Reece

ANT FARM
Name: Akiya Nakamura Age: 47 Gender: Female Occupation: None Appearance: Short, White & curly hair, bent body, wrinkles on her face. Location: Tokyo Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: She spent hard time feeding her 2 children (son & a daughter) because she wasn't rich enough. However, she was successful enough to make their children in to adults. Family: 3 people (Herself, son, daughter) Husband ran away during their poverty period. Education: Until end of high school, she married when she was 18. Languages you speak: Japanese only. Your main concerns at this time and in life: She is worried about her children (son who went to army, daughter living in Hiroshima.) Portrait (an image that you and we can live with):

__**DIARY ENTRY 1#**__ September, 1940

Just like any other day, I always miss my young little children. Time just flies by, I still remember the times when I had to clean the mess that the young little babies made. While thinking about my children, my eyes got wet and tears are about to drop but I try not to. I am crying not only because I miss my children, but also I am extremely worried because I don’t know whats going on. I am especially worried with my daughter, Kodami (Brian), who is living by herself right now without a husband, living in Hiroshima. I hope she is okay so she can receive my letter in time. While writing the letter, a tear drops on the sheet of paper. I stopped for a moment, and I cried for quite a bit. While crying, many different kind of thoughts go through my head. Why am I living like this? When did the suffering start? Who is causing all of this? However, there wasn’t an answer and the answer didn’t really matter. So I kept on writing my letter. in the letter, I told her that she has to live strong as a wife since we are going to fight through all the boundaries that blocks us from going forward. Since I also knew that her husband, Makami, was sent to the military and not coming out yet. I wrote a little note on the letter which I hope, she will feel better. I told her to remember that we women, wives, and moms, need to stay strong. I feel so bad for my young daughter, Kodami, because I should be the one who is helping her out, not herself. I don’t deserve to be a good mother. I feel like this not only to my daughter Kodami, but also all of my children... I can’t go to sleep because I feel terrible right now. I need some help as well. I am sick and tired of everyday’s life because it is always the same and it is hard for me to stand. With tear drops on my eyes again, I slowly fall in to sleep. Just hoping that tomorrow will get a little bit better, also dreaming the happy days that I had when I was young (or the times when Japan didn’t have tension with U.S.) With a deep concern on my face, I go to sleep...

__**DIARY ENTRY #2**__ May 5th, 1941

6:00 a.m, I wake up without any hesitation, making breakfast for my precious child, Keiki (David). I go outside to buy the ingredients for my son’s breakfast. I put my hand inside my pocket and I check the amount of money I have. I only touch some coins which seems to be about 10 yen. I take a deep breath, and think about the food that I can buy. I went to the store that was managed by an old woman and bought some corn soup. I went back home and started to wake Keiki up. I see him eating the delicious corn soup and I feel very proud when I see my son grown up so well. However, one thing that concerns me is that Keiki has to go to the military very soon. We are in war with China and I do not want to send my son to the military. My other son, Kagawa, is currently in the military and I miss him tremendously. However, since my sons are fighting for our great country, Japan, I feel proud again. Today, Keiki came back from school with a concerned face. I prayed to god several times to tell me that he is not concerned about going to the military. Later on, while we were eating dinner, I was reading a newspaper and I saw an article about the U.S. ceasing oils that are imported to Japan. I hesitated for a moment, whether I should tell this to Keiko and I finally decided to tell him about it because I thought that he was old enough to know this and it is my job to tell him. After I told him, he asks me why are they doing it. I told him that U.S. is doing this to stop our territorial expansion on East Asia any further. He looked concerned and I was curious to ask what he thinks about it. However, I stopped myself from asking him because I was afraid that he will get even more concerned. He went back to his room and just like any other day, I’m alone. I remember the days when Japan was economically stable, when I was able to eat and feel satisfied. I don’t know why our great country, Japan, is making us suffer and I hope some day, it will stop and live happily with my children.

__** Diary Entry #3 **__ Feb 16th, 1942

I was not able to believe what I heard from neighbor outside. Yes, it is now true. The war is finally over! We have occupied the Pearl Harbor and the lands of East Asia including Singapore. From what I heard, occupying Singapore was easy because they had their weapons face to the South towards Malaysia so it was not difficult to occupy them just by attacking from the North. I was expecting a lot from the end of the war however, nothing pretty much changed because none of my children came back to Dokyo and no one even sent me a letter yet which makes me more worried. I would always watch the mailman whether he is going to give us anything and he would just pass away. However, a thing that comes to my mind even more is that since the war is over, I am not really concerned about my son going fo the military currently because I believe that he will be safe. Today, I feel better than any other days, I went out and bought some delicious food for Keiki and started to organize the house again. while cleaning Keiki's desk, I found a letter that seems to be from his friend. I started to read it and the content was pretty much shocking. It was a letter from my son's friend Keisuke (Han Beik)! I have a son called Kazuya who is currently in Singapore with his good friend. I hope he is doing well over there and I started to read the letter again. The letter was basically about Keisuke telling Keiki to join the military and he wrote some events that occurs in Japanese army. When I heard about them, I sort of got a relief with both of my children who goes the the military. I wish what Keisuke wrote on the letter is true. Now, even the war is over, I just want my children to come back home and hug me hard as possible. I want to use more plates for dinner for my precious children but now, I just have to wait until they will come. Today will be remembered as one of the happiest day of my life and I am not going to forget! I wish my life will become more happier starting from today. I guess, my life was way better than the life that I thought I had.

Aug 1st, 1945
 * __Diary Entry #4__**

It is hard to imagine how our great country, Japan, is slowly falling. I see many people starving in the streets and children crying because they lost their parents. I am now sick and tired from suffering, but I have to live in order to see my children someday. I am alone, three of my sons are in military and my daughter is having a hard time living in Hiroshima. Why is this happening to me? I came back home and sat at my cold chair, and wait for the mailman to come. I have waited for nothing for many years already but I always have hope although I know that the mailman have no mails for me. There he comes, now I don't even feel excited. He puts a mail inside our mailbox. My heartbeat started to pound faster as if it was about to explode. I ran to the mailbox and brought the mail in to my house. I was so excited to open it that my hand shook so hard that it stopped me from opening the mail. The mail was from Keisuke ( Han Beik ). I started to read the mail without hesitation. I read the whole mail. My legs just fell to the ground and tear started to come out from my eyes and it was unstoppable. I was able to feel my heart ripping apart. I felt as if I lost everything, I mean, EVERYTHING. I had never felt this sad before. I wasn’t able to believe what was happening to me. I don’t know how to explain my feelings because it was a feeling that I’ve never felt before. I cried nonstop for few hours and I slept because I was exhausted from crying. Keisuke sent me a mail about my son, Kazuya’s death. He said he was a great man and he was also upset as well. I felt extremely sorry for my son and Keisuke because they have to spend their lives in the battlefield when they were supposed to go to school and have fun with friends. My teardrops didn’t seem to stop and now, I don’t know how should I tell Kazuya’s death to my other children. I felt so sorry to tell them that their brother died. My only wish for now, is that my rest of the children will come back safely from the battlefields or where ever they are. I pray to god, please protect my innocent children...