Summary

The next chapter, “Blood and Iron,” reverts to Hideki's perspective. Hideki and the other boys have retreated to a cave. Hideki sits near the entrance, listening to the bombs. Eight months earlier, Hideki's mother and younger brother, Isamu, left Okinawa for Japan. Hideki was supposed to go to; but, when a soldier shouted that Hideki was old enough to fight, he made an impetuous decision to remain in Okinawa. His older sister, Kimiko, intervened, explaining that Hideki was plagued by the soul of a cowardly ancestor. The soldier dismissed her claim as superstition. Hideki is brought back to the present by a family trying to find shelter in the cave. He let them inside, but Yoshio claims the cave is only for military and sends them away. Hideki agrees with Yoshio. Moments later, Yoshio shoves Hideki out of the cave to...