Caged Eagles (25 page)

“I hope it's from him … I wouldn't want that trip outside to have been for nothing.”

We stopped in front of the administration building.

The palms of my hands felt sweaty. I knew this was just about getting mail, but part of me wondered if there was more to this. Had they somehow found out that I was one of the people who was involved with that brawl outside the fence and were tricking me like this to get me here? Of course, that made no sense, but fear seldom had anything to do with sense.

The building was a hub of activity. It sat just inside the park, directly behind the main gate, and there was a steady stream of soldiers and vehicles that went back and forth from the building to the entrance.

“Do you know where exactly I'm supposed to go?” I asked.

“It's this way,” Sam answered. “I was here with my father to pick up mail a couple of times.”

Sam motioned to the side of the building and I followed. Rounding the corner of the building it was obvious where I had to go. There was a line of Japanese extending out one of the doors.

“Is there anyplace in this whole camp that doesn't have a lineup?” I asked.

“Not that I've seen. I'm going to wait over there,” Sam said, pointing to an empty bench shaded by a big tree.

“You're not coming with me?”

“Why, are you expecting a really heavy letter?” Sam sauntered off and flopped down on the bench.

I shuffled along quietly. I couldn't help but think that the Japanese were just about the best people in the world at lining up. Of course, we'd all had plenty of practice around here, but we seemed to be so naturally polite and quiet. I would have loved to have seen somebody not be so polite — maybe complain out loud, or swear or push and shove, or even butt in.

“Next!” called out a voice.

I moved over to the woman behind the open counter.

“Name?”

“Fukushima, Tadashi.”

“Which of those is your last name?” she asked.

“Fukushima. My first name is —”

She held her hand up. “It's hard enough to remember one name, so don't confuse me with the second.”

She walked off, returning in thirty seconds with a box, which she placed on the counter in between us.

“Here you go,” she said.

“Are you sure it's for me? I wasn't expecting a parcel.”

“This your name on the top?” she said, spinning the parcel so the label faced me.

Instantly I recognized the handwriting. It was from Jed! “Yes, it is! Thank you!”

I picked up the parcel and left the building. I had to fight the urge to simply rip open the box right there. But I wanted to sit down beside Sam in the shade and open it.

“That looks interesting,” Sam commented as I approached. “What do you think it is?”

“I don't know.”

I sat down and pulled the tape holding the top closed.

It came off easily, and I knew that the censors had already been inside, looking at whatever it was, before sealing it back up and passing it on to me.

I pulled out some paper that was stuffed in the top of the box as packing. There was an envelope and my baseball glove! Why would that be in there, and how did he even get it in the first place? I was positive I'd left it in my house. I grabbed the envelope and ripped it open. I pulled the letter out and unfolded it.

Dear Tadashi,

I was very happy to receive your letter. My family is all doing well and I hope everybody is good in your family. I have been working very hard in school. Do you go to school as well where you are?

I was going through all my old things and I thought you might like to have my old baseball glove.

I stopped reading and picked up the glove. This wasn't his old glove, this was my glove, the one I always used, the one that I left in my house when we had to leave. If I'd have known there was going to be a baseball diamond here, I would have taken it along with me. At least I knew he must have received my real letter because I hadn't mentioned anything about anything, including playing baseball, in the fake letter I sent from the camp. But why was he claiming that it was his glove?

I still spend a lot of time in the forest. Sometimes I go past your village. The weather has been good for early summer, not much rain. I still work with my mother, but not as much.

Your friend,
Jed

“That's it?” I said in amazement. “I get beaten up to mail him that letter and he doesn't answer a single one of my questions?”

“Maybe he couldn't figure out how to tell you anything without tipping off the censors,” Sam suggested. “At least you got a baseball glove out of the deal,” he said as he picked it up. “Although it's not much of a glove.”

“It's a great glove!” I said, snatching it away from him. I tried to slip it on my hand, but one of my fingers couldn't fit in — something was in the finger hole. I pulled out my hand and peered inside. What was blocking it? It looked like a piece of paper. What would that be doing in there — unless … Hastily I pulled it out and unfolded the tightly folded paper. It was another letter!

Dear Tadashi,

We figured out a way to write you so the censors wouldn't see it. I was really glad to get your letter. I'm sorry about how things worked out and about where you're living. Things here aren't the same without you. School is more boring, although with all the Japanese gone, the teachers now see me as being a good student. Hard to imagine, me a good student. I spend more time at home now that they hired a second cook.

My mom and Naani are okay. I still worry about my father. He writes letters and tells us there's nothing to worry about, but I know what he's doing is about as dangerous as you can get. I'm also very proud of him. I heard, not from him, of course, that he's an ace, which means he's shot down at least five enemy planes.

I keep an eye out for Eddy. I haven't seen him, but one of the guards is sure he saw him.

I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you, but some of those rumors are true. I was out at your village two weeks ago. I was tracking a big buck. I got into the village and found some guys breaking into the houses. I chased them off, but they said they'd be back. I heard from the soldiers that looting has been taking place all over. Major Brown said the RCMP doesn't have the people to stop them. Anyway, I figured that though I couldn't stop everything, I could stop them from taking your stuff. I went and collected a lot of your belongings, things I thought your family would want. They're safe and I'll get them to your family as soon as you know where you're going to.

I'm really sorry for all that's happened. Please let your family know that most of the people, even people like Major Brown, figure what they did to you was wrong. I just hope it won't be wrong for too long.

Your best friend,
Jed

I put down the letter and took a deep breath.

“Sounds like he's a good friend,” Sam said.

“What?”

“I hope you don't mind, but I was reading over your shoulder. He sounds like a good friend to do that for you and your family.”

“He is a good friend.”

“So what are you going to do? Are you going to tell your father?” Sam asked.

“I don't want to, but I guess I have to tell him what's happening,” I said.

“And maybe the other people from your village,” Sam added. “They have a right to know too.”

“You're right … but I don't think I want to be the one to tell them. I'll tell my father and he can decide how —”

“Tadashi! Tadashi!”

I turned around at the sound of my name and saw Midori rushing toward me. Why didn't she just leave me alone for — there were tears running down her face and she looked panicked.

“What's wrong?” I demanded.

“It's grandmother. She's very sick — come quickly!”

“How bad is she?” I demanded.

“I don't know … Mother and Yuri went for the doctor, Father stayed with her, and they sent me to find you. I looked everywhere. At the baseball diamond and the mess hall and —”

“We have to go to her,” I said, cutting Midori off abruptly.

I started to run. Sam was quickly at my side, and we left Midori behind as we dodged through the crowd of people. We cut off the path and went between two buildings. By now I knew almost every inch of the park and all the best ways to get from one place to another.

“I can't go on like this,” I panted to Sam as I slowed to a walk. My ribs were feeling better, but as I was running I was struggling to take a full breath, and I felt a stabbing pain start to dig into my side.

“I thought she was doing better,” Sam said.

“Dr. Izumi was there to see her the day before yesterday. He said she was doing much better. She's eating and holding down her food. She's able to walk around and she even looks better.”

“But …”

“I don't know,” I said. I wrapped an arm around my side and started to run again. Sam jogged at my side.

I felt my breath becoming more and more labored as we ran, and the little stabbing pain was getting sharper and starting to dig deeper into my side. Up ahead I caught sight of our building. I could run that far, but probably not much farther. There was a crowd of people standing outside of the big sliding door.

Sam and I barreled past them and into the building. I stopped running, panting to catch my breath.

I suddenly realized that something wasn't right.

Why was it so quiet in here? And where were all the people? The building was practically empty. Why would everybody leave the … A shiver ran up my spine.

I wanted to start running again, but stopped myself.

Instead I walked, slowly, quietly, with respect, toward our stall. I turned the corner and saw my parents standing, my father with an arm around my mother, Yuri pressed against her side. My mother looked up at me and there was a look of pure anguish on her face. I felt the tears start to flow from deep within my chest and I knew without asking … my grandmother was gone.

.20.

She looked so peaceful lying there, like she was just asleep. She'd always liked to have a nap in the afternoon. That's all that was happening … she was just lying down and in a little while she'd get up and then come with us for supper. If only. I turned and left the stall. My father stood there quietly talking to Dr. Izumi. My mother had taken my sisters to be with Mrs. Miyazaki in her stall in another building. She and my grandmother had been friends as far back as childhood in Japan. She said Mrs. Miyazaki would need them there. I think they needed to be with her as well.

I stood just behind my father.

“Thank you for everything, Doctor,” my father said quietly, bowing slightly.

“I'm sorry. I didn't expect this. She was getting better, stronger.”

“It was … her time,” my father said, his voice cracking over the last words. While everybody else had cried, he had tried to stand strong. I could see the tears were there, just beneath the surface, but he needed to be brave. I expected it. I even knew he might expect me to remain stoic too, but I couldn't help but let loose some tears, despite trying my hardest to contain them.

“Is your mother … was your mother a Buddhist or Christian?” the doctor asked.

“Buddhist,” my father answered.

“Then I imagine you'll want a cremation.”

My father nodded solemnly.

“When I advise the camp authorities, I'll make sure they know the body is to be cremated.”

“Thank you,” my father said.

“I'll have them wait until after supper before removing the body,” Dr. Izumi said.

“What do you mean, remove the body?” I asked, stepping forward.

“She must be removed in order for the cremation to take place.”

“Moved to where?” I asked.

“To the crematorium, of course.”

“What's a crematorium?”

“It's a special facility where the cremation takes place.”

“It's a building … in the city?” I asked.

“Yes. And then they return the ashes for the family to dispose of them in accordance with the wishes of the deceased —”

“No,” I said loudly, surprising myself not only with the force of the word, but the way it echoed around the silent and empty building.

The doctor took a step forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Tadashi, I know it is hard. Hard to believe she's gone and hard to say goodbye … but you must.”

“That's not it,” I said, shaking my head. “She's not leaving. Not to some building surrounded by strangers.”

“The camp authorities will allow family members to be present and even hold a small ceremony with a priest and —”

“You don't understand! She didn't want that; she told me. She wanted all her family and friends to be there.”

“Perhaps there can even be some sort of blessing arranged back here at the camp when they return the ashes,” the doctor suggested. “I'm sorry, I don't know much about such things … I'm a Christian.”

“No,” I said. “She wanted to have the cremation in the woods, like her husband, my grandfather. Where we come from, there is no special building to do it … we just go into the forest … that's what she wanted.”

My father gave me a questioning look, wanting to know how I knew what she wanted.

“She told me,” I said, my voice hardly a whisper.

“She told me a lot of things when we talked at night in the infirmary.”

“I understand,” the doctor said. “Often older people make requests, things they want, and then the family feels so guilty because they can't possibly fulfill that last request. Surely you understand the authorities won't allow you to travel up north to —”

“We don't have to travel anywhere. There's lots of open spaces here in the park —”