"Yo-", she sputtered out. The boy's thrusting made it difficult to think straight, much less speak."Yos-". All of his weight was bearing down on her tired and fragile body.

"Yo...shi...ko...I'm...sor...sorr...eee..."

Whether the boy had heard this or not was unclear. Focused so much on the vile task at hand, he continued to slam his hips against the middle schooler's petite frame.

He had rescued her from a terrible monster. She was bitten, but she would live. He had seen the wounds before. Her torn clothes gained his notice as he looked over at the beast's would-be meal. He froze in place, a dark thought crossing his mind. No one would know. They wouldn't believe her. A monster? Don't be silly.

The girl wept, finally fully awake, and realizing the wretched violation occurring. She closed her eyes, and tried to find solace in the memory of her beloved.

"Yoshiko is strong. Yoshiko wouldn't want to see me cry. Yoshiko would fight back. Yoshiko woul-"

Before her thought could even finish, she felt strangely warm. Something emerged from that detestable rod of meat defiling her. Dread consumed her as it dawned on her what had just occured. The boy had had his fun.

In the darkness of that loathsome park, the root of all her nightmares for years to come, that wretched place that will remind her of it's terrible existence in the darkest times of her life; the boy looked at her. There was a faint glimmer in his eyes. Guilt? Regret? Or perhaps... no. That monster standing above her felt no such thing. Torn between fear and revulsion, hatred and despair, she looked up at the figure, barely able to choke out;

"W..h...y...?"

As the boy retreated into the infinite darkness of the night, he looked back. Not for long. Just a fleeting moment, as if to examine his handiwork. He walked into the unknown and out of her life, leaving only the pain he had brought. The girl could barely move. Her body screamed out as she drew breath. She reached into the pocket of her school blazer, grasping for her cell phone.

Ah. The panda charm brushed against her hand. Yoshiko had bought it for her to celebrate their first anniversary together. The precious trinket brought her small piece of mind as she drew upon the strength to dial Yoshiko's number.

"Yosh...i...help. Park... ple...ase..."

"Nan...Nanase, is that you?! Are you alright?! Where are you?!"

"Yo...shiko," even something as small as saying her name gave her strength.

"I...love...yo...u..."

"Nanase! I'll be right there! Don't hang up!"

The girl smiled. The most nightmarish experience in her life had occurred, and she smiled.

As long as she is there with me, she thought, as her heart began to calm, I can overcome anything. I love you, Yoshiko. You are my strength.

As she started to drift off into unconsciousness, she heard the screams of her dearest grow closer.

This will not beat me, she thought.

With Yoshiko by my side, I can be okay.

And then, darkness.