Page 39 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

‘Over my dead body.’

‘You didn’t,’ Vivian says.

‘I did, and I meant it. I was very clear with him; I am prepared to die rather than submit.’

The next day, none of the nurses bothers to come outside when the food cart is due. Consequently, they are not aware the cart doesn’t come at all.

That afternoon, Norah and Margaret knock on their door. Margaret immediately registers Nesta’s red and swollen face, the imprint of a hand still visible. ‘Oh dear! Are you all right?’

‘I am,’ says Nesta. ‘For now.’

‘I can’t believe what they’re asking of you. It’s not right. What can we do?’ Norah asks her.

‘Nothing. There’s nothing anyone can do. They will try to starve us out, then, well, as I told Miachi, I will die before we submit to them.’

Nesta catches the anxious look Norah and Margaret briefly exchange.

‘What is it?’

‘I can’t say,’ Norah replies, biting her lip.

‘Just tell me, Norah,’ Nesta insists.

‘It’s not just you they’re starving, I’m afraid,’ Margaret says.

‘Meaning?’

‘They’ve stopped all food coming into the camp. It seems we are all to be starved, until—’

‘Until we give in and give them what they want,’ Betty interjects.

‘I’m afraid so, and we’re here to tell you that if that’s the way it has to be, then so be it. We can only hope they don’t deny the children – surely, they couldn’t be that inhuman,’ says Margaret.

‘We don’t know what to say.’ Nesta is visibly moved. ‘It never occurred to me they’d punish the rest of you.’ She turns to her nurses. ‘I think we need to talk.’

‘No!’ Norah insists. ‘You don’t. There is right and there is wrong, and, in these circumstances, there is no ambiguity. And I’ve spoken to the Mother Superior, and I’m to pass on the message that she and her nuns also stand with you.’

‘Her exact words were, “united we will stand, divided we fall; we will fall together, united”,’ Margaret says.

Several of the nurses begin to sniff. Norah hugs Nesta tightly.

‘Thank you. Please thank everyone,’ Nesta tells them, before escorting her friends to the door.

After Nesta and Norah have left, Vivian speaks up. ‘Everyone. Outside.’

This time, they sit in a tight circle in the yard outside the house, holding hands.

‘Suggestions?’ Nesta asks.

‘We can’t let the children be punished.’ The first opinion is offered and cheered. ‘Heaven knows they get little enough food as it is.’

‘I can’t believe they’re doing this. It is one thing to punish us, but how could they? How dare they?’ Betty rages. ‘There must be something we can do.’

Nesta and Jean allow all the nurses to voice their thoughts. They rant and rage, many weep, but one statement continues to resonate: ‘I would rather die.’

‘Is that an option?’ Jean asks and everyone falls silent.

‘Is what an option?’ Vivian asks.