A Song For Lisa (5 page)

“Yes, of course, Madame June,” Jonathon answered, moved by
the presence of the frail lady. “When we first attacked the compound and
plantation house, we found a woman named Lisa in one of the rooms of the house.
She needs someone to help and comfort her.”

“Thank God she’s alive. I was afraid they had killed her.
She fought so hard, and has been so strong and brave for all of us… Where is
she, Lieutenant? I must go to her,” cried Madame June. Her deep sunken eyes
stared at him and filled with tears.

“Lisa is in a room on the first floor next to the entrance
door,” directed Jonathon, turning to Lieutenant Jacob. “Hal, would you look
into that water supply? The inmates need food as soon as we can get it to them.
After that they need soap and water. We’ve got to provide some means for them
to wash their bodies. This camp wreaks with pestilence. We’ve got to help them
clean it up. I’m going to check out what the air corps delivered.”

Six hours after the attack, the prison compound was altered
from a sweltering stink hole filled with human beings completely void of hope
of surviving the prison experience, to an organized community overflowing with
the joy of freedom and full stomachs. Many were at the point where they would
have welcomed death, because life was not worth the struggle it took to
maintain it.

Lieutenant Jacob had located the water source for the spigot
in the stable and the barn. It was a small man-made pond about a hundred feet
square. A small amount of water was spilling over the sluiceway indicating to
him that it was being supplied by an underground spring. The Japanese had also
dug another well close by for their drinking water and food preparation. He and
Jonathon figured that they could use the well for the same purpose, and the
pond could be used by the inmates to bathe. A young Ranger removed his pants
and dungaree shirt and waded into the pond. It was about four and a half feet
deep in the center, ideal for the women to use.

Nothing was said to the inmates until the area was prepared.
Stakes and wire from the prison fences were erected around the pond by the
Rangers. Blankets from the Japanese guard barracks were draped over the wire
fence creating a private enclosure for the women. It would be the first time
they were free of prying eyes in three years.

A portion of the air drop contained boxes of army pants and
shirts that troops wore in the tropics. Socks and assorted shoes were also
included. Jonathon ordered them to be displayed next to the enclosed pond so
that the women could take a bath first and then dress in clean, dry clothing.
The minute they were told what was available for them, the inmates were
uplifted. The animated communication among the women was increased as combs,
bars of soap, and clean towels were distributed.

The women had already eaten a large serving of rice, peas,
and canned pineapple. One of the Rangers had discovered a supply of tea in the
Japanese supply room and boiled water to make freshly brewed tea. The
tantalizing aroma wafted through the area where the hungry inmates were eating.
It was a big hit. Smiles, for the first time in years, appeared on dry cracked
lips as they sipped the hot liquid.

A nurse had told Jonathon that the women had lost
twenty-five to forty percent of their body weight. The average weight of the
prisoners was estimated to be about one hundred and two pounds. The large meal
they had just eaten helped to stir the hope that they feared had been lost forever.
The food worked its magic, making the inmates more alert and talkative, and
thankful for the sense of well-being that a full stomach is capable of
producing. Perhaps the tea was more appreciated than the food. It soothed their
sensitive stomachs and brought back memories of where they came from and of
those who were waiting for their safe return. The near-death stare was
beginning to disappear. Their days in purgatory were over.

Jonathon called the
Snapdragon
controllers at Sixth
Army headquarters requesting that additional supplies be air-dropped. He needed
more ammunition and heavier weaponry to adequately defend the compound. He also
notified them that the inmate’s mental and physical health were near the
threshold of complete collapse and that additional food was a high priority.

Sergeant Hammer volunteered to ring the compound for up to
five miles with his men. That would give the defenders of the prison ample time
to prepare for any contingency. Jonathon breathed easier knowing that the
intrepid Filipino force constituted the best eyes and ears a commander could
have in enemy territory. That would allow the Rangers to concentrate on caring
for and defending the inmates.

The women expressed an urgent desire to bath after they had
been fed. Jonathon assigned a squad to be responsible for their immediate care
and safety. They had completed the privacy enclosure around the pond and had
set up a perimeter within the main compound. The inmates would be safe and
isolated from any disturbance. Jonathon requested that the sentinels make
themselves as inconspicuous as security allowed and to always keep their backs
to the bathing women.

The inmates filed towards the pond, anxious to see what had
been provided for their use. Soon the small body of water was filled with
frolicsome women playing like children at the beach. It was the first time in
three years that they had a chance to immerse their bodies in clean water. They
did not worry about their safety. The Rangers had wound a net of security
around them that contributed to their newly-found sense of well-being. Hope was
reinvented. The Americans had returned as General MacArthur had promised!

Each inmate washed and helped those less physically able to
do it alone. From the very start, they cared for each other. It had been a mark
of their incarceration, no one was left to suffer alone. They had established a
fraternity of sisterhood, which acted like a safety net that kept them united
against all of the inhumanities the Japanese had heaped upon them. It was a
triumph of the human spirit. The chance to bathe and clean themselves ignited
that spirit. It was an empowerment that was immeasurable and unconsciously
acknowledged by the women bathing away months of Japanese grime. The small pond
was covered with three inches of soap suds. The cooling waters had unleashed a
new level of energy and joy.

Among the supplies dropped was a supply of combs, enough for
each of the inmates. They soon became a treasured possession and were
successful confidence builders. The combs represented an important part of
their past, and morale climbed instantly when they were distributed. Heavily
snarled hair was not easy to comb, but the women diligently kept at the process
until their long tresses began to flow about their shoulders.

Madame June, accompanied by Lisa Carter, went to the noisy
bathing party taking place within the curtained area. They stopped where the
supplies of soap, combs, and clothing had been stockpiled and displayed by the
Rangers. Madame June took two towels and two bars of Ivory soap.

“Here, Lisa,” said Madame June passing the soap and towel to
her. “A bath will feel good won’t it? It has been a long time since I felt
clean all over.”

“It will feel good June, but it can’t wash away all the filth
the Japanese were responsible for,” she replied, accepting the items. Then she
ripped the ragged clothes from her body and threw them on the ground. “The
beasts can’t touch us anymore, thanks to the American soldiers, but how can we
ever forget what they did to us?”

“Come now, dear lady. We take one day at a time from now on.
Eventually the dark days we’ve had will become just bad memories. We can’t do
anything about them now except to grasp for the future. The young Americans
have given us a chance to think about tomorrow. The sisters we’ve buried in the
cemetery plot would want us to live our lives in their memory. As for me, I
pray that I’ll be able to honor their sacrifice by keeping their memories
alive.”

“You have a nice way of putting things,” Lisa answered,
following her into the water.

An hour later, Lisa was wiping herself with the clean towel.
Madame June was right, she thought. The bath was a cleansing experience, and
she was determined to put the past behind her and look forward. Erasing the memories
of what the camp commander did to her would not be easy, but she was willing to
try. Lisa selected clean underclothes and a set of tan pants and shirt from the
supply pile and dressed herself. The simple act of dressing in clean clothing
gave her a sense of empowerment and a new feeling of being part of something
larger than the encounter she had experienced at the hands of a beast. Once
again, she became a human being in control of her life. The immediate rage and
pain of the violation against her will was temporarily replaced by a wondrous
sensation of being free. She knew that the incorrigible Madame June was correct
when she warned Lisa that the ugliness had to be overcome.

Lisa’s auburn hair hung below her shoulders after it was
thoroughly cleaned and combed. It was thick and sparkled in the mid-day
tropical sun as she sat at the edge of the privacy enclosure. She leaned
against one of the posts and closed her eyes. From a distance, Madame June saw
her relaxing and smiled her approval. There was something wholesome and
inspiring about the quiet unassuming Lisa Carter. She possessed an ethereal
mystical air that was manifest, yet illusive. Her frail, relatively short
stature belied the strong presence she projected. Madame June had recognized
Lisa’s inner strength and took it upon herself to take special care of her
whenever possible.

Throughout their long vigil, Lisa had freely given of
herself to those who were sick or were at an emotional low point. She was the
steady quiet type who suffered in silence. Few ever heard her complain. When
Madame June found Lisa in the room where the young Lieutenant Wright had left
her, she was worried about Lisa’s sanity. By the time she was able to coax her
out of the room with the commandant’s blood in the middle of the floor, Lisa
had calmed down some. The wise Madame June correctly prophesied that memories
of the trauma would most likely be with Lisa for the rest of her life, but
Madame June had faith, believing that she had the moral strength necessary to
rise above the incident.

Lisa forced herself to think of happier times. Her mind
wandered to images she held dear. Vistas of the majestic White Mountains in her
native New Hampshire were always a source of inspiration and comfort. Ragged
ridges and tranquil valleys filled with thin mists rising from gurgling brooks
were precious memories that soothed her soul. If she tried hard enough she
could still smell the clean aroma of spruce and fir trees as the winds swept
their canopies. She had walked the familiar trails among the towering peaks,
with the pungent scent of sweetfern crushed beneath her feet. It would
accompany her for miles. She had loved the forest and the feeling of peace and
contentment that had filled her heart whenever she walked beneath the arched
pathways. It was a sanctuary she had often visited in her youth.

How far away that source of solitude was now! Memories of
the mountains and forests had given her the strength to combat the atrocities
taking place around her. They had been an oasis of calm in the midst of
pestilence and calamity. She found it easy to escape to a time and place of
peace and love and beauty. As the years dragged past, Lisa, and most of her
companions, had already accepted the fact that they might die in the prison
camp. It was a logical, realistic conclusion considering the conditions they
had to endure and, in many ways, it made the situation easier to tolerate. All
that had changed now. The prospect of eventual deliverance from the camp was a
distinct possibility. Their return to civil society, free of war, had been an
impossible dream twenty-four hours ago.

Jonathon recognized the inmate sitting with her back against
a post near the pond. Her auburn hair was shining in the sun. There was a
plaintive far-away - look in her sunken eyes. He was touched by the tragedy
they reflected. He slung the Thompson over his shoulder and approached Lisa
Carter.

“I see that you’ve had a chance to put on clean clothes. Is
there anything I can do to help you?” he asked in a reassuring voice.

Lisa hesitated a moment. She remembered how he had tried to
comfort her. “It is nice to feel clean.”

“Have you had a chance to eat something, Miss Carter?”

“Yes, it was a luxury to satisfy our hunger. Thank you for
freeing the camp. We were beyond hoping for a miracle, then out of the darkness
you appear in answer to all of our prayers. For that, we all owe you a debt of
gratitude.”

“You and your companions have been an inspiration to me and
my men. I can’t imagine how difficult your lives have been, and regret that we
could not come sooner. We plan to defend the camp until more help arrives. In
the meantime, you and your companions should take advantage of this period of
adjustment. Eat and rest all that you can. If you need medical attention, the
nurses at the barn infirmary have been supplied with most any medication you
might need. Be sure to ask them for the vitamin supplements. They’ll help your
body adjust quicker to the changes in diet.”

“There isn’t any medicine that can remove my shame,” Lisa
cried with trembling lips. Her frail body once again was wracked with protest.
She avoided looking at him and held her head in her thin, bony fingers, the
ugly memories returned with increased fury.

His heart went out to the lady. Jonathon searched for the right
words to comfort her and felt helpless: “Let your friends help you, Miss
Carter.”

“I’ve been looking all over for you, Lisa,” exclaimed a
gentle voice. Jonathon turned to see Madame June kneel beside Lisa, cradling
her in her arms. “I’ll take care of her, Lieutenant. She’s had a bad time.”

“I’m relieved that you’re here, Madame,” replied Jonathon,
recognizing the elder matron of the camp.

“Normally our Lisa remains on the sidelines, but is always
available to help. She’s a loner of sorts. When the new commandant of the camp
began the unspeakable practice of using the women to satisfy his desires, Lisa
was the first to defy and protest against what was taking place. He spoke
excellent English. At first Lisa tried to appeal to his honor. She found that he
had no honor and punished her interference by using her for the ultimate
outrage. He taunted her more than the others… The pig deserved to die a painful
death.” Madame June kissed Lisa on the forehead and held her like she would a
small child.

“The night will soon be upon us,” announced Jonathon,
surprised to see how quickly the elderly matron defused Lisa’s rage. “We’ll
have to shrink the secured portion of the camp, at least for the night. Can you
arrange for the women to remain in the stable and barn? The house may be too
vulnerable being on the opposite side of the wire fence.”

“I’ll see that they settle into their old places for the
night,” answered Madame June, standing up to grasp his arm. “I don’t know how
many have said thank you, Lieutenant, but let me say it for all of the inmates.
We were existing on sheer will. A few more days with the new commandant would
have meant death for some of us, especially Lisa. I have a grandson about your
age. You remind me of him. Thank God you came when you did.”

“We’ve been planning raids like this for months, Madame
June. When General MacArthur promised the Filipinos that he would return, he
meant it. The invasion force is off the coast of Luzon. Soon the island will be
free of the yoke of tyranny. We’re proud to be part of that force. You ladies
here at the camp should rest easy with the assurance that we’ll defend this
compound against any Japanese attempts to reclaim it. Be patient a little
longer. Soon you’ll be on your way back to America.”

“Your men have been kind and gentle,” she replied in that
soft way she spoke. “It’s nice to see that brave warriors can also be
compassionate and generous. The world is going to need those virtues if we’re
ever going to put this horrible war behind us.”

That evening, Jonathon checked the sentry posts within the
fenced compound and stationed a man at each of the four entrances to the barn
and stable. Their presence was reassuring to the inmates. He knew that his men
were stretched thin if a determined attack was to take place. At about eleven
o’clock one of the outpost positions let loose with a heavy burst of sustained
fire from a Thompson. The camp was instantly alerted to the prospect of an
attack, and Jonathon ran to the outpost. The two men at the outpost were lying
prone on the edge of their foxhole straining their eyes northward.

“Did you hear anything before you fired?” asked Jonathon,
taking a position beside the two men.

“We both saw several Japs at the edge of the sugar cane
field. They were advancing in a line with rifles and bayonets at the ready,
then we fired at them, sir.”

“You did the right thing. I’m going to double check the
perimeter. If they make another attempt at this outpost, be sure to give
yourselves enough time to fall back to the perimeter line. Don’t try to engage
them from this isolated position unless you are forced to do so. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

Every man on the perimeter was alert and eager to get into
the fight with the enemy. Jonathon spoke to each man along the line of defense.
The young men in the platoon were a hardy bunch with a healthy hatred of the
enemy, tempered by the abysmal conditions of the prisoners. If the enemy did
attack, he was certain they would pay a heavy price trying to pierce the
Rangers’ security line. Thankfully, the night passed without further incident.