Elevator.
We'll never leave you alone.
"Sakura-san!" An elderly voice called out from one the only hospital room with an open door.
"Coming, Minoku-san!" A bell-like voice called back from down the hall in the nurses desk station. She rose from her swivel chair and walked brisk walk, a bright smile on her face.
She entered the room within seconds, beaming at the person laying on the bed.
"Give me my tapioca pudding now!" She demanded in the regal voice that she often used. Her withering, wrinkled face was set in a heavy frown and her hair was grey but smooth.
"Hai, Minoku-san." Sakura smiled pleasantly and walked from the room at an even pace, her emeralds shining with joy. Any other nurse would be cursing the elderly patient up and down, but Sakura was reminded so much of her grandmother every time the stubborn woman opened her mouth.
Sakura turned to a nurse with the lunch cart and beckoned for her, "I need a bowl of tapioca pudding." She said cheerily, eyes twinkling.
"Don't forget my spoon!" The old lady shouted from the room. Sakura's grin only increased.
"How can you deal with her?" The nurse started in a hushed tone as she searched the cart for the pudding, "She's scared off every other nurse that's attempted to talk to her. Not Tsunade of course, but Tsunade's made of stone!" She whispered.
Sakura only smiled at the girl, who appeared to be an intern, "Ah, I'm used to it. Besides, she reminds me of someone I used to know."
"Well, I for one, would not be able to handle her. You really do live up to your reputation." The girl smiled, finally finding the pudding and handing it over along with a plastic spoon, "Have a great day, Sakura-san." She waved.
"Goodbye." Sakura answered in a sweet tone, turning on her heel and walking back to the difficult patient's room.
"Took you well over the time needed to acquire a simple bowl of tapioca pudding." The old woman said with a disapproving from, reaching out for the bowl.
"I apologize. Here you are," Sakura said, placing a bed tray over the woman's lap and placing the bowl down on it. She handed the lady the spoon.
"Do I look incapable of placing my food in front of my own face? Would you like to feed me as well?" The woman demanded, giving Sakura a hard glare.
"Not unless you asked me to, Minoku-san. I apologize for your discomfort, I'm only doing my job." Sakura gave a polite smile, a feeling of nostalgia sweeping over her.
"Hm." The old lady snorted, digging her spoon into the pudding and then eating the substance.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Sakura asked, eyes turning lazy.
"No. Get out of my room, insolent child." Minoku growled, brown eyes downcast as she shoved another bite of pudding into her mouth.
"Hai." Sakura smiled once more, and hurried from the room, leaving the door open, as the woman requested the door stay open at all times.
"Hm…It's about time for my lunch break." The muttered to herself while changing directions and heading to the elevator that would take her from the top floor for famous patients to the bottom floor of the large hospital. She pressed the "down" button. Two minutes later, the elevator "dinged" and opened. Sakura, stepped up, only to jump back when a man walked out of the elevator, black suit and tie, briefcase, dark sunglasses, and a black hat the fit his head and kept his hair from leaking out any.
"Hello, are you a nurse here?" He asked pleasantly, in an apathetic even tone.
Sakura nodded once, curious as to what he was doing on the top floor. He gave her a quick smile and gestured to the hallway with the room and asked, "I'm looking for my grandmother. The receptionist, Shizune, told me her room number, but I tend to forget things easily. Her name is Minoku Darea. Can you tell me where her room is located?" He asked, tone hopeful.
"Yes, of course. Her room is number seven hundred eighty four. She's eating her pudding at the moment and her door is open so there's no need to knock."
"Alright. Thank you." He gave her another flash of his pearly whites and then strutted away. Sakura gave a dreamy sigh, being the hopeless romantic she was, she did notice his strong jaw line, and how thin he was. She could tell the kids how they met, she was taking care of his sickly grandmother and he came in every day with flower for the both of them.
Sakura realized she had zoned out and the elevator was closing, her hand shot out to stop them closing, but someone else's hand beat her to it.
She looked up, startled and saw another man, although this one was wearing a white t-shirt and casual jeans. He looked down at her with bored and slightly annoyed dark grey eyes, raised a brow and shoved his way past her and into the elevator. Sakura raised a brow of her own at his lack of manners, but she followed right after him, shoving him out of the way so she could push her button before him. She smashed her finger onto the first floor button, then stepped back, giving him a meaningful look.
He shrugged, "I'm going to the first floor as well." he said calmly, looking at a poster on the elevator side.
Sakura rolled her eyes. Of course, Sakura thought, I try to one up him, and all I do is help him. Figures.
Sakura didn't even know why she was getting so upset. She just met the man, and all he did was move past her when she zoned out and rudely stared at him. She hadn't even said anything to him.
She glanced over at him, raising her brow again. He had visible muscles, but not overly visible. His jaw line was strong, but not so obvious, and dark black hair, that was tinted blue, giving the gesture that he had died it at some point. His eyes were a brooding, stormy dark grey that you might only see during a hurricane. Around the pupil there was a ring of red that was questionable. His lashes weren't overly long, but Sakura still felt a pang of jealousy.
His eyes flashed to hers and narrowed, but she was lost in the storm of his eyes.
"Tch. Fan girl." He muttered and turned away. Her eyes narrowed at that and she growled.
"I'm not a fan girl." She said, firmly and self-assured. Her pink hair was in a neat, tight bun atop her head, her mandatory nurse hat atop her head. Her full length coat stopped about mid-calf, and underneath were her doctor pants. She had on plain white flats.
She looked like a perfect nurse, the man thought.
"I'm sure." He said, rolling his eyes and watching as the floors went down.
8...7...6...
The elevator stopped, and jerked, screeching for a moment before it completely stopped moving.
Sakura and Sasuke glanced at each other for a moment before looking for the problem. The elevator was stuck between floor six and floor five.
"What's going on?" Sasuke demanded, looking around for any clue as to what's going on.
"I don't know." Sakura returned mechanically as she mimicked him. Moments later a terribly loud screeching noise filled the elevator, cracking the little glass window in the back and making the two occupants put their hands over their ears.
It stopped moments later. A voice filled the ringing silence. It was a computer-like voice that Sakura recognized all to well.
"Sakura-chan, we have found you. So nice of you to visit us again. Ah, and Sasuke-kun, it's very nice to see him with you." The voice said, causing Sakura to cancel all suspicion and realize that worst had actually came to absolute worst. Her eyes closed and she let out a long sigh. Sasuke looked towards her in confusion.
"What's going on…Sakura?" He asked, expecting that was her name. "What's that voice? How does it know our names?"
"Ah, that's right. Sasuke-kun hasn't played our game before, has he, Sakura-chan?" The voice seemingly purred.
Sakura closed her eyes tighter, wishing this was a terrible, terrible nightmare and she would wake up at her desk on the tenth floor after dozing off for a few minutes.
"Quit talking about me as if I'm not here!" Sasuke yelled, sounding irritated and confused all at once. He didn't know what was going on.
"Oh, Sakura-chan, have you not taught Sasuke-kun manners? No, I suppose not. Well, Sasuke-kun, we will make sure you learn. For now, though, Sakura-chan, we will be needing the both of you. In the lobby of the hospital, on the ground floor, two men will be waiting for you. You have seen one already I believe. You know them, Sakura-chan. You have played this game before and you know our rules. Do not play like last time or you might not come out alive."
Sakura finally opened her eyes to glare right at the door of the elevator, "You sick bastards," she started, "I told I wouldn't play again. I told you I was done."
"Oh, Sakura-chan, didn't we tell you last time? Once you play the game, you're in it for life. You might take breaks but we will always come back, and we will always be watching you. You can't just stop playing Sakura-chan, it doesn't work that way. We will never leave you alone." The voice said in a deadpan sort of tone.
"Sakura, what the hell is going on?" Sasuke asked, tired of being left in the dark.
"Sasuke-kun, don't be so angry. You will find out soon enough." And with that cryptic message, the screeching noise returned, left and then the elevator continued on it's journey to the first floor.
Sasuke glared at Sakura. She looked at him and gave him two simple words that he would come to understand soon enough, "I'm sorry."