Only Time Can Tell

BLINDED

CHAPTER 36

BLINDED

SARADA UCHIHA

There was nothing. It can't really be described as black, because black you can see. I just wasn't seeing anything. There wasn't anything to see. I could hear everything though. I could hear Boruto's muffled sobs, I could hear his shaky breathing. And I could feel his hand tight on mine. I had to just focus on that, and not that...my eyes...

"Boruto."

"Yeah?" He said his voice cracking.

"This isn't your fault."

"I screwed up." He muttered.

"You did nothing wrong. I chose to come here, without you, with no support. I chose to go, and I suffered because of that. Listen to me Boruto, I'm not dead."

"I could have been faster, I could have come sooner, I could have-"

"Boruto." I said sharply cutting him off. "It had nothing to do with you. Understand me?" His hands shook in mine. I would not let go. His hands were the only real proof he was there. I shivered, Orochimaru's hands had been so cold... "I need you to focus. We need to find a way out of here before he gets back. If he hasn't already noticed that you're gone, he'll be here any moment."

My head was spinning and I had a pounding headache. My eyes...or where my eyes should have been pulsed in agony. My wounds are fresh, and they need to be dressed or I'll get an infection, which could lead to far more dangerous complications.

"Boruto. Before we go, I need you to find bandages." I braced myself and I felt my lifeline disappear as he looked around the room. His hand was gone. His warmth was gone. And now everything seemed unbelievably cold. "Hurry." I said shivering.

I felt something touch my head and I flinched. "Oh, sorry." Boruto apologized.

"It's not your fault. I didn't know you were there." I breathed slowly. "Give them to me." He handed me a roll of bandages. Ever so slowly I rolled out some of the cloth. "Boruto, I need you to tell me if the blood has clotted."

"Huh?"

"Are my....sockets...no longer bleeding?" I heard Boruto take a deep breath. A moment later he said.

"Not too bad."

"Good." I murmured. Slowly and carefully I lifted the bandages to my eyes, and wincing at the bright hot pain I wrapped it around my head, once, twice, three times...I began to feel nauseas. Four times. I tied it off on the back of my head. "My headband." I said noticing its absence. "Is it still here?"

There was silence for a second and then Boruto answered. "Yeah." I heard him pick it up.

"Hold onto it for me?"

"Okay." Boruto's breathing seemed so loud now. "Do you need me to help you?"

"Yes." I said gritting my teeth. I felt Boruto cut through the straps on my wrists and I felt that I had struggled so much that my wrists had begun to bleed. They felt irritated. I remember the struggle before I went out. I pulled as hard as I could, but I couldn't stop the needle from entering my forearm and silencing me. Boruto cut through my other ankle strap and I felt my wounds breathe. "Hurry."

Just as that word left my mouth, I could hear the sound of footsteps. "Hide." I breathed. "Hide!" I hissed louder. "He's coming. Get away!"

"I can't leave you here."

"You have to!" I whispered.

"You don't understand, Sarada." He said grabbing my hand. "I can't. And I won't." He squeezed my hand. Then he let go and gently pressed something metal into my hand. A hilt that I knew quite well, a kunai. "Cut yourself free. I'll give you some time."