Two or three minutes passed. Suddenly, something thrust up from beneath me. Before I could realize what was happening, the water around me was turning dark red. My hand instinctively pressed down on my side, and when I noticed blood gushing out, I fell into a panic. Kinser immediately swam over to support me. Meanwhile, McCrory and Henry swam after the attacker, who then hurled a harpoon at them. A black string shot up out of the water, and the spray sparkled in the sunlight. McCrory dodged to the side, but the harpoon caught him in the shoulder. The attacker dove into the water and disappeared. With Kinser at my side, I floated on my back while pressing down on the wound with one hand. McCrory swam back and supported me from the other side. Ignoring the blood flowing from his own shoulder, he encouraged me instead. Following McCrory’s instructions, Henry started swimming to the pier to get help. Even though I was now pressing down with both hands, the blood still oozed between my fingers. Encouraged by my two supporters, I somehow managed to stay calm, but I was terrified that I’d die right there in the ocean. I gritted my teeth, but I couldn’t stop shivering. Though my face and chest burned from the sunlight, I felt as if I were freezing to death.
Later, I heard that the soldiers at the warehouse had sprung into action before Henry even reached them. Noticing something was wrong, they immediately sent out a boat. I remember being lifted aboard, but when they pulled my hands away to apply a cloth, I lost consciousness. When I came to, I was lying in a cot. McCrory, Kinser, and Henry took turns visiting and filling me in on the situation. They told me that the guy who’d attacked us had been captured in a cave in the woods and was now being questioned. Since he was being treated for gunshot wounds sustained during his capture, the interrogation wasn’t making much progress, but apparently he had no ties to the Japanese army and had acted on his own.
—We should’ve shot him on the spot! snarled the usually taciturn Henry.
His unexpected comment pleased me. When I was lifted out of the boat and set on the pier, I had been as pale as a sheet and bleeding profusely. For my operation, Kinser and McCrory, who had the same blood type as me, both volunteered for blood transfusions. I could never thank the three of them enough. We were from completely different parts of the country, so if we hadn’t ended up in the same outfit, we never would’ve known each other. I wanted to fight with them until the end, so I was bitterly disappointed to learn that I’d be the only one left behind.
The gecko cried out in the darkness. I couldn’t see him, and being in a silent sickroom late at night, the cry startled me. How much longer did I have to stay here? When I asked the doctor, he wouldn’t give me a definite answer. But from my condition, I knew I wouldn’t be joining the battle in the south. My progress was unsatisfactory, and the doctor implied that I should be transferred to a proper hospital. That didn’t please me in the least.
Last night, Kinser and Henry paid me a visit.
—We’re being transferred tomorrow, said Kinser with a laugh.
He firmly gripped the hand I held out to him. He explained that our unit would be joining the rest of the army, which was closing in on the Japanese, fleeing to the south. Then he asked:
—So how’s the wound?
I explained that it was a bit infected, but that it didn’t hurt.
—You were unconscious when we got you out of the boat, you know. So we didn’t think you’d make it. With a wound like that, you’ve made an impressive recovery, I’d say.
Unsure whether he was being sincere or sarcastic, I smiled. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through me, and I grimaced.
—You okay? asked Kinser, leaning in close.
—Naw, I’m just acting, I answered, forcing a smile.
Kinser nodded and smiled back.
—Listen, Okinawa’s gonna fall. And the war’s gonna be over soon. Sure, you might be heading home early, but we’ll be joining you in no time.
I couldn’t say anything to that. Perhaps guessing that I was depressed, Kinser bawled out in a loud voice:
—Don’t you worry! We’ll kill every fuckin’ Jap, and fry those damn rats hiding in their ratholes!
Then he pretended like he was spraying the area with a flamethrower.
As they started moving off, Henry, who’d been silent up until then, said:
—See you later.
—Yeah, see you back in the States, I answered, getting choked up.
The two appeared blurry as they left the room. When they were gone, I felt annoyed at myself for not being able to join them—all because of a stupid wound. I glared at the ceiling and cursed myself. When that guy disappeared, why didn’t I notice him coming after me? And why weren’t we more cautious when we first spotted him? I knew it was too late to do anything, but I felt thoroughly disgusted at my carelessness.
Heated up with anger, my wound throbbed with pain. I stared down at my body, which I couldn’t even lift out of bed, and my anger turned to self-loathing. I was being sent home as a wounded GI. How pathetic! My family and hometown would praise me for my wound of honor and distinction. The thought depressed me. Not that I wanted everyone to know the truth. I was stabbed swimming across a stretch of water to get women on an island. On top of that, the guy who stabbed me wasn’t a soldier, but a young civilian. If all that was made known, I wouldn’t be able to show my face again. My family would be deeply shocked and disappointed.
Stuck in my cot, I could only escape these thoughts through sleep.
