My Songbird's Dream

41. When life revives

Late March,
1945 Occupied Seoul

"That's a threat, Miss Etta. To a USA soldier," Sergeant Barnes warned, his voice low and stern.

Etta met his gaze, her eyes unwavering. "I would never make anything less than that. Don't talk to me otherwise."

The sergeant's expression hardened. "I'd have to arrest you for threatening."

Etta let out a bitter laugh. "Then do that because I'm seconds away from going mad."

Silence hung heavy in the air between them, the tension palpable. Sergeant Barnes scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. He turned, calling out to one of the guards. "Get me some handcuffs!"

Etta's eyes widened, her mouth falling open in shock. "Are you serious?!?" she asked, her voice rising in pitch as she turned to face the sergeant.

"As a doorknob, Walker. You don't get to embarrass me in front of my troop just because you're in pain," the sergeant spoke, his voice cold and unforgiving as he led Etta towards a darkened room area.

Etta struggled against his grip, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized the gravity of the situation.

The sergeant opened the door to the cellar, the hinges creaking with age and disuse. With a gentle shove, he pushed Etta inside. "Now, you take your time to think about your actions, Miss Walker," he stated, his voice echoing in the damp, musty space.

As the door closed behind her, Etta found herself engulfed in darkness, the only sound the pounding of her own heart in her ears. She blinked, her eyes slowly adjusting to the gloom, and that's when she saw him.

There, in the corner, sat Dachi Sato, his face a mask of bruises and cuts, his eyes glinting with a malevolent light. The minute he saw Etta, he began to yell, his voice hoarse and raw with fury.

But Sergeant Barnes remained still, his back turned to the cellar door, ignoring the commotion within. Etta felt a chill run down her spine as she realized the true nature of her predicament.

She scoffed silently as she stared.

She was trapped, rather he was trapped, with her, locked in a room with the man who had caused her so much pain, so much suffering.

Etta's hand instinctively went to her sleeve, feeling for the scalpel she had hidden there earlier. The cold metal pressed against her skin, a reminder of the power she now held over her tormentor. She took a deep breath, the musty air of the cellar filling her lungs as she stepped closer to Dachi, her footsteps echoing on the damp stone floor.

"Why did you do it?" she began, her voice a low whisper that seemed to cut through the silence like a knife.

Dachi looked at her, his reaction subtle as he tried to remain steady. But Etta could see the flicker of fear in his eyes, the slight tremor in his hands as he clenched them into fists at his sides.

"Why? You don't want to talk to me anymore? You shot my husband, Mr. Sato," she said, her voice steady and calm, belying the fear and anger that churned within her. She could feel the heat of her rage simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment.

"Hardly a lover, you're sleeping with my sister's husband, Miss Walker," Dachi said, his voice dripping with disdain and mockery. " It was you I was aiming for he got in the way."

He gave a small twitch at the corner of his lips, a smirk that spoke of his confidence, his belief that he still held some power over her.

Dachi's words sat in the air, a cruel barb meant to wound and unsettle. But Etta refused to take the bait, her expression remaining calm and unreadable as she continued to pace the room, her hands clasped behind her back.