Title: Salvation or Damnation
Chapter Two: Heaven or Hell
Author's Note: Seeing as how the people who left reviews thought this story should be continued, it has been done. Hopefully, this will continue to meet the expectations…read and review, please.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters within, just the story.
Heaven or Hell
The darkness had dissolved and so did the rain as the sun broke through the horizon lining the clouds with gold. Shades of pink, purple and orange streaked across the sky while the sun continued its slow accent. Shards of it golden light broke through the thick leaves and fell upon the fallen form entangled in the roots at the base of an old tree. His breathing was regular and shallow as his fingers clutched a kunai with great strength though he was asleep. After a short while, his darkened eyes opened with a start and he quickly glanced at his surroundings; not a single living thing stirred and it was quiet. He rose to his feet, trying to keep his trembling subtle, and felt a thickened substance in his mouth. The crimson liquid spat out from his lips and splattered upon the grass near his feet. Thoughts in his head kept swirling unable to provide focus on a single one as the gentle wind touched his skin. In this moment, he could have sworn he heard her call his name and she appeared before him. Her pink hair danced across her face in the breeze as her jade eyes watched him expectantly while the soft light of the morning sun illuminated her fair skin. Without a second thought, he reached out to touch her only to discover she was a figment of his imagination. He scolded himself with his head was still spinning, for so quickly assuming it was her though she did not appear to have aged. His mind grew curious as to how she was now, did she still resemble the Sakura of his memories or had she become a completely different person that he would not recognize. But he already knew that he would recognize her face, no matter how much it had changed, if he were to see her again. Scolding himself again, knowing that he would not see her again, he began to stumble in the opposite direction of the sunrise.
The concept of time had become foreign to him as he carried on through the forest for most of the day until his stomach began to growl. Though he wanted to ignore it, he knew that he needed to eat since he had not eaten or had proper sleep in at least a few days. His ears twitched at the sound of water and he followed it until reaching the embankment of a small river. Eager at the sight but cautious as usual, he glanced around before removing his clothes and stepping into the water. A shiver went up to his spine as he lowered himself until he was neck deep in the water. It was cold, covering his body with goose bumps, and his wounds stung as the water pulled the blood from his skin. He emitted a sigh from his lips as he attempted to cleanse the blood from his hands, and soon became lost in his own thoughts.
Hell…I wonder what it will be like. Was there ever really a choice for me? All that I have done, everything that I have become – there is no hope for anything else.
His hands moved towards his face as he submersed himself beneath the water's surface and attempted a feeble purification that he knew carried no weight. He allowed his body to resurface and float amongst the fallen leaves.
Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura…what will Heaven be like for you? Will there be no sorrow for you? Sakura? Will you not miss me any more? Do you even miss me now?
Sasuke clamped his eyes shut while fighting the memories that threatened to haunt him; he would not let that night play back once again. He had relived it far too often in his dreams – more like nightmares – and soon those memories became as dreaded as those of the massacre.
Was there any hope for Zabuza? Kakashi had spoken as if there was a chance he would join Haku…but was that true? Or was it just sympathetic words with little force behind them? If that were true for him, then maybe I would have a chance.
Slowly, he climbed out of the river and shook droplets of water from his body while images of a certain someone flooded his mind. He shook his head, disagreeing with the notion he had prior; there was no possible chance for him to be with her - in this life or the next. After allowing himself to dry off, he pulled his clothes back on and enjoyed the warmth that was provided due to sitting in the sun. It did not take long for him to catch several fish, most of which he would save for the next few days. Though the sun had begun to set, he knew that he could not stop here to rest and must continue on well into the night if he was going to put distance between himself and the others. At least the meal had replenished some of his strength, but it did not inhibit the pain he felt in his chest; he knew this pain. This was the pain he felt when he discovered the Uchiha massacre, the pain he had felt when he was forced to watch the scene play over and over again, the pain he felt the night he left. It ached often and the sadness that it brought rarely left its place in his heart; his eyes remained cold and distant and his face apathetic, though he was in turmoil. The emotions he felt did not matter, he decided, for his fate had been predetermined. There was no hope for Uchiha Sasuke, there was no longer a light to shield Uchiha Sasuke, and there was no place in Heaven for Uchiha Sasuke.
