Now, people, this is a stab at play-writing I made. It may not be the next big thing, but I enjoyed both reading and writing it, and I’ve gotten ok feedback. If you comment, be gentle…
The play takes place in a small village outside of Hiroshima during the Second World War. The culture in the village is that of traditional Imperial Japan, as in the eldest son is the most revered in the family (aside from the father) and there is great stock put into a family’s honor. The play opens in a small, traditional Japanese home on August 4th, 1945. The family of this home consists of the eldest son, Sakuya (age 23), his younger brother, Ren (age 19), the mother of the family, Keiko (age 42), and her daughter, Ikuma (age 17). The father of the home, ( not named, age 50), has gone off to fight in the war with the Americans. It opens with Sakuya running into the home, breathless.
Sakuya: (seeing his sister in the house)*huff* *huff* Ikuma, I’m back from the city. I’ve received news of Father, go out to the field and get Ren and Mother. I need them to hear this.
Ikuma: Brother, what’s the matter? You seem upset, has something happened?
Sakuya: You’ll find out as soon as you go get Ren and Mother, now quickly, go!
Ikuma exits the stage quickly and returns with Ren and Keiko.
Ren: What’s this about Sakuya? Why are you home? Have you found work in Hiroshima already? It’s only been a few weeks.
Sakuya: No, it’s nothing about that. Now sit, I have something to tell you.
The family settles as Sakuya prepares to tell them what he knows.
Sakuya: I was in the town a few days ago and was contacted by a soldier that knew Father. He told me something’s happened, and said to pass the message to his wife, Keiko, and the rest of the family.
Ren: Something’s happened? What message? Has he been injured? Where is he?
Sakuya: No, he hasn’t been injured. Now, don’t disrespect me with your interruptions and let me finish what I’m trying to say. Father was sent to the Islands to hold off the Americans, and was involved in a skirmish. His plane was shot down while attempting to Kamikaze the American ships, he was presumed missing until his body was picked up by a fishing boat off the coast a few days later. He’s been killed. Though he’s dead his actions have brought honor to our whole family.
Keiko: I… He shouldn’t have gone to fight, it should have been you instead, Ren… I must go pray at the shrine for him, but…what’s going to happen to us? Sakuya, son, it’s your responsibility as oldest to take up the responsibilities of your father. We need someone to provide for us.
Sakuya: I know this, and I have every intention of going back to Hiroshima today to find work. I will send money back as soon as I can.
Ren: I’ll go with you, I’m old enough to help the family.
Sakuya: You aren’t coming with me. This is the responsibility of the eldest son, you’ll stay here and work the fields and help Mother and Ikuma.
Ren: They can work the fields themselves, we need money to survive. I can come and help-
Sakuya: I said no. I’m the head of the family now, and you should listen to what I say. I have to leave immediately if I’m going to make it back to the city by tomorrow.
Ikuma: I’ll make up food for you to take back on your trip. Mother, I’ll go with you to the shrine after. I know this is hard but we aren’t the first family to lose their father. We’ll be strong through this.
Sakuya: She’s right, we can’t let this overwhelm us. Everything will be alright, I’ll make sure of it. Now I’m going to get my things ready to leave.
He exits, Ikuma exits to prepare the food. Keiko and Ren are left in the room.
Keiko: We’re lucky to have Sakuya in this situation. He’s a strong man, we’ll be alright with him.
Ren: I still think I should help him. I know he was raised to take over as head of the family but aren’t I allowed to do something at least?
Keiko: Ren, you aren’t like Sakuya. He’s the best man to take over for your Father. Let him do what he must, you wouldn’t do well living like he is going to. You’re a fragile boy. Plus you have work to do here. It’s best if Sakuya were to go alone.
Ren: But-
Keiko: That’s enough. You know what you have to do, now go help your brother ready for his trip. I’ll be leaving for the shrine as soon as Ikuma has finished.
Fade out, fade back in. Its early morning on August 6th, the house is rocked by an unknown force and there is a slight glow in the distance. Ren is in the sitting room, and is shortly joined by Keiko and Ikuma.
Ikuma: Brother, you’re awake already. You felt that quake?
Ren: I couldn’t sleep, and was making tea when I felt it. I can’t imagine what it was. It didn’t feel like an earthquake. It felt like the house was rocked by an intense wind. There’s a glow coming from the direction of the city. Go see.
Keiko and Ikuma rush to the window, look out, and come back.
Keiko: Has the war come here already? A bombing maybe? But how could we have felt it here?
Ikuma: That glow seems eerie, it has a demonic feel. Something’s wrong, Ren go and find out what you can. Someone must know something.
Ren: I was just about to go out, just waiting for you two to wake up before I got moving. I’ll leave immediately, I won’t be back until I find out something.
Ren exits. Keiko and Ikuma are left in shock.
Keiko: I have a bad feeling about this. Something’s wrong…
Ikuma: Sakuya is in Hiroshima, something may have happened to-
Keiko: (interrupts her) Don’t say that, Sakuya is smart and capable enough to survive whatever this is I’m sure. We just have to have faith that everything will be alright. We’ll just wait for Ren to bring whatever news he can find out.
Ikuma: I hope you’re right, Mother.
Over a day passes before Ren returns, it’s mid day. He’s greeted at the door by Ikuma.
Ikuma: I saw you coming in the distance, Mother is down at the shrine. I’ll call her up.
Ren: Please, be quick… I’ve heard some news.
Ikuma exits, leaving Ren by himself. He is distressed.
Ren: How can I tell them what I’ve discovered? When I was first told what happened I didn’t believe it… Superstitious old peasants constantly blowing things out of proportion. How could they have been right about this of all things? Oh, Father we need you now more than ever… and Sakuya. Oh Sakuya, without you… Seeing it for myself was a mistake, a horrible mistake that will haunt me forever. The shadows burnt, I felt sick just being close. But I just couldn’t take their word for it, what they said was just so… unbelievable. How will we survive now? I must do something, I have to. It’s all up to me now. (a beat, Keiko and Ikuma enter the stage) Oh Mother, Ikuma, good. I need to tell you what I’ve found.
Keiko: You’ve been gone for over a day, what happened? Why’d it take so long?
Ren: I heard many things from many people, some of them seemed to have first hand information but I just couldn’t believe them. I went to the city to find out for myself. I was just on the outskirts but it was enough to see what had happened… The city, it’s gone, scorched off the face of the Earth. It’s like some dragon devoured it and burnt what was left. I hear it was the Americans, they did something and… oh I keep seeing it. The shadows of people were imprinted on the buildings. It’s gone Mother, the whole city. Sakuya was in there when it happened. He can’t have gotten out, noone did. Brother is dead.
Keiko: No, that can’t possibly be true. Nothing could’ve destroyed such a city in a night. It’s impossible, not even the Americans with their entire army could’ve done something like that.
Ikuma: Mother, look at his face, could he be lying? There’s such horror in his eyes.
Ren: I’m not. I first heard about it from the servant of the lord in this area. It’s true, I rode through the night and day to find out what I have. How could they have done such a terrible thing? So many innocent… nothing we’ve done could’ve made us deserve this.
Ikuma: Ren, we’ve done some terrible things ourselves. Those people in China and Hawaii but still, all those women and children. I’m sick…
Ren: The war will be over after this, if the Americans can do this in a night, it could be Kyoto next or even anywhere. We can’t stand against this.
Keiko: The war be damned, we have to figure out how we’ll survive now.
Ren: There’s still me.
Keiko: Son, you’re not ready to fill the place of your Father and brother. We can’t just rely on that.
Ren: Mother, I am a man. I know I haven’t exactly been raised for this responsibility but I can help. I’m not nothing.
Keiko: You’re still young and naïve, after all this, life will be hard. Far harder than before.
Ikuma: Mother, we don’t have much of a choice now. Ren is a man, even if you don’t think so. Let him go.
Keiko: We should focus on living now, we still have our field. We can work that and get by; Ren should show he’s a man by growing food for us to survive on.
Ikuma: We can work it ourselves without Ren, you know this.
Keiko: No, he should-
Ren: (cutting off his mother) Mother, I don’t mean to disrespect you, but after what I’ve seen I know it’s going to be too hard to live just off the farm. I’m leaving for Kyoto soon, I will find work. I can do this, just believe in me.
Keiko: If you wish to just leave us, and lose our family’s honor when you fail, I cannot support you. You will doom us. How will Ikuma marry if we have nothing to offer a husband? This family will be destroyed. I will ask my brother for help, it will dishonor us but in these times I will do it.
Ren: He will give us nothing and you will dishonor us by asking him. For nothing. Now I’m leaving tomorrow, give me time at least before you try something. I will do everything I can. I am the head of the family now, though I never expected to be it. Very little has been expected of me, Sakuya has always been the stronger one. I have to do something now though, I can’t just do nothing. Now I’m going to the shrine to pray for success, I’ll be back shortly.
Ren exits, Keiko and Ikuma are left in the room alone.
Ikuma: Mother, you need to have faith in Ren. I know it’s been terrible to lose your husband and son in such a short time, and I can barely stand it either, but Ren is determined. We must have faith.
Keiko: You are also too young and naive to know… this won’t be alright. I loved your brother and Father, and respected them, but Ren has always been just a little weaker. Remember that time, years ago, when Sakuya almost drowned in the river? Ren was there, right there, and could do nothing but yell for help. He was paralyzed by fear and couldn’t jump in to save his own brother. Sakuya, though, was strong enough to pull himself out- by himself. Even your father, when our family was called to serve the Emperor, was brave. Ren should have gone as it would have been better for the family. We needed your father to survive, and Sakuya to succeed him. Ren should have gone but was so frightened your father went instead. He died because of Ren. I cannot have faith in him; he hasn’t proven himself to be strong. He’s always been a fragile, gentile soul. I still have love for my son but I cannot let the family rest on him.
Ikuma: We have to let him try, he can still prove himself. I believe in him, I have to. Oh, quiet, Ren’s coming back.
Ren re-enters. He seems to have a new resolve.
Ren: Mother, I’m ready for this. I’m going to leave in the morning for Kyoto. I will find something, anything. I’m a man, and will be strong for all of us.
Keiko: Son, I hope so. I suppose I must let you go. You are the head of the family now, it would be improper to go against your wish, and I don’t have the strength to argue against you anymore. I’m tired and full of sorrow, I’m going to go lie down by myself for a while. Don’t let the family down, we won’t survive this if you do.
Keiko exits the stage slowly, staggering under an unseen burden.
Ikuma: Ren, brother, I spoke with Mother. She is against all of this but I trust you. You may not have been a strong man till now but you can still change. It is your time to be the man you wished to be and haven’t been till now. Look outside, see? The cherry blossoms have bloomed late, it bodes well for you. Look.
They look out the window; cherry blossoms blow in through the open screen. They both have a look of grave seriousness.
Ren: (Turning to Ikuma) Ikuma, do you think I can do this? Mother’s getting to me, I’m doubting myself…
Ikuma: Don’t, just don’t. You can’t think like that. Ren, if you start by doubting you won’t have the confidence to do what you have to. I would go in your stead if I could, but we both know I can’t. It’s up to you; don’t let Mother get inside your head. Think, what would Sakuya be doing now? What would Father do? Life hasn’t been what you wanted it to be but now’s your chance! Take it, and live up to Father and Brother’s memories. Prove Mother wrong. If anything, know that I trust you will succeed.
Ren: Ikuma, that means a lot. I’ll do what I have to, for you if for no one else. I will provide enough to give you something to be proud of, to attract a husband worthy of you. I’ll do better than Father or Brother would have, despite the state of our country. There will be severe turmoil after the event at Hiroshima. The country will be in an uproar, things will change. Will you and Mother be safe without me?
Ikuma: Don’t worry about us. We have ways of keeping safe, and we can have Mother’s brother and his sons look out for us. They aren’t far and can see that we’re safe. Right now, that shouldn’t be your concern. Have faith in me as I do in you.
Ren: You’re well spoken as always, you’d make a better head of the family than I ever would. Even for such a young woman you have the courage of a tiger. You constantly impress me. Few men are worthy of you.
Ikuma: (Amused) Ha. You honor me saying that. I may be strong but I don’t have a beauty that would attract many men. I am just what I am, little else. I can’t try to be more or less. Here, now let me make some tea for us. We should honor the memory of Sakuya, he died so quickly and traumatically we haven’t done him this service. Now sit.
Ren settles on the ground, relaxing for the first time since returning home. Ikuma exits.
Ren: (to himself) She’s right, so much has happened in just a few days. It seems strange just sitting and drinking tea calmly though. I feel as if we are about to be swallowed by absolute chaos at any time, like demons are going to start tearing at our family at any second. But no, I can’t dwell on this. It’s true, Sakuya’s memory must be honored. He died in such a quick and terrible way, a way that did no honor to a man that deserved much. (Keiko enters the stage with tea, handing a cup to Ren. He takes a sip.) Ahh, thank you. I needed this.
Ikuma: (Taking a sip also) We both did. I thought of something a moment ago. Remember a few summers ago, when Sakuya and I came down with that fever? You treated us so well; we could have died so easily or spread the illness to you, yet you kept up. That was bravery. Sakuya, too, was strong through it. Even with the fever he kept working the field with Father and pushed through it all, even through all the pain of the fever. You both were inspiring.
Ren: It wasn’t bravery that made me do what I did. I treated you both simply because I cared. Sakuya did what he did out of responsibility and honor. He was the brave one, always was.
Ikuma: Sometimes risking yourself out of love is brave. I think of it like that.
Ren: You’re a very optimistic person. It’s a good trait, I think. Father was like that too. When we were little, even when things went badly for the family, he’d always have such faith that things would turn out fine. And it always did, didn’t it? Even when that fire ripped through the field and we lost everything. He was so sure that everything would be fine, and he was right. We made it through, and I was sure we would end up starving. We didn’t, and the next season we grew enough to feed the Emperor’s whole army.
Ikuma: Sometimes you just have to trust that life will turn out favorably. Sometimes you’ll be surprised; things will turn out better than expected.
Ren: I sure hope it does… No, I need to change how I think about this. You’re right, you really are. I know everything will be fine. Just how Brother was so sure just a few days ago. I will make sure of it.
Ikuma: You will, I know it too. Now, it’s getting late. Let us rest, tomorrow you’ll leave for an adventure and struggle you never anticipated.
Ren: You go, I’ll be in shortly. I just want to be alone with my thoughts, to go over everything by myself for a moment.
Ikuma: Alright, goodnight brother.
Ikuma exits. Ren is left alone.
Ren: (Raising his voice slightly, calling after her) Sleep well.
Ren is alone, sipping the last of his tea quietly. He looks pensive. Cherry blossoms fall quietly onto the stage as he sits. The stage fades to dark.
