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Shoop was terrified as she knelt in the small clearing of the jungle, light and shadow surrounding her. More terrified than she had ever imagined possible, even knowing her great city of Ayuthaya had fallen to the hated Burmese only two days before. Even after she had lost contact with her family, what was left of it. Now she was alone, and horribly frightened. All she had left was her faith in Buddha and her faith in her uncle, assistant instructor at the Temple Buddhai Swan, who had given her the sword before fighting his way out of the city with General Welamahatape. So she prayed and forgot herself, remembering her Lord, her beloved Siam, her King and her dead family. She prepared herself for what was to come. Silently she danced, moving around the clearing, checking the footing for soft spots or roots which could trip. Shoop looked for trails to flee through if she had the chance. Shoop listened for the arrival of allies. She calmed her mind and body. There was just her to face the monkey-faced Burmese who stood laughing across the clearing. Buddha had given her no peaceful alternative.
Now the warrior grips her sword. Her mind is empty of the past, only in the present. Shoop accepts the attack.
The Burmese swings his spear at her head. She ducks and slides to her left, pushing him on the side of his knee with her right leg while she cuts to his midsection. " Aiyee!" The Burmese is surprised but as he stumbles manages to twise out of the range of her blade. " Pay nah" he grits through his teeth. Kill you!
They circle, battle-hardened veteran and teenage girl, breathing heavily, eyes wide. The Burmese cuts down at Shoop's head. She springs back, barely out of his reach, but it's a fake! He thrusts at her midsection. In desperation she throws herself to the right while blocking across her body to the left. She grips her sword with both hands now, pushing the spear away. She kicks to his back with her shin. "Unh!" That was a good one, she thinks as the Burmese grunts in pain. "Pay nah" she screams!
The Burmese, in his rage, spins as quickly as he can to his left and slices to her stomach. Shoop blocks but is knocked to the ground by the force of the blow. The Burmese raises his spear above his head, and, with all of his weight, stabs at the young Thai warrior lying on the ground. "Pay nah!"
Shoop is feeling around for her sword. The force of the swinging spear was too much for her and it had been knocked from her hands. She rolls frantically to her right side and elbows his shin as she thrusts her left foot up into the Burmese's groin. His falling weight almost crushing her, she pushes again, throwing him off, and scrambles to her feet. Now they are both unarmed.
She thinks to run but then realizes the Burmese would just chase her down. She decides. As her enemy gets to his feet she throws a hard left kick to his right thigh. Grunting, he stumbles back and responds with a kick to her head. Shoop blocks his dtae with her forearms but the force pushes her backward also. He kicks to her head again, this time with his left. Shoop ducks under and cut kicks to the front of his right knee. The Burmese cries out in pain.
Shoop feints a poke to his eyes. He doesn't buy it. Now in his anger he limps toward her, swinging his fists. She dances back, only to hop-around kick his right thigh. The Burmese drops his right knee to the ground. Now is her chance.
Shoop runs at the Burmese. She steps her right foot on his left knee. She steps her left foot on his right shoulder and stands up. Raising her right arm over her head she drops back to the ground in front of him while elbowing the crown of his head. "Pay nah!" she screams.
The young girl is terrified as she kneels in the clearing and prays by the body of the Burmese. But she is alive. Now if she can reach General Welamahatape she can continue her studies of the war art Krabi-Krabong, and help her people take back their country. She is Thai. She is free!
Now the warrior grips her sword. Her mind is empty of the past, only in the present. Shoop accepts the attack.
The Burmese swings his spear at her head. She ducks and slides to her left, pushing him on the side of his knee with her right leg while she cuts to his midsection. " Aiyee!" The Burmese is surprised but as he stumbles manages to twise out of the range of her blade. " Pay nah" he grits through his teeth. Kill you!
They circle, battle-hardened veteran and teenage girl, breathing heavily, eyes wide. The Burmese cuts down at Shoop's head. She springs back, barely out of his reach, but it's a fake! He thrusts at her midsection. In desperation she throws herself to the right while blocking across her body to the left. She grips her sword with both hands now, pushing the spear away. She kicks to his back with her shin. "Unh!" That was a good one, she thinks as the Burmese grunts in pain. "Pay nah" she screams!
The Burmese, in his rage, spins as quickly as he can to his left and slices to her stomach. Shoop blocks but is knocked to the ground by the force of the blow. The Burmese raises his spear above his head, and, with all of his weight, stabs at the young Thai warrior lying on the ground. "Pay nah!"
Shoop is feeling around for her sword. The force of the swinging spear was too much for her and it had been knocked from her hands. She rolls frantically to her right side and elbows his shin as she thrusts her left foot up into the Burmese's groin. His falling weight almost crushing her, she pushes again, throwing him off, and scrambles to her feet. Now they are both unarmed.
She thinks to run but then realizes the Burmese would just chase her down. She decides. As her enemy gets to his feet she throws a hard left kick to his right thigh. Grunting, he stumbles back and responds with a kick to her head. Shoop blocks his dtae with her forearms but the force pushes her backward also. He kicks to her head again, this time with his left. Shoop ducks under and cut kicks to the front of his right knee. The Burmese cries out in pain.
Shoop feints a poke to his eyes. He doesn't buy it. Now in his anger he limps toward her, swinging his fists. She dances back, only to hop-around kick his right thigh. The Burmese drops his right knee to the ground. Now is her chance.
Shoop runs at the Burmese. She steps her right foot on his left knee. She steps her left foot on his right shoulder and stands up. Raising her right arm over her head she drops back to the ground in front of him while elbowing the crown of his head. "Pay nah!" she screams.
The young girl is terrified as she kneels in the clearing and prays by the body of the Burmese. But she is alive. Now if she can reach General Welamahatape she can continue her studies of the war art Krabi-Krabong, and help her people take back their country. She is Thai. She is free!
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