Me: Uhh… Hi.

Yuki: *hits my arm* You've been gone for so long and that's all you can say?!

Me: Uh, well. I didn't mean to, but school was ending and I was getting lazy. But now that it's summer, I should be getting back into schedule!

Yuki: Yeah, for like two months. Afterwards, you're back to your six-month absences.

Me: Pfft… Yeah, that'll probably happen. Sorry. In my defense, I really didn't realize I was gone for so long… Anyways, thanks to andreaanimals, aliendroid-chan, and Goshikku Hime wa Yami-san for reviewing! And for Airi-chan for managing to not kill me yet.

Yuki: Yeah, okay. Well, Neji shows up in this one, right?

Me: Mhm! So let's get this story started!


The sun had risen into the blue sky but this went unnoticed by the many citizens of Konoha. The sky was too heavy with dark, gray clouds for anything else to be seen. Small but constant drops of water fell from the sky, drenching everyone underneath it. People were running back to their homes, their footsteps making loud splashes in the ever-growing puddles. Meanwhile, while all the citizens were trying to return home to keep from getting wet, one small boy stood in the shade of a large tree. He made no attempts to return home; he just stood underneath the leaves as he slowly became wetter and wetter. He just stood there, allowing his clothes to stick to him like a second skin. He just stood there and allowed his hair to become soaked in the downpour. He just stood there and took it. Anything was better than going back.

He watched innocently as the crowds of people head for cover. They picked up their children and ran home, laughing as they headed home with their loved ones. He couldn't understand why they were so happy. It was raining and it gets so dark when it rains. He thought no one could be happy in the dark. Darkness was bad, wasn't it?

The boy shook his head, ridding his mind of such thoughts. Who cares about darkness? All that mattered was that he was safe right now. As long as he was away from the monsters, he would be safe. Unfortunately for him, he never noticed the white-eyed man creeping behind him, fingers glowing blue. He couldn't even react when he felt his body shut down and his mind follow soon after.

Xx_ Red Fate _xX

After a few hours, the rain mellowed out then stopped completely. The citizens of Konoha were able to see the sky once more. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the sky was a lovely shade of blue. Heads popped out of windows to check the sky for any signs of gray. When they found none, they would hesitantly walk out into the streets before enjoying the weather once more. Children poured out of their boring homes to play in the sun- all but one.

In the Hyuuga compound, children ran around carelessly, tripping every now and then. Parents were talking amongst themselves, simply enjoying the peace. The small pond in the compound was extremely tranquil; not even the movement of the colorful fishes' tails could disturb it. It was the perfect day, until a loud, ringing scream echoed through the walls of the compound.

It was haunting, like a ghost that would never find peace. Pain, torment and utter despair followed the scream. The children stopped playing. They huddled close together as if a monster was about to get them. All the adults looked at one another with tired expressions. Their pearl white eyes simultaneously looked towards the room that held the source of the screaming. Even the once-peaceful pond rippled in response. It never faltered; it was strong, clear and horrid.

After 60 long seconds, it finally died down. The birds once again began their song and the children started their games but none of the parents made a sound. The fragile peace had been shattered and there was no returning to it. They shuffled awkwardly as the day continued without a problem. All they could do now was try to forget about the little boy that was able to make such a noise.

Xx_ Red Fate _xX

"Shake it off, brat," a tall, black haired man spat at the small, crumpled figure in front of him. He had a large presence and towered over the figure. His face was twisted into a wicked grimace as he sneered at the boy in front of him. "C'mon, is that all you can take?"

The boy shook in terror. He tried to get up but his limbs weren't responding. 'Come on, get up. Get up!' he screamed in his mind but all he could do was shake uncontrollably. He stayed there, bent over for a few more minutes before he was kicked across the room.

"Come on! This is no fun if you're not going to even try to fight back!" the man laughed. "Of course, what should I expect from an orphaned brat in the branch family?" He kicked the boy once more before exiting the room, leaving the child to his thoughts

'Why don't I fight back? Why can't I scream?' he thought. The bruises were already starting to form on his stomach and he was pretty sure he had a few cracked ribs. There was a gash on his head that was bleeding and coating his brown hair with deep red stains. He was crying softly, tears mixing with blood and leaving a muddy trail on his cheeks. 'It hurts.'

The world was spinning quickly and he felt nauseous. He coughed harshly; the blood in his mouth sprayed out on the floor in front of him. He closed his eyes and succumbed into the welcoming darkness.

Xx_ Red Fate _xX

He was falling. He wasn't dropping or flying; he was falling. It wasn't quick or slow; it was just falling. There was no way to explain it. It was steady, it was sure and it was happening. There was nothing to see but darkness as he fell. It was peaceful in a way. Darkness was safe. In the darkness, you can't see what tries to haunt you. It may not be safe for the body but for the broken mind, darkness was salvation.

He continued his descent into the blissful abyss. He had his eyes closed and a simple smile on his face. 'Is this death?' he wondered as he fell. 'It's very warm.' The young boy soon fell asleep, never noticing how the darkness turned red and the warmth became ice cold. When he awoke, the darkness would shroud him and he would accept it as it accepted him.

Darkness is, after all, safety.


Me: And that concludes chapter 2!

Yuki: The long-awaited chapter 2.

Me: Yes, yes. It was worth it though, no?

Yuki: I suppose. I mean, it's a bit darker than what I'm used to from you.

Me: Well, it's "Horror" for a reason.

Yuki: Let's just hope you don't get scared writing your own story.

Me: *sticks out tongue* We hope you enjoyed the chapter. All reviews are appreciated, even flames!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor will I ever. I make no money from writing these stories. I own nothing but the plot and a few OCs. Peace out! ^^