Innocence

   Maeko was no different than any other girl in her class. She was definitely not the most popular. She was no social outcast either. Her long dark hair fell around a pretty face, the glasses she wore a compliment to her appearance, not a hindrance. She had an independent sense of fashion, playing with short skirts over tight jeans, or an open blouse and tie. She was unique. Her friends liked her for it. Most of them. Some simply liked to say they had an Asian friend.

Maeko was seventeen years old.

Whenever she went out on weekends, Maeko had the habit of carrying her video camera with her. It was her most prized possession. Everywhere she went, it came along. It was a rare sight to not see the lens reflecting back her surroundings. Maeko's personal laptop was full of videos of her life.

Like a diary.

It was a Saturday morning. Maeko was ready to leave her house with her the carry case for the camera slung over a shoulder. She almost made it before her mother, Kicho, stepped out of the living room into the lobby of their two story house. She was replacing one of her earrings with great difficulty and was dressed for the office. As a single parent, Kicho often worked through weekends.

“Where are you going?” She asked in their native tongue.

Sighing, Maeko faced her aged and tired mother. “I'm meeting with my friends.” She replied in English. “I told Hanna I would be there.”

Kicho flinched as the earring's backing pinched her lobe. “Take your brother with you.” She continued.

Immediately Maeko whined. “Mom! He gets in the way.”

“I don't care. I have to go to work and I told you yesterday you had to watch him.”

Maeko didn't bother to fight it. She stomped up the stairs to the second floor.

Ichiro was only eight. At his age, he had little interest in girls. Robots were amazing and he had a pet turtle in his room. He liked movies over television, was proficient at video games and put little effort in the way he dressed.

When Maeko entered his room uninvited, Ichiro jumped and dropped his comic book.

“Come on.” His sister said in annoyance. “Mom says you have to come with me.”

He shook his head quickly. “I don't want to go. I want to stay home.”

Maeko stormed up to him. Grabbing Ichiro's arm she pulled him to his feet. “I don't give a shit. Mom says you have to come with me.”

He fought against her, struggling to free himself. “I want to stay here and play my games.”

Maeko slapped him across the face. Ichiro recoiled, covering his cheek.

“I said we're fucking going.” His sister hissed. “So put your fucking shoes on and let's go.”

Maeko often hit him whenever she wanted things to go her way. When he was seven, she kicked him in the groin when he was walking too slowly to the park. She once trapped him in his closet after Ichiro was given the last cookie.

He'd never told their mother. She was often too busy to take the time to listen. And he had been warned by Maeko already.

She would kill him if he did.

Surrendering, he followed his sister out the room and down the stairs.

In their neighbourhood, alleys led out towards a ravine. They crawled under a wire fence down to where the creek flowed and followed it. From within the cover of trees, the city scrapers were hidden. The city a distant static. Bushes reached out, scratching against Ichiro and Maeko's pants like tiny fingers. Bees buzzed softly from wild flowers. The wind whispered through the leaves above.

Maeko held Ichiro's hand and led him further away from home. Along the slow flowing creek, the water stagnant and low. Deeper among the woods until finally she pulled him up the slope. They stepped out into a clearing where the grass rose uncut like a green sea. There sat an old barn, the door opened slightly.

Standing outside were Maeko's friends, Hanna and Neil. Hanna waved to Maeko and her brother first.

Hanna was a larger girl, many pounds away from being obese but enough to hamper her confidence. Her plain brown hair was cut to an unflattering short length and the black she always wore did little to make her seem slimmer. She was often seen reading or writing in the privacy of a dark corner at school and was generally a social outcast.

Neil was skinny enough to cause his mother to worry and take him to see a doctor. He had his father's metabolism. His mother refused to connect Neil to his father ever since the man left her. Neil rarely wore anything that showed his body physique and was the target of bullying. His unwashed black hair hung in strings around a gaunt face, the dark eyes big and bug-like.

These were Maeko's friends since their early years in school. A trio of social outcasts, loners and different. Keeping to themselves. They were better companions than anyone would ever know.

Maeko approached them, waddling through the tall grass with her brother in tow. Hanna called out to her.

“You brought it?”

Maeko raised her camera bag with a grin. Neil stood by the barn door looking in.

Ichiro began to resist. “I want to go home.” He whined.

His sister pulled him along, ignoring his protest. He yanked against her arm. “I said I want to go home.”

She stopped in the open field and spun around sharply. Her fist slammed the boy in his stomach. With a breathless grunt, Ichiro fell to one knee. Hanna got Neil's attention and together they watched.

Ferociously Maeko pushed her brother onto his back. She kicked his side sharply. He cried out in pain.

“Quit your fucking bitching.” She said as he curled into a ball. “Mom made me in charge and you have to listen to me. Now get up, you big baby.”

Suppressing the urge to cry, Ichiro achingly rose. He let his sister take his hand and held his sore waist. They continued onward, reaching the barn and her friends.

“Why is he here?” Neil asked curiously, looking down at Maeko's brother. Ichiro kept his eyes low.

“I had to.” Maeko replied. “Mom didn't give me much of an option.”

“Is he gonna rat us out?” Hanna asked with worry.

Maeko grinned and turned to her brother. He cowered submissively.

“I think he'll be good. Am I right, Ichiro?”

He nodded quickly. It was enough for her friends.

“Then let's get to it.” Neil said, pulling the bar door wider. “I've been thinking about today since last night.”

Hanna paused them a moment. “Did anyone say anything to you guys?”

They shook their heads and then Maeko asked. “Why? Is someone talking?”

“Well,” Hanna said hesitantly, “my parents asked me about it last night.”

“And?” Neil enquired.

“They believed me when I said had no idea.”

Maeko gave an assertive nod. “Good. It won't matter after today, anyway.”

With that said, the four of them entered the barn.

Her name was Isabelle but among her peers they were privileged to call her Izzy. They had to ask her for permission first. It was an honour if she said yes. Izzy was the popular girl in school. It wasn't because her parents were rich. It had to do with her blond hair, her beautiful face and her abilities to manipulate people. She was her own clique in school and her followers were her army.

They were nowhere to be seen that Saturday as she sat with her back against a support pole in the barn. Her hands tied behind it. Her normally silky hair falling in thick strands. Her face pale and bruised. She was gagged and blindfold by cloth.

Izzy was completely naked.

When the four children entered the barn and closed the door, Isabelle raised her head fearfully. Her breath came in fast at the sound of their approaching footsteps.

When Maeko released Ichiro's hand, he immediately went over into the corner and watched. She had already completely forgotten him as she stalked up to their captive with a grin.

“Izzy, Izzy. Little Izzy.” She said with a chuckle. “Everyone is looking for you.”

Hanna walked up to the girl and knelt to lift the blindfold off. Horrified blue eyes jumped from the girls to Neil and then back to Maeko. Tears escaped her lids and eased down her cheek.

Rising, Hanna spat down at her face. The blond recoiled.

“Fucking cunt.” The larger girl hissed. “No one's gonna find you here.”

Neil stood behind Hanna, watching with a hand on his groin. “You're going to rot in here.” He said, drawing Isabelle's trembling stare.

Maeko opened her bag and took out the camcorder. She raised it and turned it on.

Hanna glanced towards her with a vicious smirk. “Ready?”

Maeko looked back over her shoulder. Ichiro had cowered into a far corner, slumped down on old hay. His eyes were wide. Smirking at her younger brother, she turned back to her camera and looked vicariously through the lens.

“Yes.” She said, pressing record. “Yes I am.”

Isabelle started to cry as Neil walked over. He began to unbutton his pants.

“I want to go.” Ichiro whispered, pulling as his sister's sleeve.

Maeko was crouched, the camera focused on Isabelle's face. Hanna stood behind the post, pulling Izzy's head back against it by her hair. Neil was squatting before the bound girl, naked below the waist. His hips were thrusting in sharp jerks against Isabelle's face. The girl was choking loudly.

Ichiro couldn't prevent staring at the sight before him. “I want to go.” He tugged again.

Sighing, his sister stopped the camera. “Guys, hold on.”

Neil pulled away from Isabelle. She gasped a coughing fit. Hanna continued to hold her hair and looked over at Maeko.

“I told you he'd get in the way.” She said irritably.

With another frustrated sigh, Maeko rose on sore legs and faced her brother. He naturally recoiled in defence.

“You fucking shit.” She said. “Why can't you just shut up? We'll go home when we're done.”

He couldn't take his eyes off Isabelle. Hanna had risen, releasing the blond hair. Izzy's head hung, a line of wet drool hanging off her bottom lip. Her breasts hung downward. Her legs were parted, stretched out along the barn floor. His glance caught the slip of pink flesh between her thighs.

Maeko followed his stare and grinned back at him. “Like it?”

He quickly shook his head and stepped back. Hanna and Neil watched silently.

Fearful, Ichiro looked from Hanna to Neil's erection and back to his sister. She smirked cruelly.

“Like her pussy, you little perv?”

Neil chuckled.

“I want to go home.” Ichiro said. “I want to go home to my room.”

Reaching into her back pocket, Maeko pulled out a knife. She pointed it at her brother. “We aren't going yet. Not yet.”
The blade of her weapon caught Ichiro's horrified gaze and he began to sob softly. Maeko passed Neil her camera before grabbing her brother by the arm. With a cry he pulled against her hold. She pointed the knife at his face. He froze. The crotch of his pants grew warm and wet.

“I've had just about enough of your fucking bitching.” She growled softly at him. “Do you want me to have to tell our mom you've run away? Run away forever and will never come back? Not until they find the body?”

He slowly shook his head. “No.”

“Then fucking shut up and do as your told.”

“But-”

She cut a small line into his cheek and he yelped, pulling away. “Do it!”

Resolutely he nodded, lips trembling.

Through the camera, Maeko watched. Zoomed in as her brother hesitantly pushed a finger into Izzy's struggling loins. His own face damp with tears. Isabelle's head turned to the side, grunting with each push of Neil's hips. Hanna whispering to Ichiro, guiding his unwilling hands. Forcing him to explore the captured girl.

Maeko grinned when Neil pulled back from the crying blond. Izzy gasped a scream as he ejaculated on her face. Hanna made Ichiro push three fingers into the girl.

“No.” Ichiro said sternly, stepping back from them.

Isabelle was cut free from the post and was lain out on the floor. Hanna held her struggling arms down. Neil was between her thighs, holding them open as he raped her.

Maeko leaned down to her brother, knife in hand. She held his arm tightly.

“If you don't,” she hissed, “I'm killing you right here. I'll cut your throat open and shove my fingers in the hole. Fucking do it.”

Ichiro glanced over at Isabelle. She was crying out tearfully, throwing her head from side to side. Hanna leaned over and spat in her face.

“I don't want to.” He replied softly.

His sister slapped the cut on his cheek and he fell to the floor.

“You fucker!” She yelled. “Do it! Do it!”

Cupping the stinging pain, Ichiro rose slowly. His sister held out the knife and he took it hesitantly.

“Do it.” She repeated, bringing the camera to her eye. Ichiro walked over to where Isabelle lay. Neil was slamming his groin against her. The girl was screaming, pleading and sobbing.

“Please!” Isabelle pleaded, eyes shut in terror. “Please!”

Kneeling over her bare chest, Ichiro felt sick in his stomach. His palm's sweat made the handle of the knife warm.

Hanna smiled gently at him. She continued to hold the blond down. “You're doing her a favour.” She said. “You're doing her good.”

Neil didn't stop, thrusting in sharp jerks. Closing his eyes, Ichiro choked out a sob and raised the blade in his hand. He plunged it down between Isabelle's breasts. Her eyes went wide as the steel cut in, shocked by the pinching invasion.

“Again.” Maeko said, zooming in with the camera. Blood grew from the slit in her skin. Lifting the knife once more, Ichiro cried went he brought it back down.

That night, Ichiro's mother was late for supper. Maeko fed them and then let her brother hide in his room. He sat there in silence, the video games ignored. The comic book lying on the bed untouched. When his mother arrived, she found him lying in bed, curled up beneath the blankets.

“He was so active today.” Maeko told her mother when they were in the living room. “He must have really tired himself out.”

That night, in the darkness of his room, the vision of Isabelle's raped and murdered body clouded his mind. The memory of her lifeless eyes stared up from the hole they had left her in, the dirt falling from Neil's shovel over her pale and naked body. Maeko entered his room silently and he refused to look up at her. She walked over. Ichiro felt her weight on the bed as she sat down beside him.

“You killed a girl today, Ichiro.” She whispered close to his ear. “You killed Isabelle with a knife. You killed her and now she's dead. I have it all. I have it on my camera. I have it on my laptop. Everyone will know if you choose to share our little secret. Everyone will know. You killed her, Ichiro. You stabbed Izzy with a knife.”

She left his room, door closing slowly behind her. The light of the hallway thinned away to nothing, leaving him alone in darkness.

Ichiro sobbed silently into his pillow.

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