Chapter 6: December 10, 1937
December 10, 1937
The Japanese had arrived. It was a long sleepless night as we all gathered together in worry of what would happen to us. So far it seemed they respected the zone. We were well protected and I never saw a single soldier from the Japanese army.
Dawn came and everything seemed normal except for our lack of sleep. Luo and I slept in as long as mother allowed. She had some errands for us to run for her.
"What's on the list?" Luo was washing her face quickly before we went out.
"Basic needs: black vinegar, salt, thread, pork, uhm…I don't know what that is," I showed her the list.
She had the nerve to laugh at me, "it's dough silly."
The list was handed back to me and we set to work by splitting up. I gave her some money and she would get the thread because it was on the opposite side of the food venders.
All I had left to do now was buy the dough. I put my basket down as something caught my eye. It was the Chinese symbol for Fire. It spoke to me as it seemed to shimmer in the light.
Akio Tanaka
I was a soldier of low rank. Just a farmer, I had lived a simple life back in Japan. Pledging my life to the Emperor, leaving Japan for the army was no question- it was a duty. We had arrived in Nanjing tired, hungry, and missing home.
I was also a very changed man from what I had witnessed on our journey south. My heart knew these things were wrong, but the men said I was wrong. They always told me that these were not humans...they were just animals. That was their justification for all of the torture.
This wasn't me and this wasn't the person my parents taught me to be. I missed them, home, and even school! Instead, I was here in this forsaken place eating crappy food and in desperate need of a good bath.
Most of the men now took entertainment in drinking beer and sake during the night until they passed out. Some of them took joy in torturing the women we had taken captive along the way.
Someone shook my shoulder and it startled me from my thoughts. It was Katsumi, a friend in my division that I had grown close to.
"Sorry man, didn't mean to scare you like that. There's something I wanna show you."
I followed him down the rows of camps and the various fires being prepared as the sun was setting. When I got a sense of where we were going I stopped in my tracks.
"Uhm…I don't want to do this. I didn't know you were like that," I gave him a questioning look as he was leading me to the barracks where captives were chained up.
"What?" He stopped and turned around. "Don't even go there! I said I wanted to show you something, remember? But be quiet, alright?"
Katsumi sounded frustrated as he led me around the back, so no one would see us.
Yue Lei
I could hear the distant cries. They almost felt a part of me. There was laughter, male laughter. It could only be compared to men drinking at some bar.
I suddenly felt sick from whatever they knocked me out with. When I threw up I felt a little better, but the smell threatened to make me vomit again.
"Where am I?" I spoke softly as I looked around in the darkness. There was no answer...until suddenly some light poured into the room.
I was able to see now and realized I was in a small barn. There were no animals with the exception of a few horses on the other side. I crawled as best I could to hide, but the chain around my wrist prevented me from going far.
Two male voices were at a murmur as they entered.
"Why are they keeping her here then?" said the man with the deeper voice.
"I don't know. I saw them bring her in unconscious. Riku had a black eye forming. She put up quite a fight. Maybe the other room is full or maybe she was picked for the general. I don't know…she doesn't look like anyone important."
The deeper voice spoke again, "then we shouldn't be in here. What if we get caught? If she's awake she's gonna scream and we'll be caught!" He whispered in an irritated, yet scared tone.
I gasped as they found me. They looked only a few years older than me, but they were Japanese. The realization hit me- I was dead, or I was going to wish I was dead.
"Don't you dare fucking scream," the deep voice said.
I swallowed my fear and nodded, "Please, just kill me now. Have mercy. I am no one; you're mistaken."
My head stayed down in respect and I hoped, I prayed, that he was there to kill me swiftly…not to burn or rape me.
The one with the deep voice knelt himself down beside me and took my new necklace into his hand to examine it.
"My name is Akio Tanaka. Over my shoulder is Katsumi Hayashi. What's your name?"
I swallowed so hard he must have heard it, "Yue Lei."
He smiled and I could feel tears stream down my cheeks. Akio let go of the necklace and sighed. It seemed he understood the pain and motivation behind my words. There was a long period of silence; I sat there shaking, wanting to scream or run as fast I could. My mom and dad never told me what to do if I were to get captured. They had always taught me to be smart and avoid capture.
Why hadn't they killed me yet? What were they waiting for? I decided I had nothing to lose by asking.
Akio just stared at me, "I don't want to kill you. Besides, it would be against orders to kill you without permission. For what it is worth…I apologize for not being more helpful."
His friend seemed shocked at his words and put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something Japanese. It made me wish I had learned the language. He nodded and sat up, "I can't make any promises, but we will try to get you back to your family."
I was completely shocked, "what? Why…why would you do something like that for me? You're a Japanese soldier...I'm just a Chinese girl. You're toying with me, aren't you?"
Now I had convinced myself that he wasn't going to save me, but wanted me to think that he was. He must have wanted me to have hope. It was obvious to me why: what good is a girl if she doesn't resist?
He didn't answer. Akio just looked at me in a way a guy had never done before. It was like he was looking into me.
There was something else he said in Japanese, it was a command. Katsumi nodded and left the barn to stand outside and guard it.
I looked at him wondering what was next now. I covered my chest with my arms because we were alone now. "Why do you look at me like that?"
"Look at you like what?!" he snapped at me.
I moved away from him as best I could and shielded my face. It didn't take very long for him to leave as well. Now I was alone.