His wife returned before six with the box containing the Old Kamikaze Headband.
He took it, placed onto his lap : slowly untied its string before opening it's cover.
His fingers caressed the old silk-like fibers which retained its smooth texture despite of its age.
As he did, a faint, fine mist evaporated from the box. He wondered what it was.
"Dear, what time the strangers promise to come? "
"At six in the evening! " he replied, passing the box to his wife.
"It's already six now and,,,,,, " before she could finish her sentence, two Japanese gentlemen knocked at the door sill.
"Good evening Mister Usah, Mum! We hope we don't keep you waiting! "
"Ahhhh.. Mister Hiro and Mister Yamaguchi! Do come in! We are expecting you! "
The Japanese men entered into his room, bowed their heads low before taking a seat on his left side while his wife was on his right.
Without wasting time, he asked his wife to hand over the box Old Kamikaze Headband.
As he opened it's cover, Mister Hiro and Mister Yamaguchi could not hide their happiness
Strangely but unexpectedly, they stood up, bowed their heads and clapped their thrice.
With a smile, Sgt, Usah gave them the box to Mister Hiro but it was Mister Yamaguchi who took it.
As soon as the box was in his possession, Mister Hiro and Mister Yamaguchi stood up and bowed their heads again saying :
"Thank you very much Mister Usah. You are a very kind man. May you recover soon! "
Once again they bowed their heads, turned around and walked toward the door
As they reached the doorway, suddenly the hospital corridor disappeared and the whole area opened to a vast airstrip where two Zero fighters parked on its apron.
Their white suits changed into grey military uniforms usually worn by Kamikaze pilots during the Second World War.
Quietly they climbed up the ladder and entered into its cock pits
After closing its sliding cock pit doors, two new engines roared into life.
Dust and dry leaves flew upward as the Zero fighters taxied toward the runway toward the rising sun!
Usah struggled to get his feet off his bed onto the floor while looking at the departing Zero Kamikaze fighters into the air.
"Dear, you are not supposed to get off your..... " Before his wife could finish her advice, Usah was practically jumping on the floor.
He grabbed his wife and started to dance, laughing and shaking his feet to the tempo of twist which was played over the loud speaker.
"My God,,,,, what are you doing? " a familiar voice echoed from the doorway.
Usah turned around to see the nurse looking at them, admiring their twisting skill, in spite of their age, especially Usah who was supposed to be suffering from severe backache.
"My God.... You are cured! "
The nurse suddenly realised that his chronic patient was no longer confined to bed.
Quickly she placed the Halloween pumpkin-shape candle onto the patient's table and rushed out to inform the doctors.
His wife giggled but Usah held his wife's hand and whispered, "Did you see the two Kamikaze pilots departed?
"What are you talking about? I was the only one with you here since an hour ago! " answered his wife as she rearranged the Halloween pumpkin-shape candle stand which the nurse left when she rushed out.
Slowly, Usah took steps backward and sat down at the edge of his bed, wondering what was really happened.
The nurse rushed in with the doctors who examined him physically.
"Mister Usah. You are a lucky man. I am done with your examination and I found out there is nothing wrong with you. You are cured... Miraculously! I don't know how you did it but.. Yes! You're cured! "
His wife grasped her mouth to muffled her cry of joys.
Usah did not say anything until the doctors had left the room, "Nurse, did you bring in two Japanese men to meet me this morning?"
They nurse gave a weird look and said, "No. Anything? "
Usah paused awhile and quietly answered her, "No... Nothing wrong, really! "
His wife walked toward him and gave him a hug saying, "Forget it dear! What's important you are cured! "
He hugged back his wife but his eyes remained wide open.
On the table, next to the Halloween pumpkins-shape candle stick was a small bottle containing a clear liquid : beside it was a note.
It read - Get Well Soon and Happy Halloween - written in Japanese katakana and hiragana.
THE END.
YOU ARE READING
THE OLD KAMIKAZE HEADBAND
Tarihi KurguThis story had its beginning during the Pacific War in 1944, in the eastern part of the British North Borneo territory. It was about a young Japanese Kamikaze pilot who was shot down over the abandoned prisoners ' camp in Sandakan. He was to die wh...
