- kamikazenounChapter 1 →
A Japanese pilot in World War II trained to carry out a suicide attack by deliberately crashing an explosive-laden aircraft into an enemy target. The word literally means 'divine wind' in Japanese.
- strung outphraseChapter 1 →
Spread or scattered across a distance in a loose, irregular line, the way decorations or small boats might be arranged when seen from far above.
“he must have looked far down at the little fishing boats strung out like bunting”
- buntingnounChapter 1 →
Small triangular or rectangular flags on a string, hung in a row as decoration for celebrations or public events. Here it describes how the fishing boats looked from the air — tiny and evenly spaced.
“he must have looked far down at the little fishing boats strung out like bunting”
- defectionnounChapter 1 →
The act of abandoning a duty, cause, or allegiance — here, a soldier's choice to abandon his assigned military mission and return home instead of completing it.
- shoalsnounChapter 1 →
Large, dense groups of fish swimming together near the water's surface. The word emphasises the sheer number and closeness of the fish.
- iridescentadjectiveChapter 1 →
Showing shifting, rainbow-like colours that seem to change depending on the angle of light, the way fish scales or an oil slick can shimmer and glow.
- mackerelnounChapter 1 →
A common sea fish with a distinctive striped, shimmering body, often caught by small fishing boats. Its bright scales make it a vivid image of ocean life.
- tide-poolsnounChapter 1 →
Shallow pools of seawater left behind in rocky areas of a shoreline when the tide goes out, often filled with small sea creatures. They represent a childhood world of wonder and exploration.
- samurainounChapter 1 →
A member of the traditional Japanese warrior class, bound by a strict code of honour that prized loyalty and death over surrender or retreat.
- ostracisedverbChapter 1 →
Excluded and deliberately ignored by a community or social group as a form of punishment or collective disapproval. The family and neighbours treat the father as if he does not exist.
- turquoiseadjectiveChapter 1 →
A bright blue-green colour, like the shallow tropical sea. Used here to evoke the vivid, beautiful appearance of the ocean the pilot flies over.
- silentlyadverbChapter 1 →
Without speaking or making any acknowledgement. Here it describes how the family collectively refused to mention or recognise the father's existence.
“we children learned to be silent, to live as though he had never returned”
- rightadjectiveChapter 1 →
Morally or practically correct; justified. The daughter questions whether her father's choice to turn back was the better or more honourable decision.
“whether he was right to turn back, or whether it would have been better to have died”
KamikazeShort story by Beatrice Garland