A few weeks before my tenth birthday which was in December 1941, there seemed to be a shift of mood in the house. It was used to be filled with laughter and happiness but now it seemed that all the adults were anxious and worried about something. My father seemed quite distraught and quiet even my mother who was usually very cheerful was in a solemn mood.
One day while walking past my father's office, I overheard him talking with grandfather.
"I just received a telegram from Bangkok. A business associate told me that the Japanese troops had landed in Thailand and they are advancing south towards Malaya. I am afraid we do not have much time," said my father.
I did not understand what was happening at that time.
Two days after that, while I was sleeping soundly in my room suddenly I was awaken by loud noises coming from the sky. I ran to the window and saw many small airplanes flying by. The planes had the Japanese flag painted on it. I recognized the flag from the pictures in one of the book which I had read.
Then I knew something bad was going to happen. Not long after that loud explosions could be heard from a distance. The planes were dropping bomb shells on the nearby town which was around 25km away from where I lived. I can hear the servants and my father's workers shouting.
"The Japanese are here! Run! Run for your life!"
It was chaotic.
My father burst into my room.
"Quick! Sabrina pack some clothes and wait for your mother," shouted my father.
Then he rushed out. I quickly packed some clothes with me. Not long after that, my mother came to get me.
We quickly ran down the stairs to the front of the house, the others were already there but we could not see my grandfather.
"Stay here. I am going to look for your grandfather," said my mother.
My mother then left me. Little did I know that it was the last time that I will see her.
Suddenly, we heard loud gunshots coming from behind us.
There were Japanese soldiers coming down the road heading towards our house. Some of them were on the bicycles while some were walking towards us firing at some of my father's workers who were trying to run away.
"They came faster than we had expected" I heard my father telling my butler.
He said something to the butler which I could not hear and then handed over a bag to him while pointing over at me.
Then my butler ran over to me.
"Miss Sabrina we have to go now," he said.
I hesitated.
"How about father, mother and grandfather? Aren't they coming too?" I asked.
As I was asking this, more gunshots could be heard. My butler did not waste anytime. He grabbed hold of my hand and ran as fast as possible.
I was struggling behind him; I turned and looked back at my father. He waved at me with a smiled on his face. Then he turned and ran towards the advancing Japanese soldiers.
"Father! Father! No! Please, don't go!" I shouted.
My screams were drowned by the loud sounds of gunshots. The gunshots kept going on and I could hear people screaming everywhere.
We ran deep into the forest behind my house. We kept running until we could no longer hear the sound of the gunshots.