17.) The Hell in Okinawa

It had been April 1, 1945, I have been in Okinawa for only a couple of months. It was just as bad as Europe, what the fuck was wrong with these people? I had seen some of the most desperate fighting since the beach. When we were scouting ahead one night to look a downed plane; from the looks of it could have been there for a few hours and the pilot could've been dead, or wounded it could've been serious. A young private ran up, to see if he was still alive. At that moment all I heard was a bang, everything started with a blinding white and then I heard 'banzai.'

From the blackness of the night and trees, came these japs. In that instance I found myself backing up and somehow losing my footing, when I finally could see again there was a Japanese soldier on top of me pressing a knife into my shoulder the only thing that stopped it from doing any real damage was the fact that my gun was on top of me, I pulled the trigger and realized it had jammed, I felt the knife beginning to dig in me and I pulled my 1911 out of my holster in began to shoot him in the stomach. When my hearing started working again I noticed the gunfire all around us, I started shooting at any clear target I could find. I had shot two men and I kept firing. We managed to push them back but the problem was that they had a home-field advantage. Not only was it dark but they knew where they were at we were just scouting the area.

The disturbing part was, I heard a man talking about how these japs would pretend to be dead. They would even go as far as to hide among corpses. This was a tactic I had seen in Europe and it was easily rectified with shooting the corpses. The only other problem was sometimes these men would have grenades on them and they would release the pin, acting as suicide bombers.

These men have no problem with dying for their country, they also had no problem with messing with us. I had looked around and realized we had taken some wounded and casualties, luckily though the medics were still alive. We had decided to retreat, we knew pursuing them would be suicide. We also knew that was enemy territory now.

We had made it back to our makeshift camp, A soldier went to a briefing to deliver some Intel. His name was Lieutenant Nicholas if I'm not mistaken, he was a good leader and always maintained a levelheaded view of things. It was a good thing he was leading us and it was a great thing he wasn't a racist, he tried to see us all as equals. Well almost all. We had a guy part of our team he's Japanese-American. It was a lot of debate as to why he was fighting against Japan. There had been talking going around saying that he may be a traitor, but the only problem was that he had no qualms with killing a Jap. I never knew his name. He felt familiar to me though, though I never had a conversation with him.

'Hey.'

I hear a voice speaking and I turned to meet it.

It was him. (Speak of the fucking devil I thought in my head.) He stood there calmly and had a peaceful demeanor. His voice was polite and proper, it reminded me of someone though I couldn't put my finger on it.

'Hey my name is Kaoru'

The wind blew past me, and although it was spring here it was still cold as hell. I'm dumbfounded; this was the first time me and he had an interaction. Other than that it would be a few glances here and there. He was a corporal like myself, though it seemed like he had fought in other wars.

He continued talking again.

'I hear you're lucky.'

"Yeah, I don't consider it to be lucky."

'I think it's the skill you have.' He may have been calm when he spoke but he also had an air of confidence. 'Lieutenant Timothy speaks highly of you.'

I rubbed the back of my head, I was shocked that someone was even talking about me. This was the first time I had gotten recognition for my skills, I don't think I should be proud of the fact that I was good at fighting more but God knows this was one thing I could say I had a skill in. No one needs to be good at killing it's not a skill that should ever be used unless for defense.

Kaoru was not tall by any means, he actually stood at about 5'6. He was pale and had black hair, his eyes were shaped like almonds. He had a round face with a strong jawline and a sharp chin. He had a bit of a beard coming in, but there was something about him. His eyes were what really captivated me they looked so trustworthy. Though there was something about them there was a familiarity, like I had seen this person before. His eyes were brown and they were so dark they looked black. For a second I remember hugging that red-haired woman, I remember feeling her brace around me. Why?

~~~Gabriel

'You ready to go?'

I had looked at my knife still processing what I had done? The enemy soldier was wounded and had no chance of survival. Yet I could still hear his last words...

'Kill me.'

He was in so much pain the grenade had blown his legs off, he was screaming and the rest of the troops had retreated. When we got closer for further inspection we realized it would take him a while to bleed out. That was when I heard him shout it.

'Kill me.'

He had a Japanese accent, but I could still make out what he was saying. His legs were here and then gone. Torn apart by an explosion. I pulled out my knife and I don't know why I didn't shoot him. I could've just stood over him and shot him with the M1. Hell, I'm sure I could nail a headshot from where I was standing. I pulled out my knife and I slit his throat his skin separating so finely. The life leaving his eyes the way he put his hands out reaching for something that was never there. He uttered something and through the blood that was coming out of his mouth, it was in Japanese. 'Otōsan.' (Father.)

'He said father.'

Kaoru said calmly. 'He was probably thinking about him..'

I felt a hand on my shoulder it was him. I was still holding the knife my hands were shaking but then I steadied them. I had blood on my hands and realized I had taken yet another life. Time had passed, and I had been here for three months and every month it got worst. From the deaths of entire teams to the fact that every camp we liberated it was filled with crude experiments. The bodies fucked beyond comprehension, from missing arms and legs to missing eyes. There was one man who was still alive but he had hives and lesions all over his body. Some men were broken or crying. I bet these men thought they were going to die in these hellholes. Then there were the ones that became hardened like there was nothing that these bastards could take from them except their lives. The one thing that you could see in these men was; every one of those men was ready for some retribution.

I came back into reality, where Kaoru's hand was still on my shoulder. Why was he so familiar with me? Ever since the first day he has been talking like he's familiar with me as if we knew each other.

'We need to get back to base.'

I stood up and clean my blade off on my pants. I put it back in its sheath. I grabbed my M1 and I got ready for our hike back to camp. My hands still had dry blood on them. This was one of many attacks on enemy prison camps. They happened quite often, more often than I'd like to say. Spring had fought its way into this warring country. There were soldiers who committed suicide after we won. I looked around the camp and remembered a soldier that stabbed himself in the stomach. He was dead when we were busting into his room. He must have taken his own life before the battle was over. This was something that we had seen a lot of whenever a camp was liberated The officers would kill themselves. We had been fighting in Okinawa for so long, we had a constant barrage of enemies from all directions. The territory we took would sometimes be subject to guerrilla warfare. They would retreat almost as quickly as they would hit us.

'It can be hard.'

His voice was piercing, he was trying to make me feel better. I never got used to killing anyone and I don't think I ever will. The problem with killing is it's easier than a lot of people think. You can get used to it, but the trick is not to get used to it. The trick is to see every human life with value.

'It's only human to think of others.'

He continued again.

'You euthanized him and gave him a peaceful way of dying. You're a good man it's nothing wrong with feeling guilty but you did a good thing there was nothing more that could be done.'

He was right, and I need to let it go. I had seen worse. The enemy was still human is all I thought about.

"Who are you?" I asked him, I don't know what answer I expect to get but I hope he can give me something.

He turned around with a dubious face and said, 'I'm just a friend.' I thought about what I said and then I spoke up "I don't know what I was thinking when I said that." I allowed the awkward silence to pass as we began walking back to base. 'Sometimes I think that you were too nice for your own good.'

I turned and looked at the body again then I looked at him and looked down that was something that was frowned upon in the military you're never supposed to show any signs of humanity if you can avoid it. Why? Because it was very easy for the enemy to identify a soft heart and quickly manipulate or gun them down. Usually, you got gunned down, but in rare cases, their humanity can get your whole squad killed. When you are at war you involve every person especially those whose country you are fighting in.

We were at camp, some of the medics were tending to the wounded until I saw them. The camp had been more lively than usual. The soldiers had vices some gambled for smokes, some cleaned their guns to perfection and others well it just depended on who you were. 'Gabriel.' I turned I recognized the voice it was Edward how long had it been weeks? Months? Maybe even a year I don't remember but God knows I was happy to see him.

"Major Edward."

He nodded as a smile spread across his face. He looked at my rank and said;

'Congratulations you only had almost died a few times.'

He looked at Kaoru and shook his hand their faces said it all those to two knew each other.

'We need to talk after I finish with Gabriel.'

Afterward, we walked off, I turned and saw Kaoru smiling. He waved goodbye and started walking away. I went back to looking at Edward.

'So how have you been son?'

I looked around this war zone and I took everything. The forests were burned down with flamethrowers because we needed to clear out ambush areas, I heard so many screams that day. The nightmare of getting your throat slit while you slept, something that I have seen before. I was only lucky that I wasn't first. The fact that just a few days ago there was nothing but gunfire in motors hammering this area. That's why we burn the forest, they always attacked at night. We made this base our own little space. I could barely handle fighting anymore, but I knew if I didn't press on I could end up a corpse or even worse crippled and unable to work. At that point, I would just save a bullet for myself.

It had dawned me like a sick joke that I had no one, my mother had abandoned me when I was an infant and my father spent the better years of his life working and trying to raise a kid even though he sometimes withheld some of his love because he was always thinking about my mother. All this flashed through my mind in these few seconds, it was time I answered major Edward.

"I have been fine sir. It's war there's nothing more I can do other than get through it."

Edward scratched his beard as he had finally let it grow out. As he was looking at me it felt like he was looking through me, I don't know why though.

'Gabriel.'

He paused for a second then continued.

'We all get a shitty hand in life and we all get good hands in life.'

He was right, but again it didn't make it any better. World war two could be one of the worst things that could've happened to me. Sometimes I want to scream out in pain, but I have a feeling no one will hear it.

I should've been paying attention, I was feeling sorry for myself and I wasn't paying attention. It hit us hard and it hit us fast. The blast sent me and Edward flying back. I did not notice how they were already prepared and by the time I came back to reality I had realized our men were being slaughtered. We constantly had scouted out the area checking for enemies. We burn down there fucking Forest where are they coming from? How many men did they kill before they could alert us?

I grabbed my M1 and got to my feet my ears were ringing, but I needed to get to my feet. I couldn't stay down knowing that these motherfuckers were about to kill me. I couldn't find Edward maybe he had already got ready to regroup with the team. I was knocked onto the ground, I was being attacked. This time though I was prepared I fired the gun at there chest, the blood-spattered across my face and I realized he was dead. As he was about the following me I moved out of the way. I got up and started looking for my group.

I ran for what felt like hours bullets flying all around me mortars blowing up soldiers making them fly into the air or making them disappear into clouds of bloody mist. I kept watching my surroundings until I felt someone grab me. I was pulled in to cover it was Kaoru, Tim, and Edward. I was grateful to have such loyal brothers by my side. We were returning fire and I could hear soldiers saying we need to fall back. I could see the men in my group getting gun down, judging by the looks of things we were pinned. I poked my head out and saw a few tanks and a bunch of soldiers moving in. Motherfucker was the only thing I could think. Are they mounting offense to recapture this land? They were pouring more and more troops into the area, from mortars randomly smacking people in the sky to their tanks blowing up our tents. We knew we couldn't fall back though we knew if we would've done that we would lose one of the strongest footholds in this area. I saw enemy smoke go out, it was used as a cover for the running units. We were trying to keep the enemy busy so they wouldn't form a defensive line.

The smoke had not completely covered the battlefield, so we kept firing. It was only then when the smoke came closer that we began to start moving back. How many smoke grenades did they have? Why weren't they firing? Did they have ammo? What is this a suicide run? We took our time as we moved back, firing and throwing grenades. The smoke got closer to us, they were firing their guns but not often. It was then that I saw a smoke grenade land near me. I threw it back but for more followed. The tenacity of these japs was fucking annoying I wild give them that. It was then that I heard 'Tenno Heika Banzai!' Long live the emperor for 10,000 ages.

Shlunck I heard it before I felt it, it was the sound of a blade going into me. The Japanese soldier was fast, the hate in his eyes was intense. So intense he had been blind to his surroundings and that would cost him his life. I had my M1911 ready, I shot him in the cheek his face blowing apart his face and exposing his brains I had lost so much blood in those few seconds I collapsed, was this the end for me? I was thinking about my death and my life. How I didn't even know my mother, who was she? I didn't want to die, but I knew it was nothing I could do. I fell to the ground holding my stomach the whole world moving slowly. I was so weak.

Then I saw it, it was a type 100 laying on the ground. It was my lifeline. I grabbed it and flipped on my back. While laying on my back and I started firing. I could feel the kick of the gun on my rib cage, I was in pain but I ignored it. I felt like if I was going to die I was going to take as many of these motherfuckers with me as I can. I shot two of them as they were coming out of the smoke. It seems like they were coming out of nowhere as one more came and I shot him but before I could kill him he managed to stab me. This wound was deeper than the last, but I manage to push him off me I was covered in enemy blood and I was bleeding all over. I kept firing though I refuse to let these motherfuckers kill me. It was only when I felt faint that I felt someone pulling on me, they were carrying me out of the war zone and I saw two soldiers cover firing. It was Edward and Jason.

I didn't know Jason came with Edward, I could hear them both yelling. I could barely make out what they were saying. Though think I did hear:

'Save him I don't want to tell Queen Lilith we couldn't save Gabriel.'

That was the name of my mother, I felt like I was hearing things but this felt so familiar. I was trying to look to see who was pulling me but then I realize I had to focus, I fired until the gun was out of ammo and I didn't feel too much recoil pressing back against my rib cage. I threw it down because I couldn't find any ammo. I reached for my holster and grabbed my m1911 I realize I had about three mags left. I kept firing. Edward and Jason disappeared into the smoke, I felt like it was a death sentence but something told me not to worry about them. It was only then when they disappeared that I finally began to blackout, the world began to twist then turn and fade away into oblivion.

End of Chapter 16: The Hell in Okinawa