Lambs and Wolves

Cry.

That’s all Juniper could do after the horrors she endured last night. Curled up in a ball on a small cot in the basement, she cried and tried to erase the memory of what happened from her brain. No matter what, she just couldn’t stop remembering it and thus, made her cry harder. She was sore, tired and she missed her mom terribly. Juniper was mostly in shock due to what happened. ‘This isn’t happening...It’s just NOT happening!.....I--I can’t even comprehend this. How did it all come to this? I….I just want to die…..’ her internal distress monologue was broken again by the sound of the basement door opening and closing as well as the sound of footsteps. Juniper tried to curl up tighter and shut her eyes tighter to make herself look asleep, but was unsuccessful (not to mention, now having a leg cramp).

“Good morning ‘little lamb’! Hope you slept well.”, Greyson started as he sat a tray in front of her cot “You know...last night was absolutely amazing. You were positively spectacular my dear. Now I’m sure after all we did last night, you’re pretty sore so there’s some pain medication in your breakfast. I’ve also brought some fresh underwear for you and a special surprise will be waiting for you after your shower.”, he finished as he pat her on the head gently. Juniper jerking her head away swiftly (nearly giving herself whiplash in the process).

“No it wasn’t. It was unimaginably horrible! Y-you made me feel...dirty in places that I never knew could feel that bad, hell...you took my virginity through RAPE! That’s gonna be cause for a pretty pissed off person--!”, Juniper’s rant was cut short by a large hand hitting her across the face hard enough to cause bruising and for her to spit out a little blood.

“NEVER raise your voice to me!!! You hear? NEVER!!!!”, Greyson roared in anger at the shriveling and obviously frightened girl.

Juniper, too scared to speak, simply nodded in response. Trembling all the while.

Breathing heavily Greyson composed himself before speaking, “Good, now let’s see about fixing that pretty face of yours huh ‘lil’ lamb’?”.

Juniper cringed slightly as he touched her face. His cold hands felt sickeningly gentle as he bandaged her up briefly. Afterwards, he dragged her up to a nearby restroom with a shower. After leaving her alone in the restroom, Juniper looked around and wasn’t too surprised to see a decorative stained-glass window next to the toilet. She didn’t bother trying to open it as she knew those kinds of windows wouldn't open without being broken. While she set that idea aside (as she couldn't find anything that could break the glass nearby), she decided that a shower would definitely be necessary...especially after being forced to lay there as he took her innocence. She was smelly and felt terrible. As she tried to bend to reach the knobs on the shower, she felt a horrible stabbing pain in her lower abdomen where her womb was. She covered her mouth in a muffled scream of pain as she continued turning the shower water to the highest the hot would go. Stepping in with her washcloth, she vigorously scrubbed and cleansed herself of the grimy feeling. While it helped for the physical aspect (she only barely managed to clean her vagina as much as basically possible. Cringing with tears in her eyes the whole time.) it did very little to calm the psychological aspect.

“Mom always said to ‘Beware of strangers’...why didn't I listen to mom?!? Now look what’s happened! The wolf has taken me as prey...torturing me. Making me wish for death! I know it’s only been one time, but one time’s ENOUGH! I really hope someone is looking for me….” Juniper stopped as an idea struck her “...Maybe….maybe if I do as mom instructed me to in desperate times like these...th-then perhaps it will work.”, she finished as she leaned against the shower wall. Her short black/pink hair lying wet flat against the back of her neck as she sunk down into the basin of the shower. She’d managed to get onto her knees into a kneeling manner as she bow her head in a silent prayer.

"'Greatest God. My father and divine savior, I only ask this one prayer of not only forgiveness that I participated unwillingly in a most sacred act only reserved for adults, but also for help. I kneel before you in my most natural form to pray for sanctuary and salvation. I pray for someone to find me and free me from my horrible imprisonment. Yet most of all, God...I pray you watch over my mother and sister. I know they must be going crazy with worry as I haven’t seen them in 3 days. My lord, this is my prayer of protection. In your holy name, amen.'", Juniper silently prayed as she cried into the slowly growing colder water.
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(Canterlot City, Tuesday Afternoon)

“Ah can’t believe we forgot to check in on Juniper yesterday!”, Apple Bloom frustratedly groaned as the trio rode their bikes down towards the aforementioned girl’s street.

“Well it’s not like we meant to! Scoots had JV soccer practice and I had a mandatory choir meeting after school, plus as I seem to recall, you said something about Applejack needing your help on the farm yesterday.”, Sweetie Belle remarked whilst playfully mocking her friend’s frustrated facial expressions.

“True. I mean I’m sure we would’ve done so if our schedules weren't so crazy--”, Scootaloo started before spotting a sight that made the three speed up their bikes as they raced down the street and pulled up in front of Juniper’s house. A large crowd, which consisted of neighbors, friends, police and news anchors was gathered on the front lawn. The three girls fought their way through the crowd til they got to the front door, where a police officer was standing guard by the door.

“Please officer, we need to get in there!”, Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah! We’re friends of Juniper Sprout!”, Applebloom added. To which the officer quickly mumbled something into his radio transmitter before allowing the girls’ entrance into the house.

The scene that met them inside was one of organized chaos. Police officers were scattered all across the house. In the living room, an older woman in near hysteria was being comforted by a slightly younger woman.

“Miss Honeysuckle. What’s going on?”, Scootaloo asked. Worriedness etched across her face.

Honeysuckle looked up from the floor at the three 13-year-olds with tears in her eyes.

“Oh, girls! It’s terrible! June, she--she’s--”, Honey stopped abruptly stopped due to crying.

“What’s. going. on?”, Sweetie Belle asked, feeling a bit braver.

“Girls...it’s Juniper. She’s been missing for 3 days.”, the younger woman said.

“MISSING?!?!?”, the trio exclaimed in unison.

“Yes, missing.”, the teen said again in confirmation.

“B-but how!?! She said you were gonna pick her up from the ice-cream parlor before ah left!?”, Applebloom nearly shouted in hysterics.

In the main hallway, two officers were relaying information to one another.

“Well...from what we gathered, the mother told us that she was with some friends most of the day...these wouldn't happen to be those friends, would it?”, A raven-haired officer said to an officer with a large beard.

“It just so happens that they are.”, the bearded officer responded.

“Say no more. I’ll try to talk to them. I’m sure they’re just as scared and confused as the family is, but at least they are key witnesses.”, the raven-haired officer said as she approached the living room once again.

“Hey Sarge! Try to be less...you know...pitbull-ish when talking. Remember, they are a bunch of scared 13-year-old girls!”, the bearded officer yelled back only to earn a nasty look in response from his sergeant.

The sergeant stepped in to see a sight that, with all her years on the CCPD, truly didn’t surprise her any longer. So with a deep breath and a semi-sweet smile, the sergeant calmly approached the group.

“Hello young ladies, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sgt. Mist and if you’re comfortable with it, I’d like to ask you girls a few questions involving your friend Juniper. If that’s alright?”, Sgt. Mist said in a calm--almost sweet tone.

The three teens looked at one another and then back to the sergeant. While they were wary about once again speaking to a stranger, they also knew that this was a police officer. She could help them find Juniper! So with a collective deep breath, they turned their attention back to the officer.

“Okay. We--We’ll tell you whatever you need to hear. Just so long as it helps get Juniper home faster…”, Sweetie Belle said in a tone that betrayed the shocked and worried look on her face.

So it was with the Sergeant seated in front of a trio of young girls, that the story of how the girls’ Saturday plans went about. They carefully explained how they met up in the park that morning and played around for awhile. When they got to the part about how they met the stranger in the van, Sgt. Mist stopped them briefly.

“Now you say you spoke with a man with a van. Can you describe the van to me, please?”, Sgt. Mist asked.

“Uhh...yeah. Yeah it was a white van. Had a silver sunroof. The windows looked like they were tinted. There was a scratch on the side, above the right rear tire. Sorry, didn’t get the licence plate number.”, Scootaloo described the van in as much detail as she could.

“I’m impressed that you knew I would’ve asked that question. Even so, I’ve gotten that description down.”, Sgt. Mist said in an almost amused tone.

“Thanks, I tend to watch a lot of crime shows like Forensic Files , Law & Order and The First 48.”, Scootaloo said in an almost small voice.

Sgt. Mist regarded that comment with a good-natured smile before resuming her interrogation of the witnesses. The girls, for the most part, were holding it together bravely as they continued until it was only Applebloom who was talking.

“So after Scoots left to drop Sweetie Belle off at her place, Ah was waiting on the curb in the parkin’ lot with Juniper. She told me that Marigold was gonna pick her up from the ice-cream parlor. Ah even offered her a ride from mah big brother, but she refused. Ah havn’t seen her since.”, Applebloom finished in tears. Obviously scared for her friend.

“Well girls, don’t you worry. I can assure you that we will do all in our power to find your friend. Now, how about you kids head on home. I’m sure your families are worried.”, Sgt. Mist said. To the immediate shock of the 3 teens who scrambled to their feet in order to rush off home.

Turning to her team of search and rescue professionals after watching the scared girls run home, she addressed them in an ultra-authoritative tone on the subject of the case.

“Alright! Listen up everyone, this case has now been upgraded from an missing persons to a possible child abduction. I need every available officer to canvas the surrounding area. Pay specific attention to Chilly Breeze’s Ice-Cream Parlor. There may be a possible lead at that location. Myself and Detective Stonewall will take on said lead while others will scout out the surrounding area. Another area to pay attention to is Coral Park as that is where the victim had spent most of the day in question. Is that understood?!”, Sgt. Mist instructed her men.

“Yes Sergeant!”, An collective amount of voices called out before being dismissed.

After hours and the group of police officers dispersed, only Sgt. Mist and the bearded officer from before remained with the distraught family of (temporarily) two. After assuring the mother and daughter that everything would be ok and that they’d do all they could to find Juniper, they too left.