The puppet House

Chapter three

The Welcoming

It definitely wasn't the best idea of her…

Right now standing before the house of the Akasuna, Sakura was starting to have doubts about her plan.

The house really didn't look warm and welcoming. It was really old, looked like it was about to collapse from its age. With rotting windshields, broken windows and missing parts of the house which apparently have already collapsed or some rebels have destroyed.

And let's not forget the scary old trees which where howling with the wind and swinging from one place to another. And the whole garden which you can see was dead.

All of this looked like from a horror movie. It seemed like something would jump out from the corner and will try to kill you… To tell you the truth Sakura was getting shivers down her spine… The ones when you get when your conscious tells you… that someone is looking at you without you knowing that. Not the best feeling in a place like this.

But all of this is not going to stop Sakura from going in and figuring out some stuff about this Sasori guy.

Taking the first step is always the hardest. Nonetheless Sakura took it, may it be small but it was the start. After the small step came another and another, each bigger then the last one.

While walking Sakura's mind was blank from any ideas. She was walking to an old scary house which by the myth is haunted and she's not even thinking about the danger or the consequences she will have to endure.

But the pink haired girl didn't think about it, she was on a 'mission' and she will do it. No matter what it takes her to do.

Less then twenty steps and here she was… near the stares that leads to the main doors. Taking careful steps so she wouldn't put her leg in some crack, Sakura was standing near the doors in no time.

The first thing that caught her eye was that the doors where carved. It had some kind of strange carvings. It was hard to notice the details because of the age but you could see that it was very beautiful once. And if the green eyes of her aren't lying it was hand carved.

Sakura flexed her middle finger. Slowly stretching her hand forward she carefully traced the lines that have started to fade. Slowly tracing the once smooth lines she thought that these doors where very beautiful once. Shame she couldn't see it sooner.

The green eyed girl let her hand drop to her sides. She didn't know why she was entranced by such a simple thing like doors. Shaking her head to rid of any unneeded thoughts Sakura set her eyes on the door knob. Surely the door should be locked. Like any houses.

But she didn't think long about it. Seemed like her body was working faster then her mind right now. Sakura reached for the door knob and slowly like she was scared someone jump her for touching it she bend it down and gave a little pressure to open the doors.

To her surprise the door weren't locked, must been the vandals who destroyed the lock she thought. But once again she didn't think twice about it. She pushed the doors so it would open more. She got a little startled when the doors screeched. Holding her hand to her chest she mentally cursed herself for being so jumpy.

'This house IS derelict. No one lives here. It's just my imagination that's playing with me' Sakura was trying to calm herself by saying such this, which weren't helping at all...

Everything around her was dark. The only light source that she had was the open door and the light that was creeping from broken windows. To say that this wasn't creepy would be the biggest lie ever. It was making Sakura tremble in unknown feeling just by standing in the doorway. This definitely wasn't good. She wasn't a person that could get scared really fast, but this place where making her feel cold and sweaty at the same time. It was making her pant for air like she was suffocating from heat and yet tremble like she was cold.

It definitely made no sense. But this was the strange truth. For a brief moment the sixteen year old girl had an over helming want to just turn around and get away form this place as soon and far as possible. But something just held her there. May it be curiosity may it be her stubbornness but she didn't move even a step.

Shaking her pink head again Sakura drew a long trembling breath trying to calm down. Felling a little better she took a step inside the house, leaving creaking sounds at their wake with every step she took. The deeper she got in the house the less light there where and less she could see.

Nonetheless her eyes got used to the dark after for minutes of just staring blankly at things she supposed where furniture. At a closer look she noticed that there was a table near the wall. On which a vase with dead flowers was placed on.

Because of the little light that she had she thought it would be better if she would go near the wall. She slowly touched the wall and almost the same second retreated it. The wall was really cold and... Wet. Yes wet. The cold and the wetness must have settled in over the years.

But Sakura didn't have any choice. If she didn't want to trip over some furniture or just her own foot because of the dark she will have to go touching the walls like a blind man. How amusing, eh?

Well it wasn't for the pink haired girl, she again was mentally cursing her darn curiosity to hell and back. Slowly but surely she took small steps while gliding her fingers on the wall, not the best feeling but it will have to do if she wanted to get any information at all.

While moving she bumped in some things. By the look of the silhouette there where chairs, tables and some other things she couldn't recognize. Sakura was staring to get used to the dark and just made a turn when a loud noise of door slamming startled her silent and slow walking.

All body shaking and wide eyed she peeked thought the corner to see nothing just darkness. The doors where closed! She started panicking, her heartbeat increased ten folds and the feeling of being watched returned making her shiver in fear.

Whimpering in her scared state she slowly turned around to get back to her exploring not wanting to back down just yet. Seemingly getting involved more and more in to something forbidden Sakura didn't even knew about just yet.

Getting back to her pace and sliding her trembling fingers along the wall the teenager was more on guard then ever, ready to defend her self if needed.

What made her stop and blink few times just to make sure her imagination isn't playing with her again was that she saw light in another room. A dim light but nonetheless light! Sakura was more then happy and started going near the light but stopped dead in her track... Was there something else here without her? Maybe some rebels have stayed here to camp out? No... they would have heard her when she opened the door. The screeching was enough to make the dead rise!

Making up her mind that standing in hell knows exactly where won't help, she again started her slow steady pace to the room which had that dim light. Green eyes looking from one direction to other to make sure no one was there to pounce on her.

When she entered the room she didn't find anything out of order. As expected ancient old furniture, lots of dust and cobwebs. But her curiosity on hight again in how could a lamp be working in such an old house, which logically thought shouldn't have any electricity? And from the look of it the lamp looked dust free...

Narrowing her green eyes Sakura moved from the wall and came in completely in to the room...Looking from one corner to other to one wall to...

Sakura was suddenly looking horrified! Wide tearful eyes, open mouth in a silent scream...

On the wall she was right now looking...

With bloody red letters...

Was written...

"Welcome"