The Flowers of War Page #5

That's not true what she said.

These men are different from the others.

These men are educated.

They are officers.

These men are gentlemen.

I've been to things like

these before, and...

it's nice.

It's elegant, it's a...

It's a party.

There's nice things at parties.

There's cakes and there's flowers

and there's chocolates

and there's dancing...

and there's... all of these things,

which are lovely.

Please don't think about what she said.

I'm a terrible dancer,

and maybe one day one of you could

teach me how to dance.

That would be nice.

Please don't think about that.

Because that's not true.

I...

lied to you as well.

Your two friends who

went for the pipa strings,

they weren't shot.

I'm sorry.

I think you already knew.

Yes.

Sometimes,

the truth is the last

thing we need to hear.

I heard what you said to the girls.

What are you gonna do?

I gotta get the truck started.

And after that?

I have an idea.

Maybe I can save one of them,

with your help.

How?

The Japanese thought

Mosquito was one of the girls.

She tricked them.

Why can't I?

No.

If you're saying what

I think you're saying,

no.

That's not happening.

Remember? Like them,

I was at a convent for six years.

But unlike them,

I was raped by my stepfather

when I was thirteen years old.

By their age,

I was already forced to

take my first clients.

I don't want them to go through that.

But I can't let you do that, Mo.

I can't let you do that.

What are you doing?

Get back in.

You can't leave.

Get back in!

Get in there!

What are you doing?

Go back!

I said go back in!

I will be the first.

Remember who's in front of you.

When we go,

we will stick to this order.

Shu, isn't there a better solution?

No.

We won't let the Japanese

hurt us again.

Girls.

Shu!

Wait, just...

Go away!

Come down!

OK, OK.

Stay back, OK.

Don't do anything foolish!

So many people have died.

Even hell is packed.

Why should you add to the crowd?

Shu, don't do this.

You can't do this!

We can't just throw our lives away.

Life is a sacred gift.

It's not ours to throw away.

Keep away! Step back!

OK.

We're stepping back.

Come up!

Didn't we say we are

going to jump together?

Up here!

Come up now!

Listen to me, Shu, I have an idea.

I will go in your place.

Tell the girls to get down.

Tomorrow I will go for you.

Did you hear me? I will go in your place!

What? Who is going in who's place?

I will also go for you.

Right, we will all go instead of you.

We can handle the Japs.

We will protect you.

We will replace you!

Don't worry, you have us to protect you.

Yes, we won't let the Japanese hurt you.

Do you hear us?

We will go in your place.

Come down and don't jump.

Come down.

We're telling them the

idea I told you about.

It's a good idea. That's it, girls.

Shu, come here,

it's a good idea.

We can trick the Japanese.

Alright? We'll make it fun.

Come down, we think about it.

We just come down, and think about it.

We can make it work.

We only said it so they would

get down from the tower.

But you shouldn't have lied to them.

Hua, remember?

If you weren't lied to,

you wouldn't have ended up in a brothel.

Shut up! Mosquito.

I'm not stupid.

If nobody goes you'll still have to go.

You were counted by the Japanese!

Unless the Japanese are insane,

I don't think they will kill us.

They just want pleasure.

That's what we do.

We have experienced all kinds of men.

As long as we can get out alive,

we will find a way to survive.

Ling,

how do you expect the girls

to handle the Japanese?

Even if they make it back alive,

they won't be able to carry on.

I just don't think it's worth it.

They wouldn't even let

us use the bathroom,

yet, we're supposed to kiss their asses,

and sacrifice ourselves for them?

I don't want to hear your nonsense.

If Shu hadn't diverted

the Japs the other day,

where would we all be right now?

Remember how the ancient

poem describes us?

"Prostitutes never care

about a falling nation,"

"they sing and dance

while other are dying."

You are not so foolish after all.

I'm impressed.

Mo just taught me those two lines.

Of course we should remember

the poem that criticizes us.

But, I think,

we should do something heroic,

and change the old way of thinking.

Mo,

others say I always follow your lead,

I say, we share the same life.

Whatever you say,

I will go with you.

I will go too.

Me too.

Count me in.

Mo,

we worked together for three years,

and you were always more popular than me.

I know,

you always looked down on me,

and I never respected you either.

Well,

today I hear you.

I say

we all go,

so we can look after each other.

Mo, you are right.

People say

"whores are heartless."

So tomorrow,

Let's do something

honorable with our hearts.

We will all go.

If they went,

how would the Japanese treat them?

Will they tear their clothes?

Will they beat them?

What if the Japanese rape them?

Are you kidding?

No.

Have you seen these women?

Those Japanese don't stand a chance.

These women... these women are formidable.

Brave, exquisite,

skillful.

They've got character,

like nobody I've ever met.

The Japanese?

They're amateurs, amateurs.

These women,

they are professionals.

Father John,

what exactly do they do?

You know... they...

They love and they hate,

just like all of us.

Maybe they know more

about it than any of us.

These women if they came

face to face with the devil himself,

he'd be putty in their hands.

These idiot? These soldiers?

You think they're scary?

They're not scary.

If you think somebody's scary,

you picture them with their pants around

their ankles, sitting on

the craper, alright?

Picture that.

Not so scary then.

These women, and you girls,

you gotta strength and

beauty that will never die.

So don't you worry about them.

Don't worry about them.

But...

but they don't look anything like us,

how can they go?

That's where my powers come in.

I don't do much very well.

But that, that I do well.

And I'll make them look like your twins.

You'll see.

Father John,

I was wrong,

I'm sorry.

Shu, you don't have to be sorry.

You don't have to be sorry.

No, I was wrong.

What is it?

From the first day she came here,

I felt uncomfortable.

I thought

she was not good.

I even thought

both of you were not good.

That's ok.

I want to say to her,

sorry.

And say to you,

I'm sorry.

You don't have to say you're sorry.

You got nothing to be sorry about.

I had seen many people pray before,

but that night, the sight of

John's back as he prayed

would stay with me

for the rest of my life.

They brought new uniforms.

Our old uniforms were torn,

so I brought you new ones.

Father Ingleman wanted us

to wear them for Christmas.

You don't mind me wearing it?

The sleeves are short.

Try it on.

Big sister.

I can't button it up for you.

I'm already skinnier from starvation.

You are not built like a student,

more like a student's wet nurse!

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