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Atsuko Oshiro is seventeen years old, and her life is falling apart. She's always lived on a farm and is used to hard work. But now it's much more difficult. Her country, Japan, has been at war the entire time she has been a teenager. As Japan marches toward defeat, the government enacts increasingly harsh policies. Food and supplies become scarce; people go hungry. Atsuko's dream of a university education vanishes when her school closes. The army confiscates their livestock and takes a large portion of their crops. To have enough food, the family must use the black market, an offense punishable by execution. The war moves closer to Atsuko's home on a small island near Okinawa, and the army commandeers the Oshiro farm. When that happens, the family is forced to leave. At a time when civilians are urged to commit suicide, the family takes refuge in a cave while the Battle for Okinawa rages all around them. Now it's a daily struggle to find food and water, as well as living with constant, numbing fear--fear of discovery, fear of torture, and fear of death. Throughout her ordeal, Atsuko manages to look forward to a time of peace. Of growing importance is her relationship with Gorou Kimura. The young fisherman has been a good friend to the family--brought them food and helped their move to the cave. The warm friendship he shares with Atsuko deepens, and the two have hopes for a future together. That hope, of course, is based on the war ending in time for them to survive.