It could have been anything.
The sirens, maybe, or the sheer amount of people flooding the streets, or perhaps even it was just because someone was having a really fucking awful day. Who died first? It wasn't Sasuke, and it wasn't Shikamaru. It wasn't Ino, either, or even Sakura, as he'd expected. Survival wasn't always the highest priority, but it was for some.
Sometimes, he had even laughed. Never had he cried in those days, however. Not even in these new days did he break down and wail. The trees had burned and he had sung to the ash filled skies and the smoke had flooded into his lungs like the hordes through an unlocked door.
Neurotics and narcotics went hand in hand. The radio is never just static. Seceding is involuntary. The only friends are the ones who are sane.
Catch me while you can.
Author's Notes: This is just a prelude to what's to come. This is the fanfiction that has put Anthems on hold and so far I have rewritten the plot and characters and beginnings multiple times to finally come up with something satisfactory. The fic is still very much in the makes, so I wouldn't expect another chapter for a while, at least a few weeks, but I will try to perhaps update Anthems in that time period. I really do enjoy both stories, though, and I hope that you do too. Thank you for reading! (: