Page 92 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

‘No. Thank you, but no, we will never perform for them. We can’t stop them coming to our concerts, but we do not performforthem. Please support me in this.’

‘But you will be punished, you don’t know what they will do to you,’ Margarethe says.

Ena puts her arms around her sister. ‘I think Norah knows and it doesn’t matter. We must respect her wishes.’

The next morning, Norah, with half the camp behind her, walks to the middle of the camp clearing where Seki and Ah Fat are waiting for her.

‘Will you sing Japanese music?’ Ah Fat asks.

‘No.’

Seki thrusts his arms down to the ground. Norah doesn’t need to be told what to do and stands tall, her hands by her side, her head straight ahead.

‘You couldn’t get her to change her mind?’ Nesta asks Margaret. Both women have joined the crowd to support their friend.

‘I didn’t try.’

As Seki walks away, Ah Fat calls out to the women. ‘You stay away, anyone who goes near will join her. Understand?’

Norah smiles, looking at the women around her. ‘Go back to your huts and get out of the sun, I’ll be fine.’

Slowly, most of the women walk away. Ena, Margaret and the entire orchestra of forty-four remain.

‘I will have a nurse here throughout the day with instructions to help her if they feel they must,’ Nesta whispers to Margaret.

The sun is merciless, as if its sole focus is to bring Norah to her knees. She sways, stumbles, but stays on her feet.

‘No, Ena!’ Nesta has arms around Ena’s waist, stopping her from running to Norah.

The afternoon sun is relentless.

Ena goes limp. ‘I know. I know,’ she wails.

‘We’ll all get a beating if you go to her. Just think about that. One of you needs to be there for June at the end of this,’ Nesta says, letting go of Ena. ‘Where is she now?’

‘She’s with the Dutch women,’ Ena says. ‘I didn’t want her to see Norah like this.’

‘Or you,’ adds Nesta, with a weak smile.

The soldiers rotate from their place in the shade. Two nurses at a time stand on duty, ready to react if they think Norah’s condition has become life-threatening. When Norah doubles over, gasping, Ena finally approaches one of the soldiers.

‘Let her go!’ she pleads. ‘I beg you, she’s my sister and you’re killing her.’

Ena receives a resounding slap across the face for her efforts, knocking her to the ground. Audrey is right beside her, helping her to her feet.

Norah lifts her head, and slowly, painfully straightens up, trying to smile with cracked, sunburnt lips. She mouths: ‘I’m OK, I’m OK.’

As the sun slips over the hill, Ah Fat strides towards Norah.

‘You can go now.’

He hasn’t even turned away before Norah collapses. Nesta runs towards her, trailed by Ena and Audrey and nurses Betty and Jean.

‘Leave her for the minute,’ Nesta tells Ena, who is trying to pull Norah to her feet. ‘We need to have a look at her and get some water down her throat.’

Audrey has a bucket of water, a small tin cup and a rag ready.

‘Gently sit her up,’ Nesta tells Ena.