Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | 空の悪魔（ラヂオ・ドラマ） |
|---|---|
| Author | 岸田 国士 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the sweltering heart of wartime Tokyo, the Sakai family’s clock shop ticks relentlessly, a fragile counterpoint to the chaos beyond its walls. Kinzo, the stoic patriarch, mends timepieces with trembling hands, clinging to routine as air raid sirens wail. His household simmers with tension: pragmatic wife Iku frets over meals and gas masks, while teenage Miyo’s morbid curiosity clashes with her brother Tetsuzo’s simmering resentment. Drafted into the gas defense squad, Tetsuzo bristles at his father’s rigid patriotism, questioning the futility of passive survival. As enemy bombers darken the skies, the family’s fragile unity fractures—Kayo volunteers at aid stations, Shoichi navigates perilous streets, and Kinzo’s defiance masks deepening dread. When poison gas descends, Tetsuzo’s act of reckless bravery forces a reckoning with sacrifice and legacy. Amidst artillery fire and distant *banzai* cheers, clocks keep ticking, their rhythms a haunting reminder of time’s relentless march—and the human cost of a war that spares no one. |
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