Chapter 3

"The happiness on the island"

That was my first day on the Parry island. I was greeted by Lieutenant Colonel Wendell when I landed. There is a small harbour and a small airport on the island, which are used to monitor the ocean to prevent any attack from the Empire. All officers attended the welcome party for me at night. We all had fun at the party since we could see the victory was just around the corner. I left early but the party is still going on...
........................................................................................................................






"Peaceful time"

Today, Wendell invited me to go fishing. He is a funny guy and he seemed to be really into fishing. I sat beside him and listened to him quietly while he kept talking to me. Wendell told me that he used to be the ex-commander of the artillery battalion, and his battalion is known as "the magnet guns" because of their precise aiming. Near the end of the Hasenburg battle, for covering other friendly forces to retreat, his battalion was ordered to fire over Hasenburg, where his hometown and just captured by the enemy. After the war, he requested for transfer and then he was sent to the Parry Island.
........................................................................................................................






"The sad stories"

As I lived on the Parry Island, I found that most of the officers here had a sad past. Some of them had become talkers like Wendell, and never missed a chance to tell their stories to the newcomers. Others, I found, seemed normal at first, but would burst into tears as they talked about their past in a drunken state. Only a few people kept their histories to themselves and wouldn´t tell even to those who asked. I try to listen to them all but I wonder if they only knew the truth about the wars, what would they do? It´s hard for me to even imagine that.
........................................................................................................................






"Everything suddenly collapsed"

I have been captured. On that day, our troops really arrived, when they fought fiercely with the enemy troops, we seized this opportunity to escape from the tunnel. As soon as I crawled into the tunnel, a powerful exposition happened on the ground, which lead to the collapse over Todd´s head. I was only able to give him a push before the tunnel was totally blocked. Meanwhile, the secret door in the basement was broken because of the exposition. So the enemy found me and captured me. As they dragged me away in a hurry, I even had no idea whether my dad was dead or not.
........................................................................................................................






"Captives on the platform"

I was taken to the train station in Nottingham, a lot of prisoners gathered there. No matter soldiers or civilians, we lined up to get on the train. Except the enemy soldiers´ scold loudly, the platform was extremely quiet, everyone is frustrated. We were put into a freight train, after the carriage was full, the enemy soldiers locked the door with chains. It became dark and quiet in the carriage, someone started to sob suddenly, and then more and more people cried. Some people was cursing, some people was praying, and others was encouraging people besides them. The steel was really cold, but I was so tired and fallen into sleep by leaning against it.
........................................................................................................................






"Nightmare"

Can you imagine that hundreds of soldiers living in the underground fortification for the "final counterattack" for six months? No sunshine, lack of supplies, even the prisoners in the concentration camps live better than them. In order to avoid the "underground fortification" into real hell, their battalion commander decided to lead the soldiers out of the fortifications and to surrender in the morning. It was unbelievable that we live so long on the top of hundreds of enemies´ heads, we have no idea whether to be happy for them or to be bad for them.
........................................................................................................................






"The forgotten ones"

After the conversations with the enemy, we were able to clarify where they came from. They were the third Infantry Division of the Empire, and after the defeat at Sirwell, their commander became a scapegoat, who was brought back to military trials in his own country. Their new commander - the famous romantic baron - went missing after the order was given. I cannot feel anger anymore. I can do nothing but tried my best to take care of them to make them wait for the end of the war patiently and quietly. God, please end everything and let people who were away from home for a long time for their sake.
........................................................................................................................






"Writer Children Mother"

We were sent to the Oasis concentration camp, at the door of the camp, civilians were classified according to sex, while the soldiers were taken away. I encountered with the writer Brody with his three-year-old son, he told me that children were sent to the women prisoners´ camp, and if the mother of the child was not here, the child would be taken away. He asked me to pretend as Joshua's mother, I agreed. I talked him about the story of me and Loner, he said that us would appear in his next novel. Even as a captive, he still insists on conceiving his novels, and I should also be strong.
........................................................................................................................





"On the sea"

We are sailing on a ship, counting the number of meals I have received so far, I thought I had been in this dark cabin for five days. I met Brody here and he was very grateful for my taking care of Joshua. He looked skinny, which made me to thought that male prisoners have to do a lot of work there. We are sailing over some seriously rough waters and I can hear the waves beating the hull loudly. The extra bumpiness of the vessel was making more people seasick. The enemies did not care for them at all. Since None of the soldiers who were with us in the camp were seen, Brody thought that something bad happened on them.
........................................................................................................................






"Bad omen"

The storm had continued for three days and unfortunately, the power grid of the island got down on the first day of the storm, and one small boat sunk.  After our communication channels became operational again, I managed to contact the higher levels to report at the first time, and I was told that the supply ships had sunk in the storm. This meant that Alma's reply was at the bottom of the sea either.  I can see the stormy sea in my mind when I write to her again. I have never been more worried about something after I grew up.
........................................................................................................................






"Tragedy"

There was a sudden jolt and our ship turned over. Since we were at the bottom of the hull, we were safe temporarily. Brody tried to keep everyone calm, but this made no sense. He found an iron bucket and he came up with a plan to escape using it. He used the iron bucket to dive into the water to find an exit. After many painful near-drowning attempts, he finally found an open porthole. The heavy iron bucket was the only thing that made us reach the porthole. Brody let me go out at first in order to help Joshua making it. After I get out, someone was diving down to get hold of the iron bucket. It was a mess, I tried to help Brody but the water flow was too strong and I couldn´t do much...
........................................................................................................................






"Get home"

The emperor finally surrendered and the news reached the furthest corner of the country. The Higher Authorities sent instructions that required us to send back the prisoners and maintained a record of the assets. After all these, another troops would replace us and we could finally go home. Due to my performance during the war and the Captain's recommendation, my BP100 was approved as my personal asset and was allowed free access to any military airports. Now all I have to do is to wait for the troops to come to replace us and I can finally fly back home!
........................................................................................................................






"Go home"

Today, a new notice came from the division. It said that the troops would come here the next week. I really wanted to go home, so I asked Wendell to complete the handover process on my behalf. He agreed and now I was all prepared to leave next morning. I asked Wendell when he was planning to head back home, he said that he wanted to stay here longer as he had to catch a few big fishes. I knew the real reason but I kept quiet. Men should face some things before they are ready.
........................................................................................................................






"Where are you?"

Alma was missing! I had no idea that I would hear this happened when I was back. Robert told me that he heard the sound of the firefight, and he planned to escape from the tunnel, but Alma insisted on holding the back. They crawled for a short time and the Explosion occurred on the ground. Then they heard Todd´s crying. Given the tunnel was too narrow, Robert could not check what happened at back. Old Nord pointed out that as the earth was too weak, the tunnel may continue to collapse, and he dragged Todd out of the tunnel. When they got out of tunnel and returned back to the house, they found that the enemy has escaped and Alma was nowhere to be found. Robert dug the tunnel again but he couldn´t find Alma.
........................................................................................................................






"Never give up"

I guessed Alma had captured by the enemy, given that Robert could not find her in neighboring towns. After requesting General Kyle and the Captain to find some information, I visited all troops and governments around to hunt some clues. Cues were rarely because many civilians were captured without record. However, one clue had come to my notice: There was a large captive transfer in the Oasis concentration camp before the Empire was defeated. Unfortunately, relevant information was destroyed.
........................................................................................................................






"I would find you"

I was more and more regreting about what I did after the great victory of Yonkers. Alma would not be disappeared if I applied for a transfer to the troops near my hometown. In desperation, General Kyle has informed me that the Empire had grouped all our prisoners along the border of Cindy and they were ready to refer to us. I contacted the Wendell who is serving under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he assisted me with the relevant procedures. I repainted the plane with yellow which Alma love most.  Let me find Alma with the color of yellow which emblem hope.
........................................................................................................................






"On the way"

After witnessing the last batch of prisoners has leaved, I was on my way back without finding Alma. The officer in charge of the surrender of the prisoners were also served as a pilot in the war. He felt very sympathetic after learning of my encounters.  What's more, he swore that he will help me in finding Alma. I fly along the border in the way back, hoping the miracle would happened.
........................................................................................................................





"Good news, bad news"

The Captain told me that a ship, which transports prisoners from the Oasis Camp in secret, sunk on the way due to the storm. No one survived. The Captain said he had been hesitated for a long time before he decided to tell me. That storm was the hint from the god, and I believe that Alma must be alive!
........................................................................................................................





"On the way to find you"

I had been searching in that sea area for a very long time. At intervals, I went back to the town to see if Alma returns home. But this time, I heard that Robert, my father-in-law, passed away. We both had regrets. He always felt that Alma would not be missing if he insists on letting she leave first. I left very quickly every time because neither Robert nor I was good at comforting. Todd has grown into a teenager, he told me that he would apply for a pilot so that he could help me look for Alma.
........................................................................................................................






"Ending but not ended"

Today's Morning News had reported the cross-ocean airship encountered a mysterious guest - BP100, which should be out of commission long time ago. The staff on the airship took an interview later. The staff claimed that the plane is red and yellow. The BP100, designed for one passenger only, had two passengers. One is male and the other is female. However, the pilot still could make many tough actions. After a few minutes around the airship, two passengers waved to airship and disappeared. Dr. Brown, the Captain of the Third Flight Brigade during the war, said that these two passengers could be legendary pilot Lonnie Clovis and his wife, who were missing after the war.
........................................................................................................................