Chapter 25

I awoke the pain coming from my midsection.

The streaks of red ran across the area as my mates were whipped in the same place.  Bounded by twine, my nude body was quickly filling with the abuse from the natives.

My chest felt like it was on fire as I watched them toy with my body.  Despite being them being female, they were amused by our bodies.  The whips were meant to wake us up and they held up foreign objects to us before poking us.

I glanced over at Acchan who was yelling her lungs out from the object entering into her.  My eyes couldn’t bear watching her being probed by them as I looked over to the other side where Sayaka was getting the same treatment but with less reaction.  The next group stared up at me and they smiled at me as one with the headdress came towards me holding a phallic in its hand.

“Please purify this woman.”  She chanted as she drew closer.

Without notice, it was pushed into me.  I screamed as loud as I could, feeling the pain for the first time and the shock on Acchan’s face gave me a horrible feeling.  I suddenly discharged my waste and received a slap to my midsection along the newly formed wound.

My mind couldn’t function with the pain and I blacked out again.  It was nothing I never did experience and I began to dream of a better time in my life.  Acchan stood over me with a smile, caressing me, brushing my hair away from my eyes.  Painless dreams before a wave of light blinded me into reality.

“Trial is over.  Please go to the lake and wash yourself clean.”  She commanded.

The three lifted ourselves off the dirt and walked with the cold air breezing through.  The lake seemed far with our wounds but we managed to fall into the water and the refreshing taste awoke my spirits.  I didn’t have to worry but I quickly clean and struggled back to the leader.

“I commend you for your courage.  Please help us protect our village.”  She pleaded.

“We… will help you.”

Chapter 24

We landed on the beach with the peeking over the horizon.

Mayu wished us luck as she sailed east from us and we were on an unknown island.

Heeding the woman’s warning, Sayaka held her gun up to her chest as we marched into the forest.

“There could be traps so we have to be careful.”  She warned as a pierced body was hanging next to us covered with flies.

Following behind Sayaka, there were spider-like threads around us and thinking of the possibilities I placed my gun to the side and saw a clearing to the right of me.  A rabbit hopped in front of me and a spear came from the ground stabbing the animal through its body.  Blood flowed like a raging river from its body as I let out a sigh.

“That was close.”  Acchan commented.

After going through the brush, we found a group of huts in a semi-circle.  The three of us stood as one of the people stepped out of their hut with just a loincloth on.  It stepped into the light revealing the darken bosom and she pointed to the group.

“You are on sacred ground.”  She announced with a deep voice.

“We understand.”  Sayaka bowed.  “Can we pass through to venture for safety?”

“NO!”

The stern reply made me ready to attack but Sayaka took a few steps forward prompting a few more to rush out and hold out their spears.

“People need to be punished for tainting our grounds.”

“Let us pass through.”  I whined getting the spear tips shown towards me.

Sayaka grinned toward us before looking at the members.  “What is our punishment?”

“We will decide if you accept our trial.”

The three of us mutually agreed and the members came out as a group and handed us berries.  Munching on the berries, I saw Acchan fell to the ground then Sayaka and finally my body gave way to the poison seeing my mates being dragged off.

Chapter 23

“Wake up.”  Sayaka commanded as the three were standing.

I couldn’t feel the heat from the fire and I grabbed my weapon as we carefully headed out into the dark abyss of the shore.

The smell of sea mist filled our noses as the tide had rose a foot from our entrance.

“Mayu.”  Acchan called.  “Where’s the boat?”

The woman in her underwear pointed toward her right.

The four of us pressed out bodies to the rocks and scurried to a hollow area.

Mayu pointed toward the boat a few feet inside and she dragged out to the tide’s edge.  Sayaka looked around the area before letting us jump into the boat.  We pushed off the beach into the ocean as Mayu pointed north to our destination.

“Circle islands ahead.”

The currents as we headed out were rougher than expected.  I glanced back to notice two men looking out toward the ocean as we traced the coast before pushing off behind the huge rock.

“Phew, that was close.”  I said as Mayu tossed me an oar from the front.

I was not used to with the ocean.  Paddling was a new skill and instantly I felt the pain fun up my arm as we pushed toward the islands.  The journey was an adventure as we escaped the rocks and saw the island under the full moon.  Mimicking the pattern of the paddling, we were a mile off under the bright rock where we paused for a break.

“The islands won’t help you to live as the people are protective so be aware of them.”  Mayu warned.

“Thanks.”

Mayu tossed me a map as we needed to plan out our next point in the journey beyond the island.

Chapter 22

“We are visitors from the war.”  I called out.

“The war?  Please leave.”  The voice shouted as another shot passed by our ears.

“We are here to find the buffer zone.”  Acchan calmly stated as a light was becoming visible.

“Please leave before I actually shoot you guys.”  She warned but Sayaka saw the female in her underwear with a rifle in hand.

“We won’t shoot.”  I dropped my weapon in front of her as the two did the same.

She looked at the weapons and we looked down the barrel.

“I don’t have food for us.”

“We just need shelter.”  Sayaka stated staring at the woman.

“Fine!  Don’t steal from me.”  She protected the small bits of berries and cooked pieces of fish behind her.

We moved our weapons to one side of the opening as we sat around the fire.

There was a silence sprinkled with the waves crashing from outside.

My eyes began to flutter and collapsed to the ground.

Chapter 21

Bypassing the bodies, we saw the green pasture and a cliff.

The three of us turned our backs to the shore and watch the guards rush towards us.

My thoughts immediately left and we unloaded our guns into the guards.

There was a brief silence before the unearthed traps exploded in the middle of the town

Sayaka turned to the right and saw a slope into the ocean.

We followed her into the darkness.

Thinking of Acchan’s words, she was right about it being a buffer zone but the next town was across the water.

With little supplies, we had to think of a path but knowing the sun it could expose us.

I was interested in a quick departure but Sayaka held back my command and we explored the cave we had entered.

The area became dark with the smell of the ocean water filling our noses.

Then, a shot was fired from inside.

“Who goes there?”

Chapter 20

The damage had been done.

The storm uprooted the traps and it exploded from the ground creating craters.

Sayaka was aware of the ones that were undetonated and we were on alert for any of them.

The uneven area was a tough go for a while as we tiptoed around every potential one.

“The next town could be a buffer zone.”  Acchan theorized.

“What if it isn’t?”  I asked as she just looked away.

“I can’t say anything for now, just stay aware.”

Night fell quickly as we reached the abandoned building.

We sneaked inside to find rations for us and we took whatever was needed for the next trip.

The building had a window towards the gate and we watched it as the activity was held to a minimal.

Acchan raised her rifle and shot into the night sky.

I wasn’t sure what was happening but the guards seemed to trace the sound and we saw them running.

Shooting them one by one, we cleared the front of the gate and the door opened for us to escape.

Chapter 19

The pelting of the door gave way to the storm.

We heard the explosions happening from outside from all the wires being ripped from their locations.

The steel reinforced doors protected us from the storm but it lacked food.

The rations were only meant to feed a human for a day and we shared the meal as we waited out the storm.

“Takamina, thank you for coming here.”  Acchan bowed deeply.

“I should be thanking you for staying alive since we last met.”  I confessed.

“The unfortunate part is I have been tainted since then.”  She smiled.

I wasn’t sure what she was talking about until I saw the scar across her midsection.  The skin covering where the stitches were was normal for my experience and then observing the body, I cried for her.

“This is beyond comprehension.”

“My body has been used by the captors and sold me across the country until I came back here.”  She explained.

“I see.”

“Takamina, you may never understand the true meaning of this chance meeting but I want to escape from here.”

I nodded as the pelting slowly stopped and listened closer to the calming of the storm.