II.The Thief

The next few days were a nightmare for AJ. He just couldn't get used to the Prisoner life. They were forced to work until they break down of exhaustion. They were hungry, all the time. They had 2 meals a day but the food was so awful they could barely eat anything.

And The Bird....

He was harassing AJ everyday. The other prisoners told him that before his arrival, it was Louie who was the corporal's favourite when it came to harassing and punish but now it seemed that AJ was getting all of Watanabe's attention.

"Come on, AJ, eat. You have high fever, you need to eat something, please" Louie pleaded, holding a cup of that horrible food in his hand, next to AJ's bed.

"I tried, Lou, but I can't, I just can't go on like that..." AJ's eyes were sorrowful and his frail body was collapsing slowly. He just couldn't bare any other punishment from The Bird anymore and the fact that he couldn't eat was making his situation worse. Louis held his hand for a little and then went to speak to Fitzgerald, he knew what he was to do to keep AJ alive.

"This is crazy, Lou. You're gonna get shot if you do this, you know that." Said Scott Fitzgerald after hearing Louie's plan of stealing some good food to feed AJ.

"I know. But it's the only way we can save the poor boy. He's dying slowly under our eyes and I just can't stand it anymore."

With that being told, Louie followed his plan that night. When everyone was asleep, he stole food from the Japanese Soliders improvised cafeteria and then woke AJ up to eat.

"You shouldn't do this, Lou...Thank you but you will have big trouble because of me." AJ could barely speak so Louis told him to hush and made him eat the food.

With trembling hands, AJ took the bowl with rice and chicken in his hands an began to eat like that was his last meal.

"Thanks so much, Lou, you're an angel, you know that." He whispered in Louie's ear while the soldier was asleep next to him.

The next day, during the morning training, all the prisoners knew that there was a strange atmosphere in the Camp. They were lined up quickly and more harshly than the usual. AJ was shaking nervously next to Louie while The Bird was approaching the rows.

"One of you did an unforgivable thing last night. Someone stole food from us. So, I'm asking that person to take a step forward and confess. Otherwise I will punish all of you and you will not receive food for 5 days." Said Watanabe with his hateful look on Louis.

Louie inhaled deeply and in the next second he stepped forward, being ready to be beaten to death by Watanabe.

The Japanese Corporal, not even surprised by the quick confession, took out his bamboo stick and let out an ironic smirk.

"No! It wasn't him. It was me. I stole the food because I'm sick and I can't eat the horrible food you give us. I stole it and I ate it. Alone." AJ suddenly said, looking Watanabe right in his eyes, his whole body trembling in fear and rage.

"AJ what are you doing? Shut up!" Louie muttered. But it was too late. The Bird was looking furious at him. He wanted the thief to be Louie so he could kill him with no consquences. But AJ's confession ruined his plans. He grabbed AJ by his collar and dismissed the other prisoners.

"Now, for your punishment, you have to lift that pole over your head for as long as I want." Confused, AJ approached the pole trying to lift it. But it was to heavy and his body was too frail.

Watanabe was looking defiantly at him while he struggled with the pole. AJ tried to think about Louie, he couldn't disappoint him after everything Louie did for him. He inhaled deeply and in the next second, he lifted the heavy pole under Watanabe's look.

"If he drops it, shoot him" he told to one of Japanese soldiers who immediately loaded the gun.

AJ felt weak on his knees, his tears were running down his cheeks but he was looking Watanabe right in the eyes.

Watanabe was staring at him like he was mesmerized. AJ's already very long hair was blown away by the strong wind, his frail body was trembling but he didn't looked away. He continued looking Watanabe right in the eyes. "Don't look at me!" The Corporal yelled in full anger. But AJ lifted the pole even higher, with his eyes on Watanabe.

"Don't look at me" he shouted again. In the next second he hit AJ with the bamboo stick until he collapsed, almost crashed under the heavy pole. Watanabe continued hitting him until AJ was no longer moving.

"Don't look at me!" Watanabe whispered in despair, falling on his knees next to AJ.

Louis and Scott Fitzgerald helped AJ back to the barracks few minutes later. They gave him something to eat but AJ threw up the second he swallowed the food. He was full of bruises and his body refused to cooperate anymore. He was lost and he knew that. The other boys let him alone, telling him he needs at least to sleep but after a few minutes, a Japanese solider came to his bed, telling him The Corporal Watanabe wants to see him now, in his office.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, guys." said AJ shyly, trying to get up. He knew this was the end. Louis, Phil and Scott hugged him for the last time and he followed the Japanese to the Watanabe's office. He slowly entred the room while Watanabe was staring at the window, not facing him.

"Sit down!" He ordered while he approached AJ

AJ obeyed, facing the floor.

"Why don't you look at me now ? Today you were very daring and your eyes were on me all the time."

AJ was silent. He learned that He s not allowed to talk back, even if he was asked a question.

"Come on, you can answer." Watanabe continued seeing AJ's hesitation

"I...I am sorry, Sir!I didn't mean to disrespect you." AJ muttered shyly, touching his wounded bottom lip Watanabe smirked and got closer. He lifted his chin up and touched a strand of his long black hair that was convering his eye.

"What's your name?"

"Alexander James, Sir." answered AJ, almost holding his breath until Watanabe stepped back and sat at his office.

"A full American name, so I guess your mother it's Japanese, not your father. Alexander James...But I heard the others calling you differently. Why?"

"They call me AJ, Sir. The initials from my full name, Sir!"

"You are a strong man, AJ." Watanabe said after a few seconds of full silence.

"I'm not... I was crying the whole time while I was lifting the pole. I cry every night when I go to bed...I'm not strong..." But right after he finished the sentence, he remembered he wasn't allowed to speak back. He was about to apologize when Watanabe got up again and approached him.

"You confronted me today. No one confronts me." Watanabe said with a smirk.

"You look very sick, my soldiers say you're gonna die in a few days. They say you don't eat. It's that true?"

"Yes, Sir. Lately I could barely eat and I throw up everything I eat."

"Come on, take that shirt off." AJ froze when he heard Watanabe's words. If he had to be honest, he was expected that. With his looks, he expected to be abused by the Japanese soldiers but not by The Bird... He just didn't seemed the type of man who would take that kind of favours from another man. Especially from an American prisoner.

He clenched his fists and under Watanabe's looks he did as he was told.

The Corporal, got closer to him examinating his back wounds caused by the bamboo stick. The wounds were looking very bad, the fresh one were still bloodied. With open wounds like that, Watanabe knew AJ got an infection , living in those improper conditions so that's why he couldn't eat anymore.

He took a bottle of sanitary alcohol, some tissues and an ointment from his desk.

"Now, stand still, dont move. It's going to hurt like hell so grab something and clench your teeth." Watanabe said beginning to disinfect AJ's wounds.

"Ahh, it hurts,it hurts, please stop." he screamed more out of instinct. He immediately regretted and bit his wounded lip.

Watanabe almost let out a smile when he saw AJ's purely childish reaction.

"Be quiet! I don't want anyone to hear that. Understood ?" AJ nodded and Watanabe continued. He was almost dizzy from the pain, he tried to grab something as the corporal told him and closed his eyes. After a few minutes the disinfection was done and Watanbe applied the ointment.

"Why are you doing this? Why don't you let me die out of infection? You want me dead anyway."

Watanabe didn't answered. He asked himself the same question but couldn't find a real reason.

"Take this, it's an antibiotic. It's gonna stop the infection and you will can eat again. You have to take it for a few days. Also, no one has to know what happened here. If you tell someone..."

"You will kill me, I know."

"No, I will kill them, not you. Now get out. And don't make me hit you again."