Chapter Three

The sun had set now. Darkness was enveloping the land and taking Itachi and me with it. It's been well over three hours since we began and the night air was beginning to chill. Waves of nausea wash over me quickly and I feel my will power weaken by its relentlessness. Throbbing pain develops in my head as my blood rushes down to it from heart. My vision blurs with spots of black and white, I have never before felt so exhausted.

The fear was drained from me, leaving only the sickening feeling of anticipation that was playing on my heart strings. My mind went straight from denial of me being captured by the Akatsuki to acceptance that I will probably die by the end of this. My heart was starting to loose all of its hope.

Light comes into my view, only about four hundred yards away. A town, maybe a way to escape! Trying to get a better look, I twist around. Just a little closer! If I cried out- they'd be able to hear me! I cough, preparing my voice for the loudest scream I've ever made. However, Itachi seemed to know what I was thinking of and kept going at a distance of about three hundred yards from the town. Even if I did cry out and somebody by chance heard me, there's no way that they could have gotten out here before Itachi carried me out of sight.

My eyes get blurry again and I find myself trying to fight back my tears; it was so close. That could have been my last chance of escaping, and I missed it. A tear escapes from my eyes and I watch it fall freely to the ground. Feeling broken and forgotten, I watch the last light of the town, of my hope, fade away into the darkness.

Just as the last glimmer of the town disappeared, Itachi began to slow down again. Trying to see why, I turn the best I could in his firm grip and look over his shoulder. A while up the direction we were traveling was another town. Not wanting to have my heart be let down again, I slid my eyes tearfully closed and waited for Itachi to just take me around the town.

After five minutes, I realize that Itachi's footsteps were beginning to change. His shoes sounded like they were hitting rock, not grass or dirt. Looking down, I realize that he hadn't tried to go around the town; he was taking me through it.

My throat was dry; this is my chance- my chance! Gathering my voice, I cried out into the darkness. "Help, somebody! Help!" my desperateness rang and echoed throughout the streets. Itachi turned onto another street, keeping the same slow pace, then stopped in front of a large old seeming building. Was he going to try to hide? Why didn't he just drop me and run off?

"Are you finished yet?" he asked, taking me off of his shoulders and setting me on the ground before him. For the first time, I take a good look at the town. Something was wrong- why aren't there any lights? Where are the people? Since I screamed, I haven't heard any voices or movement at all come to think of it. Suddenly, it all made sense.

"It's a ghost town, isn't it," I ask, looking around at the empty city. Itachi didn't reply, instead he picked me up to my feet. My legs wobbled and I nearly fell. Itachi, grabbing me by the wrappings that held my arms, led me into the large, eerie seeming building. What was this place?

The large doors creaked as we walked through them and as we entered; my eyes met a familiar face. "Ino-" shock covers my every thought. What was she doing here? Why was she wearing the Akatsuki cloak? What was so different about her? As I look at her, her face contorts with confusion.

"What are you talking about?" they say. No, this was not Ino; this was a boy. His hair was just like Ino's, that's what confused me. "Itachi, the room is on the right. I have to go find Sasori, he left an hour ago," the ninja said. Fastening the top of his cloak, he begins to head out the door, not waiting for a reply from Itachi. Itachi began moving me forward. My legs were still uneasy and I stumbled the first few steps. Who was that ninja?

As we turn left, Kisame comes into view just as large and intimidating as ever. Looking over to us, he smirked and opened the door he was standing in front of. His eyes were red from lack of sleep and the wind blowing in them continuously for over twenty four hours. Quickly, before I could stop of turn, or do anything, Kisame rammed me in the stomach with the wrapped thing like before. Yelping in pain, I fall to my knees and try not to vomit- why does he keep doing this?

Slowly easing myself up my hatred of Kisame, of the Akatsuki, and of this entire situation threatened to take over my sensibility. The only thing that kept me calm was the fear of being killed for yelling at my captors. Kisame reached out to me to throw me into the room, but Itachi pulled me back against him. My cheeks flush and I try to regain my balance.

"No need for that Kisame. Who has first shift?" Itachi asks, keeping me on him.

"You do Itachi," Kisame replies, giving Itachi a confused sort of look. Itachi nods and starts moving forward into the room. My feet didn't move when his did and I almost fell into the open doorway.

The room was so small, and all that was in it was a chair and a door on one of the walls, probably leading to a bathroom of sorts. Itachi stepped in after me and Kisame left, probably to rest in another room on the hall. The old building groaned with every bit of wind.

Coming over to me, Itachi untied the white fabric from my arms. Confused, I looked to him, why would he do that? Turning away, I rubbed my arms; the wrinkles of the fabric had left indents in my skin similar to them. Why did he untie me? Putting my hands together, I try to summon some chakra but- it won't come!