Inside the Asylum
Author: SaniahMain Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Note: This story takes place in an Alternate universe. It's kind of like Naruto world, and our world had a love child, or something.
There wasn't much going through my head at this point. Mostly 'just keep running'. I know, I know, they were right. Everyone who ever said I was a coward was right. But I can't help that, can I? But that's not why I'm running this time. All that waits for me back there is complication. Where I'm heading promises… my only chance…
I killed him. But I can't think about that, it'll slow me down. Just focus on the ground… The sharp rocks poking at my bare feet, the cold air stinging my face, the dark night smothering my vision. I was gasping, not even realizing how long I'd been running. I couldn't stop, not now. This was escape, and if I stopped, all the doubt in my mind would take over, and I wouldn't make it.
I barely noticed how hard I was breathing when I finally arrived at the bus stop. It took a few moments to stop gasping enough to buy the ticket. But even then, my heart was pounding, its pulse resounding constantly throughout my body. I started at the ticket now clenched in my hand. Don't think, just continue. I still couldn't think, not now. Not until you get there. Only focus on calming your heart…
But how could I? Just a few hours ago it was racing like it is now… When I finally escaped… When I finally killed him and broke free. Yes, I was finally free of his grasp, but only when I didn't think. It'd be twenty long minutes before the bus left, and I couldn't think. I couldn't remember… I had to push it out of my head.
But who would have thought that there could be so much blood? The last time there was such blood… no. Don't think…
The seats of the decrepit old bus were no where near comfortable, but they'd do. The springs poking at my hips took my mind away from thoughts, and to my physical assets. It would be a couple of hours before I arrived to Konoha, and it'd be better if I just slept now… But no… Sleep would bring dreams, and all my subconscious could talk about was the blood…
Blood…so…red. It was everywhere… splattered over his body… painted on the walls…ceiling…floor… everywhere! Just everywhere…
I shook my head, trying to forget. I looked at my watch, hoping time would pass faster. The blue light flashed at me 4 am. I sighed… Three hours ago… I killed my guardian… and in two hours… I would arrive in the place where I would finally disappear.
So many people thought of suicide as a horrible thing. But… to the beholder, it was their last chance. The last chance to escape… or live. In death, it was the only truth. In death, we were granted immortality, eternal youth, and no pain… But that's not why I had considered it. No, it was the… blood.
"Oi… kid. You got an umbrella?" The driver called. I stopped in my tracks, already halfway out the door.
I shook my head, barely glancing at him. "Why?" I added, it wasn't raining, was it?
"It's been raining for the past half hour, kid. I thought you knew that." The reply was a bit more than a chuckle. "Not too observant are you?" I stared out the door, finally hearing the rapid plops of rain on cement and asphalt.
"No I guess not…" I mused, and continued on my way. Rain… It was raining. The air was humid and suffocating, the water was cold, and struck my skin, awaking my senses. Rain washed away impurities… But would it be able to help me today? Maybe…
I was walking down the abandoned streets without noticing. I just stared at the signs, hoping to find the one to point me to my destination. Every once in a while, to world around me would be illuminated by the few cars passing through. I barely noticed these blinding lights. My senses numbed again, focused only on the signs. Not on anything else that would make me think.
"Cherry bend…." I mumbled lightly, pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of my short pockets. The smeared ink blurred my vision, confirming the sign in front of me. Finally I had arrived. I checked my watch; the rain clouds kept everything looking like night. The blue light flashed "7:13 am" at me. I started gasping in the humid air, again realizing how badly I needed oxygen. My senses were awakening again, though I wished them to numb.
I walked up to the large gates that surrounded the large elaborate building. I stared in the windows of the towers next to them. In one, a bored looking man sat in it. He noticed that there was someone standing at the gates and returned my gaze. He coughed lightly, before talking to me through an intercom.
"Can I help you?" His voice sounded a bit strained, tired, he probably hadn't talked much today. I nodded in return. He perked an eyebrow. "Well? What do you need?"
"To get in." I replied after a moment, and his other eyebrow followed its predecessor. I could clearly see the dark circles under his eyes. How long had he been there, I wondered.
"I'll call for a guard…" He took longer to reply, thinking about what to say. "Are you visiting someone?" He added, picking up a phone and talking into it for a while.
I shook my head in return. My heart was racing again. Gates… why did there have to be gates… I wasn't claustrophobic, but I hated knowing I couldn't leave without others permission.
The metal gates swung open lazily, and another man was waiting for me. I barely noticed him, but stepped forward anyway, gripping onto the strap of my knapsack. It contained the few items I could still call my own. The man looked over me lazily from under the umbrella he was carrying. I absently wondered why he was wearing a mask over half his face, but didn't spend too much time on it.
"So, are you going to stand out there all day, or are you coming in?" He called from his distance, holding out the umbrella in a welcoming fashion. I hadn't realized I didn't move from my place.
I turned to look at the tower man, who gazed back tiredly at me, inclining his head to tell me to go. I nodded and walked forward.
"Thank you, Hayate." The masked man called when I caught up to him. "I'll take him to Tsunade, alright?" He started walking down the brick laid path, and I had no choice but to follow.
"Yeah, yeah, Kakashi…" Hayate called in reply, waving his hand slightly as the gate closed.
An odd looking woman turned an irritated gaze at me from over a pile of papers and books. Her intense brown eyes were half-lidded, and drool was still dripping down her chin. She had obviously been sleeping before Kakashi had knocked on the door. I only met her gaze for a moment, than turned my attention to the rest of the room. It was fairly decent sized and neutral colored. On the far end of the room, the wall held nothing but shelf after shelf of books. To the right was a couch, armchair, and coffee table. And at the wall I was facing were large windows… barred.
"Kakashi, why'd you bring him to me? If he's going to visit someone, you know the drill. I was doing important work here!" The woman I could only assume to be Tsunade questioned.
"He's not here to visit anyone." Kakashi answered in an apathetic tone. He was leaning against the wall closest to the door.
"Than what's he doing here?"
"Why don't you ask him?" Replied Kakashi shrugging. Tsunade sighed and turned her attention back to me. She perked an eyebrow slightly, probably wondering why I was soaking wet.
"So, kid. What are you doing here?" She asked, her tone had lightened, holding a gentle air to it.
"This is a mental Hospital, right?" I asked softly, and she nodded in return. "That's why I'm here." I added my reply, not looking at her, but at the books on the far wall.
"Well, please further your explanation, for I'm not getting it." She replied in a bit of an irritated tone.
"An asylum! That's what this is! That's why I'm here! Because I don't belong in life out there!" I answered, louder than I thought it needed. I was pointing out the window to the still gloomy sky. I heard Kakashi sigh, and saw Tsunade nod.
"Yes, this is an asylum, but what makes you say you can't function out there?" I tensed up slightly. I couldn't explain why, that would involve me to remember. Remember all that I had just done… all the blood.
"I need to disappear… And this is where that can happen…" I said softly.
"I don't need to waste my time on some slightly depressed teenager who thinks the world is out to get them, kid." She retorted coldly. "I need an actual reason." I glared up at her. How dare she make me remember… Curse her…
"The world is not out to get me. I'm messed up enough as it is, and if I can't get help, than it'll be the world that should fear me!" I yelled, my heart racing, blood boiling.
"What do you mean? You're going to go kill the world? You need to be specific!"
"HE'S DEAD!" I shrieked. "And the blood was everywhere! And I wanted it! I wanted to be the one whose blood was spilled on the walls! Those damn demons are-" I stopped my hysterical shrieks, eyes widened. Had I really just said that?
Tsunade and Kakashi were both silent. Lost in their separate thoughts about my outburst. I focused on calming down. They were laughing. It was so hard not you keep my hand from my hair. They kept whispering into my ears horrible things. Telling me what to do. Their words were getting strung through the air. The dark letters crumpled on the floor.
"Alright. What's your name, kid?" Tsunade asked, taking out a notebook and pen, beginning to write things down.
I tensed up slightly, waiting for the letters to melt and disappear. I couldn't tell her my actual name, could I? My file would turn up… my past come back… and they could find me again… No, I would not tell her. I was no longer Uchiha Sasuke.
"Sato…" I said softly. "Sato Taro."
Tsunade nodded, jotting down a few more notes. "For the moment, Kakashi, We'll put him in the Kyou ward, alright?" She asked Kakashi, before he nodded and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Well, Taro-kun, I'll show you to your stay." Kakashi said. I shrugged his hand away from me, my own covering where it had rested. I wasn't very found of people touching me. But I nodded and followed him out the room.
a/n: Well, I hope you all enjoyed this so far. It's kind of vague, and such, I've never written like this before. Anyways, I don't know where this is going. I just need an outlet to write with. I'm putting a lot of my emotions into it, but I'll try my hardest to make it as correct as possible, okay? I might not continue to far into it, so don't get attached to it. This is just an outlet for me to express what has been running through my head.Anyways, I Actually didn't just make up names! Sato is a common Japanese surname meaning "Home/Countryside/Village", something like that. "Taro" Means "Great Son" and is only given to the first born son. See, I just think Sasuke kind of has a thing about that. He's trying to start over, so saying he's a first born (or only child) he's cutting Itachi out of his life.