word of the day: rusk

word of the day: rusk

The narrator is walking back into post-A-bomb Hiroshima. He has come upon a body that at first he thinks might be alive, as “from time to time it seemed to puff its cheeks out and take a deep breath. Its eyelids seemed to be moving, too.” As he approaches the narrator is revolted to see the movements of the face are the actions of maggots swarming.

For a moment, I felt like flinging my bundle in the river. I hated war. Who cared, after all, which side won? The only important thing was to end it all as soon as possible: rather an unjust peace than a ‘just’ war! I went back to the parapet, but instead of flinging my bundle into the river made it fast on my back. It was full of things necessary for survival amidst the ruins: a bottle containing stomach pills, a trowel, old magazines, eucalyptus leaves, dried rusks, a round paper fan, and the like.

definition (Merriam-Webster): hard crisp bread originally used as ship's stores

The eucalyptus leaves, when burned slowly, are a mosquito repellent, the paper fan a way to keep the smoke moving. 

source: 

Black Rain

by Masuji Ibuse

translated by John Bester

1985. Kodansha International / Bantam Books, NY