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s man loose in the world。 Richard Speck？ Gary Gil…more？ Jack the Ripper？ It was beyond imagining。 For this was a man who was clearly beyond morality。
'Now you know some of what I saw in the eyes hovering above me that night on Leyte。 But not all。 To call this 〃madness〃 would be to seriously underestimate it； for it was far more。 Ours is a world of order； ruled by laws。 From science to morality there are parameters within which we all live。 This man did not。 He lived outside time as if residing within him； lending him all its ferocious energy； was the essence of chaos。 I don't know how to describe it better； but seeing him thus in the flesh only underscored the fact rather than the fiction of his supernatural origins。 Perhaps； after all； our vampire stories had not been so far off the mark。 I know； I know； this all sounds rather fanciful … pulled out to give a good Gothic kick to this story。 I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth。
'While I thought of all this； I felt his movement。 He produced a matt black length of cloth and； folding it upon itself； wrapped it painfully tight across my mouth。 He was quite close to me now and I saw that he was dressed all in black。
'He hauled me out of the tent and； stooping； slung me over his shoulder。
'He ran。
'He ran without sound。 No shadow trailed behind us； we were never in the light。 He took a route out of the encampment that was neither direct nor circuitous。 It was merely un…detectable； as if he were following a path no one else suspected of being there； a path made just for him。
'I didn't struggle。 I found myself wondering why I hadn't been killed as the other victims of these silent infiltrations had been。 I was amazed。 Even upside down I could see well enough to know that he was a magician。 No one I knew could possibly have got in and out of our encampment totally undetected as this man had。 He moved without seeming motion。 That must sound like a contradiction but it's not。 He ran with such fluidity that there was no up…and…down motion； merely the sensation of forward movement。
'We were in the jungle now； travelling extremely quickly。 In fact； even though the way was now more choked with foliage and underbrush； our speed actually increased。 His strength and endurance were exceptional。 We were totally alone in the world； or so it seemed to me。 It was that time of the night when the nocturnal creatures have crawled back into their holes to sleep and the diurnal animals have not yet awakened。 The jungle was quite still； just a sleepy bird calling here and there； the sounds quite isolated and seeming part of another world。
'We travelled thus for perhaps thirty minutes。 Then the man stopped abruptly and； spinning me off his shoulder； widened the cloth around my mouth so dial I was now blindfold also。 He led me； stumbling； through the jungle。 His fingers were at the back of my jacket so that； each time I fell； he suspended me as if I was hanging from a coat…hook。 It was a terribly dehumanizing thing to do and I tried to shut my mind to it。
'After a time I began to hear voices。 I did not speak Japanese but I understood enough to get by； it was something
I did not want him to know。 At length the blindfold was removed。 We were in the midst of a Japanese camp。 It wasn't anything like what I had pictured。 In fact； I was aghast； I thought for an instant that he had taken me to a hospital； it hardly seemed like a military camp at all。 For one thing； most of the soldiers were either lying down or sitting。 I saw no troops as such； no guards。
'We were near the water； though on which side of the island I could not tell。 I saw the water clearly through a gap in the vegetation。 I watched for a time； totally unmolested； while the man who had brought me spoke with several of his fellows who were identically dressed。 These seemed to be the only operational men in the camp。 At first I tried to pay attention to what they were talking about； but they were either …speaking too fast or in some dialect I had never heard because I couldn't understand… them。
'Dawn had broken and there was a white line just above the horizon。 I knew I must be looking east。 I saw a smudge ing into view and then another simultaneously； I heard a heavy drone from the northwest； in the direction of Luzon。 It was the Two Hundred and First。 I looked up。 The Zeros were black and bloated against the pale sky。 The night's clouds had melted away。
'The Zeros passed low over us； headed out to sea； towards the dark smudges containing the horizon； ing closer。 ' 〃You know they go to attack your ships。〃 'I started。 A thin Japanese stood beside me。 He was on crutches。 His left trouser…leg was pinned back at the knee but he'd surely die of malnutrition before his stump would begin to bother him。
' 〃You speak English very well；〃 I said。 ' 〃Yes。〃 He was still staring out at the moving targets as they closed with one another。 〃They will not e back。 None of them。 Onishi has seen to that。〃 I understand that he meant the new Vice…Admiral。 He shook his head sadly。 〃They say； you know； that he helped Yamamoto plan the Pearl Harbor attack。〃 He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth。 〃It's hard to believe。 It seems so long ago。〃 His head turned。 〃Do you speak Japanese？。 No？ Pity。〃 He turned back。 The
Zeros were nearing our ships。 You could see the batteries begin to fire。 Black clouds with orange bits in their centres exploded； eerily silent until； moments later； the reports found us； shook the air。 〃No； they won't e back； those boys。 They're on a one…way mission。〃
'Abruptly； his words penetrated the fog which had surrounded me since I had e into the camp。 〃Do you mean to tell me；〃 I exclaimed； 〃that they're on suicide missions？ The plane and the pilot。。。？〃
' 〃One big maneuverable bomb； yes。〃 The Japanese stood quite still。 Tears seemed to be standing in the corners of his eyes but there was no change in his voice。 〃Vice…Admiral Onishi's idea。 It's a desperation move。 He had a time convincing the others but he managed it。〃 He said something in Japanese which I took to be a curse。 〃Not enough of us have died for this 'noble cause'。 The Emperor still sends his sons into a war which we have already lost。〃 Far away； on the white and black horizon； the Zeros were leaving the sky。 ^_There came a sharp call from behind me。 I did not need to understand the language to know that my captor wanted me。 I walked away from the crippled soldier； saying； 〃You ought to get something to eat。〃
'He laughed shortly。 〃If I could； do you think I'd be here now？〃
〃What about a hospital？〃
〃Won't take you in unless you bring your own food；〃 he said。 His eyes were clear。 I could see his ribs underneath his uniform blouse。 I thought： What am I doing？ He is the enemy。 〃We're all dying of malnutrition。 We can't get into the hospital and our unit's booted us out because we can't fight any more。 It's not a soldier's end。 There's no honour in any of this。〃 He stared at me and； for a moment； there seemed to be no difference between us。
'Then my captor had hold of me and； barking harshly； he pushed me towards another part of the camp。 Here； too； soldiers littered the ground。 It seemed pathetic。
'He carri