Sasuke came back to the living room to find a very quiet Sarada fidgeting with her toy dinosaur. This was odd.
"C'mon kid." he said picking up his keys. "Uncle Naruto and the others are already at the carnival."
Getting no reaction he bent down. "Hey," at this Sarada looked up. "What happened?"
Sarada didn't say anything for a few moments.
"I..met mommy," she said while still looking down. Sasuke's eyes widened at this. "-she was really happy to see me but at the same time, she looked sad too." Sarada informed a very scared Sasuke. "I told her that I miss her and to come with me." she paused. "she said that she can't and that I have to get out of here."
"I told her to follow me but she didn't. She told me she loved both of us. i tried to tell her you miss her too but…" Sarada trailed of. "..but those scary men came back. Mommy told me to run but I didn't want to leave her. She told me she was gonna be right behind me. B-but." Sarada's expression twisted in sorrow. "but when I turned back to see her, those scary men already got her and the red faced man was coming after me."
"She told me to run," her voice quivered. "I left mommy, papa."
Sasuke was shell shocked for a moment. Suddenly all the feelings of being watched came rushing back. Sometimes when he's alone in the house, he could feel someone or something watching him. At times he swore he saw a pair of snake-like yellow eyes watching him but it dissapears before he can even make up his mind. But he knows that these are not his imagination.
xx
His wife jumped-was pushedpushedpushed- of the roof a little over two years ago. Sakura always told him, that sometimes, in her sleep she enters another world, where the inhabitants are not the same as her. Sasuke used to dismiss this by telling her to stop obsessing over so much paranormal stuff. Sakura always retorted what he said, telling him there is more to it than what meets the eye.
The dreams gradually died down and there was a time where they were living in peace. Their life seemed to take a turn for the better side when Sarada was born. She was a healthy, cheerful baby and Sakura was literally radiating with happiness. She was sleeping better too. Sasuke couldn't have had asked for more. He loved both of his girls very very much and swore to protect them.
xx
It wasn't until Sarada turned almost four when the dreams came back. This time things started becoming destructive. He started noticing items moving around the house. It was subtle at first. Like someone moved his books, Sarada's toys were somehow up in places where it's impossible for her to reach. But one day he came found a bruise on Sarada's arm. It was a hand print. But it wasn't a human's handprint. It had hooves. Sakura lost her control at one point after that. She started screeching and yelling to leave her family alone towards what was seemingly an empty corner of the house.
One day these beings that followed Sakura started following her outside of the house. She told Sasuke wherever she went the snake-like creature and the red-faced creature was following her. They wouldn't leave her alone!
Sasuke was becoming desperate not to believe this, despite everything. He even tried to get Sakura into getting professional help.
Until he saw one himself.
xx
Sarada started screaming one night. Sasuke hearing this, instantly got up from the bed telling Sakura to stay where she is and call the police.
It was when Sarada stopped screaming when Sasuke reached her room and proceeded to swing the door open.
He..saw a was a man in her room. A man with yellow eyes, pale slimey skin and long dark hair.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" Sasuke charged at him. He could hear Sakura yelling his name from behind.
He doesn't know how but the snake man dissapeared right. before. his eyes. Sakura came running towards him. "Sarada, where is she?!"
He clutched his baby girl tightly and proceeded to apologize to his wife while pulling her in for a hug too.
No one broke into their house, the police informed them that night.
Sakura started experiencing insomnia after that.
xx
Sasuke was out to pick up Sarada from her friend's party when he got the call.
"Sasuke Uchiha? This is Inspector Ibiki Morino…"
xx
There were no leads and no signs of home invasion. They filed this as suicide and told him she might've had Schizophrenia. The case was closed.
But Sasuke knew better. He knew that no matter what, she wouldn't have jumped off the roof. At least for her child. And.. and he knew that he couldn't protect her.
xx
"They said mean things to mommy. They said they killed mommy and they were going to kill me too, papa." Sarada sniffled.
Sasuke hugged her tightly,"No one's going to hurt you. I promise."
He pulled away from her and looked at her right in the eye,"You can't go back, Sarada. Please. Please don't go back."
"NO!" Sarada screamed."I MISS MOMMY!"
"Sarada," his voice now surprisingly stern. "won't you listen to mommy?"
Sarada lowered her head.
"Promise me, Sarada. You won't go back." Sarada said nothing.
"Hey," he shook her. "look at me."
"Promise me. Please Sarada." Sasuke pleaded, his voice gradually becoming more and more didn't look up at him at first. But when she finally did, she replied a meek 'okay'.
Sasuke doesn't know what to do anymore. He can't lose her too.
No.. no he won't lose her.
His phone rang all of a sudden. Being slightly startled at that, he checked the caller id first. It was Naruto. Picking it up and telling he's on his way, he thought of Sakura and the world she lives in now. He looked at Sarada who looks so much like her. "..Everything's going to be alright," he told her.
"We're going to find a way to help mommy."
"Promise?"
"I promise. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt mommy nor you anymore."
At this Sarada perked up. "Can we go now?"
"..Yeah." He told her as normally as he can, ignoring the bile rising from his throat. He knows that these beings are coming back. They'll try to take away his family again. But this time, he'll be ready.
.
.
Note: Inspired by Insidious. Kinda.