A Mask with Another Mask |Naruto Fanfic| REWRITE

Chapter 5

It was dark.

It was all he could see, a terrifying darkness that seemed to engulf his very being.

It was like he was sinking into a black murky lake.

He couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything, he couldn't even hear anything.

It was as if there was nothing at all....

And then there was pain.

He thrashed, his body seeming to convulse under the overwhelming pain.

It hurt, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—

And no matter how much he thrashed, no matter how much he screamed, it was never enough. He was still drowning and sinking and hurting.

Every cell in his body set ablaze with agonizing pain. It felt as if he were being dismembered and cut open, as if his organs were being torn apart, as if he were suffocating in a sea of lava, as if he were burning alive—

(̶P̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶ s̶o̶m̶e̶o̶n̶e̶!̶A̶n̶y̶ o̶n̶e̶! H̶e̶l̶p̶ m̶e̶!̶ I̶'̶m̶ s̶c̶a̶r̶e̶d̶ I̶'̶m̶ s̶c̶a̶r̶e̶d̶ I̶'̶m̶ s̶o̶ s̶c̶a̶r̶e̶d̶—)̶

His head spun and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness washed over him and he couldn't understand. He couldn't understand what was happening—

Why, Why was this happening!? What's happening to me?!

And then suddenly—

Everything stopped.

______________

Kakashi shot up gasping. His heart was pounding in his ears and his body shook with the phantom pain that seemed to linger. He pressed his legs against his chest covering his head with his arms, curling into a ball as if to appear smaller. Running his hand through his sweat dampened hair, trying to control his rapid breath.

Breathe, he told himself.

Shakily, he inhaled.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

You know this, he told himself.

Breathe in breathe out repeat

It was just a nightmare, he told himself.

Breathe in breathe out repeat—

But it felt so real, And he couldn't help but remember the pain that still left his skin tingling and fear.

Oh god I can't breathe I can't breath I can't breathe—

*CLANK*

Kakashi jumped, body uncurling, whipping his head around trying to identify the sound with sweat running down his face and his heart pulsing in his ears.

...Where was he?

With a hand clenching his chest, he focused on his rapidly beating heart, trying to calm his breathing. He was in an unknown place, there was no time to be hyperventilating over a nightmare of all things.

Taking long deep breaths, he tried to remember. That's right.

Shinobi rule number 1: A shinobi must never show emotion.