He lay there, bleeding in the street. His breathing had slowed to a normal pace; dried blood stains trickling down from the corners of his mouth. He blinked slowly, vaguely wondering what time it was and how long he had lain in the empty passage.

-Flashback-

The blonde screamed in pain as he fell to his knees, the jagged knife twisting inside of him. The man made a swift gash through his abdomen.

"That's for you, demon boy."

The other villagers dropped the child's limp arms and ran off after the man with the bloody knife.

The boy crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach, gritting his teeth against the pain. As he lay down on his back in the deserted alleyway, the rain began to fall.

-End flashback-

The blood flowed steadily from his wound, pooling around him, mixing with the water, creating a crimson river streaming down to the storm drain.

'Heh, looks like this is your fault, Kyuubi.' The boy thought bitterly as he coughed a bit, making a gurgling noise as he splattered blood onto his chest. He tried to yell, but no sound came out other than the soft bubbling of the red liquid. He thought about Iruka-sensei, and if he was worried about him or not.

'Meh, he'll probably just be mad at me, I told him I was only going out for some snacks for us.' Naruto had no idea he was going to die. If he had, he might have been a bit more frightened, and might have thought about some more important things. The young boy didn't know that the man who had plunged the weapon into his body was the same kind man who had waved to him that very morning, nor did he know that that man was at the pub, gloating about his injury to the 'demon boy.'

The time trickled by slowly, nearing the time of the sixteen-year-old's untimely death. He put a hand to his torso, feeling the blood ooze between his tan fingers as he closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet smell of the spring rain.

'Its rather warm tonight.'

He opened his eyes again, realizing he was slowly loosing focus. He blinked, and blinked again, trying to make the image before him clearer. Someone was standing over him; a young girl with a terrified expression on her delicate face.

'She can't be older than seven'

The girl quivered, her eyes widening as she realized the red liquid was dribbling over her small toes, tainting the pale skin with the life-giving fluid.

"Puh….Plea…." Naruto tried to speak to her, to ask the frightened girl for help, but could barley talk over the blood in his mouth. He tried to spit it out so he could talk to her, but she whimpered at the sight.

"Muh…Mister? Ah…what's wrong with you?"

"I…I d…on't know, I thi…nk I may be d…dying…"

The girl gulped and bent down to Naruto. She tentatively touched his wound, causing him to flinch. She backed away quickly.

"I-"

"Ayame!" A woman in a crisp kimono trotted up to the pair. She reached out and grabbed the little girl, pulling her close to her. The rain made pitter-pattering noises on the top of her umbrella as she glared hatefully at the blond boy lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"Come along! What were you thinking? That demon fox could have killed you." She looks disgustedly at the poor boy. "He looks as if he's dying. Good. He deserves it."

Naruto closed his eyes and turned his head. He wished they would just leave him be.

The mother took Ayame by the hand and dragged her away roughly.

"Good-bye, Mister Kyuubi! Get well soon!"

xXx

Twenty-five minutes had passed since Naruto was stabbed. He had roughly five minutes to live before his body stopped working, from lack of blood. His thoughts were becoming very fuzzy and blurred; he could hardly sort out his thoughts.

"I wonder what Sasuke is doing right now. I wish I could see him one more time, just to say good-bye. I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I won't be home to finish our game tonight, I'm so sorry. Sakura, I'm sorry I was so annoying; I really didn't mean to make you hate me. Kakashi-sensei, I'm sorry I am such a knuckle-headed ninja, I'm sorry I'm always endangering my teammates. Old hag, I'm sorry I'm such a brat.'

Steady tears streamed down the boy's face, spilling from his hazy cerulean eyes.

'I'm sorry Father! I'm so very sorry I didn't grow up to what you wanted me to be. I'm sorry everyone hates me.'

The boy's heart was beating very slowly.

'No! I don't want to die yet! Why should I die when I haven't even lived yet? There is still so much to do, and so very much to say.'

The rain was pouring down in heavy torrents now.

'Sasuke…I have many things I still have to say to you…'

The blonde smiled as he dipped his index finger into his gash. He brought it to the ground and began to trace a message.

xXx

"Over here! He is over here!"

He had found him three minutes ago, 11:02. The raven watched as police and paramedics ran into the alley, muttering and yelling things to one another.

"He's dead."

Sasuke felt his heart clench.

"Sir, he seems to have written something here! But the rain, it's been mostly washed away. All we can make out his the word 'love."

The inspector turned his boy over to beck for any clues to the murder.

"Lets see," The policeman took out a notebook; ready to jot down some comments. "The demon boy…"

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"His name, it is not 'demon boy'" Sasuke spat, "His name is Uzumaki Naruto."

The policeman turned his head back to the notebook and began to write. "Demon boy."

xXx

please comment. 5 cookies if you know what Naruto wrote.

Peace and Love,

GYOH