Page 69 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

‘Even a banana?’ Norah teases, revealing it from behind her back.

June’s eyes light up with pleasure. It is a small moment of respite, but deeply savoured all the same.

‘This is Sergeant Major Kato, your new commandant. Please be good and nothing will happen to you,’ Ah Fat tells the assembled women.

The rumour about Miachi is proved to be true when the women are called toTenko.

When the announcement is over, Kato and Ah Fat quickly stride back to the administrative block. The women wander back to their houses or to the well, hoping there will be some water to collect.

‘Well, I wonder what this one’s going to be like,’ Mrs Hinch says to Norah.

‘He could give us more food, but I bet nothing will change.’

‘I’ll arrange to talk to him and stress we either need more food from them, or he needs to find us some local traders to come back,’ Mrs Hinch decides.

‘Well, good luck,’ says Norah, with little hope that something will come of it.

‘If somebody had told me two years ago that I would be sifting through garbage, looking for any grubs that can be eaten, I wouldn’t have believed them. But you know something, I quite like it.’ Mrs Hinch grins widely.

‘Dr McDowell, do you have a moment?’ Nesta asks the frantic doctor, who is running between rooms to tend to her feverish patients.

Conditions have worsened in the camp, with outbreaks of both typhus and dengue fever. Very soon, the hospital is full of the seriously ill. The nurses rotate between house visits and working in the under-resourced, poorly sanitised hospital. Nesta’s shifts, however, are all at the hospital.

‘How can I help you, Sister?’

‘There’s a patient who came in with some of the others, but I can’t tell whether she has typhus or dengue fever.’

‘Tell me her symptoms,’ the doctor replies wearily.

‘Her headache is severe; she doesn’t have a bad rash but keeps complaining her stomach hurts.’

‘Could her stomach pain be because of hunger?’

‘We’re all starving and no one else is complaining specifically of stomach pain like she is.’

‘Mmm, I wish I could say conclusively that it was dengue; it sounds serious enough, though. Just keep her comfortable for now and I’ll alert everyone to be on the lookout for tummy pain. It could be the distinguishing symptom.’

Morale in the camp reaches an all-time low. Many women can be seen walking up and down the street in a daze, making little effort to avoid the torrential rains that arrive every afternoon. The drains clog with mud, overflowing sewage and camp rubbish. Without being asked, Norah and Audrey take it upon themselves to clean out the drains on their side of their street. Two of the nuns do the same on the other side. They are often the only women doing so.

Margaret walks the camp during the downpours, talking to the many women whose stupefied appearance is as much a concern as any physical illness. One day, she and Norah approach a young woman who is staggering along the street. Norah notices she is not looking straight ahead as many others do, but down at the muddy cesspools she is trudging through. Margaret takes the woman’s arm.

‘Tell me your name, my dear,’ Margaret says.

The woman with the dead eyes turns to Margaret, a puzzled look on her face as she tries to make sense of what she is hearing.

‘I’m Sonia.’

‘I have an idea for you, Sonia. Look up,’ she says softly. ‘Look up, my dear.’

Sonia slowly raises her head, as the rain soaks her face, shaking her out of her stupor.

‘What are you saying? What do you want from me?’

‘Just to raise your eyes.’

The woman turns on Margaret, grabs her by the shoulders and starts to shake her. Norah attempts to pull her away.

‘Norah, please, leave her alone,’ Margaret says, stumbling, her own hands coming up to take hold of Sonia’s arms.