The Difference Between Us
I remember when I was little I would hold my father's hand and wonder why he felt so warm. His hand was always a comfort when I held it or when it caressed my head when I was upset. I looked up at him as he stood next to me and wondered why we were so different. I knew he was a rat and I was a turtle but at that time I didn't understand why we were so different or why my hand was always colder compared to his. Why were we so different when we both have hearts, lungs, brain then why couldn't I go up to the surface. Father told me and my brothers that it was because we were different and a lot of people wouldn't understand even though we were all built the same. Father warned us each time we asked to good up to the surface with him when he went to scavenge for supplies but he told us no. It was too dangerous and he wanted us to grow. We had to grow and see the world as it was a place where we were separate from the rest. I didn't understand so father broke it down and talked to me how he was rat and I was a turtle.
He was a creature that had warm blood that's why his hands and body were always so nice against my cold skin. I was a creature with cold blood, I love swimming in the cold ponds when the rain water made the small pool in our home rise so my brothers and I could play in it. Father would only stand by the side and would flinch away from feel of the water when we splashed him. I asked why we couldn't be the same and he said it was nature's choice and we couldn't change it. So, I grew up believing that my family and I would never be excepted by those on the surface. But that all changed when my brothers and I turned sixteen and we had a chance in counter with two humans who at first took a step away from us but soon got to know and love us as if we were family. There were times when I did see the ugly side of mankind and those that came and tried to kill or hurt my family all because we were different.
I promised on the day my family was attacked by machines made by humans that I would do anything to protect them. My life was theirs as was my final breath when we ventured outside one day to patrol the city that didn't know us nor cared. Running around ridding the streets of a few muggers and leftover Purple Dragons we were going onto midnight when we were ambushed by foot ninja looking for a fight. My brothers and I engaged them and fought each enemy as if they were our last. We all knew what it felt like to lose a family member, we all knew the pain of a cut or a bruise. We all knew the guilt and anger or someone we love falling into the hands of death. When father passed just one month ago we all started to pull away from reality. The only time we stood together was when we were patrolling the city and even that was covered in a heavy atmosphere. As we finished the ninja off and started to walk away from the corner of my eye I could see something rectangular and metallic being raised towards my family. So, I did what I had to do I pushed them away from me. The sound of the bullet breaking the sound barrier the sound of my shell crack everything could be heard. My bones were shatters, skin torn and heated from the heat of the bullet, my scream of pain as I fell to the ground. My hands instantly went to the wound sight as the bullet left my body and impacted into he concrete wall of the building roof top.
One brother went wild and finished the ninja off and made sure the rest were done. The others ran towards my side and held me as they tried to stop the bleeding. But sadly, nothing could stop it I could feel my self-slipping away as my vision fuzzed over. I looked up at my brother's crying faces. Wet warm tears hit my cold skin. I chuckled thinking about how turtles had cold blood but produced something as warm as them. I remember the heat as it rolled off my face onto the ground under me. Blood and tears mixed into a warm pool under me. With the little strength in my body I raised my hand and placed it against one of my brother's faces and laughed. He cradled the hand on his cheek and smiled asking me what. I slowly told him that it felt warm. He closed his eyes and chuckled saying yes, he was warm. I didn't understand at first but I guess from blood loss my body temperature would drop but I was happy. I couldn't see anymore as my vision grew darker and darker. The faces of my three brothers were just blobs but I knew they were there. Touching my cold skin with their hands tell me that I was not alone. I was happy. I was with people who cared about me and love me.
I was with people who saw me as who I was; a living being who just looked a bit different than the rest but I was still a living being who was loved and chose to leave this world as someone who continues to love even when others refuse it.