The Brothers Murata (short story)

Novella by Toshio Mori about two brothers in Topaz who clash over the issue of military service. Likely written in Topaz, it was first published in the 2000 Mori anthology Unfinished Message: Selected Works of Toshio Mori .

Protagonist Hiro Murata, who had volunteered for the army, returns to camp from Fort Douglas, Utah, in the company of four Nisei buddies. On the train, he learns that his older brother Frank has become a leader among the draft resisters at Topaz. Back at Topaz, he finds himself pulled into simmering disputes and Frank's charismatic personality begins to draw more and more followers—some of whom accuse Hiro of being an " inu " (informant) and who attack and harass him and his mother. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Jean struggles to decide whether to join her parents who are leaving soon for Tule Lake with the intent of repatriating to Japan. Feeling pressure from different directions, he knows it is up to him to do something to stop Frank.

Might also like " Sundown in Topaz " by Sheridan Tatsuno; " A Star Is Something to Steer By " by Mataileen Larkin Ramsdell; " Topaz Mosaic " by Toshio Mori