GODZILLA
The Novel
Translated by John Emma

Chapter 1: Fire On The Sea Floor

Two young sailors on board the freighter Eiko Maru...
Sabu: "That storm off Okinawa was really scary. First up, then down. Waves as big as houses...I thought we were goners."
Take: "Hah ha hah...Your still shaking. You were hanging on the railing, shak- ing in your shoes. All for that little storm. I grew up on rough seas. That lit-tle storm was nothing." (He gestures and puffs out his chest.)
Sabu: "What the hell are you saying! You were white as a sheet. And you seemed to mistake my leg for the guard rail."
Take: "Bullshit! I just thought you needed help."
Sabu: "Yeah, yeah. What ever you say. Anyway, the mainland will soon be visible."
While the two laughed they looked out at the endless sea. Takeo and Saburo had both just graduated high this year. They got a job with a shipping company, and this was their first time living away from home.
The ship had sailed from Yokohama to Okinawa, and was on its return voyage. It had left in the middle of June and had already been about one month at sea. The older sailors were tanned a dark brown, and they all seemed to like the youngsters. The work was hard, and the two boys were very close friends.
So far, the voyage had gone without a hitch, and the ship was sailing smoothly for Yokohama. The two boys were hanging onto a rope, talking. Here and there other sailors were relaxing, smoking cigarettes, and generally loafing around. It was near sunset and the crew's chores were finished.
Takeo stood in the breeze, playing with his hair and gazing at the dark sea. Both boys liked it on deck. They were new to sailing, and it was always hellish below deck. The sun set quickly in early summer, and the boys thought, If it weren't for the mist, they could see the mainland.
Saburo begins to quietly sing:
For many years I've tried to return home
Blossoming flowers, Singing birds, rustling
wind
A bend in the little river, whispering
Nothing ever changes
Nobody lives in my ruined home
While Saburo sang, Takeo took out a harmonica and softly accomponied him. At the bow a sailor called Itatetsu kids them, "You two are still wet behind the ears!" in a laughing voice.
Just as everyone was enjoying the joke a strange light flashed beneath the ship. One man ran into the cabin. Others fell about the deck. In a moment the ship became eerily quiet.
As Saburo, Takeo, and the others began to look around a voice said, "A storm...with no clouds?"
Someone else cried out in alarm, "In the sea...!"
The captain came out of his cabin an went to the railing. "Oi! What's that?" Just then a terrible shreiking noise pierced the silence and on the side of the ship a huge whirlpool started to form. Then suddenly, a severe heat flash engulfed the ship. The sailors screamed, covering their eyes. The ship listed heavily, as if struck by something from below.
Soon a raging fire broke out on deck. In side the radio room the operator, TsuShinkichi Matsubara began frantically sending an SOS. Sweating, choking on the thick smoke, he kept sending; hoping for a rescue. At the same time...

On the Ginza the neon was lit, people were returning home from work, and the daughter of Japan's famous paleontologist Dr. Yamane, Emiko, was preparing to go to a concert. She was meeting a friend from high school named Shinkichi. They
had met during the war and become friends. They had a long standing "date" to attend a concert together after graduation. Emiko was walking to meet her friend at his job site.
Shinkichi was working for Tokyo Salvage Company. The building, faced with the strong sea breezes, was a stout looking building. Emiko knocked and entered.Inside it was quiet and dark. Three old janitors were sitting around, drinking tea. One calls out, "Who is it?" in a hoarse, thickly accented voice. "Today is Saturday, so everyone is gone already. If you need something, on Monday..."
"Ah, no. I don't need anything. I'm here to meet Shinkichi Morita," replied Emiko.
"Shinkichi...Well, if he's still here I'll get him for you."
"Please do," the janitor was greeted by Emiko in a pastel spring dress. He finally enters the room, slamming his sandals on a desk in the room.
Somewhere inside Emiko heard a door open and called out, "Shinkichi." The old man, giggling in her face, said, "He'll be here soon."
Emiko heard another voice call out, but it didn't sound like the voice she remembered as Shinkichi's. This was a powerful, adult voice. "I wonder if this is the right Shinkichi?" She was becoming a little nervous and thought maybe she better call the janitor again. Just then she hears footsteps approaching and gets up to see...
Shinkichi: "Hello!"
Emiko: "Ma! Shinkichi."
Shinkichi: "It's been a long time. And you've gotten so pretty I didn't recognize you."
Emiko: "Oh Shinkichi. When I heard your voice just now...hah hah...I was a little worried."
Shinkichi: "Why?"
Emiko: "Hah hah hah..."
Shinkichi: "Strange...? I just got done working and I'd like to wash up a bit. Can you wait here, please?"
Just then the old janitor wandered in again.
At the same moment, the phone on president's desk starts to ring.
Shinkichi: "Nankai Salvage. What?...What!" Shinkichi held the phone with a trembling hand, his face had turned pale. Emiko turned around, hearing the serious tone of his voice. She thought to herself, Something must be seriously wrong.
Shinkichi: "Yes. Understood. I'll be there soon." Pale and sweating, he turns to Emiko. "I really appreciate your coming, but you'll have to go alone."
Emiko: "Has something happened?"
Shinkichi: "Yes, We recieved an SOS from one of our freighters."
Emiko: "Ma! That's awful."
At that moment, on the sea...The Eiko Maru, engulfed in flames, listed heavily to starboard. The deck was half awash, sailors were leaping into the sea as the ship pitched and rolled. Mataubara, the radioman, was still braving the smoke and flames; desperately sending his SOS call. Sadly, no one replied. Then, in its final moments sounding its steam whistle, the Eiko Maru thrust her bow high in the air. With a terrible sucking sound it slid stern first beneath the waves. The bubbling and boiling of the sea subsided. Nothing remained of the doomed ship.

The SOS from the Eiko Maru had been recieved by the maritime office, and a group of men crowded around a huge map where a pin marked the supposed spot of the tragedy. An announcement is made, "Nankai Steamship's freighter Eiko Maru, today at 7:05 A.M., Latitude 24 degrees north, Longitude 141 degrees 2 minutes east, sent an SOS distress signal. The cause is unknown. Ships from the 3rd and 4th district are en route...."
In one corner of the room a clerk is making phone calls, seeking informati- on. Just then the Nankai company president and two aids entered the room. Standing just behind them is Shinkichi. The president is quickly apprised of the latest information.
Pres: "What on earth could have caused this?"
Clerk: "I can't imagine...It's like the Myojin Reef incident. A sudden SOS. Then, nothing..."
Pres: "You don't think that's what happened now?"
Clerk: "No. You can see by the map, this is in a different location..."
Pres: "Before I came I asked Shinkichi here to call the weather station, to check on storms and such. But they said nothing out of the ordinary had occured.So it can't be that."
The president sat and ruminated on all this awhile. He looked to the clerk, as if for relief...
Pres: "But that's the last ship I'd expect to have problems. It's brand new. I told the crew that very thing at the christening..."
The president, after stressing that point, hung his head. He knew those sailors and their families personally. To many, he was like a father. The faces of the crew passed before his eyes. Up until now he'd hoped it was just a minor problem. But now realizing the worst, he cried openly. The clerk turned away from him, to spare him any embarrassment.
Clerk: "Right now the Bingo Maru is en route to the scene. We should know something soon."
On the wall the huge map now had two pins; one for the Eiko Maru, and one for the resque ship Bingo Maru.

Midnight on the high seas, nearing the spot of the accident, the Bingo Maru rushed on. Her searchlights were on, her crew staining their eyes for any sign, her foghorn sounding. Each man on watch silently prayed: if you're still alive, hang in there. Help is on the way.
The captain had hoisted the Hinomaru flag to boost the crew's moral. And as if to aid them in their quest, the moon appeared. On the ship the tension mounts as the miles speed away. Two young crewmen are talking...
Sailor A: "What do you think? What could suddenly cause this ship to sink?"
Sailor B: "Don't talk that way! On land that's OK. But at sea it will bring bad luck."
Sailor A: "That's not so. We should talk. Since it's our duty to investigate, maybe one of our ideas will give the answer."
Sailor B: "Well, maybe so. If the engine just had a break down the ship would still be afloat. Fuel tanks just don't blow up. Something has to cause it. Unless they came in a big force?"
Sailor A: "Well, I don't know. But I get a bad feeling..."
The men on deck lifted their collars. The night had become cloudy and dark once again. The waves made an eerie sound as they lapped against the ship. The only visible light was the ships own searchlight. The foghorn had just sounded for the third time when suddenly a blinding light engulfed the ship. With a roaring sound a huge whirlpool appeared and the Bingo Maru listed heavily. The sailors were thrown violently to the deck, and the ship sank in just a matter of seconds.


Chapter 2. ODO ISLAND'S MONSTER

Hagiwara: “Hello! New Japan News? It's Hagiwara. Give me the copy editor..."
In the press room of the Maritime Agency Hagiwara and reporters from other papers were hastily phoning in stories to their head offices.
Hagi: “Chief? Word just came in, the rescue ship, Bingo Maru, was just sunk! Yes...The same spot...Eiko Maru was a freighter from Nankai Steamship Lines... The cause? In both cases, unknown...The signal came in last night around 2:35. Up until then, no problems. Suddenly, for about 2 minutes, the S.O.S. Then nothing. It may well be...Yes...Yes...I'm on it. Bye."

In the reception area about 40 or 50 family members had already gathered. A clerk was busy trying to field questions about husbands and brothers.

Clerk: “Please, please everyone. You'll have to wait until tomorrow morning. We're dispatching a helicopter to the scene..."

The clerk, sweating profusely, kept raising his voice to be heard.

Clerk: “The Kozu and Shikine are also en route, but we haven't received a report yet. I'm sorry, I just can't tell you anything more right now."

Wife: “Can't you even say if there are any survivors?"

Clerk: “I'm sorry, I just don't have any information."

Several other people began shouting questions.

Man: “Why are you people just waiting around!"

Man: “Yeah! Wouldn't it be better to send more ships? Why just 2 ships, is there a problem? Please think of our feelings!"

Clerk: “Please. We didn't just limit things to two ships. Believe me, we're giving this our full attention."

Child: “My father! Bring back my father!"

A mother is holding 2 or 3 excited, screaming boys. Holding a crying baby a woman asks, “My brother, Takeo..."

Behind the clerk a voice cries out a group of girls pulls open the door and frantically rush down to the beach. There, they gazed out to sea and called out their brother's names.  Sitting in a corner, watching all of the was the Nankai Steamship Company's president. Apologizing to everyone, he bows his head and wrings his hands in despair. Shinkichi, seeing this, sadly steps up to him to offer encouragement, “Don't give up hope. We don't know anything for sure yet. Worrying isn't going to help," and pats him on the shoulder.

Boss: “Thank you Shinkichi. But...I..."

Shin: “ Boss! It can't be helped! It's an act of god."

Boss: “...Two ships? In the same place! I can't believe it."

He fell back into his chair.  Next door in the radio room, sailors were hanging over the radioman at the telegraph. The clicking sound was like gunfire on a battlefield. Just then a signal came in. The radioman yanked off his headphones, and rushed out to speak with the other clerk.

Clerk: “What?...Yes, I got it!...People, we just got word from a helicopter on the scene. Three men have been rescued! We should have more news soon. Please, hang on a little longer."

This brought about an immediate change in the crowd. Everyone seemed relieved. Around that time, the vessel that picked up the survivors was on its way home. One of the fisherman says, “Hang in there guys. We'll soon make port."

The fishing boat's crew brought clean clothes for the rescued sailors. Unfortunately, two of the three were in bad shape. One was blind. One had badly damaged lungs, each breathed labored and heavy. The third man, though suffering from burns, was basically OK. Miraculously, Saburo had survived. One of the fishermen tried to talk to him.

F-man:”Can you tell us what happened? The people back home are all worried..."

Sabu: “I don't really know. All of a sudden, the sea exploded or something!"

F-man: “Exploded!!"

The people at The Maritime Agency, upon hearing this news, fell into shocked silence. There was an eerie feeling. But soon questions began to arise.

Man: “Do you know if the survivors are from the Eiko Maru or Bingo Maru?"

Clerk: “The fishing boat is headed to Odo Island. We have someone en route There now..We should know something soon."

Hagiwara, sitting and watching all this, says to himself, “Where’s Odo Island, I wonder?"

Shinkichi, standing nearby, points it out on the map for him. The president of the steamship line, looking relieved, says, “These men must be helped at all cost. They hold the secret to this mystery. I want no more wrecked ships and lost crews!"

Just then another clerk rushed into the room. He whispered something to the clerk handling the families, and they both hurriedly left the room. Everyone else quickly began to follow. “Please! Just wait here..." a clerk said, and strained to keep people back. Shinkichi, the president, and Hagiwara slipped under his arm and ran into the room.

“What happened?" Hagiwara asked. He put on a hat while wiping his sweating face with a hanky.

The clerk replied “Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!!" Shaking his head, he continued, The fishing boat carrying the survivors just disappeared!!"

“What!!" the three replied, amazed.

The next day, the newspaper headlines screamed: WAS IT A MINE?...WAS IT AN UNDERWATER EXPLOSION?...IT'S FEARED, NO SURVIVORS!!

Shinkichi (who was a resident of Odo Island) after hearing the report of the fishing boat sinking, asked permission to return to the island. He had a funny feeling about something. Now, walking on the beach, he was so absorbed in his own thoughts he didn't even notice the primrose blooming. Running through the sand, not caring if his shoes were ruined, he rushed home to see his mother. As he reached the gate he shouted, “Mom!”!"

A rooster, suddenly startled, began crowing. His mother must have been washing clothes. As she walked up, her hands were dripping. She had a very surprised look on her face.

Mom: “So,how are you? Nice to see you..."

Shin: “I'm fine. Fine. Where's Masa?"

Mom: “Oh, I don't know. He went out fishing..."

Shin: “That's what I thought!"

Mom: “So? What's wrong with that?"

Shin: “Maybe you haven't heard the new from last night!?"

Mom: “Yes, I heard. One of our fishing boats sank..."

Shin: “Mom! You're always so carefree."

Mom: “That's not true. Do you really think Masashi..."

Shinkichi said nothing. He slammed the gate and took off running toward the beach. Breathing heavily, he ran right by the grieving relatives of the lost fishermen.  As sunset approached, the villagers built a big bonfire on the beach and stood gazing out to sea. Huge swells of black water came foaming into shore, while overhead a comet cast its eerie glow. The villagers continued to watch, but they saw and heard nothing.

“Long ago, when this comet appeared, it was a bad omen," an old man said. The young men crowded around looked at him, but he just kept looking out to sea. Then something caught his eye and he shouted, “What's that?"

Shinkichi, sitting next to him, looked where he was pointing.

“Shinkichi. What is that?"

He yelled back, “It's a raft!" and pointed out to sea. The old man begins yelling, “There's a raft! There's a raft out there!"

Soon everyone was looking in that direction and shouting. Shinkichi jumped up and started running, the old man hollering for him to wait. The raft was bobbing on the swells, and Shinkichi ran into the sea to pull it onto shore.

When the raft was safely on shore, Shinkichi's brother Masashi was seen lying in a faint. The raft seemed to be pieced together from bits of wreckage.

“Masashi! Masashi! Wake up. Wake up!!" Shinkichi shouted. The old man roughly slapped his face, “Masa!! Snap ot of it." Moaning, Masashi opened his eyes, not recognizing anyone. He looked around groggily and said,”Destroyed! All destroyed!" and passed out again. Shinkichi tries to wake him again. The old man roughly grabbed him by the arm and yelled, “What destroyed them, Masashi? What!?"

Masashi didn't respond. He was out cold again.