Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...yeah, I still don't.

Sorry, this chapter's shorter but I'm splitting the scarecrow thing into two sections. Still, it's got what a lot of people have been waiting for: the identity of the psycho killer neighbor and no, it's not an OC! Crud, I think I gave it away but read ahead and enjoy~

Episode 04: Dead or Alive Part I

"Sakura-chan, why is he coming?" Naruto groaned, pointing at the raven-haired city kid standing outside on their porch.

"Naruto, he volunteered. We need all the help we can get. Who knows what we're dealing with," Sakura answered, repeating herself for the umpteenth time today.

"I get that," Naruto started, just contradicting the question he asked moments ago, "but why does he get the shotgun?"

It was true, Sasuke had been bestowed the shotgun kept in a glass case in the basement by Sakura's dad incase of dangerous wildlife. At this time, the Uchiha had it tucked comfortably under his arm, wearing a confident mask.

"Because you're mistake prone, Dobe."

"Teme!" And once again, the two were engulfed in yet another glaring contest. Sighing, rubbing her aching temples, Sakura yanked the blonde away, leading him down the wooden steps leading into the long, winding field.

Noticing Sasuke start down as well, Hinata waved to Sai, who had regained his ability to walk, stumbling a bit, nervousness biting at her insides. Sai conjured up his fake smile and waved to the meek girl. In all honesty, he hoped they wouldn't fair all too well, except Hinata, since she was the only genuine person he knew. Frankly, he just didn't care. Having the house to himself wasn't such a bad thought…

The four stopped at the edging of the meadow, all secretly swallowing the anxiety that made their body tremble.

"Here, Hinata can have the flashlight," Sakura said, handing the small heiress the rather hefty flashlight being carried in case they stayed out too long. "I'll keep the jackknife and Naruto, you're carrying the shovel." Naruto sighed. He wanted the gun, not the goddamn shovel. Seeing the disappointed look evident in the hyperactive "Greek god's" (according to Hinata) cerulean eyes, Sakura added bluntly, "It was your idea so you're burying the guy."

With that, Sakura led the group into what could be their last departure into the field. Sasuke kept to himself, gluing himself to the right side of Sakura while Naruto, clutching the shovel defensively, covered the left side leaving Hinata to trail behind.

Like they had planned, the group departed just before sunrise, the sky painted with various hues of oranges, reds, pink, and purples. The yellow blades of grass towered above the group, scratching at their bare arms lightly. Except for the hymns sang by the crickets and the cawing of the birds, nothing seemed to stir, the meadow completely vacant except for the four wanders.

"Which way was the dead guy?" Sasuke asked, exasperated. He heard the story but still believed it was a hoax, probably on the farmer's part. They probably just saw a scarecrow that scared them, yeah, that sounded right…

Shooting him her trademark, "Shut up or die," glare, Sakura answered, "we aren't sure but we think it was halfway between our property and," she shivered, "his property."

"Hey, maybe he hides bodies in his shed and uses them as scarecrows later!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Naruto!"

"Heh, gomen Sakura-chan."

Suddenly, a gentle sound erupted from just ahead, making everyone immediately tense up and freeze. The sound persisted, seeming to quickly near and right when the grass next to them shifted just a little, it stopped.

"Sa_"

"Shh!" Sakura glanced up at Sasuke who, at the time, had the gun poised at the hidden intruder. Naruto, deciding to substitute the shovel for a baseball bat, jumped in front of the tremulous Hinata.

"Come out, now, or I'll shoot," Sasuke threatened steadily, switching off the safety switch.

A few seconds passed. Nothing happened.

The Uchiha walked forward, still holding the gun in front of him. His eyes were pitch black, narrowed dangerously low.

"Sasuke_!" He hushed her with a fierce look before turning back to the grass he was approaching.

Sakura couldn't breathe. Everything, time, day, the rising sun…it all stopped. She could hear her heart thumping in her chest, banging against her ribcage, begging to be set free from this severe trepidation. Her hand instinctively flew to her pocket where the jackknife was secured, gripping the firm handle. Still, her joints wouldn't stop shaking.

With the muzzle of the gun, Sasuke shifted the grass slowly and…nothing was there. It was completely hushed.

"M-Maybe it was the wind," Naruto tried, chuckling. His nerves were starting to affect him.

"L-Let's keep g-going," Hinata stammered.

Nodding, Sakura replied, "Hai." She noticed Sasuke was still standing, rifle in hand, staring down at the vacant ground. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she felt his body jolt a little, his head snapping to her.

"Come on, nothing's there."

After glancing back at the spot, Sasuke tucked the gun under his arm before following after Sakura, slowly maneuvering back into his guard position to her right. This time, Naruto stood side-by-side with Hinata, who had taken the lead blindly.

For what seemed like hours, the group continued, unaware that they were in fact, quickly approaching their destination. By this time, the sun had fully risen and unlike most days, clouds huddled into clumps in the sky, lazily moving along. And unlike most days, the sky was painted gray.

Sasuke had to admit, he was wrong…that was a first. Indeed, hanging high on the decaying stake was a deceased man. With his head down low, hanging, his expression was unseen and remained that way. His hands were blue, drained, nails driven through his opened palms. His legs, surprisingly, were left dangling, insects investigating the body, inside and out. The odor quickly leaked into the air, making everyone wheeze, pinching their noses.

"Oh my god!" Naruto groaned. Sakura, trying to not let her eyes and mind linger too much on the body just in front of them, nudged her friend roughly. It was his idea. "Alright, alright, I'm going!" He poised the shovel just above the ground.

"Idiot, we aren't burying him here!" Sakura all but screeched.

"What!? Then where_!?"

"We aren't carrying him to the house," Sasuke interjected.

"T-Then w-what_?"

"Shut up!" Sakura yelled above all the comments. All eyes snapped to her. Putting her hands on her hips, she said, "We'll bury here, okay, but we should pull out the grass and give him a clean spot."

The group nodded in agreement, all wishing to get this over with as quickly as possible. Hinata started to pluck the grass while Sasuke and Sakura reluctantly started to unsnarl the man from the stake.

Sasuke was forced to place the gun on the ground.

Sakura volunteered to hold the stake while Sasuke pulled out the nails. Swallowing any fear his body held, the Uchiha raised his sweating arm, slowly maneuvering his fingers around the flathead of the rusted nail. He met the nervous stare of the girl below him before fully gripping the nail. With one yank of the arm, the metal spike was out, no blood gushing from the wound. Instead, something worse oozed out.

Maggots.

"Ew!" Sakura shrieked, stepping back, watching in horror as the grimy, little parasites squirmed on the tanned dirt. Though he didn't scream, Sasuke's breathing halted for a second. After looking at the corroded edges of the single nail, he tossed it into the unknown territory ahead.

He turned to the petrified girl, smirking. "Scared?"

"N-No, of course not!"

Sakura stepped up, resuming her firm hold on the wooden stake. "Come on or," Sakura paused, a sly grin creeping on her face, "are you chicken?"

Silently, the Uchiha took her challenge and swiftly removed the second bolt and discarded it callously. While his head was turned, the lifeless corpse fell forward, right into Sakura, knocking her to the ground. Her eyes widened as she realized something was terribly wrong. His eyes…his eyes were gone! Empty sockets, maggots seeping out, were there instead.

"Ah…" her body trembled, "ah," her mind froze, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The piercing scream sent crows flying above, grass rattling throughout the lethal meadow.

Sasuke instinctively flew to her side, as did Naruto, both tugging Sakura out from under the corpse, the maggots sliding down her ashen shirt. She stumbled clumsily to her feet, desperately brushing the insects from her clothing.

"The hole's ready…I think…" Naruto informed quietly.

"I-I p-pulled out the g-grass too," Hinata stuttered.

"I'll throw him in," Sasuke managed evenly. Still, his knees were shaking from inside his jeans. Hinata went to comfort the trembling Sakura while Sasuke went to inspect the hole. It was wide, not too deep but at this point, Sasuke was more than ready to finish up the job.

The four gathered around, all as shaken as their neighbor, some more reluctant than others to admit it.

"S-Shouldn't we s-say a few w-words," Hinata suggested meekly.

"Uh…what's-his-name was a good guy and will be missed very much _ alright, let's go," Naruto rushed. With the anxious blonde, Sasuke gripped the man's feet while Naruto took the shoulders. Together, they hoisted him into the hole while the girls kicked the dug up dirt back in. The deed was done.

A sigh of relief could finally be taken with ease.

"Now that that's done," Naruto grinned, brushing off the grime from his hands.

"Um…" Hinata stammered, "where is the g-gun…?" All eyes whipped to the now empty spot where Sasuke had rested the shotgun. Indeed, the Hyuga was right; all that was left was a vacant spot.

"See!? You should have given the gun to me!" Naruto yelled.

"Damn it! Where is it!?" Sasuke cursed as he violently searched for the missing rifle.

Sakura and Hinata, as alarmed as the other two, couldn't conjure up any words but also aided in the search for the weapon.

And then, suddenly, a single shot was fired, annihilating the serenity the meadow once held, shattering the group's relief into smithereens.

"That sounded close by!" Sakura shouted in a hushed whisper.

"Get down!" Sasuke commanded, using his weight to push Sakura to the ground, leaving Naruto and Hinata to follow suit.

Their eyes darted in every direction as only their heavy breathing chorused in the stifling air. Footsteps sounded, grass and dirt crunching as it approached. By the sound of it, whoever it was _ whatever it was _ was coming quick.

"We need to split up," Sakura whispered, glancing sternly at Sasuke and Naruto. "I'll go with Sasuke. Naruto, take Hinata and go back to the house, Sasuke and I will stall."

"B-But_" Naruto started to object.

"She's right. Take Hinata and get out of here. We'll be fine…dobe."

Reluctantly, Naruto bit his tongue until it bled, leaving the rusted aftertaste to haunt his mouth.

"On three," Sakura started, "Three."

"Two," Sasuke continued, pushing his knees and elbows so that they elevated from the ground.

"One!"

All four jumped to their feet and Naruto grabbed Hinata's slim wrist, his entire hand wrapping around it, pulling her in the opposite direction of the bare stake. Sakura and Sasuke turned to the right of the stake, knowing the perpetrator was to their left. Soon enough, like Sakura had hoped, Naruto and Hinata were on their way back to the inn.

Now it was up to them…

"I see, so that's how it is, eh?" the silhouette hissed in amusement, holding the stolen rifle in his left hand.

Pushing through the blades of grass, letting dry edges tear at their skin, Sasuke and Sakura stayed together as they sprinted blindly through the field, letting their feet take them as far away as possible. The moment Sakura first stumbled, Sasuke's hand automatically flew back and grasped her wrist, pulling her up, refusing to let go even after the fact.

There was no way he was going to die and there was no way in hell he was going to let Sakura get killed because he was too weak to protect her. Never again…

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke spotted a hint of a brown blur and automatically decided to take the risk of seeing what it was and with one sharp tug, he dragged Sakura with him. Breathing heavily, they stopped abruptly at the foot of a broken-down, wooden mill, abandoned by the looks of things.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"We'll hide here for now," he said, pulling her inside.

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"Naruto-kun," Hinata panted, too exhausted to stutter. "Are they really going to be okay?" she asked, her voice consumed with the worry and dread eating at her.

Clenching his fist, biting his tongue until it bled, he held back the yell he so desperately wanted to howl into the never-ending maze of grass and dead weeds. "Yeah," he bit out, glaring up into the oddly grey sky above, "they'll be fine. I just know it."

Finally standing back on her feet, she helped Naruto into the house, glancing back at the empty field.

I hope you're right…Naruto-kun…

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Sakura couldn't help but shiver as she huddled into the small crevice with Sasuke, her eyes hesitantly meeting the silver gleam of the saw hovering above their heads. She squinted just to see the edge of the blade, their hiding place a tad too dark for their liking.

"Is this really a_"

"Shh!" With that, he clamped his hand over her mouth. The two barely fit into the corner but it would due. Hopefully, the intruder in the fields wouldn't find them here. He wouldn't find them here…right…?

Suddenly, the wooden door from the other side of what appeared to be an old saw mill creaked open. Both froze in place, unknowingly linking hands in the process.

Was this…the end…? Clamping her eyes shut, the girl wished over and over that this was just a bad dream and that she would wake up. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case in the slightest. Rather, she was living a nightmare.

A pair of heavy boots clanked raucously against the straw-littered ground, slowly moving about the mill, shadowed eyes searching for his next prey. His pallid hands began violently knocking things about, not a sound erupting from the intruder's lips as he did so.

Anxiety grew more evident as with every loud noise, their bodies jolted, limbs frozen in terror.

"Found you," a venomous, playful voice whispered, making Sakura's head whip. Emerald irises dilated as they clashed with the prowler's own golden pair.

Snake… His eyes, they reminded her of the python that hunted around the inn's premises for a few months, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Sasuke slammed his body into Sakura's pushing her out of the stranger's path, beckoning for her to run. "Go!" he ordered as she stumbled to her feet, her eyes glimpsing back to see the man pull out a shot gun from his pocket.

"Leave and consider your precious Sasuke-kun dead," he cooed, taking the trembling boy's chin between his fingers, aligning the rifle against Sasuke's ear. Sakura halted, swerving herself around. She wouldn't run away, she couldn't…

"Ah, what a good little girl," he chuckled, licking his lips as he dropped Sasuke's chin, tucking the rifle under his arm. Grinning, he removed his brown hat, raven locks swirling around his ghostly skin. "You saved your friend, Sakura-chan."

"W-Who are you and how do you know our names!?" Sakura queried frantically, rushing to Sasuke's aid. They both stared up at the towering figure above them.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance, my name is Orochimaru and I would be your next-door-neighbor. You have something of mine and I would like it back." His piercing eyes sent chills down Sakura's spine as she clutched Sasuke's arm tightly. "If you can't do just that then," he licked his lips again, "you will suffer dire consequences. So then, what will it be?"

"Why don't you dig it up yourself!?" Sasuke spat. "You were the one that killed him!"

Sakura pulled Sasuke back, preventing him from attacking the man called Orochimaru. She dared to look up, afraid that the gun would be shot at either her or Sasuke but, rather than that, she was met with another fit of maniacal laughter.

"That's true but he was my property and I believe you took my property without my consent. That would be called stealing, my dear Sasuke-kun."

Growling, Sasuke bit his tongue from retorting, his onyx eyes lighting to a fiery shade of crimson, much to Sakura's surprise.

Those eyes, where have I_?

"Sakura-chan!" a familiar rough voice echoed. All heads snapped to the door left hanging ajar, still vacant. Sasuke and Sakura exchanged worried glances, knowing full well who was wandering the fields.

Naruto!

Inwardly, Sakura wished desperately for him to turn back but as the calls grew louder with every waking moment, she knew that wasn't the case.

"It looks like we have a visitor," Orochimaru smiled, gripping his rifle, pulling it out from under his arm. With that, he breezed out of the mill silently, coattails whipping behind him, leaving Sasuke and Sakura enveloped in darkness as the door swung shut.

And then in a few seconds, a shot rang through the fields. A single thought registered through Sakura's head.

"NARUTO!"

Episode 04: End

And there you have it, the identity of the murderer. And Naruto just has to save the day and then, some weirdo comes out and shoots him! Okay, maybe he's not shot...or maybe he is... Oh well, you are gonna have to wait and see.

Review, Review, REVIEW IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!! I'm not holding this story up for randsom or anything but reviews are appreciated and I'm making a section dedicated to reviewers after every chapter from now on. Oh, and the votes. Yes, the poll will be going until the end of the next chapter when this arc ends. Refer to chapter 3 for the choices and you can vote for 2. If you voted, sorry, but you have to wait until the next poll. But if others vote, your choice might be chosen.

So far:

A- 1 (where's the love?)

B- 6 (This is a SASU/SAKU story after all :)

C- 5 (Wow, close battle)

To my fantastic reviewers:

Emerald+Onyx=Luv: I don't like Karin either, believe me, it's on my profile with some funny song thing I copied and pasted. And no, it's not Karin he's comparing Sakura too. Karin's not even gonna be in this so you can rest at ease.

LoveIsMyHate: Thanks:) And Sasu/Saku is sure to come no matter what! By the way, thanks for voting.

TwiLigHT8D: Yep, I updated and I plan to monthly if possible. Thanks for voting.

loveless kunoichi: You like the sadistic Sai, huh or are you a fan of both couples? Personally, I like tampering with Sai's personality, it's fun:) Thanks for voting still!

bizzie09: Don't worry, Sasuke/Sakura moments are sure to come, just keep reading and reviewing!

freak-4-God: Seriously, thanks for reviewing AND for voting! I like hearing opinions so I can make this story even better.

Sakurachan623: I'm glad you like it and C would be fun to write and I would make it VERY funny:D

Dimly: Thanks for the vote, it helped C catch up with B.

sock monkeys: It's okay! I'll count both! B and C are practically tied!

HanaJimaa: Yay, I updated! Thanks for the vote!

EdwardIs4Me: B it is and thanks, I really do plan on continuing to write this story so keep reviewing, please!

Hope I didn't forget anyone! It's late and I'm really tired so please tell me if I forgot you or miscounted!