Escape Mission

By: Guadalupe Quiones-Chaidez, Marissa Coleman, Quirke Burke, John Gordon

I sit on my luggage and I think, why we are being forced to leave our
homes? We are being forced to go to an internment camp. My sister Akira
and I are Japanese and we are United States citizens and we are still being
forced to leave. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, America
blamed all Japanese people for what happened. I look up from the ground
and I see the bus coming. I picked up my bags and race to the door, I
wanted to save a seat for Akira and me.
"Ren, come on I saved a seat. Hurry before someone takes it." said
Akira as I quickly walk over to her.
"What took you so long Ren, the bus could have left you here. You do
remember what mom and dad said before they were taken away right?"
said Akira
"Yes. I remember" I said
"Okay well like they said-" I chimed in , finishing the sentence. "No
matter what happens you two stay together." We both said.
"So you do remember." She looks at me
Our parents were sent away to be questioned about why they think
the Japanese might be behind all this. It would take around 17 hours till we
reach the camp. The internment camp is in Delta, Utah and we live in
Berkeley, California. We were on the bus for eight hours until we reached
the train station.
We reached the train station, we step off the bus and make our way
to the train. Akira and I board the train and found some seats. I sit towards
the window and stare out of it. I am back to thinking about this situation we
are in. I wonder why our freedom is being taken from us, when didnt do
anything. How can America be a country of liberty and freedom when not
everybody gets it. We were going to have to start a whole new life and who
knows how long we have to stay at the camp. It could be weeks, months,
even years. Thinking about all this stuff makes me upset.
I turn to Akira and I say how are you doing?
Im okay Im just sad our life is being taken from us, and we have
nothing now, she says.
I look back out the window, taking in on how the train is very shaky
and on how it wasnt made that well. The train is filled with frantic and
frustrated people. I had to deal with this for seven hours. There is nothing
to do besides fall asleep or think to myself. I decided to fall asleep.
I wake up to Akira shaking me by my shoulders.
Ren wake up we are here. Akira said still shaking me
I look out the window and we are at the train station in Delta, Utah.
I slowly get out of my seat and walk off the train and we head to the
bus that is going to take us to the camp. After eight minutes on the bus, we
arrive at the camp. We hop off the bus and I stare at what we will be calling
home now.
Wow this is it, it looks so sad, Akira said.
She was right, we were in the middle of nowhere. There are around
twenty long buildings. Dirt everywhere and barely any trees. Barbed wire
surrounded the camp. There is a man who comes up to me and Akira and
the other people who were new to the camp.
He goes over basic things about the camp. He says that there are
290 people living here and that they could only take in 10 more people from
the new group and then the rest had to go to a different camp. He calls
people off the list
Akiko, Hoshi, Kaya, Maeko, Miya, Nikko, Taji, Yumiko, Uma, and
Ren.
Wait that cant be right,- I yell
I need to be with my sister please, shes all I have right now. I say
crying and yelling at the same time.
The man says, Im sorry, but I have to chose the first ten people on
my list I cant change who stays and goes to a different camp.
I look at Akira, she looked sad, and I could see the tears falling down
her cheeks. She walks up to me and gives me a big hug.
Ren we cant change how this system works.
I know but I promise that we will find each other even if it is the last
thing we do, I say.
Okay, but promise me you will be safe.
I promise, I say.
Akira got her luggage and walks back onto the bus. As the bus pulls
away she waves to me through the window I wave back. I could feel the
tears forming but I hold them back.
I walk back to the man and the other nine people who were to stay at
this camp. The man introduces himself as the instructor of this camp and
that his name is Eito. Eito tells us to follow him so he can give us a tour of
the camp.
As we were walking a guy comes up to me and said hey Im sorry
for what happened to your sister having to leave.
Thanks, I mumbled.
Im Hoshi, he said
 Im Ren. Do you know anyone here?
Actually this is the camp that my parents were taken to so they are
here somewhere, he tells me.
We stop at multiple huts where people were to sleep at. He names
off names for each hut. At the last hut, he say that Hoshi and I will be
staying in this hut. We both walk in, the inside is smaller than I expected it
to be. There were 12 cotton beds in the hut. There were two left all the way
in the back.
We start to walk over to our area. I start to unpack my luggage that I
brought with me. I wasnt able to bring a lot of stuff with me. By the time I
was done unpacking and got everything placed where I wanted it to be it
was time for dinner. We walk to the mess hall. Never have I seen so many
people in such a little place. There was a huge line of people waiting to get
their food. I finally got my food and find someplace to sit and eat. After I got
done eating I go to my bed and fall asleep.
I woke up early to a loud alarm going off outside.
Excuse me what is that noise? I asked the man. Its an alarm for us
to get up, the man said.
Great an alarm that wakes us up, I say sarcastically under my
breath.
I get up and go to the where the bathroom is and there is a long line
for the bathroom. I wait in the line for ten minutes till its finally my turn.
After I use the bathroom I go to the main hut which is like an office. I walk in
and I see Eito. I ask him what my job will be.
You can help me garden he replied. He told me where the
gardening tools are and where the garden patch is.
I walk to where it is and I see Hoshi over there.
 Hey, Hoshi are you doing gardening too?
Yes I asked to do this because back home I used to do garden a
lot, he said.
I took some tools and started to work on planting some things. As I
was starting to dig a hole I looked over and saw some sunflowers and it
reminded me of Akira these were her favorite flowers. I got to distracted
about thinking about her so I focused on gardening.
After gardening for five hours a couple of guys asked me if I want to
play some baseball with them and I said sure because I used to play
baseball all the time with my dad. We walk over to an open space. A guy
named Jun ask if I wanted to bat first, I grab the bat from him and went to
first base. I stretched and gripped the bat tight. Jun threw the ball once then
twice. I see that the third time was gonna be the time to swing.
He throws the ball I swing my bat and hit the ball viciously. The ball
flies up in the air. It goes farther than I expected it to go.
Ill go get it, I say. I run to the direction the ball goes. It lands close
to the barbed wire surrounding the camp.
As I was stepping closer to the ball, the security who watched the
gates (so no one would escape) told me to stop where I was and to turn
around.
I just want to get the baseball, I told him.
He said Fine, hurry up and get it.
I pick up the ball and look at the gates and I see a small hole formed
at the bottom of the gate. I didnt look long because of the guard, I turn
around and go back to where we are playing baseball. We play for a long
time until it was time to go back to work.
 Then I go to my hut and go to bed. I did the same thing for months.
Every day I thought about how I was going to get to Akira. During the five
months I spent there, me and Akira send each other letters. She told me
she was at a camp in Arizona.
One day at work I go up to Hoshi and tell him about the hole in the
gate. He didnt sound really interested in what I was saying. I explained to
him that I really need to find my sister and that I was thinking about
escaping.
Are you crazy Ren do you know how dangerous that is. If you get
caught trying to escape they can kill you. Also, you're gonna try it all alone.
Hoshi said.
Well I guess I never really thought about that but I really dont care. I
need to find my sister no matter the cost I told him.
I walk away from him and go back to gardening.
When it is time for our break instead of going to play baseball I
decided to go back to my hut. As I sit on my bed I think of ways on how I
can get out of here. My mind keeps coming back to the hole in the gate. As
Im thinking about what I can do. I hear someone walk into the hut.
Hey, why arent you playing baseball with us, said Hoshi.
Im just thinking about how to get out of here. You dont understand
how important it is for me to get back to my sister I told him.
You know what, now that I think about it my parents were taken from
me and now we finally found each other. I think you should find your sister.
And Im gonna help you, he says.
We start working on a plan to help me escape.
A couple days have gone by and I got a letter from Akira saying that
she got the opportunity to go home and that she is. I took the letter I got
from her and took it to the office. He said that I wasnt able to leave until the
president allowed all Japanese citizens to leave the camps. He also says
that he doesnt know why my sister was able to go home. I went to go find
Hoshi and show him the letter I got. I told him how Akira is going home.
Since she is going home soon I think its time for to finally get the
plan done to get you out of here, He tells me.
After going over many ideas we get the perfect plan. In two days
during dinner when everybody is in the mess hall getting their food, we will
go to the garden shed and get some tools that will help us cut the barbed
wire. We will go to the place farthest from security and start cutting the
wire. During these two days, we act like everything was normal we garden
and play baseball
I wake up on the day of the escape nervous and happy. I get out of
bed and stand in line for the bathroom. After using the bathroom I go to the
garden and starting gardening. Then our break comes and I went to play
baseball with the guys. I tried to have as much fun playing with them since
it was gonna be my last time hanging out with them. I want to tell them but I
know better not to tell anyone. After our break I go to the garden and I
decided to plant some sunflowers. It finally comes to dinner time I clean up
and walked with the guys to the mess hall.
Hoshi and I stood in the line for a while and we slide out of line and
made our way to the garden shed in the dark. We reach the shed and get
garden clippers and gloves. We make our way towards the gate silently
and very carefully. We go to the farthest part from the security. Hoshi and I
reach the gate and get right to cutting the wires as fastly, carefully, and
quietly as possible. I cut the last end for it to create a hole then we heard a
guard come running to where we were. He yells at us to stop where we
were and he would not shoot.
Ren just go, you need to find your sister dont worry about me,
Hoshi said.
Are you sure, you're risking your life for me? I asked.
Just go Ren now!
I squeeze through the hole and run as fast as I can. I then hear a
gunshot. I stop and turn and see Hoshis body fall to the ground. I turn back
into the darkness and ran. How could Hoshi do this for me he risked his life
I knew then that he was an awesome friend. I run for twenty minutes from
the camp. I find a bus stop and wait for a bus to come to it. Finally, a bus
pulls up I get on it and make sure to keep my head down.
The bus gets to the train station. There is a small store next to the
station. I go into it looking for a hat and a coat. I find what I need but realize
I dont have any money with me. So I know what I had to do I grab them
and run out of the store keeping my head down. I run to the station and go
onto the train. I find a seat and put on the coat and hat. The train starts to
move. The ride is going to be seven hours long. I think to myself on how I
escaped the camp and how I am going to find my sister. I then fall asleep
on the train. I wake up to find out I have reached the station. I get off the
train and walk to the nearest bus stop. I wait for the bus and it approaches.
I get on the bus.
Then I reach my hometown Berkeley, California. I get off the bus and
its the same bus stop I waited at to go to the camp. I think about all the
things that happened and how finding my sister is my top primary. I run all
the way to my house. I finally get there and I try to open the doorknob but it
is locked. So I knock on the door but no response. So I decide to go to the
fence and climb over it to see if anyone is in the back. I walk to the
backyard and I see Akira looking at the sunflowers we have.
Akira! I say as I ran up to her.
Ren you're here you're finally here.
I promised that I would find you, even if it was the last thing I do. I
realize that after all the things I went through I find out that I have found out
a lot of courage in myself.