Beside a Burning Sea

DAY SIX
The earth is burning,
Blackened by machines and men.
Raindrops are lost tears.
Fire in the Sky


In the half-light of dawn, the drone of planes came first, a hum that rose in pitch and volume as engines neared. The pulse of numerous machine guns followed, the sound of airborne warfare strangely rhythmic. Thin orange lines raced across the blue-black air. The sky was suddenly illuminated by explosions of every shape and size. Flying shadows shuddered and burst. The screams of dying planes rose to earsplitting levels as the fragile machines tumbled from the sky. These lopsided fireballs cartwheeled into the sea and vanished.
On the beach, the nine survivors from Benevolence stumbled from their makeshift beds. Isabelle and Annie rushed to Joshua, Jake held Ratu against his chest, and Roger immediately climbed their banyan tree to get a better view. Following Joshua’s orders, Nathan did his best to put out their campfire. And Akira and Scarlet hurried toward the water with their eyes fixated on the heavens.
The air battle continued. Joshua, Roger, and Akira understood it best—each able to discern an almost full squadron of bombers with a half-dozen fighter escorts. Another group of fighter planes was attacking the slower bombers. To Annie, guessing which force was American seemed impossible in the faint light. Joshua suspected that the attacking fighters were his comrades, but wasn’t sure. Several of the bombers were destroyed in vast eruptions of fire, while two others slowly arched from the sky to disintegrate into the ocean. Many of the attacking fighters were so bent on annihilating the bombers that they themselves became ripe targets. Explosions illuminated the underbellies of clouds as if some sort of bizarre lightning storm assaulted the sky.
The battle—as ferocious as it was—lasted only a few minutes. As soon as the attacking fighters wheeled away, Joshua started hurriedly giving orders. He was certain he saw at least one parachute descend to the sea. “A survivor will likely be armed,” he said, wondering how to best protect his wife and unborn child, far more worried about them than himself. “Nathan, conceal the camp and pull everyone back into the jungle. And please do it fast.”
Roger, who’d dropped from the tree as soon as Joshua spoke, stepped to the lifeboat and quickly produced a coil of rope. “I’ll tie up the monkey,” he said, gesturing toward Akira, eager to humiliate him. “I’ll gag him too.”
Joshua nodded. “Better safe than sorry.”
“I’ll—”
“But, Roger, don’t hurt him. You hear me?”
“He’s a Nip. Not a—”
“I asked if you heard me. Did you, Lieutenant? Or do I have to repeat myself?”
Hating the fact that Joshua saw fit to order him around, Roger tried to suppress his sudden rage. “I heard plenty,” he finally replied, his hands squeezing the rope, a relentless headache adding to his anger. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll tie up the yellow bastard.”
Annie witnessed their exchange and hurried to stand before Akira. “You can’t be serious!”
“Annie,” Joshua replied, “he’s with the enemy and we—”
“What’s wrong with you? He saved my life and he’s my patient! And I won’t have him tied up and gagged!” Furious, Annie stuck her hands out, holding Roger at bay.
“It’s for our protection!” Joshua said, concerned that they were losing valuable time, and in no mood for such a debate. “He’ll stay tied and gagged until this is over.”
“He’s no threat!” Annie replied.
“I’ll be the judge of that! It’s my responsibility!”
“He’s my patient and my responsibility!”
“We don’t have time for this,” Joshua said, thrusting his forefinger in her direction. “Not one bit.”
“Then leave him be!”
“Annie, you’re putting us all in danger. And you have no right to do that. Do you understand? Now let’s get it over with.”
“No. We don’t—”
“We’re going to do this. Right now!”
Roger stepped forward, roughly pushing her aside. “Get out of my way, you stupid little skirt.”
Without thought, Annie slapped him. She didn’t mean for her blow to be hard, but in the dim light Roger failed to see it coming, and it landed with some force upon his cheek. Cursing, he dropped the rope and reached for her.
“Enough!” Akira shouted, moving protectively in front of Annie. “Tie me up! Tie me up now!”
Roger threw Akira aside. “Shut your mouth, Jap! I’ll break your—”
“You’ll stand down!” Joshua shouted, grabbing Roger by the shoulders and yanking him backward. “You’ll stand down and you’ll do it now!”
Roger spun to face Joshua. He balled a fist, but suddenly Jake and Nathan stood beside their captain. His rage nearly overwhelming, Roger resisted the powerful urge to launch himself into the other seamen. He remained still, abruptly craving a cigarette to ease his throbbing head. Cursing again, he picked up the rope and thrust it into Joshua’s hands. “You tie up your Nip.”
“I will,” Joshua replied. “And you will assist in concealing the camp. Do it well. Then I want you and Jake to meet me in the jungle fifty feet south of the banyan tree. Nathan, take everyone else back into the jungle. Wait there until I send for you.” Joshua muttered something, glanced at the sea, and then started to tie up Akira.
Annie put her hand on Joshua’s elbow. “We don’t—”
“Stop it, Annie,” Isabelle interrupted, stepping forward. “For the love of God, stop it right now and come with me. He’ll be fine.”
“We’ve never gagged or tied up a patient!” Annie said, ignoring Isabelle’s outstretched hand. “It goes against everything we stand for!”
Isabelle grabbed Annie’s elbow. “We’ve never been stuck on an island before either, have we? There could be Japanese coming ashore! And he could shout to them! Now, stop being so obstinate and come with me!”
Annie shook off her sister’s grip and hurried into the jungle. After a few paces, she tripped on an unseen root and went sprawling to the dirt. Not bothering to rise, she hugged her knees to her chest and began to cry. She’d grown accustomed to not thinking of war upon the island, but war had once again found her, ripping her apart as it always did.

JOSHUA, JAKE, AND ROGER lay at the edge of the jungle, peering out over the harbor. The sun had started to rise, and the sand and sea glowed faintly. Joshua held the machete, while Roger and Jake each wielded a spear. “I saw a parachute,” Joshua whispered, still furious about the confrontation but doing his best to face the situation at hand. “It would have fallen not far from here.”
“Did it drop from that sputtering bomber, Captain?” Jake asked.
“Yes.”
“Then I spied it too.”
Joshua turned to Roger. “And you? What did you see?”
Roger had a sudden urge to thrust his spear into the captain’s mouth, to listen to him scream. “The same as you,” he heard himself reply, even as he continued to fantasize about what he could do with his fire-hardened spear.
“Jake,” Joshua said, trying to slow his breath, “your eyes are younger and better than mine. What do you see?”
“My eyes, Captain, feel older than the hills and twice as dusty, but I do see something.”
“What? What, Jake?”
“A man, I reckon.” The engineer pointed far out into the harbor. “Do you spy him, Captain? I think he’s . . . it sure looks like he’s swimming.”
“Yes, I see something.” Joshua briefly closed his eyes to think. “But we’re not going to do anything until we determine if he’s American or Japanese. If he’s a Jap, we’re going to wait until the right moment to jump him. Let’s not kill him, if we can help it. He might have some useful information.” Joshua watched the man slowly draw nearer. “When I point my finger at him, we’ll jump him. But for now, follow me.”
Estimating where the man would come ashore, Joshua moved quietly through the underbrush. He periodically peered from the jungle to watch the man, who floated on his back and kicked awkwardly toward the beach. Content with their position, Joshua held up his fist, and the three Americans stopped. They then lay down, each positioning himself beneath the undergrowth so that he had a clear view of the harbor.
As the stranger approached, Joshua’s heart began to race. When the airman neared the beach, he rolled to his stomach and slowly waded ashore. He must have been injured, for his movements were unsteady.
“He sure ain’t from Arkansas,” Jake whispered.
Disappointed that the airman was Japanese, Joshua quietly replied, “Remember, when I point, we go. If he draws a gun, kill him. But otherwise, let’s take him alive. No words from here on out.”
The airman crawled from the sea to the sand. He removed his life jacket, revealing a blue coat. He also wore some kind of hood and flight goggles. A holster hugged his waist. The man stood up slowly, took a few halting steps, and then collapsed. Immediately, Joshua thrust his finger forward, and the three Americans silently sprang from the jungle. They ran beside one another, and by the time the airman heard the shift of sand, they were upon him. Roger and Jake each dove on one of his arms, and as he struggled, Joshua groped for the airman’s holster, which happened to be empty. When their captive continued to fight, Roger hit him hard in the back of the neck. The man went limp.
Joshua used the airman’s own belt to tie his hands. He then searched him for other weapons. A dagger was strapped to his calf. Joshua pocketed the blade and continued to look for anything of interest. Other than a compass, a pair of binoculars, a medal of some sort, and a pouch of once-dried squid, the airman carried nothing of value. “Jake, you stay here in case another Jap comes ashore,” Joshua said as he stood. “If you see someone else come in, for Pete’s sake hurry and get one of us. I don’t want you facing anyone alone.”
“Sure thing, Captain.”
“Wait about an hour and then join us back at camp. An hour ought to be enough.” Joshua handed Jake the machete and the airman’s binoculars. He then watched the engineer vanish into the nearby jungle. Before Joshua could offer to help, Roger slung the unconscious flier over his shoulder, and without a word, headed toward the distant banyan tree. Joshua picked up the two spears and followed.
Not long after the airman began to moan, Roger dropped him behind the banyan tree, so that the tree shielded him from the beach. They hadn’t cleared this space, and Joshua pulled ferns from the ground and pushed rocks aside to give them more room. He whistled loudly, and soon Nathan and the others emerged from deeper in the jungle. Upon seeing the unconscious man, the three nurses stepped forward to inspect him. Roger started to block their way, but Joshua told him to leave them be.
Isabelle found his head wound first—a quarter-sized contusion just above his hairline. “Did you do this?” she asked.
“No,” Joshua replied. “He was dazed when he came ashore.”
“We’ll have to keep a close eye on it,” she said, looking for other wounds, pausing only when the injured man groaned.
Joshua was about to ask Annie to remove Akira’s gag when he noticed that it was nowhere to be seen. Stifling his frustration toward Nathan for not ensuring that his orders were carried out, he lifted the airman so that his back was against the massive boulder that supported the banyan tree. The man muttered, and Joshua looked to Akira. “What did he say?”
Akira frowned, shaking his head. “Untie my hands first, yes? Then I will tell you what he says.”
Joshua swore to himself, aware that he needed to lead for the sake of his family, and feeling that his authority was being usurped on multiple fronts. He moved behind Akira and quickly untied him. “Now, what did he say?”
Akira rubbed his wrists. “A woman’s name. All he said was a woman’s name.”
Away from the gentle breeze of the beach, the air was hot and teemed with bugs. Joshua slapped at a mosquito. He didn’t want to be unnecessarily hard on Annie, or even Akira, but he knew that he had to be careful. Two Japanese were now among them, and others could be swimming ashore.
The airman opened his eyes. He blinked repeatedly, swinging his gaze from person to person. Finally, he looked at Akira and spoke in Japanese. Akira answered him, and the two briefly conversed.
“What are you talking about?” Joshua asked.
Akira noted how Roger was perched near the airman, a spear in hand. The American looked as if he hoped the prisoner would try to escape. “He asked me why you removed my bonds,” Akira replied.
“Can you tell him,” Joshua asked, “that we haven’t harmed you? That we’ll treat him well if he answers a few simple questions?”
Akira moved toward the prisoner, kneeling on the ground before him. Switching to Japanese, he said, “These people are from an American hospital ship. They are not bad people. But they’d like to ask you several questions.”
The man grimaced, shifting against his bonds. “Tell them . . . tell them that my urine’s sweet and that they may wet their tongues with it.”
“You’re unwise to—”
“Tell them that yesterday I put a bomb through the deck of an American destroyer. It was a beautiful sight—more stirring than Mount Fuji. The cowards jumped off that burning ship faster than the sea would take them.”
Akira straightened. “And yet you are here. Their prisoner.”
“But my bonds are loose. Give me a moment and I’ll be ready. You surprise the leader and I’ll handle the one with the spear. We must act now, before the big black one returns.”
“No,” Akira said quickly. “There’s no need for anyone to die.”
The airman seemed surprised. “No need? Why not? Are you afraid?”
“Not of death.”
“Then help me. It’s pathetic to be a prisoner. Unforgivable. I’d rather die than live with the shame.” The airman’s tone was growing sharper and more menacing. “Do you hear me?” he asked harshly. “I’d rather die a thousand deaths than sit here in shame! Where is your honor?”
“My honor is—”
“You shame the emperor!”
“I have been fighting the—”
“We must move now!”
“Wait!”
“The spear! I’ll take the spear! And you do the rest!”
In spite of himself, Akira glanced at the spear. And at that moment, he saw Roger’s fingers tighten about it, almost as if he understood what might happen. “The American’s ready for your move!” Akira said to the prisoner. “Please! There’s no need to die!”
“We must all die someday,” the airman retorted angrily. “And today is as good as any and better than most.”
“Wait!”
“Attack now!” the prisoner said, leaning toward Roger.
“His bonds are loose!” Akira suddenly shouted in English, stepping back.
The airman tried to strike Roger but only managed to free his hands before Roger, Joshua, and Nathan jumped on him. He struggled mightily, screaming at Akira to help. But Akira only stepped away, positioning himself between those involved in the melee and Annie.
Soon the prisoner was completely immobilized by ropes and belts. His hands and feet were bound tightly together and he was tied to a nearby tree. At some point during the fight, he’d managed to bloody Joshua’s lip and leave four scratches down the side of Roger’s face. As Joshua wiped his lip and spat blood, Roger walked over and viciously kicked the prone airman in the stomach.
“Enough!” Joshua shouted.
“I’m not done—”
“By God, that’s enough!”
Roger cursed and strode away from the unconscious man, vanishing into the jungle. Isabelle hurried to Joshua, looking at his lip. “We need to wash this out,” she said, eyeing the deep gash. We’d better cool it off or it’s going to swell up like a balloon.”
Annie nodded toward the beach. “Go. Wash it in the sea.”
Joshua started to protest but suddenly felt inordinately weary and was almost relieved when Isabelle took him by the hand and led him toward the water. With Roger and Joshua gone, the area behind the banyan tree was silent. Scarlet took the prisoner’s pulse and nodded to Annie, then handed Nathan a spear and told him to watch over the fallen man.
Annie moved forward to touch Akira’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about the gag, sorry that—”
Akira’s gaze abruptly left her, and Annie saw that Roger had returned. The four scratches on his face were red and inflamed, and without question he was enraged. “I’m going to bind you now, monkey. Bind you like the animal you are. And if you so much as twitch, I’ll spear you straight through. You got that?”
“There’s no need to insult—”
“Shut your mouth, fat man,” Roger said, interrupting Nathan. “I’ll deal with the Nip. I’ll nail his yellow hide to a tree.”
“Get out of here!” Annie shouted as Roger stepped toward her patient. She tried to get in front of Akira, but he wouldn’t let her.
Though Akira had recently grown used to the sound of waves and the rhythm of words, and though he felt reincarnated in such a world, he’d survived five years of ferocious fighting and was unafraid of Roger. As Nathan tried to convince Roger to leave, Akira watched the tip of Roger’s spear while simultaneously keeping his peripheral vision on his adversary’s face. “If you had a gun, you would shoot me, yes?” Akira asked. “But the airman had no gun, and so you will have to use your spear. So do your best with it, coward.”
Roger dropped the spear and lunged at Akira. The big man’s speed surprised Akira, and he was barely able to deflect an open-fisted thrust meant to shatter his nose. Even as Roger’s attack was being blocked, he swept his foot toward Akira’s injured leg. Akira sensed rather than saw the kick coming and managed to twist his body so that Roger’s foot struck his knee. The blow caused him to stumble, and Roger pressed forward with his attack, chopping at him with a series of powerful and precise strikes. Akira blocked the blows with his forearms, looking for an opening through which to counterattack. Though Annie and Scarlet screamed for help, and Nathan tried to intervene, Akira was aware only of Roger.
Suddenly, Jake and Joshua burst through the underbrush. Jake tackled Roger while Joshua grabbed Akira. When Akira made no effort to resist, Joshua helped subdue Roger. “It’s over!” he yelled, wrapping himself around Roger’s legs so that Jake was no longer in danger of being kicked. “Do you hear me? It’s over!”
As deadly as he was, Roger couldn’t possibly throw two strong men from him, and ceased his efforts to do so. His chest heaving, he tried to slow his breath, tried to suppress his fury. “The Jap tried to kill me!”
“That’s a lie!” Annie retorted, furious that Roger had attempted to kick Akira’s wound.
Jake relaxed against Roger, and Joshua said, “Don’t move, Jake. Not yet.”
“Sure, Captain.”
Joshua started to swear and then stopped himself, slapping his open palm against his thigh. “What’s wrong with you?” he yelled, glaring at Roger and then Akira. “Don’t you think we have enough problems without you two at each other’s throats? You obviously don’t, so I’ll spell it out for you. The next person who breaks the peace on this island will be put in the lifeboat and set adrift! I’ll give him food and water, but so help me God, I’ll set him adrift with no oars and he’ll have to make do at sea!” Joshua paused to spit out some blood. “Is that understood?” When no one answered, he shouted, “I asked if that was understood!”
Only after a series of affirmative responses did Joshua allow Roger to be released. “We’re done here,” he said, his voice hoarse. “No one else is coming, so there’s no reason to stay off the beach. Jake, kindly bring the airman into our camp. Scarlet, please see to it that he has food and medical care. And, Akira, join me by the water.”
The group quickly dispersed. Limping, Akira followed Joshua to the sea. He watched the captain lean down and rinse his mouth out with salt water. Covered in sweat and grime, Akira knelt and began to splash himself. The water, though warm, felt refreshing in the rising heat. Not a single cloud floated above. The day was still—bereft of wind or pulse. Even the sea was little more than an endless blue mirror.
“If you give him a reason to kill you, he will kill you,” Joshua said. “Isn’t that obvious?”
“I have given him no reason,” Akira replied. “But he looks for one, yes?”
Joshua nodded, rinsing out his mouth once again, wincing as salt water cleansed his cut. He took a deep breath, rising to his full height and studying the distant sea. He was still angry and made no reply, letting his emotions slowly settle. Eyeing Benevolence’s grave, he suddenly missed his rosary, missed how his fingers caressed its beads as he whispered Hail Marys.
Finally, he turned to Akira. “I have no ill feelings toward you. None whatsoever. You saved Annie and Isabelle, and I don’t consider you an enemy.”
“I am not your enemy, Captain.”
“You are and you aren’t.” When it was clear that Akira didn’t understand him, Joshua continued, “My country is at war with yours, and you’re my prisoner. But I don’t want to bind you, don’t want to treat you poorly.” He glanced toward the banyan tree, ensuring that his orders were being carried out. “Isabelle tells me that you were a teacher,” he said, wishing that he was alone with her.
“Yes. In another life.”
Joshua turned to face Akira. “Do I have your word, your word upon all that’s sacred to you, that you’ll do nothing to harm or endanger any of my people?”
“So sorry, but what of that man? He will cause trouble for me.”
“That man I will handle. I’ve handled his kind before.”
“Thank you.”
“Now do I have your word? My wife is here. And her sister. Do I have your word that you’ll never endanger them?”
“I want them to live, Captain. They have been good to me, and I want them to live. That is why I warned you about the airman.”
“Then you’ll remain untied, and you’ll have free reign of camp. But don’t go out of sight.”
Akira bowed slightly. “May I say something?”
“Please speak freely.”
“Our countries war. And as you say, we cannot change this unfortunate truth. But we do not have to war. There can be a peace between us, yes?”
“I’d like that. I see no reason why there can’t.”
Akira studied Joshua’s face, which was long and narrow. The sun had left his skin the color of sand, and wrinkles gathered near the corners of his mouth and eyes. His curly, dark hair was receding. His blue eyes could be hard, Akira knew, but they could also emanate friendliness. He found it unsettling that two weeks ago he’d have killed the American had they met upon the battlefield.
Realizing that Joshua was staring at the spot where Benevolence disappeared, Akira said softly, “I also know of guilt.”
“You . . . you do?”
“I know how one moment you believe that you are free of it, and how the next moment you are reminded of your failings, and how those failings can almost . . . suffocate you. This cycle goes on and on. Like the rise and fall of the tide. And then one day you discover that you will never be free of the guilt.”
“It becomes a part of you, doesn’t it?” Joshua asked, thinking of his dead crew.
“Yes, so sorry.”
“How big a part?”
Akira gazed at the sea. “I used to think it was most of me. But recently, other parts of me have grown.”
Joshua thought of his unborn child. Would his child mark a new beginning? “I hope the war ends soon,” he finally said.
“It will. And you will win. After Midway, the emperor can only dream of victory.”
“Were you there?”
Akira nodded slowly. “They told us that Americans were soft. That you were spoiled by fast cars and easy lives and that you would flee at the first sight of blood.” He shook his head, pursing his lips. “But . . . wave after wave of your torpedo pilots came at our carriers. Came toward their certain deaths. They fell from the sky like snow and yet they still came.”
Joshua thought about the dead of that battle, of how the unimaginable heroics of the doomed pilots might have turned the war. “And they finally got through,” he replied, saying a silent prayer for the airmen.
Akira turned from the sea to look at Joshua. “I also want this war to end. Too long has it raged already.”
Joshua watched a gull glide about the beach. “Isabelle told me about that night. The night you saved them. And more than you’ll ever know, I’m grateful for what you did.”
“It was my honor.”
“You . . . you saved my family. Which means that you also saved me. And because of that I’m going to trust you.”
Akira turned back to the sea. “What, may I ask, will you do with the prisoner?”
“I don’t know,” Joshua said, sighing. “Nothing, I suppose. Just keep him tied up and hope that he doesn’t cause any more trouble.”
“He will not tell you anything.”
“I agree. I’m through asking him questions.”
Straightening his wrinkled shirt, Akira said, “I wonder what the emperor would think of this.”
“Of what?”
“An officer of the Imperial Army talking with an American naval captain.” Akira smiled, adding, “He would fall from his throne.”
“Maybe we should send him a picture.”
“Ah, I would like that. A picture, yes?” Akira grinned. “Thank you for that thought.”
Joshua turned from Benevolence. “It was my pleasure,” he replied, his swollen lip forming a smile. “I like the thought as well.”

WAIST DEEP IN THEIR swimming hole, Annie scrubbed her arms with sand. During the past few minutes she’d also tried seaweed and the husk from a coconut. She’d ultimately decided that sand worked best, that it actually removed the island’s grime from her skin. A few feet away, Isabelle had come to the same conclusion. The sisters scrubbed in silence, each angry about the morning’s events.
Not surprisingly, Annie was the first to speak. “It was wrong to gag him, Isabelle. You know that as well as I do.”
Isabelle dropped the sand from her hands. “What was wrong was for you to openly debate Joshua.”
“Debate him? Is he a king and I’m his subject? I was only trying to protect our patient. I was—”
“Do you have to be so na?ve? Is it really necessary, Annie? We’re at war, remember? We’re not on vacation in a tropical paradise, but at war. And in war unpleasant things happen.”
Annie stepped toward her sister. “He saved us! He carried me on his back and almost died in the process!”
Isabelle picked up a handful of sand and began to scrub her legs. “I know that. For goodness’ sake, don’t you think I know that? I’m grateful for what he did, but it still doesn’t change the fact that we’re at war. Joshua was just playing it safe.”
“If Akira had played it safe we’d both be dead!”
“Annie, that’s not—”
“He’d be free on this island and we’d still be in Benevolence.”
“Fine. I’ll grant you that. But would you rather that Joshua not play it safe? That he jeopardize lives just so a man’s feelings don’t get hurt?”
“Of course not!”
“He loves me. He loves you. He loves his unborn child. So he’s going to do his best to protect us. Just like you’re protecting Akira—a man, I should remind you, who you hardly know. Think about what you’d do if you were about to become a mother. Who would you protect then? What lengths would you go to so that no harm came to your child?”
Annie started to speak, then stopped. “I’m not . . . I’m not angry at Joshua for protecting us. I just . . . I’m just not pleased with how it happened. Akira didn’t deserve that.”
“He’s a soldier, Annie. He understands.”
Sighing, Annie sank deeper into the water. Though irritated that Isabelle couldn’t see her point, Annie was mostly unnerved by the fight between Roger and Akira. “If Josh and Jake hadn’t returned, Roger would have killed him,” she said, glancing back toward camp. “That man’s a monster.”
Isabelle nodded, starting to scrub herself again. “Akira moved just as fast. But I agree; something’s not right with Roger.”
“He’s crazy and evil; that’s what’s not right.”
“But we’ve seen that before. We know how war turns good men into great men and bad men into villains. How many times have we spoken about that?”
“I don’t trust him,” Annie replied uneasily. “I’ve caught him watching me. And . . . and I didn’t like what I saw.”
Reaching for more sand, Isabelle resolved to keep a closer eye on Roger. She hated the thought of him watching Annie. “I’ll talk to Joshua about him. I’ll get him sent off to look for caves, and we can wash our hands of him. But just to be safe, stay close to someone, because I don’t trust him either.”
“I will.”
“You hear me, Annie? Stay close to someone and you’ll have nothing to fear.”
Annie spotted a strand of seaweed in her sister’s hair and leaned forward to remove it. The strand was tangled in Isabelle’s locks, and as Annie pulled it out, she was reminded of untying her sister’s braids in the bath. “I don’t know . . . I don’t know why I’m so protective of Akira,” she said softly.
“You’re a nurse, Annie. He’s your patient. And he did save you.”
“I know. But . . . he’s more than a patient to me.”
“What exactly is he?”
“I don’t know exactly. But he’s teaching me about poetry, and I . . . and I like spending time with him.”
Isabelle flinched as a fish bumped into her calf. “Why?”
“Because he doesn’t judge me. And I . . . seem to please him.”
“And he pleases you?”
“He does.”
“And you don’t feel guilty about Ted?”
“Why would I? I haven’t done anything wrong. Can’t I be friends with my patient?”
Isabelle shrugged. Though she didn’t agree, she wasn’t interested in further debating the point. “Well, I’m happy that he’s put a smile on your face, that he’s teaching you poetry. I’m sure it helps to pass the time.”
“It’s wonderful. It’s . . . taught me to think in different ways. Kind of like painting did.”
“He certainly seems to enjoy teaching you.”
Annie plucked the last of the seaweed from Isabelle’s hair. “As you know better than anyone, I’m unsure of almost everything. But his presence . . . it makes me less unsure.”
“How?”
“Is that how you feel with Joshua? More sure of yourself? Of course, I know that’s never been one of your bigger problems.”
Isabelle swished seawater through her teeth. “You’re right. I’ve always been confident. At least, ever since you got sick. So that’s not why I’m with Josh. I don’t need his . . . validation. But still, his company makes me happy. Sometimes I stop worrying about all that I have to do and instead, believe it or not, simply enjoy the moment. That’s why I’m with him, I think. Because it’s possible for me to relax in his presence. Because he lets me know that I’m not alone.”
“But you’ve never been alone.”
“Never? No, that’s not true. There are degrees to everything.”
“What do you mean?”
Isabelle smiled faintly, accustomed to Annie’s questions, which at times seemed endless. “The love of a good man makes you feel less alone, Annie. Ted doesn’t . . . he doesn’t make you feel that way?”
Annie picked up a shell, bringing it into a light it had never seen. “He has a good heart. He makes me laugh. But at the end of the day, Ted is mostly concerned about Ted. And he has little faith in me.”
Isabelle nodded, knowing that one of the reasons Annie became a nurse was to prove her fiancé wrong. “No one else sees that in him.”
“I know. To everyone else, he’s the sports hero, the homecoming king, the future governor. And I’m just the lucky girl who will someday bear his children.”
“Maybe the war will change him for the better. Maybe he’ll see things differently.”
“I’d like that, Izzy. I really would. But I think . . . I think people are less capable of change than we want to believe.”
Isabelle sighed, taking Annie’s hand. “We should go. We’ve been gone too long as it is.”
Annie followed Isabelle out of the water, glad that their argument was over. She hadn’t gone far when she wondered why her sister’s footsteps were so easy to follow and her fiancé’s sometimes so difficult. Where did Isabelle lead her that Ted didn’t?

DEEP WITHIN THE JUNGLE, Roger seethed. To release his fury, he threw rocks at geckos on a tree branch until he struck one and it fell to the ground. Grabbing the stunned creature, he crunched its skull between his thumbs and then leaned back against a boulder. Furious that he’d tightened his grip on the spear when the prisoner had spoken of attacking, and that he’d so completely lost his temper during the ensuing confrontation, he pressed his sweaty palms against his eyes, craving a cigarette. “Goddamn Japs,” he muttered, picking up the gecko’s body and hurling it into the jungle.
Roger had long known that his temper could undermine his missions, and yet until landing on the island, his rage had never created problems. But here, with the relentless headaches and heat, his rage had become almost unmanageable. His hate of the other survivors further fueled his fury, and sometimes it took all his mental fortitude to not lash out at everyone around him. To not punish those who offended him was entirely contrary to his convictions. He felt helpless, painfully aware that his strength had somehow been stolen, that circumstances had reduced him once again to the young boy who was unable to silence his tormentors.
As if he didn’t have enough pressure on him, Roger now had to worry about whether Akira had seen him tighten his grip on the spear. “Did the monkey notice?” he asked himself, slapping at a mosquito, his voice raw with fury. Roger didn’t think that Annie’s patient had seen him prepare to be attacked. But still, giving any hint whatsoever that he understood Japanese had been a colossal mistake—a mistake almost bound to be repeated, as with the two prisoners together, he’d be forced to endure more such conversations.
Roger debated the merits of killing either or both men. Even though he reviled Akira, he hesitated dispatching him immediately because the others would know that he’d done so. No, it would be better to kill him later, during or after the Japanese landing. He could then kill him in his own way—taking his time and savoring the moment. He could bury him neck deep in the sand and watch the tide rise over his pleading face.
Killing the airman first made more sense. The man was bound and already injured, after all. How hard would it be to suffocate him in the dead of night? And how could anyone suspect treachery when the Jap already had a head wound and could easily have died naturally?
His pulse quickening, Roger continued to plot. He could wait to kill the airman until the moon was hidden by clouds and the wind masked his sounds. Fortunately, the wind was often loud at night, flapping the giant leaves about them.
Or he could do the opposite. He could whisper to the airman of who he was. He could somehow set him free and rendezvous with him later. An ally could certainly be useful in the days ahead. With such an ally, he could easily kill all of Benevolence’s survivors.
Though intrigued by the possibilities of letting the airman go, the four scratches on Roger’s face still burned, and because of those scratches, he decided that the prisoner would perish.
The Nip will die tonight, he promised himself. And though he’ll die without a sound, he’ll see me, and I’ll make it hurt like hellfire, and he’ll know of my revenge. That goddamn monkey will know I won.