Short Story / Elizabeth

“Give me the time. Did you hear me? Give me the time!”
“What?” I said confused.
“What’s wrong with you boy? I asked you what the time was.” Said my commander, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, from the other end of the headset.
Oh, ooh, um, it’s exactly seven forty-three sir.”
“Boy, we are less than ten minutes away from bombing Pearl Harbor Hawaii and you have your head in the clouds.”
“Yes, quite literally actually.” I looked around trying to drown the feeling of guilt in my stomach. “Sir, I can’t do this.”
“What did you just say?”
“I CAN’T do it! If you want to bomb the Americans fine! Leave me out. I’m sorry sir I just can’t do this.”
I start to slow my aircraft down but as I do my startled commander looses control and collides with the aircraft above me. I swerve then dip down to avoid the explosion but I too loose control and spiral down. This is definitely how it ends. I think as the earth below me becomes closer and more visible. Suddenly, I feel a jolt and my jet slams into the ground. I’m dead. I’m dead. I can’t think straight.

“Oh my gosh! Are you alright?”
Am I dreaming? I’m dead right?
“Wake up!! Come on we have to get you to a hospital.” I open my eyes to see a beautiful red-haired girl standing over me. Trying to sit up I feel the pain in my knee.
“I can’t stand up. “I say foolishly.
“Here, I’ll help you.” She said kindly. Moving very slowly I stand up only to be thrown off my feet by an explosive thunder at my left, and aircraft at my right.
“What was that?” The girl shrieked. I looked at her and suddenly saw her pain.
“Um, um, um…..” I stammered then drifted into unconsciousness.

Ow, ow, OW, “OW!” I looked up at the man standing over me. Where am I? Why am I here? What happened? Around was a room that looked like our care facilities in Japan. It had a glassed wall and a big wooden door. The man standing over me was obviously the care-giver. He looked a little different from the care-givers in Japan. Instead of having on the healing robe of silk, he had on a white coat and a blue mask hanging around his neck.
“Well, looks like you are awake.” The care-giver said. “Tell me boy, what happened?”
I looked up at the girl, then up at the care-giver and gave in, “I um, was here with the Japanese force that bombed Pearl Harbor. But I couldn’t do it, so, I bailed out. Before turning around my commander spun out of control into the aircraft above me and I went down.” Waiting for a reaction I noticed the girl leaning over me. She put her arm on my chest as if to give me a hug. “Aw, that was so brave.’ She stood and reached out her hand, “My name is Elizabeth.” I took her hand and nodded slowly. “My name is Fujita.”
“Fujita, the police are going to look for you. They know you are not dead.” said the care-giver. “But I have done nothing wrong.” I murmured. “There are many Japanese Americans out there who did nothing wrong as well but they are going to get it.” Elizabeth said. “Get what?” I asked. Elizabeth replied, “You’ll never get the chance to find out because I’m hiding you here.”
“Why here? Where is here?”
“This is my house. I live here.”
“I don’t want you to go to jail for helping me. The care-giver could tell the police!”
“I am not going to tell.” the care-giver said, “I will check on you every other day. Now I must leave, there are plenty of others I have to take care of on the far side of Hawaii.” The care-giver walked out of the house and I turned around to see Elizabeth blowing up a big mattress. She saw me watching her and explained, “You are going to sleep in here.”

The next morning I wake up to a loud knock at the door. Elizabeth comes running in and grabs my mattress from under me. “Get to the bathroom until I say to come out.” I run to the bathroom and sit down on the counter. In the other room I hear voices. “We were given a report by the neighbors that you were sheltering a Jap.” Elizabeth stumbled on her words but managed to defend her self. “I have, have no one here!” Suddenly I hear Elizabeth scream and I start to worry. I open the door and run out. Looking for Elizabeth I turn and run to her room. Someone wraps there arm around me and I start to push but its Elizabeth. “We are safe for now.” She said, and in that moment I new for sure that my story had a happy ending one way or another, as long as I loved Elizabeth my red-haired American girl.

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