My light in the dark

Chapter 23

I have placed a change of clothes in the bathroom. Have a bath and relax in that room, I will be away most of the day. I bought you this book, I remembered you liked the author. See you tonight xx

My chest tightened again but I pushed the emotions down as I dove onto the food. I only managed to eat half the porridge and I decided I would save the fruit for later. My stomach still wasn't used to being fed. I sat back and sipped on the tea, tears of pleasure springing to my eyes. The tea was made out of some high grade leaves. I looked at the book that had been brought in as I savoured the tea. It was a new release, one I hadn't read because of all the drama that had happened in my life the past few months. I felt a cold fear spread through my body as I placed the empty tea cup down. Why was Sai being so kind? What horrors would he do to me once I let my guard down? I shuffled to the bathroom and tried the door, it opened without problems. Normally Sai kept the bathroom door locked, saying he didn't want me to try and escape or hurt myself. I rushed over to the small window but there was no way I would fit through there and besides it was locked. I wouldn't be able to call for help. I blasted the hot water in the shower and proceeded to strip off. Taking a deep breath I looked at myself in the mirror. Even though I had prepared myself for the worse, the skeleton looking back at me was still a shock. I had never been a big person but now there was nothing but skin and bones. My face was hollowed out, my eyes dull over dark rings. My lip was swollen and cut from yesterdays beating and a large purple bruise covered my right cheek. There was hardly a spot of pale skin on my body that wasn't marred. Old and new bruises turned my body into a colourful canvas and multiple cuts showed bright red or pink on my luminescent skin. I could see the veins underneath my skin. It was like I had turned into a ghost. My hair was still golden and my eyes bright despite the rest of me. I turned away from the painful image and jumped in the shower, enjoying the hot water as it pounded onto my aching body.

When I was done I crept back into the bed and curled up with the book, picking at the fruit as I read. Whatever Sai or Madara had planned for me I would face it when the time came. For now, I would enjoy this brief moment of peace.

Sasuke's Pov

"It's been a month now!"

I cried, banging my fist on the table, glaring at the men in front of me. Itachi leaned against the door, a frown on his face and exhaustion radiating from him. I scanned over the faces of those that both Itachi and I trusted and I could see the same exhaustion that I was feeling. We had been attacking Madara from the shadows, weakening his hold on the lesser gangs and bringing many over to our side but it had not been easy. When we weren't planning raids or thinking of how to buy some of Madara's men we were looking for Naruto. Wherever Sai was holding him was being kept a closely guarded secret and none of the men we had captured knew anything about a blonde haired boy being held prisoner.

"How do we still have no word?"

Jugo rubbed his face tiredly and looked over at Karin who was napping on the couch in the corner of the room. She had been working tirelessly to find Naruto and I couldn't fault her at all. I felt useless and I was beginning to break. I couldn't leave the hideout unless in disguise and both my captains and Itachi had refused to let me fight, telling me to instead heal. I was healed. Yes I had a slight limp still but I could fight. I wanted to fight, to take my frustrations and rage out on the traitors who had dared to stand against the Namikaze's.

"We can't get information out of the members of smaller groups who know nothing and those that do Madara has trained so well they won't let anything slip."

The room fell into silence at Jugo's words and I sat back on the chair with a sigh.

"Then it seems to be me it is time to take our fight into the open."