Megan's Blog City Journal

A Japanese Woman's Secret

This is a work of fiction. I will be writing in character as a Japanese woman and her secret. I was criticized by one member for this story but I love this story and it is one of my babies. Keep in mind it's fiction and writers bring stories to life. Thanks for looking!

I am Nanako. I am Japanese. I have a secret that only two people know. My husband Shrieg and an Army Commander Nitos. Shrieg was supposed to be part of the squadron that bombed Pearl Harbor. Shrieg was very ill the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. He wasn't able to fly the plane. He had taught me how to fly the airplane and showed me how bombs were dropped a few weks ago while the plan to bomb Pearl Harbor was in the works. We flew the plane and luckily, never got caught. Women in Japan aren't supposed to know about these things. I knew how to fly planes and drop bombs. Shrieg was too sick to go on the mission. It was up to me. I dressed in Shrieg's clothes and the other men thought I was Shrieg.Nitos was shocked that I was going on the mission. Women were forbidden to do these things but I had to do it for Shrieg and Japan. I love my country. Nitos let me go. I was really scared and nervous. I almost turned the plane around but if I did, Shrieg, Nitos and I would be in a lot of trouble. I had no choice but to do this. I couldn't dishonor my country, my husband or myself. I flew the plane to Pearl Harbor. My stomach was in knots the entire time. When I got to Pearl Harbor, what I saw made me sick. Ships were burning and men were wounded. The smoke was unreal. It was black and gray and there was orange fire. There was blood on the water. What have my people done? I dropped one bomb and I saw a man in the water with his dog. He had his arm around the dog and they were swimming to a ship that hadn't been bombed. The man was handsome, I guess for being an American. He had brown hair and it looked like his arm had been burned. The dog looked like he hadn't been wounded. I was thankful for that as I love animals. I turned the plane around and headed back to my home in Japan. I kept seeing the man and his dog. I cried all the way back to my homeland. How could me and my people be so evil? I would have to live with this image all my life. The burning ships and the ocean filled with blood, fire and smoke. Men dying and bleeding. The dog and the man. I would never be the same.

I got back to Japan and landed the plane. Nitos said I looked pale. I couldn't answer him. I was ashamed at the horror I had witnessed. At that moment, I hated Nitos, Shrieg, my people and myself most of all. I was evil. I had dropped just one bomb but that didn't make it any easier. Shrieg was weak and happy to see me. He said he was proud of me. I told him how I hated our people. our country and myself for being a part of this. America declared war on us. America was now part of World War 2. I hope my people were happy. I was miserable and would always be. When Tokoyo was bombed, I felt my people deserve it. Shrieg had cancer and died. We had no children and I was glad. I didn't want my children to be part of this. I was a widow at 24 years of age. I was a fighter pilot. I could never put that on my resume. I dreamed of Pearl Harbor, the bombing, the blood, the dying, burning ships and I could smell the smoke in my dreams every night. My dreams always ended with me seeing the handsome American man and his dog. How could I ever kept these images out of my mind and dreams? With Shrieg being gone, I made a living as a Seamstress. I made good money. I made clothes for Geisha women, the Empereror and his wife and rich Japanese people. I never talked much to people. Sewing kept my mind off my awful secret. The war was over in a couple of years but I never felt good about it. I lived in a nice house and I grew flowers in a green house. I had my own garden as well. I was surprised when Americans came to our village. I sewed clothes for Americans now. I felt so guilty and could never make eye contact with them.

One day, an American man came to my house. He had a dog with him! It was the man and dog that haunted me the past few years. The dog was so friendly and licked my hand. I petted him and I cried. I was as pale like I had just seen a ghost! The handsome American man grabbed my arm as I almost fell over. He asked if I was alright. I felt the shame all over again. This man would kill me if he knew the truth. The man introduced himself as Lance Goodwin and his brown dog was introduced as Buff. Lance wanted me to make him a suit. He was retired from the Navy and he was a business man now. He said he did a lot of business in Japan. He spoke Japanese fluently. I had learned to speak a little English. He asked me out and I accepted much to my surprise. He was so nice to me. He took me to dinner and bought me roses. I hadn't dated a man since Shrieg died. I liked Lance but I couldn't forget that day in Pearl Harbor when I saw him and his dog.

Lance came to see me when ever he was in Japan. He didn't bring the dog all the time. He left the dog in the United States. Lance bought me presents like a pearl necklace, pearl ring and an emerald ring. I fell in love with Lance. I kept having the same dreams about him and his dog, and the blood bath at Pearl Harbor. Lance told me that he loved me a few months later and asked me to marry him. I was in shock. I was a devil woman. I helped bombed Pearl Harbor. I could never tell him that. I loved him so much and I accepted his marriage proposal. I was going to live im America soon. That night after I accepted his proposal, I had a different dream. Lance and I were sitting by a fireplace with his dog. He told me that had forgiven me for being part of the mission that bombed Pearl Harbor. We would be so happy. I finally had made peace with myself about my secret. Fate bought Lance and I together. Life for me was going to be
alright. I had been given a second chance.

Lance and I were married. I designed and made my own wedding dress. We moved to America. I love America. It is so beautiful. Lance and I had 2 boys and two girls. They never knew my secret. I no longer dreamed of that awful day at Pearl Harbor. I am glad that I have Lance and our children. Ironic how I met Lance and he never had a clue about me and Pearl Harbor. We fell in love and his love set me free.

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