III. Tell me

After AJ left, Watanabe was having a hard time falling asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, memories from his past were haunting him mercilessly. The war changed him in ways he couldn't imagine. He was unable to explain himself why was he treating the prisoners that way. He knew he wasn't feeling any pleasure by beating them but he just couldn't stop.

He wasn't himself anymore.

He was just a product of that terrible war.

He eventually felt asleep but his sleep was interrupted often by continuous nightmares and he woke up covered by cold sweating. All he could see when he closed his again was AJ's back full of bloody wounds caused by him.

It was all a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. Not until the war is over.

The next day, AJ was asked by everyone what happened in the Corporal's office last night. He knew he had to keep his mouth shut but it was hard to keep his secret from Louie. He wanted to tell him but at the same time, telling him the truth could put Louie in danger. "I will kill them" Watanabe's cold words echoed in his mind.

As they were lined up for the morning inspection, AJ was keeping his head down staring at his own boots while Watanabe was walking through the rows. This time, he avoided his looks not because of fear, but because he was ashamed of how he acted last night when the Corporal was cleaning his wounds. He cried and screamed like a baby. He knew he was a shame for the United States Army.

His head was hurting like hell and he felt more tired and weak than usual. "Maybe it's because of the nightmares I had last night" thought Watanabe as he was walking among the prisoners who were doing their daily tasks. He saw AJ and Louie talking to each other while they were cleaning the Japanese soldiers boots. He tried to approach them but suddenly, his vision started to go blurry and in the next second, he passed out making all the people around him to turn their heads.

Because he was the closest to the Corporal, AJ ran next to him quickly, not thinking too much about what he was doing. Back in the US, he was a 3rd year medical student so he knew there were only a few causes that could make a strong man to pass out like that in the middle of the day.

The Japanese soldiers were running and screaming around the Camp.

" What are the saying ?" Louie asked Fitzgerald who approached them.

"They say the doctor is not here today, he went to Tokyo cause they ran out of antibiotics. Let's go, don't get close to him, they 'll blame us if he's dead."

Louie followed Fitzgerald's advice but AJ knew he had to help Watanabe. He knew the doctor wasn't there today because of him. Watanabe gave him all the antibiotics.

He touched Watanabe's forehead to check his temperature, then his neck , to check his pulse. 'What could it be ?'

After a few seconds Watanabe regain his consciousness a little and opened his eyes, staring at AJ. He wanted to open his mouth to speak but he couldn't.

"Quickly, tell them to give me some sugar. NOW!" AJ yelled at Fitzgerald.

"Let me help him. I am doctor ." AJ yelled again when 2 Japanese soldiers tried to take him away from Watanabe.

After a few seconds, Scott brought him a cup of sugar and a tablespoon.

"Look at me, Corporal, and try to open your mouth a little." He whispered trying to put the tablespoon of sugar in his mouth while holding his head.

After a few tries, AJ managed to make Watanabe eat 3 tablespoons of sugar. He knew it was probably diabetes and Watanabe just had an hypoglicemic crisis.

"Take him inside and let him rest, he will be fine." He said to the soldiers. Before the Japanese picked him up, Watanabe grabbed AJ's right arm and held it for a few seconds.

"You should have let him die, for fuck sake, AJ." Louie told him afterwards.

"He wouldn't die anyways. He is probably a diabetic, that's why he couldn't be an officer. You don't die from a crisis like that. I guess..." AJ answered with his look still on Watanabe who began regaining his consciousness in the soldier's arms.

But once inside, Watanabe passed out again so the Japanese soldiers decided to call AJ for help again.

"Don't go, AJ, let the motherfucker die. He s not worth it." Louie whispered to his ear. But AJ didn't listen. He quickly went to the infirmary accompanied by Scott Fitzgerald who was their translator.

"Ask them if Watanabe is a diabetic." Said AJ, listening to the Corporal's breath, checking his pulse again.

"They know nothing. They said it's the first time he passes out like that."

"Then I'm gonna get him a glucose I.V. I can't give him insulin unless I know for sure what type of diabetes he has. Come on, help me take his coat and shirt off."

Scott and the soldiers quickly followed AJ's orders.

"Come on, Corporal, wake up and tell me what's wrong with you." AJ muttered, staring at Watanabe.

Little did he know that even if his eyes were closed and he didn't have the power to open them or to speak, Watanabe was hearing him.

After a few minutes, the Corporal was fully regaining his consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly and saw AJ right besides him, checking his I.V.Watanabe made a sign for everybody to leave the room, except AJ.

"Corporal, you have to tell me what type of diabetics you have. I need to know if I should give you insulin or not. " AJ spoke shyly, a little afraid of Watanabe's possible reaction.

"It's type 2, I don't need insulin." He answered after a few seconds of silence.

"All right then, try to rest better. You will be fine."

"Why did you help me?" Watanabe asked,grabbing AJ's arm.

"The war hadn't changed me as it did for you..." AJ whispered, trying to get out of Watanabe's grip.

He left the room as quickly as he could and went back to the barracks. It was almost meal time. What a 'happiness'.

After dinner, Louie grabbed AJ in a quiet corner of the barrack. He wanted to talk to him in private a little.

"What's wrong, Lou?" AJ asked surprised by his friend's action.

"AJ, you have to tell me what happened last night in Watanabe's office. What did he do to you?"

AJ opened his mouth to speak but Louie interrupted him.

"And I want the truth, AJ. No room for secrets here, for fuck sake."

AJ put a hand in his pocket and took out a bunch of pills, under the horrific looks of Louie who probably thought he had steal then from the infirmary.

"He gave me those. It's antibiotics. Because of the opened wounds he caused me I got and infection in my body, that's why I couldn't eat. " AJ said almost whispering

"You kidding me? The Bird gave you antibiotics? What the fuck AJ? And he requested nothing in return ?" Louie asked, grabbing AJ by his shoulders. He knew the boy was a sure target for the Japanese soldiers because of his unusual looks.

"Look, he didn't touched me. He didn't do anything to me, Louie. He just gave me the pills that's all."

Louie nodded his head.

"Let's go to bed then, we should rest."

But their sleep was intrrerupted shorthly after. Two japanese soldiers, accompanied by Scott Fitzgerald approached their beds. AJ woke up first and tried to wake Louie up too.

"Dont wake him up. They want you. It was a bomb attack today in Tokyo so the doctor wont be here until tomorrow. They want you to watch over Watanabe tonight, in case he passes out again." said Scott, with a worried face.

AJ nodded his head, grabbed his shirt and followed the Japanese soldiers without a word. It was going to be a long night and he knew that.