has closure because I met you. Because you live, I live.

Nur. July 10, 2050."

Hiang wept. "But there is no closure for me," she whispered.

After a while, she continued to the next file. It started with the words: "About the person I knew from my university days: 'Vietnam', a short story"