Angel of Okinawa; Chapter 19

Angel of Okinawa; Chapter 19

© 2024 by Amber Wright

Meema took the news better than I had thought. Or, rather, she was prepared for the worst after having seen Aunt Phan run straight into the fire of the fight.

My sisters sobbed like I had. Not only had we lost a cousin this past month but a very much loved aunt. We all adored her to the extent of copying her for she had been Meema’s younger sister.

Meema set about directly to ask some soldiers to bring Aunt Phan to the house.

When she had been brought home to us, I sobbed all over. Her eyes were closed this time, but I still couldn’t forget the image of her slowly falling to the ground only a short while ago while blood spots began to grow on her dress. Now, the whole dress front was drenched in blood.

Now, I saw her stiff and cold as marble.

Meema pulled out a large pair of scissors to cut away the bloody dress off, and to clean and dress Aunt Phan for burial.

I turned my head, still in a numbness of seeing her again, and left the room to go on the back porch.

Derek was on his pallet again, cleanly dressed and his leg newly bandaged and his face clean.

I had taken a quick bath and was now dressed in clean clothes myself with a mud free face.

I sat down on the floor beside him with my back braced against the porch wall, silently, and chewed absently on my thumb.

I glanced down at Derek after a minute and found him watching me observantly.

I strained a small smile, and he smiled sweetly back from his pillows that I had given him once we had gotten back. I noticed his face was a little paler and suddenly my eyes locked onto him with concern.

“Derek, you’re fine, aren’t you?” my voice sounded strange in my own ears. Sounds and everything seemed so far away.

“Yeah,” Derek smiled again. “Just tired out. A good night’s sleep will make me just fine. Don’t worry.”

“I’ll be praying for you.” I had to trust God for Derek’s strength.

“You were worth almost dying for, you know.”

“Don't ever do that again! You won't, will you? Promise me you won't?”

“Promise you I will,” Derek's eyes twinkled.

I glanced around the latticed porch and found that dusk was settling in. “I’ll let you go to sleep now. Goodnight.”

Derek grabbed my arm just as I was getting up. I stopped on my knees and looked at him.

“Goodnight,” he smiled and let go of my arm. “Love you, my Angel.”

I gave him a smile and stood up.

I walked into the house, both heartsick of another funeral and heartened by Derek’s words. Does he really love me? Or is he still delirious? I wondered, going straight to my bedroom to sleep.

I was dead tired, but I managed to keep my eyes open to read my black Bible and then I prayed…especially for Derek.

^{· · ·}

I found out later, seven days in fact, that the U. S. soldiers had taken Motobu Peninsula.

The day Aunt Phan died.

The day Derek came in wounded.

The day Aunt Phan’s husband had been killed on his retreat from Shuri Line, the Japs’ frontline until the 19^th of April when they fought hard for less than a day before falling back with heavy losses.

I let out a long, low sigh as I watched the sun rising above the palm treeline of the east. Out there the fight still went on.

I let the curtain fall so I could dress behind the dressing screen.

More dead men. I thought, strangely empty inside. More dead...more wounded...more lost...

But did I really want the dictating Japs to continue their rule over Okinawa, my island?

I didn’t. But what heavy cost to my native born brothers and my blood born brothers! It was sickening…really. I felt a little knot tie in my stomach round and round like a coiled snake, sucking out my spirits slowly.

God, when? I silently asked while dressing behind the wooden screen. When will the fight be over? When will Your love reunite us as brothers again? When, God?

I felt my inner voice ringing through the space of the heavens, traveling like a silent plane through the air.

I prayed.

I begged.

Keep the fight in me!

Keep the right in me!

Keep the love in me!

I have no way out, God. I'm in the middle of a great war—in the midst of a great hate.

God, please, give me love to fight—and let love win no matter what!

I ended my prayer and peeked through the curtains again.

The sun was rising higher, and I could feel it rising up inside me.

I felt it lift my sinking spirits.

The fight in me was winning…showing me the way…to right, to victory, to peace, to love again.

My obstacle was turning into opportunity, to help others…but most of all to help myself. For in this time of great hate and of great war, I knew I still had the love in me.

I still had the peace in me.

They were all mine and nothing could ever take them away. I smiled, letting the curtain fall again. My love, my peace, my fight…still to be mine always.