Chapter 39

"Let's go, everyone inside! Hurry it up Himeko." Sister Katherine looked toward the western horizon as the sun began to set over the Saitama prefecture. Nearly two dozen children ranging from as young as eight years old up to sixteen jogged into the large building that functioned as their home. When the last one sprinted through the wooden double doors of the church, Sister Katherine gave one last look over the open playground before turning and following everyone inside.

"I'm starving!" One of the girls bounded through the hall, her black twin tails shaking back and forth with each step.

"You're always starving Himeko. Nothing new there." Himeko pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest slowing down next to the girl who had responded.

"Are you calling me fat Rika?" The girl jabbed her finger into Himeko's side making her yelp in surprise.

"My finger almost got sucked in! That was close!" Rika could barely contain her laughter with each word as Himeko turned red with anger. Rika Sakurai and Himeko Tachibana, sixteen and fifteen years old respectively had been best friends for the better part of the last six years. They both had grown up here in Saitama after Sister Katherine took them into the orphanage. Both arrived the same day which created a common ground for the two on which their friendship grew.

Himeko was the louder of the two and tended to cause the most trouble. Being one of the older kids in the orphanage meant she held a certain level of respect from the younger ones. A fact she would often exploit. It didn't help that at fifteen years old she was already becoming a beautiful young woman. Her hair was always perfectly straight, tied back into two tails. As black as her hair was it always seemed to shine in the sun. Energetic, combative, and proud were the three words most used to describe Himeko and she never denied any of it. She was tall and athletic which garnered a lot of envy from other girls.

Rika, being the older of the two, was the only person able to keep up with Himeko. In fact she was the only one who seemed able to challenge her. Rika's attractiveness came not only from the physical aspect of her body, but also her intelligence. She shared the same hair color as Himeko, but wore hers in a single ponytail tied back behind her head. Whereas Himeko tended to speak without thinking, Rika always thought about her words before she spoke. They were both charismatic and respected in their own ways, and being best friends meant that they were regarded as the idols of their orphanage.

"You're just jealous of my body Rika." Himeko flipped her hair with a hand and turned her nose upwards in a mock gesture of superiority.

"Hmmm, too bad there's not enough to be jealous of." Rika send the barb that she knew would trigger Himeko's fury. They were friends, but that didn't mean they didn't enjoy teasing each other.

"Oh ha ha! Very funny!" Himeko rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the one thing she was jealous of Rika for. Unfortunately not all women are created equal and the powers that be had decided to bless Rika just a bit more than they did Himeko. She glanced down at her chest before looking back up at Rika who was already smiling broadly.

"I heard drinking milk helps." Rika turned forward, walking proudly as Himeko continued to fume.

"You would know since you carry those things around all day." Himeko growled angrily making Rika laugh and put her arm around her friend.

"Hello girls." The two rounded a corner and stopped just in time before running into the group of boys.

"Hey Shinji." Himeko waved and smiled playfully at the boy who had called out to them. Shinji Hasegawa was to the boys what Himeko and Rika was to the girls. He was handsome and confident. The boys admired him and the girls adored him. He was the same age as Rika putting him a year older than Himeko. It was common knowledge that the two had eyes for one another.

"Where are you two off to?" Shinji always had a cadre of others with him. Typically four or five other boys who seemed to wait on him hand and foot. It was like they believed that just being near him would allow some of his charm to rub off on them.

"It's dinner time, so we're going to eat." Rika answered with a hint of sarcasm making Shinji turn his auburn colored head towards her.

"A bit defensive tonight aren't you Rika? Too bad your attitude doesn't match your beautiful face." He reached out towards her, but Rika slapped his hand aside.

"Gross, don't touch me Shinji. Let's go Himeko." Rika grabbed her friends hand and pulled her along quickly. Shinji watched on in amusement pushing the hair out of his eyes. Himeko mumbled a few words and waved a hand before Rika pulled her away.

"Come on Rika you don't have to be like that." Himeko pulled her hand free from Rika's grasp as they walked.

"I don't like him Himeko. Something about him feels wrong. Just because he has good looks he thinks he can do whatever he wants. A boy like that is no good.

"Aw he's not that bad. You just won't give him a chance." Rika eyed her friend warily and shook her head.

"Someday we'll meet boys who don't use their looks to get what they want. Boys that will treat us like we deserve and not just because of how we look. At least I know I will." Himeko laughed as her friend spoke and patted her on the back gently.

"Oh, Rika you are hopeless. We're both gorgeous so let's enjoy it before we get old. Your prince charming will wait." Rika sighed and kept walking alongside Himeko.

"I hope so."

1 year later

"Sister Katherine! Hurry, she's not breathing!" Rika knelt on the rain soaked concrete ignoring the feeling of the water soaking through her pants. It was far past curfew when Rika found Himeko behind the church in an alcove. Her body was curled up on the ground, blood mixing with the rain water that continued to fall from the storm clouds high above.

"Oh no, what happened child?" Sister Katherine joined Rika as she pressed a hand against Himeko's chest.

"She snuck out again. When she didn't come back I got scared and looked for her. I found her like this." Rika explained quickly.

"I'm calling for an ambulance stay with her Rika!" The woman ran away splashing through the puddles as Rika tried to get Himeko to breath. She was bruised and cut all over her face. Her hair was splayed across the ground in a wild mess instead of neatly kept how she usually had it.

"Come on Himeko wake up! Please wake up!" Mercifully the girls eyes fluttered and her chest rose slowly. Rika gasped and pulled the girl into her lap holding her close.

"Ri…ka?"

"I've got you! Just hold on help is coming! Don't talk just rest!" Rika ran her hand over Himeko's face pushing her hair back away from her swollen eyes.

"I'm sorry...Rika. You were right."

"Shut up Himeko! Help is coming!" Rika clung to the girl in her lap rocking her back and forth in the rain. The paramedics had to pry her hands loose when they arrived to get Himeko onto the stretcher. Sister Katherine jumped into the back alongside the girl.

"Get inside Rika. She'll be ok." The doors of the ambulance shut and it pulled away onto the street. Rika stood in silence long after the lights faded before finally turning and walking back towards the church. She was soaking wet and each step squished uncomfortably under her feet. Even once she was inside the safety of the church she shivered from the cold. A large group of people all stood near the entrance staring at her as she entered.

"Poor Himeko. It's too bad what happened to her." Rika's face snapped towards the voice. Leaning against the wall nearby was Shinji. The smug look on his face and his posture told Rika all she needed to know. Ever since he started dating Himeko six months ago Rika had noticed the bruises on Himeko. She always played them off, but Rika was smarter than that.

"I'll be going to the police." Rika forced her anger down and clenched her fists unable to stop shaking.

"Don't get involved in things you know nothing about Rika." Everyone remained silent looking between Rika and Shinji.

"I know enough. It ends tonight." Rika walked away towards her room leaving the boy grinning.

"I suppose you're right." Shinji chuckled alongside his friends watching her storm away.

Rika tore her clothes off once she was in her room and threw them against the wall. Her anger could no longer be contained and she breathed heavily as she punched her fist against the mattress of her bed. Himeko had started dating Shinji against Rika's wishes six months ago. They were the perfect couple as far as everyone in the orphanage was concerned. Rika saw the slow decline that came shortly after. Himeko's wrists would be black and blue, or her shoulders showed similar injuries. Himeko refused to talk about it and had caused a number of frequent fights between the two best friends. Nothing had been this bad though.

In the last year, Shinji and his group had become something many feared. They would bully the weaker and younger kids and they weren't afraid to resort to violence. The nuns of the church could only do so much to control them. Rika felt that Himeko only agreed to go out with Shinji because she was afraid to say no. Himeko would never admit that, but now things had gone too far. Despite constant threats Rika had never bent to Shinji or his goons and she was sure that he was behind Himeko's injuries.

Rika pulled a t-shirt over her head and a pair of shorts before falling onto her bed. Her heart hadn't stopped racing since she found Himeko outside. Her own fatigue didn't matter since the adrenaline had kept her going. Now that she was lying down in her bed the initial shock was wearing off and her body was beginning to send signals that it needed rest. Tomorrow morning she would call the police and hopefully Shinji would get what was coming to him. No one else needed to be a victim. After tonight Himeko could go back to being safe beside Rika.

"Hold her down!" Rika's eyes opened wide as two strong hands grabbed her arms pinning them to her bed. Another pair grabbed her ankles while someone covered her mouth. She struggled wildly, but was unable to overpower the people surrounding her.

"Rika, Rika, Rika. Why are you so persistent? It was one thing to think that you could try and defy everything I do. I could handle that, really. However, now you want to go and contact the police? Rika, I just can't have that. The police ask questions and generally would give me a hard time." Shinji stood over her head looking down at her.

"Et ee o!" Rika tried to call out, but the hand covering her mouth muffled the sound. Shinji waved a hand and the boy removed his hand.

"What was that?"

"I said let me go." Rika forced herself to remain calm. Shinji only smiled walking around so that he was beside her. He stared at her for a few moments before driving his fist into the side of her face.

"It's all your fault!" Shinji leaned down yelling into her face as she coughed.

"No, please it wasn't!" Rika cried as the pain lanced through her body.

"Hit her! Hit her harder!"

"Make her bleed!" The other boys cheered Shinji on as he balled his fist and punched the side of her head again. A third fist found her mouth sending a stream of blood spraying across the room.

"If you had just been obedient this wouldn't have happened. Now you'll pay the price for what you've done."

"Leave me alone!" Rika couldn't see with the blood that now was streaming down her face.

"Hold her down. After we're done here, you'll wish you were dead too." The boys renewed their holds on her limbs as Shinji sent his fist into her stomach making her eyes bulge open and blasting the air from her lungs. Her tears mixed with the blood and she could only hear the laughter as he continued to beat her. The sound of fabric being torn was the first thing that made her focus once more.

"Stop!" Shinji gripped the handle of a knife slicing her shirt open despite her protests.

"Look at the size of those things boys! Miss high and mighty doesn't seem so tough now does she?" Shinji laughed waving the knife around. Rika sobbed as he tore her shirt open leaving her in just a bra.

"Please, just stop." Rika begged which only made them laugh more.

"I don't like being told no. I take what I want even if that means by force. What should we do now Rika? You've never had a boyfriend have you? Want to know what it's like?" Shinji slid the knife down her belly letting it rest against the waistband of her shorts.

"No! Get off!" Using all the strength she had left Rika bucked against the boys holding her down. They were stronger than she was and refused to give an inch. She was helpless against them and Shinji knew it.

"As much fun as it would be to take your first time, I was thinking more along the lines of this." Rika gasped, her back arching as the knife slid into her side passing between two ribs. An intense pain the likes of which she'd never felt erupted through her body as he slowly pulled the knife out of her.

"Please…" Rika choked as more blood ran down her cheek.

"Shut up!" Shinji slammed the butt of the knife into her face. She could hear the sound of bones cracking. "Give me that." He reached out as another boy handed him a bottle. Rika could feel cold liquid cover parts of her body. Shinji stood and the pressure on her limbs vanished. She didn't have the strength to move anymore anyway. Everyone exited her room except Shinji who returned to her side and stabbed her once more in the stomach. It didn't hurt as much this time and Rika didn't even move as the knife plunged into her and retracted.

"When you see Himeko, tell her hi for me." Shinji walked away dropping a metallic object behind him as he left. It had a strange glow to it as it spun through the air until it bounced off the ground. It was only then that Rika identified it for what it was. Flames erupted in her room as the lighter found the gasoline Shinji and spread throughout the room. They raced up the bed and Rika screamed as her right arm was engulfed in flames.

The flames took hold of anything they could find in the room and Rika forced her body off of the bed. The knife wounds bled heavily threatening to sap her strength with each passing moment. The smoke choked her and she couldn't see out of one of her eyes. She turned towards the wall and given the amount of smoke and her injuries she hoped that her aim would be true. If not, she would die in this room, burned alive. Rika pushed off the bed with her feet, tucking herself as tightly as she could and smashed through the window. Shards of glass sliced into her exposed arms and body.

With a loud thud she hit the ground outside of her room, the rain quickly dousing the fires that had covered her body. She laid there unable to move watching as smoke poured out of her window. The screams of others inside the church was all she could hear amidst the rain. In the end it didn't matter that she had escaped. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Too much blood had been lost. It seemed fitting that this was how she would die. She was an orphan, abandoned on the street. This was how she was meant to die…alone on the street.