My sincerest apologies to all. You might have noticed that there was a time that I've been deleting and then reposting my stories. I am so sorry. I was just thinking if I should post it or something but was not really sure. When I looked at the reviews posted I have seen those who had tried to support me and I was really wondering that even though there were only a few of them, they did help me a lot. So if you felt mad or something I do apologize. I felt my story needed to be deleted because it did not follow anymore the story line in the manga and I felt that no one would be interested to read it anymore since it was too outdated already. But if there are still some of you who wished to have me post it again, feel free to email me. But if you don't want to its also okay. Thank's again, you guys.

By the way, I would like to thank those who were quick and kind enough to leave a comment. Bless your souls! (Cherryblossom222, blackSMILES, AngelSakura645, R o x a s G o e s Q u a c k and Missymee-mee)

A thought to ponder for you guys:

"Some folks are wise...and some are otherwise"- Tobias Smollett

Disclaimer: I don't own naruto

Legend:

Keturah – evil voice talking to Sakura in her head

Keturah- Sakura's thoughts or replying to someone through her mind (telepathy)

Chapter 3: Insanity

"I'm frightened by what I see

And somehow I know that there's much more to come.

I am immobilized by my fear

And soon to be blinded by my tears

But I can never stop the pain even if I will it all away"

"You're next"

A scream was caught in her throat and Ino suddenly bolted up from her sleep. Her breathing came between pants as she tried to fill her lungs with air. Good God I think I'm going insane. She thought as she hastily threw the covers and got up from bed. Glancing at the clock, she idly noted the time. It was 2:25 A.M. in the morning and she felt as if she had never even slept at all.

Who could sleep anyway, what with all the actions they've been through last night it would be a wonder if she could sleep let alone bat an eye. What was a person supposed to do when her close friend just suddenly blurted out in the blue that she was going to be next? Next to what? Next to die?

Ino could not suppress a shiver run down her spine. What about Sakura? How was she holding up? Ino let herself in to the bathroom turned on the shower and stood under the steaming heat allowing the lukewarm water strike her skin hoping to extricate the coldness that had seeped through her bones.

It was ten in the morning the next day and Sakura hastily ran up the steps towards the Hokage's building. Naruto must've decided to finally give her a mission. The thought alone gave her the thrill. It was the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins when facing danger that she had missed so much. For a moment, she had suspisciously thought that he had no wish to trust her after her ineptitude in dealing with her last mission. Even though he would always tell her time and again that it was not her fault and that she was just at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Still...she could never forgive herself.

They said that she was reckless, was not afraid of death and that alone gave her the edge amongst the others. Being unafraid to face death allowed her to be the first in line while the others waited for her. At first they were apprehensive, even vehement with her chosen line of work but after a long time of failed attempts of persuasion, they finally realized how futile their efforts were.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized impishly.

"It's alright", Naruto replied with a warm smile that lit up his face as he signaled for Sakura to take a seat. This was their new Hokage and he deserved every bit of it. Naruto loved the village with all passion a man could give towards his lover, even better or so that was what she'd heard from the people.

"You must've wondered why I've called for you so suddenly", Naruto started slowly.

"Well, a bit. But is it because you've finally decided to give me a mission? I've waited for such a long time, you know" she replied with all the enthusiasm she could have while her eyes twinkled with delight as anticipation coursed through her veins.

Naruto looked at her for a second before suddenly becoming serious. And Sakura was apt to feel her friend's sudden silence and hesitation.

"What is it, Naruto?" she asked slowly suddenly aware of the tension in the air. Somehow, she had this unsettling feeling that it had to do with her and only her. No missions, no assignments…just her and the incident yesterday.

"Sakura, I will not beat around the bush. If I may be allowed to be forward, may I ask…how did you know that it was going to happen? Let alone know where to find them?" give it to Naurto to be direct.

Sakura sighed. She felt that somehow she'd been doing a lot of sighing within this week. "I can't keep it a secret any longer now, could I?" she asked although she knew what the answer would be.

Naruto gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Sakura. Not this time. Although I may try to pull some strings but I think it won't do right now. Three people found out about it. And to top it all, they aren't even just any ordinary jounin. The Head strategist of ANBU, captain of an ANBU team and the Chief of War Department that would be Shika-kun, Neji-kun and Tenten-chan.

I'm afraid they would need to know if we want this case to be closed and dealt with immediately. I'm sure that you're aware that there's a murderer somewhere out there on a killing spree. Right now, he had collected 15 women under his belt. I won't sit down and do nothing. Not if it has something to do with Konoha"

Naruto waited but it seemed as though Sakura was not about to cooperate. The last time he remembered her like this was when they demanded her to do a report when she arrived from her mission five months ago she had cracked and went wild like a demented woman. But he had no heart to put a straight jacket on her like a loonie nor treat her like one so they opted to sedate her.

Besides, he would not like to think of her as psychologically demented. Maybe unstable—but not insane.

"Come on Sakura, talk to us. Please" if he was about to be reduced to begging, so be it. He had lost his only bestfriend and he would be damned before he's going to loose her too.

"Us?" Sakura echoed. Naruto nodded and she turned around to see familiar faces around her.

"Oh hell." She finally said.

"We're here to listen Sakura. Please let us help you", came Hinata-sama's soft voice as she approached Naruto and stood beside from where he was seated. It was known around and to anyone that the Hokage had a soft spot for the indigo haired girl.

Its not that she didn't want help. Hell, she'd been needing it ever since she'd been like this. But would she be able relive hell again? It has always been those emotions that she could never handle. They have no idea of what she had to go through. Of the desperation she would always feel every time she had those 'spells' (or so she would like to call it), or of the intense fear and bloodlust that she would have to face.

And when she could not control it anymore, it would always go berserk as if she too would feel the euphoria that the murderer always feels when he was about to kill, to hunt and prey upon helpless women. She was scared. Oh god she was so scared. What if she would forever loose herself and in the end she too would end up like him? Sakura berated herself again and again that maybe; just maybe it's about time.

She thought she could do it on her own but she was wrong. She could not handle it anymore. She would eventually crack; break and she had no wish to die. Not yet anyway when she had so much to do.

She was tittering on the edge between sanity and insanity she wouldn't be surprised if she wakes up one morning to find herself already in bedlam. Desperately trying to gather every little traces of sanity there was left within her, she braced herself for the waves of repulsion and fear that was about to meet her every time she tries to open up herself to those voices, illusions and sounds she would not dare or willingly witness.

Sakura finally closed her eyes and swallowed once, twice hoping to lull away the bile that was threatening to rise to her throat. It was coming with a vengeance and she grasped the arms of the chair as if it was a lifeline turning her knuckles white.

The truth always drives you into madness, doesn't it?

"I'm scared. I…I might loose myself. I can't control it", came her weak voice as she tried to slowly allow herself to listen to the voice that was mentally teasing her…destroying her.

Catch me as I fall. Say you're here and it's all over now.

"That's why we're here. I will help including the other medic-nins that are gathered around you", Ino said softly. It hurt too damned much to see her bestfriend suffer.

Sakura tilted her head to the side as she considered it thoughtfully. Then she looked at Ino. Her green eyes pierced Ino's with cold detached emotions. Ino felt terror strike her heart. Her hand suddenly flew to her chest as she clutched the upper left portion where her heart was internally located.

"Ino", came Shikamaru's alarmed voice as his eyes found the blonde girl's face. It was ashen and screamed the word fear so alarmingly. He pressed a reassuring hand on the small of her back hoping that she could feel him lending her his strength.

"You can listen…but I don't want to talk…" Sakura's voice had suddenly gone several octaves deeper. Almost whispering and yet loud enough for them to hear. Just enough.

"What do you want to do?" Tsunade asked her body tensed as if ready to do battle with an invincible foe.

"I want you to see".

It was so fast that they didn't see it coming. They were not even prepared for it. Within a blink of an eye Sakura leapt from where she sat to stand infront of Ino. The blonde girl had no time to react. Sakura already had placed the palm of her right hand on Ino's forehead. Ino could only stare and watch. Sakura wasn't talking to them. She was all the while speaking to Ino.

"I want you to see…and then you can tell them"

Ino looked at Sakura's eyes. It was cold, bitter and bloodthirsty and it pulled her into infinite blackness.

Onyx eyes watched with feline stealth at the fragile, cherry-haired girl who seemed to have developed a divine fondness of having a split personality. One moment she was a burst of energy, full of genuine sweetness and innocence; the next, she might as well be Crazy Old Nick who came to visit from the gallows of hell.

He could hardly recognize her; almost different, entirely different. And when he sensed the change in her, that was when he saw red. He knew that aura too well. It was reeking with bloodlust and screamed of murder. Unbeknownst to him, his hands grew cold and tightened into a fist. Just what the hell happened to her?

Catch me as I fall. Say you're here and it's all over now.

He tensed then. Her voice, he was so sure it was her voice. He would have to be a fool then not to recognize the sound of that voice. It was the same voice that haunted his dreams even when he was at the brink of death. Soothing, lulling and held too many promises if only he would give himself a chance.

But this time, it was none of those. This time, it was panic stricken, desperate and hysterical. He closed his eyes trying to reach out to her through his mind the same way he knew that she had unconsciously reached out to him even though she didn't know he was there. But she was already gone. The moment she touched the blonde, he knew she had retreated somewhere within the recess of her mind. Hiding.

He would never forget the look on her face. It was as if the devil was back to haunt him.

To be continued…