[Naruto] The Fate of a Ninja

The Eye of Dawn

"Sasuke?" It comes out barely a whisper, leaving me unsure if I even said it. However, when I reach my hand out, I immediately know it's his that takes it.

"I'm here, Hikaru." I open my eyes, finding my big brother sitting on the side of my bed and holding my outstretched hand. I attempt to sit up, but he stops me. "No, you need to lay down."

"Okay, but what happened?" He presses the back of his hand against my forehead, then places a wet cloth on it. Fever? It's been quite some time since this happened.

"I'm not sure. Kakashi had us doing introductions on top of the academy when he noticed smoke. We saw your class at the sparring grounds and you were passed out by the bush that was on fire. Kakashi pulled you out then extinguished it." He tenses as he says that last sentence.

"What started the fire?"

"I told you, kid. I don't know." Silence passes between us. Sasuke sits there with his head down. He looks across the room, fixated on a point, yet he doesn't seem to see anything.

"Whatcha' thinking about?" He shakes his head, breaking focus.

"Just wondering how many times this has happened to you."

"Do you remember when it started?"

"Yeah, it was only a few months after we started living on our own. I was so clueless then. I mean, what was I supposed to do? My baby brother got so sick; you were only two. You've gotten sick so many times since . . ." he trails off, falling into thought again. He thinks about that night a lot, the night everything changed. I remember it too. Especially the first time we walked through the compound only to find it empty.

I was laying in the hospital bed. It had only been a few days since the massacre, since my mother and father had died before my very eyes. It had only been a few days since my eldest brother became a monster.

I remember the bandages wrapping around my shoulder and not being able to look away from the window, my eyes glued to the distance. It wasn't long before a young Sasuke poked his head in the door. He was so somber, but I squealed with joy. I was really happy to see him.

He smiled a little.

"Come on," he said. He ran over to my bed, pulling me onto his back. He checked both ways before continuing down the hall, by the front desk, and out into the rain.

Very few people were out that day, but the ones that were gave us both looks of pity. I even remember their whispers:

"It's those boys. I heard they're the only survivors."

"Poor things."

"May the Uchiha rest in peace."

We only made it so far before Sasuke stopped and his head drooped. I couldn't see his face from his back and back then, I couldn't even tell what he was thinking. Suddenly he lifted his head, and turned to me. There was determination in his eyes.

He took off running in the direction of the compound.

"Hikaru! No one's dead, right? It was all just a bad dream! We're going to get there and people are going to be there! Mother and father! Itachi too!" he said as he ran. Even in the rain, I could see the tears that fell from his eyes.

He made it to the entrance to the Uchiha district, but it was empty. His pace slowed, the reality crashing hard upon him. Me? I was two, I barely understood. I was just anxious for mother and father. I just didn't know I'd never see them again.