:)
:)
A.N.: My first tragedy and first one-shot. May not be up to par with some of the great ones circulating on this website, but it's not bad for being written in an hour or two. :) This is the re-edited version (I just fixed minor flaws: grammar, punctuation, spelling, some slight flow glitches, etc.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Darkness filled the crooks of a seemingly empty room. The form of a woman sat hunched in a corner, unmoving and silent. The only sign of life was the rise and fall of her chest as small but even breaths were taken. Dirt and blood encrusted on her body and had formed clumps in her now limp pink hair. Both scars and fresh wounds marred the visible skin through the tears in clothes hanging loosely from her malnourished frame. She did nothing to stop the flow of blood from a large gash in her side, knowing that her captor would only reopen it later if she healed it. Sakura doubted she could mend the torn flesh anyway as her chakra had been mostly blocked by a seal inflicted on her the day she'd been taken. Only a slight amount could be felt and it was definitely not enough to use her monstrous strength, let alone heal. Not that it had stopped her from trying for the first few months.
With the permission of the Hokage she had left Konoha five years ago. Everyone had been under the impression that she was going to visit a pen pal from Suna when in fact her real goal was to find the missing Uchiha and bring him back. She had foolishly thought that she could do it alone.
Sakura didn't bother to look up at the sound of the locks clicking and the door being opened. It was routine; a small bowl of rice and some dirty water was delivered to her twice daily and in between she would have her only visitor. She cringed at the thought of the man's proclaimed 'fun time'.
Sakura couldn't remember what it was like to feel the sun on her face or laugh with her friends. Her mind was now filled with recollections of pain from the countless times of being tortured both physically and mentally.
The sound of footsteps stopped in front of her but Sakura didn't look up. Eyes full of malicious intent gleamed at her as the pale, dark haired man crouched down. He reached out to tuck hair behind her ear in a misleadingly kind gesture and sneered as she flinched away.
"How are you today my cherry blossom?" He mockingly used the nickname given by her companions back home.
Knowing a response wouldn't come he let his fingers trail from behind her ear down her neck slowly in a mock caress. Tears filled Sakura's eyes and she willed them not to fall as his fingertips brushed over her collarbone. She tried not to recoil or make a sound, knowing that her unhappiness aroused him in some sick way. Gripping the top of her torn shirt with both hands the man pushed it off her shoulders.
Glancing up for the first time since he'd entered the room, Sakura locked her gaze with dark orbs. The pleading in her watery eyes was clear albeit utterly useless. She knew it never stopped him. His hands grabbed her thighs and pulled her towards him causing her back to leave the wall and her upper body to fall to the ground with a dull thud. Tears slipped down the side of her face and she stared blankly at the ceiling, wishing to be anywhere but there. It wasn't meant to be as a hand slapped her across her cheek effectively keeping her attention on the present.
"I want your attention for this." The man's voice hissed into her ear.
Tearing the ratty shorts from her body and pushing down his own pants he leaned over her. His cruel face hovered in front her own for a second before moving next to her ear as he positioned himself at her opening.
"This is what you wanted, wasn't it Sakura? Your precious Sasuke-kun."
With a hard thrust he forced his way into her dry entrance and she closed her eyes in agony.
"You followed him around when you were younger." He pulled out without pausing and thrust back in.
"Tried to impress him." The corners of his mouth twitched up slightly as he felt Sakura try weakly to push him off.
"Tried to get him to notice you." Starting a slow and excruciatingly painful tempo he felt her blood making the entrance slicker. He noticed she stayed silent the whole time and frowned.
"He was right. You're weak." There was a groan from him when her screams and renewed sobbing met his ears.
"Say my name."
She knew that was coming. He always took pleasure in making her see what was right in front of her.
"Say it." He said, his voice hinting at his agitation. Placing his hands on either side of her head he braced himself up, staring at her directly. She quickly closed her eyes, not wanting to see. A hand grabbed her hair roughly and tugged hard, causing her eyes to open as she let out a pained gasp.
"Look at me and say it!"
Sakura knew he wasn't who he appeared to be; that man was long dead. That didn't prevent her from seeing the man she had once loved as she slowly met his gaze. Staring back at her was the Sharingan.
'Sasuke-kun…' Her heart gave a painful lurch just like it always did during his visits.
"Or-...Orochimaru…" Sakura choked out.
Even after so long part of her was still in denial. Five years ago 'Sasuke' had appeared when she was traveling in the forest and she should have instantly known something was wrong. Sasuke moved differently and there was a feral glint in his eye that was previously missing. It didn't take too long for Orochimaru to defeat her using the Uchiha's body as she had hesitated in dealing any major blows whenever she saw the familiar face. Next thing Sakura knew she was waking up in the dank where she was being raped yet again.
She felt the body over her thrust a few more times before stilling. Instead of pulling out Orochimaru smirked at her disgusted look as he came inside her. Removing himself from her almost instantly he quickly stood and tugged back on his pants. Not bothering to give her a backwards glance he walked towards the door.
"See you tomorrow blossom."
Lying silently on the floor she tried desperately to force more chakra through the seal, but it remained intact as usual. Sakura inwardly felt for how much chakra there was actively in her system and bit her lip. There was only one jutsu that would work with that amount of chakra. She'd been trying to put off using it with hope that she'd be rescued.
'It's been five years. They aren't coming.'
Tsunade had taught her a jutsu that was used in captive situations like this. If someone were to be held for dangerous information it was the duty of the shinobi to protect Konoha by sacrificing their own life, thus keeping the information out of enemy hands. This was a different case though, Sakura had no information, she just wanted out.
Struggling to pull her aching body into a sitting position she looked at her hands uncertainly before pressing them together, gathering her meager chakra. There were only a couple signs she needed to complete and it'd be over; no more pain, no more waiting for the help that wouldn't come. Her fingers slowly began forming the seals. As her muscles stiffened and her breathing became harsher images flashed through her mind.
Hinata shyly admiring Naruto as he grinned widely, unaware of the Hyuuga's affection.
Ino and Shikamaru bickering like a married couple.
Tsunade beating Jiraiya for spying on her again while she was bathing.
All of the Rookie Nine throwing her a surprise party for her eighteenth birthday. It was the last time she had seen some of them.
Kakashi's visible eye crinkling as he gave an unrealistic excuse for always being late.
Sakura smiled. She detested his orange books.
All of a sudden she felt the room spin and shook her head to try clear her blurry vision as she formed the final sign.
Briefly she wondered how they'd take the news of her death but quickly pushed the thought away.
Her heartbeat began to slow and the picture of Team Seven presently in her head gradually faded to darkness. Sakura let her hands fall to the floor when her arms became too heavy to hold up and her body slouched forward in defeat. Green eyes fluttered closed as her last breath escaped from between cooling lips.
'I'm sorry.'