Reminiscence

Carnage

Weeks had passed since Naruto had secluded himself within the confines of his apartment, drowning in the choking emptiness that had taken root within his heart. But grief, as time stretched on, slowly morphed into a simmering feeling he could sense slowly suffocating him each minute he remained secluded inside this tiny, dark space. Ayame and sometimes, even Iruka-sensei had tried to get him to come out, and yet, he remained inside. Willing in vain his world to rearrange itself, to make everything right again.

It took him a while to finally identify what was making his chest feel like it was on fire.

Anger. A searing inferno that boiled down to his very bones and brewed within him. A fury fueled by the unanswered questions surrounding, Shisui's death, Itachi's disappearance, and the haunting reality of his absence.

One moonless night, as the shadows loomed large and the whispers of the wind echoed tales of unrest, Naruto made a decision. Fueled by a newfound determination, he ventured out from the margins of his apartment. With a steely resolve, he embarked on a journey to seek answers, the kind only Itachi could provide. Each step felt like a battle against the weight of his own emotions, a relentless struggle against the emptiness that gnawed at his soul.

Naruto's footsteps echoed through the silent streets, a stark contrast to the bustling energy the village usually held. The air felt thick with unspoken tension, whispers of secrets lurking in the shadows.

As he got closer to his destination, the silence grew thicker, pressing against him like an invisible barrier.

Approaching the Uchiha compound was akin to stepping into a ghostly realm. Confusion and horror bloomed in his chest at the sight that greeted him.

The looming structures stood like silent sentinels, haunted remnants of what was once a thriving community. The once-vibrant buildings now exuded an aura of desolation, their broken windows and dilapidated structures telling tales of despair.

He had expected life, the hustle and bustle of the Uchiha district at night was reknowned, after all. Instead, it was a ghost town. No familiar sounds, no lights in the windows, just an unsettling void. His heart raced, unsure what to expect. He never imagined the reality that awaited him.

Bloodstains painted the walls, stark against the pale moonlight. The smell of iron stung his nostrils, a sharp tang in the air. His eyes widened, trying to comprehend the chaos before him. Broken homes, belongings strewn about—fear and panic seemed to have torn through every inch of this place.

It hit him like a bolt of lightning—he hadn't expected this. No one had prepared him for the sight of destruction and death. The shock wrapped around him like a suffocating blanket, leaving him gasping for breath.

Naruto's mind raced to find a logical explanation, a way to make sense of the nightmare before him. But it was too much, too sudden. It felt like the world had turned upside down, and he was stumbling through it, desperately trying to understand what he couldn't grasp.

All he wanted was to turn away, escape this haunting scene. It was too real, too overwhelming. The weight of the unknown, the absence of answers—those feelings crashed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him stranded in a sea of confusion and disbelief.

The deeper Naruto ventured into the compound, the more chilling the sights became. Gore and blood adorned the walls, as if a scarlet paint had been carelessly thrown across a canvas. Hands and footprints were smeared on most every surface, creating before him a scene straight out of a horror story. Clear signs of struggle and torture materializing right before his eyes.

His mind flashed to the war he'd lived through, creating parallels where he hoped there would never be within this lifetime. Bile rose in his throat and he held white knuckles to his mouth to keep the contents of his stomach inside where they belonged.