Page 117 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

As the women gather, Captain Seki, Ah Fat and several soldiers arrive. The captain puffs out his chest before launching into what the women believe is just another pointless speech, all the while praying they don’t have to leave this place again. When he has said enough, he nods to Ah Fat.

‘Captain Seki says the war is over, English and Americans will be here soon. We are now friends.’

If Seki is expecting the women to burst into whoops of joy, he is mistaken. The women don’t move and stare uncomprehend­ingly at one another. Seki doesn’t get his moment. He storms off the hill, the soldiers and Ah Fat scurrying after him.

Slowly, the women pull themselves to their feet and return to their huts. Their mood is sombre. How many times can they be tested like this? If the war is over, where are their rescuers? Where is their sanctuary? No one amongst them can imagine leaving this place.

‘Is it really happening?’ Jean asks Nesta when they return to their huts. With no tangible evidence that anything has changed, she knows as well as every other nurse that they must carry on with their duties. Before Nesta can reply, the door of their hut bursts open.

‘Come quick!’ urges Mrs Hinch. ‘To the gates. Come now.’

Nesta and Jean follow Mrs Hinch to the camp entrance, where a couple of trucks have pulled up and where soldiers are unloading large Red Cross parcels.

Nesta is handed a box, which she tears open.

‘I don’t believe it!’ she exclaims. ‘Medicine. Bandages.’

Jean digs further and pulls out a small parcel which unfolds into a mosquito net. Tears spring to her eyes as she rubs the simple fabric between her fingers.

‘How many lives could this scrap of material have saved, Nesta?’ she says.

‘And to think they had it all along,’ Nesta says with a sigh.

In the following days, there are more deliveries of the Red Cross parcels, more medicines arrive, and the women are allowed to eat as much of the fruit from the trees as they like. Allied planes are seen regularly flying overhead, circling ever lower to acknowledge the women waving at them from the jungle.

Slowly, in small groups of twos and threes, Nesta, the nurses and the women who are strong enough to walk test their freedom by leaving the camp, escaping beyond the wire fencing, before turning around and coming back. They have nowhere else to go.

‘Do you believe it, Nesta? Do you believe the war is really over?’ Norah stammers, too weak to sound enthusiastic. They are seated in the makeshift hospital, and Nesta is delicately unwrapping the bandage around Norah’s leg. Stained yellow, the final layer is stuck fast to Norah’s skin.

‘Well, if it’s true, I just don’t know how they’re going to get us out; there’s barely a road and none of us can walk any distance.’

‘I will crawl out of here if I have to. I must find John and Sally.’

‘I’ll crawl with you if I have to.’

‘How is it looking?’ Norah asks, as Nesta struggles to peel away her bandage.

‘It’s no worse, maybe marginally better. Let’s hope the Red Cross medicines start working soon.’

‘Are you telling me what you think I want to hear?’

‘No, Norah, I wouldn’t do that to you. The infection doesn’t seem to have spread since yesterday. That’s a good thing.’

‘Thank you, I didn’t think you would.’

Sunlight bursts through the door as Betty enters. She stands in the doorway, a silhouette in the dark hut.

‘Men!’ she gasps. ‘Men are coming. Norah, they’re British.’

Nesta jumps to her feet. ‘The army, you mean? To get us out of here?’

‘No, no. They’re prisoners, like us. They’ve been released from their camp nearby, and apparently, they’re on their way here. Now! Can you believe it? Men, our men!’

The news finally sinks in.

‘John!’ exclaims Norah. ‘Oh, my God! Could John be one of them?’

‘I don’t know! I hope so, Norah. I really do,’ Betty says.