Here is a few chapters from my current work in progress. Just felt like sharing 🙂
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by Jan Cline
The staunch smell of dust and body odors gagged Hana Kato as she squeezed through the open doors of Greyhound bus number 26. Her tattered suitcase bumped along the steps. She managed to juggle her belongings long enough to give the disinterested driver her ticket and plop into a vacant seat in the middle of the bus. She met the stare of an elderly couple across from her. They didn’t look happy to have her aboard. Nothing new.
Hana gathered her bundles and moved to the back row of torn leather seats. Indignation rising up in her, she carelessly tossed her suitcase in the rack above her. The old couple turned and frowned at the sound of it hitting the side of the bus. She stared back at them coldly. Wasn’t she far enough away for their liking? You would think they had never seen a young Japanese American woman before. Or maybe they hadn’t seen one since the mass evacuation up and down the west coast.
She was too tired to play the staring game with them. Her last bit of energy was spent stuffing her bags under her seat. She watched the rest of the passengers board—a young mother with two small children, a middle aged man in a business suit and a young man that looked like her. Japanese. Thankfully no one chose a seat nearby. She would use the space to stretch out and sleep a while. The day had been long and she was emotionally drained.
The bus hissed and sputtered as it pulled out of the station. They turned onto highway 97. The bus hit a bump and then another one. Her small frame lifted off the seat with each bounce of the bus. This would be a long nine hours. Only sleep would help pass the time, for it was certain no one would be striking up a conversation with her. She was an alien after all—someone to be feared and shunned. Just like all the other Japanese Americans that were now safely tucked away in camps somewhere in California, Washington and other western states.
Stop thinking about it. You’ll never sleep if you’re all riled up.
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 I’m having a lot of fun with this one. I think it will be my best story so far. Â
You’re a great writer. I may read that book. This intro draws the reader in and keeps you wondering what’s next!
Thank you Livia! That’s the plan….keep you wondering!
Thank you for the peek! Can’t wait to see more. I think this will be a good one. 🙂
thanks Karen, I hope you’re right.
Jan- Keep writing! Being a 3rd generation Japanese American, I am connected to your story, and it’s as if you are telling something my mother could have experienced. Sounds great and I can’t wait to read more!
Jan- Keep writing! Being a 3rd generation Japanese American, I am connected to your story, and it’s as if you are telling something my mother could have experienced. Sounds great and I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you Janet. I am on my way to Oakland as I write this to attend the WW2 Japanese American Vets reunion on the USS Hornet. What an honor it will be to meet some of the people who actually lived through this experience. I’ll keep you posted – Im glad it strikes a chord with you!
Jan
OH, I’ll be praying for you! How exciting! If you ever want any info from my mother, don’t hesitate to ask, although she was very young and doesn’t remember a lot.
Love & blessings to you!!!!!