Innocence

11- The Final Blow

'...she was gorgeous too. Why do the prettiest flowers always have to get picked? Couldn't you just observe them from their safe home in the ground? Why do you have to take it to your home? Into your life? What's the point? It's only going to sit on your counter and rot away. I just don't know anymore. About anything. Johnny. Melissa. What did they have in common? What did Mrs. Ryan have against these kids? I just don't know.'

Then I signed the bottom of the page. I always liked writing in journals. That way, you'd always have a friend you could tell anything. I didn't have very many friends. Just my siblings and my friend Liam. So, a journal really was helpful, especially when I felt lonely which was quite often as of late.

"Tay?" I heard Isaac ask.

I looked up to see him sitting on the floor drinking out of a water bottle we had been given, "What?"

He sighed, "What's it like out there?"

"Out where?"

"Out...side. I haven't been outside since we got here. What's it like?"

He was right. He hadn't seen the sun since the day they took us. For some reason, I felt bad. At least I got the freedom of going outside. Even if it was to kill someone.

"Well..." I put my journal down, "it's like it's always been. People walking down the street, kids screaming, phones ringing."

     "Does the sun feel good?" He asked. Rightfully so, it had been weeks since he had even seen the sun.

    "Yeah. It feels great. All nice and warm. It makes me want to sprint all the way back home." I said, sadly.

"Why don't you?" He asked. I bet he would run if he got the chance.

"Because they'd find me again somehow. And they'd kill you. I can't let that happen, Ike."

He looked at me strangely, "When did you get so brave?"

"I didn't. I just learned to deal with demons."
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"Scrawny I've got a surprise for ya." Rape said as we were training again. Suddenly the door opened and Isaac walked in.

Isaac hadn't been training anymore because there was no reason. He wasn't killing anyone.

"What is he doing here?" I asked.

"You guys are going to fight." He smirked.

"What?! Why?!" I asked. I didn't want to have to fight my own brother.

"Because your next mission is a girl about his size. Mrs. Ryan wants you to be extra prepared." He said. Stepping off he mat and letting Isaac take his place.

     "What if I don't fight him?"

     Rape gave me a death glare, "I think you know what happens when you don't obey my rules, Taylor." He used my real name.

     I shivered at the thought of him raping me again, Isaac still didn't know. I quickly looked down, "Yes, sir."

     "Alright then. Go." He demanded.

    Isaac and I looked awkwardly at each other.

    "Do you wanna throw the first one?" He asked, timidly.

    "Not really." I said, back.

    He looked over at Rape and then back at me, "I think you better."

    So, I stepped forward and threw a punch at my brothers face. It wasn't as hard as I could, but it definitely wasn't weak.

     He staggered back, and I ran and tackled him.

    "Come on, Isaac! Punch him! Hit him! Do something!" Yelled Rape.

    Isaac slapped my face hard, as I attempted to pin him down.

    Tears ran down my face from the stinging pain. Then he punched me again, and again and again. It was like he was going insane. I didn't know what was going on. Suddenly, he was sitting on my chest, beating the shit out of me.

My nose basically exploded with blood and I could feel my lip swelling.

"Alright alright! Stop!"

Isaac didn't stop. He was crying, punching me. He was muttering something but I couldn't understand. All I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

Rape ran to Isaac and pulled him off of me. I turned to my side and gasped for breath.

A few moments passed then I heard Isaac speak, "Oh god...oh god...Taylor. Tay! I'm-I'm so sorry." Then he was by my side.

He grabbed my arm and flipped me onto my back, "Lemme see." He saw my bloody face and gasped, "Oh, Tay...no. I didn't mean to..."

"Go...go away." I said, I didn't want to see him. How could he do this? It's like he went totally insane.

"No, Tay. I'm sorry."

"GO!" I yelled as loudly as I could, then coughed.

He stood. "I'm sorry." He whispered, then stepped back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     I sat on the bed facing the wall. I couldn't look at Isaac. I didn't know what happened or why he did it, all I know is that instead of fighting me, he beat me up. He didn't even give me the chance to fight back.

I heard him sigh, "Tay, come on. I've said I was sorry like a million times! I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me." He begged for forgiveness. I couldn't give it to him. Not yet. Today I realized I really couldn't trust anyone. Not even my own brother, who I thought would protect me through everything.

     I know you may think I was being over dramatic but Isaac was all I had. He was the only comfort I found in this messed up situation and now I felt like I couldn't trust him anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POV: Rebecca Ryan
Location: office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I paced the office floor. Back and forth and back and forth.

Brian, my "husband", was printing the next mission file. Really, he was just after the same thing I was. Revenge.

'One more. Just one more murder and I can get rid of these wimps that that bastard Joe brought in.' I thought to myself.

The door busted open and Brian walked in.

"Is it done?" I asked.

"Yep. All done. Doug and Ramona must be miserable now." He smirked.

"This will be the final blow."