Page 67 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

‘You’re going to love it. Now, into two teams and we’ll start foraging for the bits and pieces. First one to make a weapon is the winner.’

‘Can I make a slingshot, too, Aunty Norah?’ June asks as they set off once more.

‘Maybe,’ says Norah. ‘When you’re older.’ A lump forms in her throat. She doesn’t want the little girl to grow older in this camp.

‘Come on, June. It’s time to get up. You have your favourite lesson this morning – art with Sister Catherina,’ Ena pleads with her young charge.

As the weeks roll by, class attendance falls, mostly due to the fact the children have little strength to make it out of the house. Those who do manage to get to school struggle to retain their lessons, so focused are they on their rumbling stomachs. By June of 1943, the scarcity of food, plus the lack of firewood to boil contaminated water, has begun to take its toll on everyone in the camp.

‘I’m too tired and my tummy hurts.’

‘I’m sorry, my love. I’ll go and see if Aunty Norah has found any rice.’

Norah is outside, clearing the drains that run past their house, with Audrey. Ena watches, her heart breaking to see her sister on her hands and knees scraping mud and sewage onto the street, knowing full well that when the rain comes, the same chore will have to be repeated.

‘Hi,’ she says, a false cheeriness in her voice.

‘Hello, Ena, we’re just finishing here,’ Audrey replies.

‘I’ll go and get a bucket of water to wash your hands,’ Ena says, heading off to the well.

‘Something’s bothering her,’ Audrey remarks.

‘I agree, but she’ll tell me when she gets back.’

‘Why don’t I take over here and you go and talk to her?’

Norah finds Ena on her way back with a small bucket of water. They walk to the edge of the street where the drain is flowing freely. Ena tips the water over Norah’s hands, while her sister scrubs them clean.

Shaking out her dripping fingers, Norah says, ‘You’re worried about June, aren’t you?’

‘You know me so well. She won’t get up, she’s so weak. I don’t know what to do, I can barely look at her. What kind of carer am I if I can’t even feed her the bare minimum she needs to survive?’

‘Ena, you have been the best thing in her life since we all went overboard. It’s not your fault there’s no food, but we do need to find something for her. I’ll go and see if Nesta has any ideas.’

The sisters hug.

‘Oh, one more thing,’ says Norah, before they part. ‘Audrey heard a rumour that Miachi is leaving.’

‘Really? Did she hear when?’

‘No, and like I said, it’s just a rumour.’

Betty answers the door to Norah.

‘Hi, Betty,’ she says and then looks beyond her into the living room. The nurses look a little bit sheepish. ‘Is Nesta around? I wanted to have a word.’

‘Er, no, not right now, but she should be back soon.’

‘I’ll come back later then. Can you tell her I stopped by?’

‘Sure, unless one of us can help?’

‘No thanks, I’ll talk to Nesta.’

As Norah turns to leave, Nesta bursts into the living room from the back door.

‘Vivian was right,’ she exclaims to the roomful of nurses. ‘There’s a burial happening right now!’ And then she sees Norah at the front door. ‘Oh, Norah, hello. I didn’t realise you were here.’