Darkness Dissolves When the Door Opens

Conflicted

Jules walked away and sat below the stairs. A figure showed up a second later.

“You’re alright?” The voice came from a very familiar voice. Glenn.

“I’m fine, just… shocked. How’s he?”

“He’s sleeping now. Your friend will be alright, dude. I know it. He’s tougher than a leopard.”

“Yes, I’m sure he will. Roger’s the best on his field too, I never doubt that.”

They paused.

“What happened earlier?”

Jules sighed. “I saw my sister again.”

Glenn breathed and sat beside Jules. If someone was to understand losses, it was Glenn. He was the best companion to speak about Ava and his mother. Glenn lost his older brother in the first war in Belgium, and then the second to cancer. Glenn’s dad also tortured them as kids, and his mark on his head was sliced by a real sword, a special gift by his father when he was twelve. Besides, Rake was there when Ava died. Jules didn’t like talking about it to him for that reason. 

“What did she do?”

The image played inside Jules’ head.

“She stood there, behind Rake. She was holding the same piece of glass and she almost stabbed Rake’s chest with it. It was so real that I didn’t realize−”

Glenn tapped his friend’s back and interrupted his talk.

“I too was like you when Gio died. He was so innocent, yet so persistent in joining the army. I saw him, even until now, in my dreams. It’s more normal than you thought, but you need to move on.”

“What do you mean normal?”

Glenn repaired his sitting position. 

“I mean, the wound will never heal, never in a hundred years. You will always remember that day as a haunt, a ghost that loyally follows you everywhere you go, and you can’t hide from it. But, with moving on, it’s less painful.”

“I tried to, Glenn, I really tried. But I don’t know how. Every time my mind went blank, she emerged. Every time someone near me got hurt or worse, she always showed. I’m afraid her existence is not a worthy reminder, but a curse.”

“Jules, she exists only in your head. You’re the one who’s responsible in controlling her acts, and you determine whether she’s a curse or a bless. You have to control your thoughts. She can be a miracle if you choose her as one.”

Jules breathed his exasperation out. 

Jules could hear John and Asher talking in the next room.

“The gunshots were loud. The Japanese might find us here.”

“I told you, I checked the perimeter.”

“But they might be hiding. They maybe planned to ambush us when we’re sleeping.”

“We’ll take turns in the evening. This place is huge and gunshots will never be conspicuous in a war island. Besides, we’re moving tomorrow.”

“Fine.”

And the voices went away.

Jules entered another conversation with Glenn. 

“By the way, I found a working radio upstairs,” Jules entered another topic.

“Really?”

“Yeah. The Dutch that shot Rake was scrounging with a radio.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s check that out then.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

The two climbed the stairs again and returned to the previous floor where the Dutch died. The radio sat on a metal desk inside the office room with the antenna still standing, but the power was off.

“Huh, German made. 1933.”

“Will it be useful?”

“I can work it out.”

“You’re the man.”

They returned to the first floor where everyone was eating their daily package of rations. Glenn immediately worked in his new radio, but he said it might take a while. He finally went back upstairs to find some parts he needed. Being a mechanic would never be in Jules’ interest list. He never even understood simple mechanism and newton laws.

When the sun got lower, Roger said that Rake had woken and that he felt so much better. Jules visited him in an instant.

Rake pressed a difficult smile when Jules showed up. It was around seven o’clock, but the sky was already deeply dark. There were some bloody bandages and used morphine, but he seemed healthy somehow.

“Got scared for me were you, though boy?”

“Guess I’m scared if something happens to you, I would miss the daily cussing of yours.”

He laughed.

“How are you feeling?”

“Umm… numb. Unwell. This certainly sucks. I mean that bastard did shoot me.”

“Glenn said we have to move tomorrow. The Japanese might already knocked the allies back and invaded the city. They’ll sweep every building in a matter of days. Are you strong enough?”

“Baby, this bullet scratch is nothing. I’ll be back to fine health tonight.”

Suddenly, Ezra burst in the room, interrupting Jules’ response.

“Sorry, guys. This is important.”

“What is it?”

“The radio worked. There’s this broadcast. It’s this Japanese soldier announcing that they beat us. All of the allies are retreating from the Dutch Indies. This place is officially theirs now.”

“The fuck?” Rake firmed his posture. He regretted it afterwards. “That soon though?”

“Apparently so.”

Jules helped Rake up and followed Ezra outside. Everyone was in that one, empty room, surrounding Glenn and his new friend, the radio. The speaker was still blaring Japanese words, and the Dutch named Jai translated every word. Apparently the Dutch spoke four languages including English, Japanese, Dutch, and German. He also picked up some Javanese.

“Every person who bravely hide allies soldier will be considered as threats, and will be executed accordingly,” Jai translated. “The man repeated that no one can shelter or protect the enemies of the Japanese.”

Glenn switched the radio off. “Okay, that’s enough.”

“What’s going on?” 

“Ah Jules. Oh, Rake, you’re alright?”

“Fine, Glenn. Ezra said something about the Japanese winning?”

Glenn sighed. “Yeah. That sucks, I know.”

“And they just fucking left us here?”

“They don’t know we’re alive, Rake. It’s not their fault.”

“Well, still, we’re stuck in this fucked up island, right?”

Glenn said slowly, “Yes.”

Rake shook his head and strode off. He probably already imagined fancy food when he got home. They basically ate expired canned food and what’s left of their rations for lunch. He was so disappointed. He imagined dancing with his mother when they arrived back at Hawaii. Signing up as a soldier might be the biggest mistake of his life, and he devoured that for the honor of Jules’ sister. But still, a war can destroy even the toughest man’s mental health. War is just very different from any other experience one can go through.