Loung Ung

“In my heart I know the truth, but my mind cannot accept the reality of what this all means.”

“I have to go to the toilet,” I tell Ma urgently after dinner.“You have to go in the woods.”“But where?”“Anywhere you can find. Wait, I’ll get you some toilet paper.” Ma goes away and comes back with a bunch of paper sheets in her hand. My eyes widen in disbelief, “Ma! It’s money. I can’t use money!”“Use it, it is of no use to us anymore.”

“Living life to the fullest involves living it with your family.”

“On previous trips the pirates have stolen valuables, killed people, raped and abducted girls...the women work frantically to ugly themselves up by smearing black charcoal paste on their faces and bodies. With ashen faces, some of the younger, prettier girls reach into the bags we have vomited into and scoop out handfuls of it to smear on their hair and clothes. ”

“I think how the world is still somehow beautiful even when I feel no joy at being alive within it. ”

“I am six years old and instead of celebrating with birthday cakes, I chew on a piece of charcoal. ”