Author's Note: Yesterday, Feb. 4, 2010, a friend of mine passed away. He was wrongly taken from this world and my heart aches to have him back among us. He was a kind guy and touched all the lives around him with his presence. He wanted to make a difference in this world and he would have. He had his life planned out and he was striving to reach his dream. He had a kind gentle heart even though his life may not have been the best one, but even in darkness, you'll find light. Even amongst evil, you'll find good. He was light. He was good. He will be greatly missed and forever loved. RIP J. J. It will never be the same without you. NUMBER: 48. That's your number. It'll stay your number. This story is dedicated to Judhromia 'J.J.' Johnson.
Running for Eternity
By: Melody Martinez
All was silent. The night was still. She stood there alone, cold. Her gaze was focused on the polish rock that laid before her. Memories played in her mind. Good memories. Bad memories. All memories. Whatever type of memory it was didn't matter though, because it was still, at least, a time when she had him. She read the name over and over and over again in her mind. Each time, leaving a new presence of dread and numbness.
She remembers the day, that horrible day, when he left them permanently. She remembers every facial expression that people took on. But most of all, she remembers Naruto's reaction to this sudden news. How his face took on a look of confusion, rage, shock, pain, then nothing. He appeared completely void of emotions, until his eyes closed tight and tears started to slide down his face. He then turned around and ran.
She guessed that the reason Naruto ran was so he could out run the truth. That, maybe, if he ran far enough, he could erase it all. That it could all be undone. But it couldn't. He was gone. There was no way to bring him back. Even if you ran forever. For eternity.
She could remember everyone else's reaction to this news,…except hers. Even now as she looks back on it, she can't recall even the slightest memory of her reaction. She sometimes even wonders if she reacted at all. However, she knows that everyone that knows her, believed that she, Sakura Haruno, was crushed. They were all wrong. She was beyond crushed. She felt dead herself. Even now, she doesn't feel alive. She died with him.
Everyone attempted to comfort her, but she would kindly reject it. She smiled, laughed, and even joked, but it was all a front. She knew it. Everyone knew it. She knew everyone knew it, but she kept doing it. Naruto and Kakashi tried their best to get her to finally show what she truly felt, even going as far to taking her to the Uchiha compound and to 'their' bench, but nothing worked. She kept up her fake smile. She kept up her fake laugh. And she kept up her fake jokes.
The only time she would let her feelings show was when she was here, in the middle of the night, reading his name over and over and over again in her mind.
'Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha. Sas-suke Uchi-iha. Sas-suk-ke……U-uchiha.'
After her feelings would become so great, that she felt she couldn't feel at all, she would run back home. Trying to outrun the truth. Trying to run far enough to erase it all. Hoping it could all be undone. Knowing that it couldn't. He was gone. There was no way to bring him back. Even if she ran forever. For eternity.
Author's Note: Thank you guys for reading and I'm sorry if this story seems a little off to you. After everything that's been going on though, it's just been hard. It's been a really hard day. I don't know if I can really say this story came to me, because in a way I feel that it might just be my emotions and feelings towards things. Well anyways, thank you guys for reading and hug your loved ones like it's the last time you'll ever get the chance, because it could be. Today made me realize that. Anything could happen. One day you'll see a friend smile and say hi and the next day they could be gone. It's a horrible truth, but it's still a truth. Love your life. Love you family and friends. Appreciate everyone you have. Please and Thank you.
