An:: Well, here you go, chapter two . I cannot promise chapters this fast. I have a report due in a week, so it may take a while to get the chapters up, but be patient!!

OOO
Broken Chapter 2 : Starting Over

I woke up in a strange environment. It was warm and stuffy in the room, many children were laying in their beds, asleep. There was only one light, and it came from the moon outside the window. I got out of my bed, carefully examining the room around me. Every bed had at least one child in it, some even had two. There was one long isle down the center of the room, and there were book bags and clothes scattered around the floor in between beds.

I carefully walked over to the window. The snow was falling thickly down, covering the ground with white powder. I sighed and climbed up onto the window ledge. It was cold from the slightly open window. It was open to get fresh air, I assumed. Quietly, I shut the window, and looked outside.

Itachi was out there somewhere, and I had to find him and kill him. I watched the snow fall, few people were outside at this hour, I guessed it was at least midnight, judging by the position of the moon in the sky.

I heard voices coming from the hallway, and a light flicked on, shining through the crack in the door. I held my breath, and slowly, lowered myself from the window. I heard someone touch the door, it rattled the slightest bit. My eyes widened with fear as I froze mid step.

Nothing happened, it was quiet for a moment, then the talking began again in the hall. I tiptoed quietly back to my bed, flinching at every sound I heard.

As soon as I was safe in the comfort of the covers, the door opened, and light poured into the room. An old gray-haired lady with a rat like face poked her head in the doorway, she glared around the room, her eyes falling on me. She stared for a moment, her face was not quite as menacing as it was seconds before. She shook her head and withdrew it from the door, closing it quietly and plunging the room back in darkness.

I sat up, pearls of sweat falling from my face. I wasn't the least bit tired, I didn't know how I fell asleep before, but every time I closed my eyes I saw fire. I wanted to scream, loudly, I wanted to cry, and most of all, I wanted to be at home with my parents.

But it would never happen. I would never show my emotion to anyone, they'd fuss over me and pretend to love me, but it wouldn't be good enough. There was no such thing as love, nothing could prevail over tragedy. Absolutely nothing.

Finally, my eyes closed and I drifted off into a sleep full of fire.

I was alone in a barren city. Itachi's voice was coaxing me towards our house. The house stood tall, proud, the way it was before the fire. Was everything going to be better? I couldn't be sure. But I followed what Itachi's voice was telling me.

You know you want to go back there, everything will be better. Mom and Dad are sitting inside waiting for you.

No, there was no going back, everything was destroyed. I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks, and I tried to hold myself back. But to see mom and dad again would be better than anything.

That's right Sasuke, they're waiting for you Itachi's voice rang out.

NO! Remember what you promised Sasuke, you'd never love again, not after what happened.

But it was too strong, I could feel the pull like a magnet. All I could do was watch myself be destroyed by Itachi.

I reached the house and looked in the window. Everything seemed safe enough, the tv was on, and it looked exactly the way I'd left it this morning.

Go inside, Sasuke Itachi's smooth voice whispered in my ear. Mom and Dad are waiting for you

No! I don't trust you, Itachi! I screamed in my mind, spinning around to locate the whereabouts of my brother. But he was no where to be seen.

My body, unwillingly, walked over to the door. I grabbed the doorknob, twisting it slightly.

I heard a scream, and my hand flew off the doorknob. It took me a minute to realize that I was the one screaming. The doorknob was scalding hot. My hand stung with the pain.

Don't worry, Sasuke, it's just a little pain. Itachi's voice melted in my ears You'll have to put up with a lot more than that if you want to destroy me.

He was right, what was a little pain? I grabbed the doorknob again and flung the door open, The tv turned off, like someone pulled the plug. I took one step farther inside, and suddenly a piercing scream knocked me to my knees.

"Sasuke" a whisper caught my ear. I stood up again, "Sasuke," the voice called again. It was weak with pain. I heard another scream, it echoed through my ears and without thinking, I ran forward towards the noise.

The house erupted in fire, everything turned orange from the flames.

I ran through the house, trying to find where the screaming came from. I knew who it was, but I had to see the proof to believe it.

I bumped into something, knocking the wind out of me. I looked up, Itachi stood with his back to me, and in front of him were our parents. Beaten to death by their own son.

I screamed, the smoke from the fire must be playing tricks on me.

"So glad you could make it, Sasuke," Itachi's said, his voice even and burning with hate and anger.

I closed my eyes and screamed again. I shivered as cold water fell down my face, drenching me. My eyes flew open and I was back in the cramped room.

"Where am I?" I asked, though it wasn't much of a question, my voice had no expression, just flat words escaped my mouth. I noticed the old rat lady from last night held a bucket. I blinked a couple of times, "What is this place?"

"Your parents are dead," Rat Lady said, her voice full of sorrow.

"I know," I said blankly, sitting up in my bed. I hadn't noticed last night, but someone had changed my clothes into blue striped pajamas to match all the other boys in the room.

"You were screaming really loudly in your sleep," a tiny redhead boy said to me, I blinked a couple of times, this was new information. I knew I had screamed in my dreams, but was that screaming real?

"I was?" I spoke again, not really adding the expression of emotion.

"This is the orphanage," Rat Lady said, placing the bucket on a chair and walking over to me, "We found you on a bench in the park." Well, that explained how I got here during my sleep.

"He's gone," I murmured, blinking my eyes, almost angry that Itachi was gone, but not quite. My voice was still flat, no emotion struck me. "I must kill him," I whispered, so quietly it was almost impossible to hear. Rat Lady's eyes bulged.

"You cannot do such a thing!" she exclaimed, "You're still in shock from your house burning down, it was all an accident, you'll be alright by tomorrow."

"No," I said, grabbing her arm, pulling her towards me, "He murdered them." I whispered, not letting the tears that were building in my eyes spill over. I would not show my pain to anyone, not even to the woman who now technically had custody over me.

"Who?" she asked. I shook my head, "What's your name, boy?"

"Sasuke Uchiha," I whispered. I could feel the color draining from my face, Itachi was gone, and I had to get to him before he got to me. But for now, everything was put into place, it all snapped suddenly.

I was alone, my last family member was trying to kill me, and I was stuck here at an orphanage.

What was worse, my parents were dead. I would never get to see them again. Not until the day I died, which could be soon seeing as Itachi was after me.

"Well, get up," Rat Lady sighed, "There's work to be done," she gently removed my hand from her thick forearm, and turned around, yelling at the boys who had gathered around my bed.

It wasn't over yet. I'd get stronger, and I'd destroy my brother.

For now, I'd have to reconstruct my life… Starting with the chores Rat Lady had assigned us.

OOO

An:: Yet another short chapter, but everything is leading up to the true beginning of the story. Just wait… I promise it will get better!!