A little history lesson: Only one continental state of the U.S. bore deaths during the second world war. And what state would that be? Read and find out! This is my dramatization of that instance in time. (And I realize that Hawaii was bombed pretty bad, Pearl Harbor and all that, but that's why I said continental)
Also! Most people tend to forget about Alaska, so I will add that Alaska isn't a state by this time. This happens not long before then. There were actually a lot of bloody battles fought along the Aleutian Islands. They just don't count because she still lived with Russia then.
Okay, I'm done now!
--------------------------------------
Alice's POV~
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Wisp. We won the first world war, didn't we?" I said reassuringly.
"But I heard that the Japanese were planning on releasing bombs across the West Coast!" Wisp insisted stubbornly as tears prickled in the corners of her bright green eyes. "That means you, me, Kylie, and Miliana! I don't want anything like that to happen!"
"Wisp, do you know why they would try to bomb us?"
"Tell me, if you know so much all of a sudden."
"It would be to start forest fires to distract us. It's never gonna happen, it's too wet and rainy for forest fires nowadays. We don't have much to worry about, I promise. Now come on, we should go pay a visit to Miliana and see how she's improved."
~~~
May 5th, 1945~
And so, on what seemed to be a normal, nice day turned into a terrible tragedy. It was around midday when it happened: a horrible, gut-wrenching pain in my chest that forced me to my knees and blood to my lips.
When Kylie and Wisp turned around to look at me, wondering why I hadn't replied, it was because I was on my side and limp while blood bubbled in my mouth. I heard them shout my name and fall to their knees around me, asking me what was wrong, what happened?
But I couldn't answer, my chest was too tight and my heart burned with fire. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I curled up in a ball, hiccuping harshly. A little spray of red painted the tile floor just in front of my lips when I couldn't hold back a cough.
"Alice! Alice, sweetie, snap out of it!" Kylie yelled. Others came running and then left to go for help even though I couldn't tell them what the problem was. "Can you say anything? Nod if you can, come on!"
"B..." I whispered hoarsely, coughing up more. "Bomb..."
"What?" Wisp asked, leaning closer to my face and putting her ear by my mouth. "Alice, what was that?"
"Bo-omb... Seven... victims..." I managed somehow. "A bab...y..."
"Oh my god, no," Wisp gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "The Japanese...?"
It was only a minor wound, really, but it hurt like a hole was blown in my lung. And I was able to feel the heartache of that poor pastor as he discovered what had happened to his wife and unborn child, not to mention the other children they were looking after.
'This is awful' I thought before slipping into darkness.
~~
I awoke in a hospital bed some time afterward. I knew exactly what had happened, so showing me the newspaper headline was unnecessary.
"Alice, it's okay," Wisp kept reaassuring me, but I couldn't smile even when my sister hugged me. How could this have happened?
"At least I took the hit instead of you," I whispered into her shoulder, and that's when she pulled back to look at me seriously.
"You don't have to say that, Alice. This might be upsetting, but don't be like that. We're here for you."
"I know," I replied, feeling the saltwater fall from my eyes to land on the sheets covering my short legs. "I know... Willow, it hurts. It hurts so much!" I threw my arms around her and sobbed brokenly, unable to stop at all. And like the angel she is to me, she let me cry on her shoulder and just held me like I wanted to be held. After something as shocking as this, I needed the comfort more than anything else.
------------------------------
Pretty sad, I know. But now you all know a little bit of Oregonian history! Isn't that great?
