Truth: Itachi Uchiha Love Story

C H A P T E R 8

I followed the brick path to the Uchiha compound. The place had been boarded up since the mascara 6 years ago. 

Crouching low, I sprung myself off the ground, jumping over the walls that enclosed the compound, and landing swiftly on the other side. Nothing has changed. The sun that hung high above in the sky lit the street in shades of gold. 

'Old man Jin's place.' 

His store front was still locked up, but the skinny door that framed the front of the building sat just open enough that I half expected to see him pop his head out to greet me like he did every morning. 

But even if the surroundings haven't changed - everything else had. There were no more kids running up and down the streets - laughing and giggling as they made their way to school. No more shop keepers bellowing to each other as they prepared for the days' shoppers.  

They were no more.

All of it was nothing more than a fleeting memory. 

I scanned up and down the eerie walkways. It was so quite - deafening. 

The smell of blood still lingered in the air that surrounded the compound. The streets had been cleared off all the bodies, but the dark red splotches still sanctified the grounds. 

I turned down the main street. At the end of the street to the left sat what used to be my home. My eyes wandered over the massive structure, 'nothings changed'. The door was still open, just as I had left it all those years ago. My fingers curled around the open frame as I walked over the threshold and wandered down the hall. My father's room door was still open. Walking past I peaked inside. The mats were still smeared red, and my heart clenched painfully. I pulled the door open and stepped into the cold room.

Leaning down, my knees dropped heavily against the cold, hard flooring.

Reaching down, my fingers traced the edges of stain. 

My eyes wandered around the room, like every inch of the compound, this room was saturated with the smell of blood. But I could just barely make out the dark cinnamon flavor of my father's scent. Images of that night came flooding back. Flashes of metal sinking into flesh, the quivering stutter of a shocked heart, the gargled moans of a dying man, and the silent sobs of his heartbroken daughter. 

Standing, I moved back into the hallway. Turning back, I caught a glimpse of my former self running her sai into the back of my father's prostrated form. My eyes quickly shut, 'Not again.' 

My heart continued to constrict painfully against my ribs.

I missed my father.

My head lulled to the right, my eyes finding the door that sat at the end of the hall. My feet shuffled forward unconsciously moving me towards the decorated door. This was my room. Pushing the door aside I peered into the room. Stepping inside, I could feel the temperature of the room drop. A shiver raced down my spine. The room was small but just spacious enough. 

A bed sat at the far side of the room, nestled under the wide window that took over the entirety of the far wall. To the right of the bed sat a small desk littered with old mementos. Walking over to the desk, my hand traced over the top side. There were a few reports left over on the table from when I was in the military police force. A few combat training manuals, leadership booklets, and some books on strategy building. A smile formed at the corners of my lips as I thought back to my time in the force. Before the massacre, I was considered a top-ranking ninja in the clan. I was also the youngest person to ever make captain in the Military Police Force. 

A major accomplishment. 

I can remember the day my father found out. He was ecstatic. I could almost hear all the praise he poured over me. On the other side of the desk sat a row of picture frames. The one on the far left was one of me, my father, and my mother when I was still a child. The one on the far right was one of my father and I when I had been made captain. My hand wandered over to the center frame. A smile tugged my lips into a wide grin. At the center was a picture of Itachi, Shisui, and I as kids standing at the training grounds. We had our arms draped around each other with goofy smiles on our faces.