Cassie DePeckel

The Japanese don't provide the prisoners of Santa Tomas with necessities like bedding, toilet paper, or soap.

Instead, they give each prisoner a small stipend to use to purchase items from a commissary.

However, many of the other prisoners at Santo Tomas lived in Manila for years before the war started.

They have local friends and neighbors who weren't taken prisoner.

These associates slipped them money and care packages through the gates.

The nurses don't have these same connections, and after paying for their basics, they never have any money left over from their stipend to buy anything extra, like fruit.

Harrington nudges Todd with her elbow.

You got any get-rich-quick schemes?

Harrington's joking, but to her surprise, Todd nods.

She picks up Harrington's book.

Actually, I do.

What if we rented these out?

She explains her idea.

In addition to the poor food and the cruelty of the guards, one of the biggest struggles at the camp is boredom.

People have nothing to do all day.

But among them, the nurses have dozens of books.

They could pool them together and rent them out for a few cents a week.

Harrington laughs and agrees to help organize it.

She hopes it works.

If she doesn't find a way to get better food soon, she's worried she'll start showing signs of malnutrition.