R e d W a t e r

C h a p t e r IX

"I…Sasuke, I thought you were dead."

Itachi's words repeated through my mind for a few seconds before I could actually answer it. "I…dead? Itachi, what on Earth possessed you to think that?"

"I…got a call from someone. They said I was never to see you again…and they said they were going to kill you. She…was clearly crazy…but I had to make sure you were safe…" Itachi stopped, staying silent for a moment. "I…think we should separate from each other for a while…until I figure things out. If the threat is real, I want you safe."

"But, Itachi…"I tried to complain. "I…I can't. I don't want to. I don't want to leave you."

He avoided my eyes as he spoke and I could tell he was just as unhappy to leave me as I was, leaving him. "Please…it will only be for a while, I promise." I felt his hand cup my face gently. "So until I sort this all out, you…you have to leave, Sasuke." Itachi looked down at me and I could see the uncertainty in his dark eyes. "You'll have to go back to mom-"

"No! I-I can't, Itachi. Mom…what if she-"

"If she tries to hurt you…" Itachi walked across the room to a cabinet, took out a fairly small key , and unlocked it, pulling out a silver-gray metal box. "Here." opening it, Itachi comes back and he hands me a gun.

I stareed up at him in shock.

Finally, I found my voice and cried, "I-Itachi, yo-you know I ca-can't…! What do you expect me to do with this? I won't…I-I can-can't…" the whole thing freaked me out. Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes. Itachi looked up at me in surprise, seeing my reaction. It was quiet again. I felt the cold metal of the gun in my hands as my grip tightened around the weapon.

"No." Itachi shook his head. "I don't want you to. I don't want you to soil your hands in anyone's blood and if there were a way, I'd protect you myself. But that isn't an option, is it. Sasuke, I need you to use this gun…if she hurts you."

I stared at him withpleading look in myeyes, trying to keep from crying any longer. I bit my lip shaking my head. "N-no…please, Itachi, d-don't make me…" I felt warm tears spilling down my cheeks. I couldn't help it. No matter how hard I tried to prevent the tears from falling, it wouldn't stop.

"Just keep it with you, alright?" Itachi tried to comfort me with a smile while wiping the tears from my face. I knew his smile was forced.

"O-okay…" I nodded finally. I'd only use it if I absolutely had no other option. I tucked the gun into the back of my pants, hiding it by pulling my shirt over it.

Itachi kissed my forehead and soon I was leaving his apartment again.

But this time, I was alone onthe ride home. I took a taxi back to my house, dreading to see my mom, though I knew she wouldn't be home for a while from her job.

And so I when I arrivedwaited in the empty house, hoping, no praying that today wouldn't be the day I'd have to use the gun.

I spent the time I waited, watching television...or at least tryingto. Ihad a hard timepaying attention to anything happeningin the show I had chosen to watch. Actually, I didn't even know what I was watching...hell, I could have been watching a damn cooking show for all I know.Occasionally I'd glance nervously at the front door, wondering when my mom would be back. Whenever I did this, my thoughts came back to the gun that was currently hidden in my clothes and I'd grow even more fearful.

I must have waited so long, that eventually I fell asleep.

Being the loving, caring mom that she was, I guess she found me sleeping on the couch and decided to wake me. I awoke with a painful gash on my right leg. Mom had finally put a use to thatsharp crystal jar that used to sit uselessly on the coffee table in front of the television set.

"Ahg!" I winced. Blood was pouring from the wound and I looked up at her in horror. She wasn't done just yet. I stumbled out of the couch, heading for the stairs as quickly as I could with the injured leg.

The front door was out of reach to me, seeing as my mom stood there with the bloodied crystal jar in hand, now somewhat shattered from the blow to the leg I had received from her. Glancing quickly up at my mother's face, I saw tears were streaming down her cheeks and there was something different about her eyes. When usually, they'd be looking angrily at me and I knew I was about to get a beating. But now...now there was something else and it frightened me to no end. I crawled up the stairs, dragging my right leg painfully.

I shakily reached for the phone, dialing the first number that came to mind. Itachi. I heard Mom's voice coming closer to the room, screaming, "You betrayed me! You and your brother both! You killed your father!" I heard her sob. On the phone, I heard it begin to ring.

'Pick up, pick up, pick up…'

I thought in panic, hearing her slow footsteps approach the room I had shut myself in. Finally, "Hey!" I heard a cheerful male voice say on the other end.

"Deidara, I need to speak to Itachi. Now." My head jerked in the direction of the door. She was searching the rooms.

"Aw. What's the rush? Hey, we should hang out sometime! It would be awe-"

"JUST GET ITACHI!" I cried. "Hurry!" Tears were streaming down my pale face.

"Fine…but he's acting all freaked out right now…talking about someone coming after you…complete freak." he muttered as he went to get Itachi.

"Hello? Sasuke?" I heard his voice.

"Itachi!" It relieved me to hear his voice. "Itachi, I…I don't know what to do." My voice was stuttering, terrified that's she'd come to finish me off. "Itachi, s-she's going to find me. She'll find me and she'll-"

"YOU KILLED HIM!" I heard her crying. "A-and all this time, yo-you've been with your brother!"

Itachi had beenright. The lady thatmade that threatening call tohim had been crazy. But he was wrong about one thing. Sending me home hadn't protected me. It sent me right to the source. It had been my mom who had called Itachi and it had finally clicked in my mind. She knew. She knew about my visits to Itachi's apartment.

The door crashed open, revealing my mom's terror-stricken and tearstained face.

"M-mom…" I backed away slowly, dropping the phone from my trembling hands. In her right hand, she clutched a fairly large knife. Nothing seemed real just then. I felt like I was trapped in my own cliché horror movie.

"Y-you left me for that murderer…" she whispered, more tears falling from her red crying eyes.

"Mom, n-no, I didn't leave you…I-I'm here." I tried to tell her but she didn't seem to be listening, walking closer.

My hand trailed down to the back of my pants and I could feel the cool metal of the gun at my fingers. Finally grasping it, I pulled it out and held it in front of me. My dark eyes we wide in fear. Could I really go through with it? Could I really kill my own mom? My finger was inching toward the trigger.

T o B e C o n ti n u e d…

P l e a s e R e vi e w.

iluvitachi93