She stopped to stare at the pond. Zakuro's reflection stared up at her. The water was smooth, the surface like glass. Zakuro's small hand reached down to feel the surface. Cool water seeped through her fingers. She watched it in fascination.
Suddenly, another reflection appeared over her side. She turned, but a rough hand clamped over her mouth. She was pushed near the pond. Zakuro tried to cry out, but she couldn't. A malicious face stared down at her.
"Daddy," she muttered into his palm. He pulled her over to a more secluded area of pine trees and wild violets. Zakuro was dragged around like a rag doll. 'But rag dolls don't feel fear.'
She could feel the hem of her pretty pink dress being ripped at. Zakuro began to struggle, fighting back with all her might. This demon wasn't her father! He was a monster!
She earned a kick to the shins. It hurt. A single tear fell from Zakuro's arm. But then she remembered what her Mother always told her. 'I have to be strong.'
The skirt of the dress was torn away. Her panties were next to be clawed at. Some blood fell to the ground, and she could feel her skin ripping. But then the underwear was of, and Zakuro was exposed.
She was pinned in place by a strong foot as her Father removed his clothes. Then he leaned forwards, smiling in a terrible way. Zakuro began to tremble.
Something was pushed carelessly between her legs, and she cried out in pain. a bit more blood fell onto the ground. Then, her Father began to ram himself in and out of her. It was pure Agony. Mentally, Zakuro screamed in terror. Pain washed over her more and more each time.
Finally, something wet poured into Zakuro. She was dropped carelessly to the ground like a broken toy. Her face hit the cold ground. Footsteps walked away.
Then Zakuro cried as loudly and deeply as possible, pouring her tears into the impassive earth. When finally she stood and pulled her skirt back up, not bothering with the panties. She turned to walk back to the house, composing herself. Nothing was the same. It was all so horribly, horribly wrong.
had the world really been beautiful? Had it all really been wonderful? Now Zakuro saw all the dying roses instead of the living ones. The trees around her seemed too big, too frightening, blocking out the sun, the only light. Was her reflection really once beautiful? Now Zakuro never wanted to see it again. It seemed ugly, defiled.
------
Zakuro woke with a start, covered in sweat. She shot up, studying her surroundings frantically. Then, she breathed a sigh of release. It was okay.
Zakuro was safe.
she leaned back, closing her eyes. why her? Why?
Then, she looked over to her bedside table lay. On it was a picture of the workers of Cafe Mew Mew. She saw in it Keiichiro, smiling his warm smile.
"Would he smile like that if he knew?" asked Zakuro to nothing.
Fitting that nothing replied.
-----
A slightly older Zakuro stood in front of the fireplace. Her Mother was turned towards it, and Zakuro couldn't see her face. Then,
"You filthy WHORE!"
Zakuro stumbled back in fear. She knew she shouldn't have told her Mother about what happened. Why had she? Her Mother was furious.
"You wanted it, didn't you!? Don't deny it! You always wanted to ruin my life, you witch! You are not my daughter and if you tell anybody about this I'll tell them it was your fault! I wish you were never born!!!!"
Tears stung Zakuro's eyes. Before her Mom could see them, she turned away and ran down the hallway. She finally arrived outdoors. The minute she did, she ran to the hidden Gazebo. It was older than the other, and not as grand, but it worked as the perfect place to spend the next three hours. She would be found, and she would be brought back. She would be her Mommy's angel and her Daddy's girl, even though she was nothing to them.
She would fall this time. And this time, she wouldn't come back up again.
'Everything has two sides. I wish now that I could only see the beautiful side, as I could before. But now, for me, there is only the ugly side. Is there beauty any more? I don't think so.'
-----
This time Zakuro woke up with tears in her eyes. She brushed them away angrily, and turned to the clock. Time to get up. Perfect.
She got up and got dressed, putting on her pink shirt and a denim skirt. Then she turned and began to walk out, passing a picture of her, taken from a magazine cover. as she passed, Zakuro made sure to knock over the picture, in all it's insolence.
'where is the picture perfect girl?'
'Died and gone away.'
Like everything good in life. Zakuro smiled wryly at the cruel irony. But that's what life is, isn't it? It's all about the pain. It's all about the failure.
'Where is the beauty?'
'There is none.'