My Snippets: Part 1

Fight or Flight

"You said they? Do you know how many there are ma'am?"

"I think... it sounds like just two, but I'm not sure." Suddenly a sound more terrifying than she ever thought possible happened. She could hear the sounds of creaking as someone ascended their staircase. 'Damn it! I guess it's a good thing Sasuke didn't fix that stupid step yet after all...'

She waited a beat; ears straining as she tried to hear which direction the intrude was headed and luckily for her, it sounded as if he, or she, was going the opposite direction to one of their spare bedrooms. Gripping the metal within her hand she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder and inspected its contents. 'Good; fully loaded... I hope and pray that I don't have to use this...'

"Ma'am, are you still there?"

"Y-yes...," her voice was slightly muffled as she slowly clicked the safety mechanism on the small handheld pistol that her husband had gotten her last year for her birthday.

...flashback...

"You need to know how to use this," her husband insisted as he thrust the small metal object into her outstretched hands.

"But Sasuke...," she began to protest but quickly silenced herself when she saw the dark look that cross his handsome features. The man took a large step towards her and grasped the back of her neck gently; holding her close to him while she stared up at him with widened eyes.

"No buts Sakura," his voice was stern, almost cold, but his gaze had softened. "What if I'm not here? You need to know how to protect yourself."

"Is this," she asked as she lifted the gun in her hands slightly; indicating that was what she was referring to, "really necessary though?"

"Yes." Sasuke's tone gave no room for argument and Sakura sighed as she resigned herself to that fact. Even still, she did have a few concerns and couldn't help but voice some of them aloud.

"Sasuke... I've never shot a gun in my life..."

"That's why I'm going to teach you." He gave her a quick kiss before taking the gun and placing it back in the box he had retrieved it from before pulling her into a warm embrace. "Tomorrow morning," he spoke against her ear as he leaned down and pressed his cheek against the side of her head. "We are going to the training grounds."

Sakura put her arms around him and nestled into the comfort of his arms. "Alright..."

...end of flashback...

Sakura was startled from her thoughts by one of the intruders; the one who had begun to make his way back down the hallway and towards her.

Step.

Step.

Step.

"Ma'am, can you hear me? What's going on?"

"H-he's... upstairs with me....," she whispered as she leaned against the door further; pushing as much of her body weight as she could against the only barrier that stood between them.

"I can't hear you ma'am. You need to speak up."

Step.

Step.

Step.

"I... can't," Sakura hissed as she heard the steps coming closer; her heart was pounding as her knuckles turned white around the death grip she had on her gun. "He...h-he's in my bedroom...."

"Did you say he's in your bedroom?"

"Y-yes..."

Sakura's racing heart was about to leap out of her throat and her stomach twisted as nausea began to settle into her belly. The sounds of his footsteps approaching her, ever so slowly, made her absolutely terrified. She clutched the gun and phone tightly; in the hopes that somehow this would make the whole situation, less real... but the sound of the bathroom door knob shaking, proved to her that this was no mere nightmare.