“Word is the best preforming assemblers are being conscripted.”
“C-conscripted! I-I can’t go to war,” Tomi whimpered, hands wringing one another.
Tsubasa shot eye darts. “Shhh, keep your voice down.” She lowered an index finger from her lips. “Women aren’t allowed to fight, so probably they’re going to put us somewhere behind the front lines cooking meals or doing laundry.” Tsubasa crossed her arms. “As if we aren’t capable of doing anything else. Geeze, we’re accomplishing a lot more good here.”
The door to the Director’s office slid aside and three shell shocked high schoolers emerged. They staggered past, wordless. Behind them followed a thirty something woman enveloped in an immaculately kept kimono, its flawlessly smooth sash snug around her waist, her clasped hands concealed within the garment’s generous sleeves. Her wooden sandals clacked against the concrete floor as she smiled the most ingenuine expression possible while batting her eyes, bowing slightly. What did she think they were, children?
“Come in please. The Director has something very important to share with you.” The formality of her movements and the traditional clothing only heightened Yumiko’s concern further.
One by one they stepped into the office, Tsubasa courageously taking the lead, as they lined up abreast in front of the Director’s desk. The obsidian glass top served as a darkly mirror that transmitted the reflected image of a hard faced, aging man. The Director remained bent over a short stack of manila folders, showing no acknowledgement to the girls. A bamboo tray with three empty plain tea cups sat in front of him.
The kimono clad woman coughed softly.
"Eto Tori, Kajika Yumiko, Tanaka Tsubasa, you are hereby being conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, Fourth Special Labor Corp, effective immediately, until the successful conclusion of the war." The Director did not look up as he shuffled several sheets of paper, stamping them with red ink followed by a quick signature.
The kimono clad woman approached the desk, a teapot in her hands, and began pouring out a small measure into each cup.
“You are to report for duty in forty-eight hours. The Kaname will transfer you to your field office in Sapporo for unit-“
“H-Hokkaido?!”
Oh Tori, why, why, why did you speak?
Comments (0)
See all