CountDown to Death

Countdown to death: Ep1

The sound of planes such a wonderful sound I often envied who ever was flying it must be such a wonderful experience to be up in the air fighting one on one against the wind and any other natural forces. It is the 20th year of the emperor reign ever since we lost Iwo Jima to the Americans the bombings on our land has increased exponentially. I believe that the people are no longer being fooled by the false words of victory. Though they support the emperor and are willing to fight to the last man, I sense that the people are waiting for a quick decisive end to the war.

My name is Eiichiro Sawada I’m currently 26 years old and I’m a rocket designer at Waseda university I design Ohka’s a man powered rocket with one seat and no ejection seat it’s a suicide weapon where who ever goes in never comes back. I unfortunately design these men coffins. I’ve lost three brothers in the war My oldest brother Kawashita just recently died on Iwo Jima its been really hard on my mother to know her son has died but with no body to mourn to.

When I was little my brothers and I used to play around the Sakura tree in my parents backyard I used to enjoy watching the Sakura bloom, which would usually be around this time. Now that it is just me and now that the government has told the people to envision each falling, Sakura as the souls of soldiers lost in the war. I have grown a new hatred for the upcoming month of April.

I turn the on to the street where my parent house is located. The Sakura tree used to tower over the house but it has gotten smaller in recent years. Lost in my mind I unexpectedly bump in to someone or something. I look up and see it is the local military police the Kempetai.

“Hey Sakaki it seems you step in shit or shit has just bumped in to you” said one of the officers snickering

“Forgive me officer I didn’t see where I was going”

“Soujo your right I did step in shit how do you suppose we clean this up?”

They ignored my apology the next thing I knew a fist connected with my stomach I slumped over trying to control the pain. I thought that was the worst of it and that they would just go away but they began to kick me and beat me while I was on the ground.

“You shitty bastard how could you bump in to an imperial officer and give a half ass apology!”

They kept cursing at me but I all I could hear was mumbling I was scared I think I was about to black out.

“Hey you two stop!”

“I clearly heard that”

The officers stop beating me and quickly stood up straight and saluted the officer.

“What’s going on here?” said the officer he was clearly high ranked but maybe he wasn’t I couldn’t see well through the bruises. One thing I know that he was taller then most men he had steely black eyes and short hair the custom of the Kempetai however, it looked like this man had truly seen war.

“This man bumped him to us and didn’t apologized”

“That’s a lie,” I thought

The man looked at me his gaze was scary it was as if he was looking in to the very depths of my soul.

“Both of you went to a Kempetai academy right?”

They both nodded yes.

“And tell me did they once ever teach you how to beat a civilian in to an inch of his life!”

They both stood quiet and after along time they both answered no.

“If no then quit beating him you two are the shame of the Kempetai I’m reporting you both to your superior officers”

In my mind I was like score hehehe you were caught.

He then offered his hand and help me to my feet in nowadays you didn’t find kind people in the Kempetai.

“Thank you,” I said

He replied with a kind smile” I should treat those wounds on your face please come with me I have some medicine in the back of my jeep”

“Well if it’s not to much trouble”

“Not at all and if you two officers are trying to sneak away I’m going to kick your ass”

Both the officers sighed in defeat.

The superior officer led me to his jeep where he can began to treat my wounds.

“Ouch! That hurts”

“Boy how old are you?”

“26”

“Well then quit acting like a baby we can’t have that in times of war”

“Well I don’t plan on fighting”

“Oh you don’t? What do you do?”

“I’m a rocket designer at Waseda University”

“Waseda that’s a very good university, what's your specialty?”

I looked down at the ground I could tell he was surprised by my sudden sadness. I whispered ever so carefully “Ohka”

I did not get the reaction from him that I had been expecting maybe because this officer has been so used to death being around him it no longer bothers him. However, the conversation ended there and not a word was spoken after that.

Countdown to death: Ep 2

It was silent for a long time, it was maddening. I looked at the officer as he was cleaning up my wounds and saw the sadness in his eyes I cursed at myself mentally.

“ Damn it maybe I shouldn’t have told him I built Ohka’s.”

“Hey boy what’s wrong? You got quite all of a sudden?” he said with stern eyes.

“What! But it was you that became quite” I said mentally shouting.

He chuckled; maybe he knew what I was thinking.

“Don’t worry Boy, your doing a great service to our country by building those machines” the last line had a mixture of anger and hurt in his voice.

“Look I’m sorry maybe I shouldn’t have told you I….”

“No it’s quite alright, in times of war sacrifices are needed for the glory of the empire right?”

Once again, I looked down not thinking quite what to say.

“It’s just” he began “I lost my best friend on one of those machines”

I mouthed the word “oh”

“I guess what you said made me think about him that’s all”

“My condolences”

He smiled and thanked me; I gave him a cheerful smile back.

“Well I guess, I’m all done here,” he said getting ready to leave.

“Thanks… umm but did you really have to tie them up?”

He looked at the jeep where the two Kempetai officers were tied up, beat up, and gagged.

He laughed, as he looked at the two men’s angry faces “Well they needed to be taught a lesson I surely report them to their superior officers and maybe make up some stuff while I’m at it”

The two men faces turned to panic, which made the Kempetai officer laugh harder. One of them managed to get the hand cloth that had his mouth occupied, off himself and he began to speak.

“Mark my word you’ll pay for this I will defiantly make sure that you get stripped of all your ranks to do here me!”

“You can’t do that, I outrank you and who said you could speak? Anyway today is my last day as Kempetai officer so you are screwed Aniki (gang bro)”

“Damn you!”

“Hey today is your last day?”

“Yeah I’m getting discharged and being transferred in to the navy, they need more men at the front”

“Discharged my ass! I bet they kicked you out!” said the tied up Kempetai officer. “You dog! You have no shred of fucking honor”

“A Dog honors a master who gives him food by protecting him. Such as the people who honor the brave men who protect them. You attacked an innocent man for no reason don’t you dare talk to me about honor when you don’t even know what it means!”

The Kempetai stared daggers at the other, striking fear in to him.

“But I guess you will learn about honor, won’t ya?”

He said in a very low sadistic voice. In an instant, the Kempetai gave the other a hard kick to the face shattering some of his teeth. The tied up Kempetai eyes rolled back and became white, as he was knocked unconscious the other Kempetai face was priceless he look as if he was going to wet himself, he felt that he was the next one to be kicked in the mouth.

“Don’t worry Aniki, I wont kick you if you don’t take that cloth out of your mouth okay?” he said with an eerily smile.

Eiichiro thought that this man was insane he was lost for words.

“Well Aniki I don’t want to hold you up any longer I’ll be on my way” said the Kempetai getting in to his jeep.

“Wait! I didn’t get your name!”

“Oh sorry where are my manners, my name Japanese name is Ishikawa Ryu”

“Your Japanese name?”

“Well my real name is Xu song when my family moved here from china we had to change our names”

“Hmm I see well thanks anyway”

“No problem hopefully we’ll see each other one day, maybe at the front”

“Yeah well don’t count on it,” I said scratching the back of my head sheepishly, it is a bit of a habit.

“I don’t know the government is getting desperate”

“Well hopefully the war ends before I get sent out” I said smiling.

Xu Song smiled back and closed the door on his jeep, as he began to drive away; I began to wonder is he really going to present those officers in that condition?
________________________________________________________________

Once the jeep was out of sight, I started home as I entered my neighborhood it was very quite. There was a Japanese Imperial flag on every doorstep; it was practically law that every imperial flag should be hung in honor of the men fighting abroad. It was unpatriotic not to do so; I reached my house and looked across the street. There was a person staring straight at the moon. It was a girl; but not just any girl she was my first love Himiko.

I had known her since I was little our mothers always used to joke around on how we would one day get married. Everything changed when she turned eighteen; her parents married her off to some person of samurai lineage. I felt crushed and since then I have become sort of a gigolo. I would be with women but never truly love them, my actions have deeply shamed my family my mother had been trying to marry me off to someone but with the recent deaths of my brothers I guess she does not care anymore. I mean why would she? My dead brothers have all left children behind at least she has grandchildren to carry on the family. I cannot help but feel bad for Himiko though, her husband was on Iwo Jima he fought and perished on that volcanic island.

She looked at the moon for a longtime maybe she was looking for answers, or maybe she was just spacing out I could not tell. She then turned and looked at me I was surprised but remained composed. Is this the day? Will we finally speak to each other? She looked at me with sad eyes and quickly retreated inside.

“I guess not,” I mentally thought.

“I’m home,” I said as I walked inside. My mother walked up to me ready to greet me, she stopped her mouth wide open, she was staring at the bandages on my face.
“Don’t worry mom I just fell”

I lied.

“Well you should be more careful Eiichiro why were you late?”

“Well I had lot to work today at the university today the government is pushing for more war machines and we need to work hard with the little metal we have left”

The truth is I would have been home earlier had it not been for the Kempetai.

“But didn’t the government order everyone to give up what ever metal they had left?”

“Yes but it’s still not enough; I think we can expect the government to come again soon and ask for more metal”

“Well in any case your dinner is on the table”

I thanked her, before walking in to the dining room I looked at my father he just looked at me with angry eyes. He got up and walked towards the bedroom and slide the door open and slide it closed with a slam; another person I have trouble communicating with.

After dinner, which was not really a dinner to begin with, since all families were required to give their rations to the army all we had was bread and a bit of rice left. I washed up and went to my room. It’s a room filled with fond memories of my three older brothers they used to sleep in this room and now it’s just me.

I laid on my futon and began to close my eyes it had been a tiring day and I was looking forward to getting some rest.

________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile deep with in the war council, plans for the defense of Okinawa was in motion.

The General leading the defense of Okinawa, General Mitsuru Ushijima and his Lieutenant General Isamu Cho stared down the other officers currently in the room. Ushijima had just explained how the defense of the island would be conducted but his plan was received with skeptics especially from his own Lieutenant general.

“I feel that plan won’t work,” said Major Hiromichi Yahara

“Of course it won’t work its preposterous,” added Isamu Cho with an attitude.

The other officers continued their murmurings until Ushijima cleared his throat gathering their attention.

“Listen carefully; it is impossible to defend the whole island. The best thing is setting up fortifications around Shuri castle this provides us with ample cover. As you know, there is no hope of wining this war however; we must make it as costly to the Americans as we can. If Okinawa is taken nothing will stop the enemy from invading our homeland.”

Ushijima then took out a dart and threw at the map; it landed right in the heart of Okinawa.

“We must defend this island to the very last drop of blood the enemy must be stopped here!