Far away // Unbroken

12. Naoetsu

D E J A

Everyone woke up to alarm sirens blaring.

We all got out of bed and rushed outside as it warned us about air raids, bombs and debris.

Men shouted and guards pushed as we heard distant explosions.

It was the middle of the night so I couldn't see anything, so when someone grabbed my waist I gasped.

I turned quickly to see Louie holding me, "Hey, you okay?" He asked because it was chaos getting out of there.

I nodded as we both breathed heavily.

We were both rushed up ladders, onto the roofs of the barracks.

Miller and Fitzgerald were already dumping water on the roof where it had caught fire from the debris.

"We're helping the Japs now? Might as well let it burn." Tinker scoffed.

"Pass it down!" A soldier said from beside me, I passed it to Louie and he passed it down a few more times before Fitzgerald dumped it on the flame.

I looked up at the distant explosions and the silhouettes of the soldiers on the roof next to ours.

I looked over to see Louie looking at it like I just was, "B-29s, boys! Won't be long now." Tinker spoke in excitement as we all watched the American planes drop bombs.

"I wouldn't get too excited. If the allies win, the Japs issue kill-all orders. I over heard them." Fitzgerald said and my heart sunk.

I looked up at Louie before leaning my head on his shoulder, "We win, we're dead." I spoke sadly as I watched the explosions.

"Well, what are we supposed to be praying for?" Tinker asked.

Before anyone could answer the tough question a shrill whistling sound squealed loudly.

"Down! Get down!" Fitzgerald yelled and we all laid down as we watched some debris come down near us.

--

I hit Louie's foot and he jumped awake, "Grab your gear. They're moving us out." I spoke sadly.

"To where?" Louie asked scooting to the edge of his bed.

"I don't know." I said as I packed all I had into a small bag.

"Some new camp.. Tokyo ritz. Some place the allies can't find us." Fitzgerald said as he packed his bunk up.

We were soon in three long lines, guards on each side of us as I stood on the right side of the lines, and Louie was in the same row as me, just on the left side.

My small bag hung on my shoulder as we walked out of that camp, most of the grounds outside the came were white from the snow, but there were a few large burnt marks where debris landed.

We walked for hours, until we reached the small town that was bombed.

We past a few local women, carrying their belongings.

I breathed shakily as I covered my mouth, watching a few locals dig children out of the wreckage.

All the building were burnt and broken, like a lot of the people, too.

I wiped my eyes and sniffled as we passed a long row of covered bodies, a woman sobbed as she held one child of hers who was too severely injured to be alive.

I had to look away, I tried not to cry.

I looked up at all the bodies that had sheets covering them, and there were too many to count.

The three lines that we were originally walking in had formed into two, I always had luck with me when it came to being with Louie.

He grabbed my hand as he walked beside me.

--

I watched Tinker, Fitzgerald, Miller and Zamperini look out between a missing piece of wood.

They watched the mountains covered in snow that we passed.

We were on a train now, a cargo train, not a passenger one.

I was sitting on the ground, with my blanket over me because it was colder than the last place we were.

I closed my eyes before I heard boots walking across the hard, wooden floor.

I opened them to see Louie sitting next to me, he wrapped his arm around me and I sighed with a small smile as I got closer to him, I covered him with my itchy blanket, too.

I closed my eyes as I breathed deeply.

I tried to keep my thoughts and prayers positive as I drifted to sleep, but all I thought about was all those who've died in this war.

I woke up suddenly, the train brakes squeaking.

"I think we're here." Louie said standing up before helping me to my feet.

After putting my blanket back into my bag, the door slid open loudly before they put a ramp down so we didn't have to jump.

I walked behind Fitzgerald and in front of Louie as we walked into the cold air.

I breathed deeply, knowing what this was in an instant, another POW camp, but this one worked soldiers to the bone, caring coal on their backs and lots of heavy lifting.

We passed two men, unrecognizable because they were so covered in coal dust as they carried a heavy beam on their shoulders.

We walked further and saw a line of soldiers with huge baskets on their backs, full of coal as they walked up a high plank with no rails if they fell.

We all stood in line outside of the Sergeants quarters, shivering when the wind blew.

Louie was on one side with Fitzgerald on the other.

A large medal door opened and closed loudly.

Louie slowly looked up before he lost his balance, I barely caught him.

I helped him stand up as the Sergeant came down.

He gave me a worried glance before I stood up straight, back in line.

"This is Naoetsu prison camp." Watanabe spoke and I closed my eyes for a second, swaying a little bit before I opened them again.

"I am Sergeant Watanabe, your commanding officer." He spoke and I looked up at him, my cheek bones prominent and my eyes sunken.

I couldn't control my anger when I saw him, the man who has directly targeted Louie and then me was somehow in our lives again.

"You are enemies of Japan. You will be treated.. Accordingly." Watanabe spoke as he stood in front of Louie and I.

Louie kept his eyes down while I stared right at this man who had no mercy.

"You will help the Japanese by working on the coal barges. Anyone who will not work.. Will be executed." Watanabe spoke and I looked down at the ground as he looked at Louie and I, his eyes going back and forth between us.

I clenched my jaw as a tear streaked my cheek as he stepped in front of Louie.

"Why don't you look me in the eye?" Watanabe spoke to Louie and he sighed.

He looked up and hit Louie in the side of his head, making him fall to the ground.