An honest mistake

Waking up from a bad dream

It was still night when she woke up. She wasn't in the streets though. It seems like somebody brought her to their place because she was in a bed and it was surely not a hospital since the walls were decorated with garlands of fake flowers.

There was an incredibly annoying ringing in her head. It was pretty obvious what was the cause.

She left the bed before panicking. She sat down on the silk fabric and started hyperventilating as realization hit her hard.

Where was she?

Who took her in?

Did they do something to her?

How come nothing hurts? She just got beaten up by a group of strangers.

She couldn't get back on her feet, she was shaking too much. Why does everything always seem to be going the wrong way? When the tinnitus stopped and she felt less dizzy, she went to the door to try and open it. Surprisingly enough it wasn't locked.

She opened it slightly to catch a glimpse of the outside. She looked left and right and left again and it seemed like there was no one at first. But then she looked in front of her and screamed. A teenage girl was facing her. The scream seemed to have scared her because she was in the same state of panic as her. Her blonde hair was all over her face and nightgown.

"Are you the one who brought me in?"

The sentence resonated in the empty corridor but no answer was given. Sarah cleared her face of her hair before realizing the girl was copying her movements. And then realizing it was a mirror. She screamed a second time. She switched the lights on expecting to wake up from a dream or see that she was still her. But no. Her face and body were still the one of the twelve-year-old girl everybody wished to be at this age.

What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck. What is happening?

"Ino? Are you ok?

-What? Who's this?"

One of the doors in the corridor opened and a couple left a room. They looked like the girl but older.

"Ino, what happened?

-Who are you? Where am I? What did you do to me? Why am I not me?

-Ino what are you talking about?

-I am not Ino. My name's not Ino!

—Love-

-Answer my questions! What have you done to my body?! Where am I? And who is Ino?"

Did I get kidnapped by some kind of sex-trafficking society that makes woman looks like life-sized dolls?

She grabbed a vase next to the mirror and shattered it on the wall, making sure to keep her eyes closed, to have something sharp to fight with.

She was tired of the bullshit and just wanted to get left alone.

"Answer my question!

—Sweetheart, your mother and I are trying to help you-

-What are you a sect? Are you kidnapping random girls and pretending to be a family?

-What are you talking about Ino? Do you think she's sleepwalking? Go back to sleep, you're talking nonsense."

Now she was mad. She ran towards the couple, ignoring the small pieces of the broken vase cutting through the skin of her feet, her weapon ready to strike.

And the man disappeared and reappeared behind her, she got hit in the neck and passed out. At least she was gonna wake up now.

~~

"What do you think has happened?

-Well, it's a pretty common phenomenon in the Yamanaka clan. It's nothing serious, sometimes it happens, young shinobis mix reality and dreams after exercising their clan jutsus for too long. It will pass, in the most extreme cases it only lasts for a day.

-Does she need to take any meds?

-No it's not necessary, she just needs rest."

Sarah was back in the flower-garland room and she could hear the voices through the door.

What the fuck is a jutsu and what the fuck are shinobis? Oh my god, everything just infuriates me.

"Well thank you, doctor. Have a great day."

She could hear their steps and figured they were accompanying the doctor to the door. She took the opportunity and quickly opened the window to attempt to flee.

"Wow. It's high... Am I on the third floor?"

Yeah, she was probably not going to do that. She must think of another plan of escape.

"She must be awake by now. Let's go in."

They already are here? Shit, what do I do?

She didn't have the time to think that they were already opening the door.

"Ino, do you feel better?"

She turned to the woman a lamp in her hand.

"For the last time, who are you? Where am I? And what do you want?"

The woman held back a sight but answered.

"So, I am Noriko and he is Inoichi, we are your parents, remember? You are in Konoha, and we just want you to get better, because frankly? This is scary."

It's more scary for me than it is for you. You're not my parents at all. You don't look like them at all. And what is this place anyway? Konoha? Never heard of it- Wait. Konoha... Shinobi? Wait.... What? All of that isn't from a manga or something? The one my friends keep pressuring me to watch? Oh my god.

"Is this some kind of prank? Seriously what the hell guys? Do you think it's an appropriate time to prank me? For the last time, I am not going to watch whatever-is-the-name-of-that-anime-again. You disgust me really. I was in a car accident and lost my best friend and you think I'm up for some shitty prank?! Nathan, Adam, I know both of you are behind this shit. Stop it."

Honestly, it was the further they ever went for a TikTok prank. They went to the point where they paid actors and set up a decor just to get likes and views on that stupid app? They spend their money for nothing because there is no way she'll ever let them post it.

The actors looked so confused. It was certainly not in their script. She waited arms crossed for her friends to show up. How did they make her look younger and shorter? And under how many layers of makeup did they manage to hide her scars? And without her waking up.

"Listen, honey. I have no idea what you are talking about and who is Nathan and Adam but I think you need some sleep.

-Sleep? Why? I am not tired! I am furious. I don't care what my therapist says about everyone grieving differently but these two were Lori's friends too! They don't get to act as if nothing happened."

She almost choked on her saliva at the end of her speech. Her throat was sore from all the screaming.

"Alright... yeah... we are going to stop the acting then... Sorry for the prank... here, do you want a glass of water?"

She sighed, relieved it was over and gladly took the glass the poor actor was giving her and drank it all at once.

"It tastes weird. Wait. What did you put in there?

-Just sleeping meds, don't worry, it's for your own good."

Why didn't she learn her lesson the first time? Do not accept drinks from strangers.