Far away // Unbroken

15. Heaven Sent

D E J A

I woke up slowly, I opened my eyes to see the sun was just rising.

I felt something or someone holding onto my hand.

I slowly turned, my head throbbing as the gravely dirt hurt my skin.

"Louie.." I covered my mouth as I looked at him, blood running from his mouth to his shoulder.

"Louie?" I spoke again, my voice breaking because he wasn't moving.

"Still here." He mumbled.

I sobbed quietly as he slowly opened his eyes, I sat up, my whole body ached.

"Easy, easy." I whispered as he laid on his back, his hand still interlocked with mind.

I leaned down put my forehead on his as I lightly held his face, tears rolled off my nose as he slowly lifted his free hand and put it on the back of my head, holding me close to him.

--

I breathed shallowly as I stood in formation beside Louie.

An officer stood on the steps as he announced something with Fitzgerald up there too.

"Prisoners of Naoetsu.. The war has come to a point of cessation." Fitzgerald translated and quiet whispers were heard around the camp.

I reached for Louie's hand as the officer spoke again, Watanabe wasn't anywhere around to stop us.

"Today.. In the spirit of the new future of our great nations, we invite all to bathe in the Hokura River." Fitzgerald spoke as Louie and I stood motionless.

He took off the hat that I've rarely seen him without and put it against his chest.

"This is it. We're dead." Tinker said beside me and I looked over at him.

I didn't know how much I had left in me, I didn't know how much Louie had left in him.

We were all dismissed as the whole camp started following a few guards in through a dim tunnel.

As we walked, Fitzgerald caught up to Louie and I, Louie put his arm around me as we walked.

Faint sobbing was heard in the tunnel as we all walked close together.

We reached the river and it was almost completely still.

We walked in as the guards walked onto higher ground with their guns, they were getting ready to kill us all.

We reached the point where it was waist high on most of us.

Louie put both of his arms around me as everyone stood still, literally waiting to die.

I rested my head on Louie's chest, ready for whatever what was to come next.

I mean, I know it sounds very Shakespearian-- but I was going to die in the arms of the man I loved more than anything.

I exhaled as I closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes, slightly tilting my head as I heard some type of plane droning in the distance.

As I got closer I lifted my head from Louie's chest, a planes shadow covered us before we saw the American markings on the wings of the plane.

"They've seen us!" One of the soldiers yelled.

"It's over! The war is over!" Fitzgerald yelled before everyone started to cheer, I looked up to see the guards putting their guns away.

I laid my head on Louie, I moved my hands up, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He buried his face in the crock of my neck as I exhaled, his arms wrapping around my waist.

I started to sob, hiding my face as I did so.

--

I watched the parachutes deploy as they carried food, clothing, even soap and toothbrushes down to us.

I heard someone walk up to me but I barely moved, "Hi." Louie spoke as he sat next to me as I laid on my back, on the dock.

"Zamperini." I sat up on my elbows, squinting as I looked at my clean, not-so-underfed man walking my way.

He sat next to me, his feet hanging off the edge like mine.

He watched the sunset together, quietly admiring it.

"We made it." I spoke quietly, leaning on Louie's shoulder.

"That we did, Sunshine, that we did." He sighed.

I looked up at him as he looked at the sky before looking over at me, "So what does this mean for us?" I asked seriously.

"It means we can be together. We can go home, eat whatever we want, and be together." He smiled at me and I lightly smiled.

He slowly leaned down before our lips seemed to move in sync.