-Warning-

-This chapter contains graphic violence and description of suicide, PLEASE do not read if it makes you uncomfortable!-

Reina walked hurriedly through the empty streets, praying that she'd make it to the central train station in time. The station was more than a few blocks away, but it was her only option now that she had no vehicle.

Her feet moved steadily, one in front of the other, her gaze never leaving the pavement. She thought of nothing other than walking. If she didn't stay focused her mind would wander to what Yukke had said back in the apartment. She would think too much about where she was supposed to stay the night and what he could possibly do to her stuff while he was so angry.

If she thought like that, she would inevitably begin to cry again. And crying just wasn't an option; not when she had spent so long perfecting her makeup.

She brought her hand to lightly touch the spot on her cheek where Yukke had slapped her. It still throbbed painfully, and with it came an uncomfortable warmth. She was just thankful that he had only slapped her. Anything else would have left a mark too big to hide.

I can't believe I just found a bright side to all this she laughed to herself.

She knew her situation at home was not okay, but dwelling on it would only hurt her in the long-run. If she only thought of Yukke while dancing, she wouldn't invoke the right feelings to her audience. Worrying about it all would just have to wait.

The show must go on.

It wasn't long before Reina made it to the Karakura Bridge, marking the last point she would have to cross before arriving at the train station.

The bridge, which was normally packed with cars driving in both directions, was the emptiest that she had ever seen it. The flickering street lamps along the pathway seemed dimmed, and without the steady flow of headlights, the darkness felt erie.

Where the hell is everyone?

She quickly answered her own question with a deep sigh.

Probably in the city…waiting for my show to start.

After mentally bracing herself, she began her small steps onto the bridge's walkway. As determined as she was to get to the station on the other side, she still couldn't quite shake her fear of heights.

The last time she crossed the bridge on foot, she had clung to Yukke like a frightened child the entire time, not even daring to look at the moving water of the river below. She remembered him saying that if she fell she probably wouldn't die, but at the time, it hadn't made her feel any better.

As difficult as it was she finally willed her feet to move at a quicker pace once again. The absence of cars turned out to be advantageous, making it so she could walk closer to the street rather than to the edge of the railing. She concentrated on the ground in front of her, not wanting to lift her eyes for fear she might see just how high-up she was.

She hadn't realized how used to walking in the complete silence she had become until the sound of chattering voices forced her to glance up.

Ahead was a group of four men walking in her direction. She could hear them speaking obnoxiously amongst themselves, laughing and cussing in a way that reminded her of Yukke and his friends when they arrived back after drinking all night.

Her instincts told her to be wary of them, so she kept her head down and marched on, quickening her pace. Though the presence of the strangers made her uncomfortable, she did not have the time to waste on delinquents.

The closer they came to passing her, the more she wished that she could disappear. She got the impression that the four, rough-looking guys on an urban bridge at night were up to no good. She chastised herself for being prejudiced, but how could she not be nervous when each of the men approaching looked like sample mugshots?

She checked her phone as they walked alongside her, wanting to look busy in the hopes that they would pass by without as much as a glance.

The time was 7:40, which gave her only 15 minutes to get to the train station. She also had to board, get dropped off near the auditorium, and make it backstage for her finishing touches.

She sighed as she realized that this feat was near impossible, but all she could do was push forward and hope for a miracle.

It wasn't until she heard the light snickering from behind her that she realized that the shady posse had stopped walking in their own direction, halting to eyeball the only other person out with them.

"Hey, that's some pretty cool hair you got there!"

The sudden, deep voice made Reina jump in her skin.

She chose not to acknowledge the strange man and kept walking forward. With the new threat behind her, the height of the bridge was no longer an issue. She was halfway across and was sure that if she kept moving he would have no choice but to leave her alone.

"You're far too pretty of a girl to be out here all by yourself," he snickered.

This time the voice came from surprisingly close by. It was close enough that she could feel his warm breath nearly tickle at the nape of her neck. Her hair stood on end, and without hesitating, she began to run.

The sound of the footsteps behind her echoed her own and before she knew it, her body had come to a violent halt.

Reina screamed aloud as the hand that had grasped around the back of her trench coat jerked, pulling her body into the clutches of her pursuer. The man chuckled, hooking both of his arms under hers to pull them back in a painful lock.

Her scream was followed by her hectic grunts as she kicked her legs in every direction manageable. Her actions were wild and forceful, but no matter how hard she kicked, her struggles didn't seem to deter the man.

"Hey, calm down baby. I just wanted to show the guys how pretty you are! What's the matter, you don't want em' to see?"

Reina stopped struggling for only a second as she focused on the three other men that were now approaching. Her panic only made her hyperaware, and she could hear the taps of their footsteps against cement mixed with the sounds of her own heart pounding in rhythm.

One of the men studied her with squinted eyes. His focused expression slowly formed into a toothy grin, the likes of which made chills run down her spine.

Her very brain was screaming at her, stress hormones telling her to do whatever she could to get out of her situation before it unfolded into something worse, but her body betrayed her. She wasn't strong enough to pull out of the hold she was in and her kicking didn't seem to phase him.

"You're right Boss, she is pretty isn't she? But don'tya think your legs are gonna get bruised if she keeps kicking ya' like that?"

The one holding her laughed to himself. He was pressed so firmly against her back that Reina could feel his chest expand with each inhale and exhale of his exerted breath.

"Heh, she's pretty feisty, but I'm sure I can hold on until she tires herself out."

"Hey, Mizuno…" one of the other men called from his position a few paces away.

"Don't you think yer' takin' this a bit too far man?"

"Ya," the other one quietly agreed. "We could get in serious trouble."

Their leader scoffed, swinging Reina around like a ragdoll in a rough display of his control.

"Don't tell me you pussies are afraid of her? Plus, take a look around! Who do'ya think's gonna catch us out here? If anyone comes we drop her and run, but until then…."

To Reina's horror, the man holding her had a point. Who did she have that could possibly save her? There weren't any cars on the bridge that could scare the thugs away, and even if she was late to her show, who would come and look for her?

She had no friends, her family had practically disowned her, and the only person who she ever called would be too drunk and angry to answer his phone.

She felt what tasted like bile burn her throat as the realization sank in: there may not be a way for her to get out of this.

The man's argument succeeded in winning over the rest of his followers, because they soon joined in surrounding her. They looked at her like a pack of rabid wolves and she was their helpless prey. They snickered at her; their eyes gleaming mischievously, ready to pounce at any given second. She was equally terrified and disgusted.

"Hey Eichiro!" the leader demanded, getting the attention of the youngest looking in the group.

"Why don't you untie her jacket so we can see what she's hidin' under there?"

The gang-member, who looked to be only in his late teens, wet his lips before taking a step closer to Reina.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. With all of her strength, she swung her legs, kicking until her foot connected with her approaching threat.

The air was forced out of his lungs as she kicked him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

While Reina thought her attack was enough to keep him at bay, she had only succeeded in giving the other three something to laugh at.

The teen quickly recovered and countered by delivering a harsh smack to the side of her face. The slap hadn't been as hard as the one that Yukke had dealt her earlier, but it was still enough to make her yelp out loud.

"Aw, you're gonna make her cry Eichiro!" the more heavyset member stated with feigned concern.

"You can't let a little kick stop ya'," he commented again as he reached out to pull the tie that held Reina's trench coat together.

Despite the soreness forming in her throat, she screamed out in defiance. Surely someone would hear her voice echoing off the steel bridge into the houses below. Surely someone would already be dialing for the police by now.

"Woah gentlemen, I think we hit the jackpot!"

"If yer dressed like that out in public, yer pretty much just askin' for it. You know that right, lady?"

Their leader laughed, causing each one to laugh along with him like sadistic hyenas.

Reina repeated her cry for help, screaming loud enough to cancel-out their laughter. She desperately cried out again and again, hearing her own voice crack as it was pushed to its limit.

This can't be happening! Not to me! Not tonight!

Before she was able to call out yet another time, Reina felt her captor's arm slack, only to be replaced around her throat. His hold choked the scream right out of her lungs and she struggled to swallow it back down.

"Now listen here…"

The voice in her right ear sounded cheerfully toxic, as if the idea of strangling her was his preferred form of entertainment.

"If you're a good girl and let us have our fun with you, we'll let you go without hurtin' you. But if you keep screaming, this'll get even uglier, ya' understand?"

As he spoke, the gang leader loosened his hold from around her neck, finally allowing her to breathe. She inhaled a haggard breath, only to scream out again.

In response to her outcry, Reina felt another sharp pain spread across her face as the one they called Eichiro struck her a second time. This time though, he didn't hold back, and the force was enough to split her lip open.

She gasped in pain, feeling the tears begin to burn the inside corners of her eyes.

"Ya' get what I mean now?" the man behind her asked darkly.

The sound of her own blood drumming in her ears dimmed his voice, but the words were made crystal clear.

When Reina didn't try to counteract, she felt the hold on her release completely. The man behind her had been the only thing keeping her up, and once he backed away, her body slumped down to the concrete. She couldn't even put up a fight as she watched him grab her purse to rifle through it.

"I'm gonna hold onto this in case you get any funny ideas about callin' for help."

He smirked as he dropped her cell phone in his own pocket, tossing her purse several feet behind him. He then nodded his head towards her, and instantly the three other men were in-line with her eyes.

Reina could barely protest as she was lifted to her feet and hastily stripped of her trench coat. Her weak struggles were made even more futile by the three pairs of hands gripping her tightly. She also found that she couldn't kick out her legs. The circle they had made around her was too tight, trapping her in on all sides.

Two hands were felt at her waist, gripping her roughly and pulling her into the chest of the man that had previously disputed assaulting her. He seemed anything but against the idea now as his eyes glared hungrily into hers.

She felt another yelp of fear threaten to burst from her throat when an unknown hand began traveling up the length of her torso. She was about to object when the hand struck her mouth, capping it shut.

"I told you not to scream, sweetheart," their leader laughed, narrowing his black eyes at her.

His corrosive smile told her that she was going to be trapped there for as long as he saw fit, and the thought was enough to make her quiver with hatred for him. Her fear and hatred had nowhere to go, so it settled in the pit of her stomach like led, dispelling in the form of bitter tears.

With his hand still covering her mouth, he pushed her head to the side, stretching her neck out. She felt the wetness of his tongue on her throat and didn't bother with stifling the sob that choked out. It was distracting, but not distracting enough to make her ignore the feeling of two more hands caressing her chest.

"Boss, I can't get this dress thing off her."

The hand around her mouth was finally dropped and she could hear him let out an annoyed sigh.

"Just rip it then you idiot!"

The next thing Reina heard was the sound of her precious costume being torn apart by two brutish hands. The rip in her dress began at her collar and ended at the hem of the skirt. It had been split all the way down the middle, leaving her in only her leotard.

She was shattered at the view of her costume being completely destroyed. Her dress that she had so recently admired herself in, twirling around in her bathroom mirror, was now hanging in tattered shreds around her.

Her costume and her chances of getting to the arena on time were now in ruins…and with that, her dream performance was ruined as well. The realization was harder to take than the heinous crime that was being committed against her.

"Oh, what's with that face? It's not like we're gonna kill ya' or anything," the man in front of her laughed as he grabbed her backside firmly with both hands.

His movements were rough, but not as rough as the two other pairs of hands, grabbing and pawing at whatever body part they could manage. She was disgusted, it was as if these men had never had the opportunity to touch a woman before, so here they were, taking what they wanted without her permission.

She was nothing more than an object to them, to use in whatever pathetic way they saw fit.

Aware of how slowly time was passing by for her, Reina knew that she had to train her mind to think of something else. She couldn't focus on the fact that some stranger's mouth was on the back of her neck or the fact that she could feel someone's vulgar erection pressing against her thigh.

She thought instead about her performance and how she had let everyone down by not showing up. She thought about all of the hard work she had put into her practicing…and how it had all been for nothing. She thought about how she might not have a place to go home to after this was over; would Yukke even feel sorry for her when she told him what happened?

Her thoughts halted completely the moment she felt the hand that had previously been groping her chest struggle to get under the strap of her leotard. Fingers scoured her bare skin as he wedged his way under the fabric.

Her body immediately reacted, flinching away from his invasive touch. She cried-out in protest as his hand roughly fondled her breast, earning a few snickers from the group.

She felt mortified; she was sure that they would just grope and ogle at her and be done, but the thought of them taking it even further had yet to sink in.

"No! Stop!"

She pleaded, but was sure her words fell on deaf ears.

The leader looked at her and winked, making her stomach churn.

"We figure we'll push our luck since no one's passed by yet," he chuckled. "C'mon sweetheart, don't act like you don't like it."

Reina's eyes followed his finger as he trailed down her abdomen. Once she realized his destination, she began to thrash, succeeding in hitting one of the men behind her in the groin. She clawed and flailed frantically, not worrying about hurting her own self in the process.

"What are you dumbasses doing!? Grab on to her!"

Her struggle was short-lived and before she knew it, her arms were being painfully pinned behind her back. She felt a hand tangle in her hair, making a tight fist near her sensitive roots. With a yelp, her head was pulled back, locking her body into its awkward position. She refused to move for fear he might actually yank her curls from her scalp.

Once she was restrained the unwanted hand continued, slowly creeping to where it rested in between her thighs. Fingers indecently rubbed against her most private area. She could hardly register the feeling of it over the terror that was shuddering through her system.

Amidst the chaos she could still somehow hear the sound of a zipper being undone. Her eyes strained to look at the gang leader, who was now using his free hand to unbutton his jeans. She found she couldn't look away as he wedged himself further in between her legs.

"No! Somebody help me!" Reina screamed, attempting with all of her strength to squeeze him out of the gap between her thighs.

"Shut her up you idiots!"

A hand firmly gripped her jaw, squeezing so that she could no longer cry out. The owner of the hand glared at her with bitter distaste, and for a moment, she wondered what could have happened in these men's lives that could have made them so cruel.

"Just shut up and let him fuck you already so we can get a turn," he nearly spat at her.

"Hey, I got an idea. If you can keep her mouth open, I know a way to shut her up for a while," a voice snickered.

"I didn't give ya' permission to do anything! Just watch and wait your turn."

The leader quickly snapped at his members before bringing his focus back to his goal. He smirked as he steadied himself in position.

With her body and face restricted, all Reina could do was close her eyes, not wanting to watch the dreadful act take place. She could feel his fingers stop rubbing against her, only to hook around the inside fabric of her leotard

"Let's see if the carpet matches the drapes," a dark voice laughed.

"No….please….don't," she managed to choke-out as her sobbing shook her core.

She felt the cold air against her naked flesh only for a second before….

*bbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppp*

The sudden, blaring honk of a nearby car horn jolted the group, stopping their leader mid-assault.

"Shit! Let's get out of here!"

Reina was dropped to the ground the moment her attackers began to flee. She landed heavily, face-up onto the cold concrete. In her supine position she could still see the blinding white light of the headlights as the vehicle passed her. She could hear the whizzing of the engine loudly over the footsteps of her assailants, resounding as they fled from the scene.

She laid there silently, hoping the next sound she heard would be the screeching of tires, or a kind stranger's voice asking if she was okay.

She finally turned her head, only to see that the car hadn't come back for her. The red taillights were hardly visible anymore. It would be useless for her to make an attempt to get their attention now.

Her heart sank.

If they viewed her as anything more than an inconvenience, they would have stopped.

As she gazed towards the fading vehicle, she caught a glimpse of her purse, laying open with its contents spilled onto the road. Life had not yet come back to her limbs, so she crawled towards it, ignoring the scraping of the ground against her knees. She grasped the leather bag and rifled through the remaining contents.

She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for; her phone was gone and she had no other item that could help her in this situation. All she knew was that she had to keep moving. She had to keep her arms busy to steady her shaking nerves. She had to hold onto things that belonged to her to keep her grounded. It was the least she could do to ease the shock.

Her hand molded around the shape of something round and smooth, and she remembered that she had thrown her makeup compact in her purse before she left. She didn't know why, but something willed her to remove the compact to view what a mess the men had made of her.

The Reina looking back in the mirror was not the same put-together Reina that she had last viewed in her apartment. Now she was, in almost every sense of the word, completely torn apart.

Her once flawless liner was smudged under her eyes and her mascara had been rubbed into thick, black lines that streaked her face. She noted the bloodied cut on her lip and the dark red blotches, already forming bruises on either cheek bone. Her eyes remained teary and her once spiraled curls were now disheveled around her puffy face.

The Reina in the reflection wasn't one that she knew. This Reina had the face of a wounded, emotionally numb woman, but her eyes radiated so fiercely with despair. Gleaming in her hazel eyes was the bitter sadness of knowing that her dream had been crushed.

This version of her was pitiful.

She hated it.

She hated Yukke for stifling her potential. She hated those men that had turned her into their plaything. But most of all, she hated herself for believing so vehemently in her dream only to have it fall to pieces in such a short time.

The voice of the gang-leader suddenly rang out, busting through the eerie silence of her mind.

"It's not like we're gonna kill you or anything."

Her fists clenched as she remembered how he had said those words, as if he believed he was doing her a favor. She wished that they had killed her. They could have stabbed her or choked her and thrown her body into the river below.

They would have been doing her a favor. That way she wouldn't have to face what life had done to her.

The blatant reminder of her whereabouts gave her the strength to move that she didn't know she possessed. She stood up on wobbly legs and walked to the railing of the bridge that she had previously been so afraid of. She looked height meant nothing to her anymore.

The water below was calm and black. She couldn't see any rocks under the placid surface, even with the light shining down from the lamp overhead. She guessed that meant that the water was just too deep.

She remembered once again that Yukke had told her that if she fell over the railing, she wouldn't die. The words stuck in her mind and she found herself wondering if that statement was even true.

If she climbed over the railing and propelled herself into the river below…would she die?

The whole concept seemed so simple to her. The fact that she could be mere seconds away from ending her suffering drew her in like a moth to flame.

If dying was that easy, it had to be better than living, right?

It was determination alone that willed Reina's body to climb the railing of the Karakura Bridge. Her hands grasped the cold steel, and soon she could feel it pass over every nerve of her exposed skin.

Without a shred of hesitation she moved one foot to follow the other, until they were both pointed down towards the river.

Her inner voice echoed.

Now what?

She didn't have to think about the answer; there was only one.

She had to jump.

The thought boiled inside of her, burning the insides of her flesh like acid running through her veins. She knew that even if she didn't jump, this poisonous feeling would eat at her and eventually burn her alive. She understood now that the burning, toxic feeling was her hatred bubbling to the surface. The hatred was bound to slowly kill her anyway.

Reina carefully stood up on the railing's edge. Despite the feeling of being suspended in the air, her soul had never felt more grounded. In her clarity she knew that there was no other way to escape this feeling she had.

If she couldn't escape it, she would end it.

It only took a tenth of a second for her fingers to go limp. She surrendered her hold on the railing and any fears vanished as she willingly gave her body to the shadows below.

It all happened quickly and silently.

She couldn't feel the wind, rushing through her hair as she free-fell. She couldn't feel the initial impact of her body against the surface, she couldn't feel the water as it rushed into her lungs, immediately robbing her of any oxygen.

She couldn't taste anything, or sense anything, and all she could see,

Was darkness.