I was sitting here thinking and came up with this. A friend,
classmate, had died and I couldn't really do much else but
think. So... shall we move on?
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the main character and the names of the others. Mike, Leo, Don, Raph, and Splinter belong to their respective creators and "Sandra Renee" is the name change of Andrea Tynes.
Rated PG for mention of self inflections.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Why?
I sniffed, wrapping my sore, itchy arms around my dirty, jean clad legs. I was able to get a few deep breaths before breaking down into uncontrollable tears once more. I've been down here, in this sewer, the New York sewers, for almost a week now with only a knife and the shelter that the sewers gave. No food, I wasn't hungry, and no water, I wasn't thirsty, for even if I was, I wouldn't be able to get any of it down my throat. I wiped my face with the inside of my shirt and looked up at the sound of soft humming and footsteps. I coward back into the shadows. The shadow of a figure pasted, turning into a tunnel nearby just as a sob ripped through my body.
"Huh...?" the shadow stopped and backed out of the tunnel, "Is someone there?"
I made another unsuccessful attempt to hold back a broken sob. The figure, carrying what looked like a box, stepped towards me.
"Hey... are you ok?" the shadow, obviously a guy, asked.
I didn't answer, even if I wanted to, I probably couldn't anyway. Instead, I tried to hide further into the darkened of the sewers. To my complete surprise, I fell into the stream of light behind me that fell from the grate above, causing me to curse mentally. He gasped in surprise at seeing me. Did I look that bad?
"Oh my... what happened to you, dudette?"
I looked down at myself to find what he was talking about. Both dried and fresh blood was smeared across my arms, clothes, and most likely, my face as well.
"Dudette... you need to get some help..."
I shook my head and started to move back into the shadows as he came closer. I never made it. He tied a blindfold around my eyes and picked me up. At first, I started to struggle to get away, but finally gave up and broke down again. My arms wrapped around his neck and cried for all I was worth. I was surprised to find, when I woke up, that I was laying on something soft. After a quick investigation, I found I was on a couch. Thanks to the blindfold around my head, I still couldn't see anything. I sat up and backed into the corner of the couch and curled up into a huddled ball. Something was wrapped around my arms, making them even more itchy then they were before, though I had to really concentrate to feel the soreness. Running my hands over the material, I guessed that they were bandages. I heard footsteps, which caused me to look toward them.
"Hey, you're awake," another guy's voice reached my ears, "How are you feeling?"
I shrugged in answer, wrapping my bandaged arms back around my legs and burying my face in my knees. The feeling of loss hit me again, causing sobs to rock my shoulders. The couch dipped and an arm circled around my shoulders, pulling me into a chest.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly.
I tried to answer, but it came out as a series of broken sobs and words that couldn't be understood. He rubbed my back, trying to soothe me.
"Hey, Donny...!" the running footsteps and familiar voice came to a stop not to far away, "I'll, umm... I'll get Master Splinter..."
Pulling away, I pulled the blindfold off and covered my face with my shirt, trying my best to quiet my crying.
"What is wrong, child?" I looked up and took in the sight before me with red, tear filled eyes.
Clad in an old robe stood a large, elderly, pardon me but, large, elderly rat. I sniffed and went to wipe my face with the inside of my shirt an d was handed a tissue. Murmuring a chocked out, cracked "Thank you," I wiped my eyes and nose then wrapped my self in a ball and stared off at the small table in front of me.
"...she's gone..." I whispered a moment later, seeming to surprise the people in the room.
"Who...?"
I stayed silent for a while after that. The TV came on, showing the news channel.
"...And in later news, 15 year old Veronica Layhee has gone missing. She was last seen at her school the day Sandra Renee was tragically killed in a one car accident nine days ago," the television showed a bad picture of my former classmate, "Classmates and friends say that she was neither at her classmate's wake or funeral services. Miss Layhee's parents and class are all very worried and wishes far her safe return home..."
"Please... turn it off..." I whispered, trying to block out the news report.
The report was cut off at my request and I buried my face in my knees, rocking back and forth.
"Veronica..."
"They could've at least got a decent picture of her..." I stared off at the blank TV, "I can't believe she's gone. It all feels like a dream and I'm going to wake up any second, but I know it's not... she was such a great person, I just don't understand why it was her..."
"It was her time to go, child..." I looked up at the old rat with more tears threatening to fall.
"But why? She was only 15, a great cheerleader, softball player, an 'A' student," I hurriedly wiped the rest of my tears away, the rat resting a hand on my shoulder.
"It question of 'why' can never be answered. It's never really understood. But I'm very sure that your friend does not wish for you to suffer her passing. She's gone to a better place, away from this... hellish world. You should be grateful that she will no longer suffer the pains of mortals."
I took in the words, being silent as I sorted through their meanings. Finally, I nodded.
"Maybe... maybe you're right, but that doesn't take the pain away..."
"No, it does not, nor does it bring her back, but it's the understanding that helps to accept the fact of loss," he spoke softly.
With another sniff, I smiled slightly.
"Thank you..." I smiled at each of the four turtles and the rat.
I returned home early that morning to get cleaned up from the mess I was without my parent's knowledge of my being there and returned to school, with a new understanding and five new friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dedicated to Andrea Francis Tynes, lost daughter, friend, classmate, cheerleader, softball player, and student. May you rest in peace, Andrea.
Sailor Vegeta
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the main character and the names of the others. Mike, Leo, Don, Raph, and Splinter belong to their respective creators and "Sandra Renee" is the name change of Andrea Tynes.
Rated PG for mention of self inflections.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Why?
I sniffed, wrapping my sore, itchy arms around my dirty, jean clad legs. I was able to get a few deep breaths before breaking down into uncontrollable tears once more. I've been down here, in this sewer, the New York sewers, for almost a week now with only a knife and the shelter that the sewers gave. No food, I wasn't hungry, and no water, I wasn't thirsty, for even if I was, I wouldn't be able to get any of it down my throat. I wiped my face with the inside of my shirt and looked up at the sound of soft humming and footsteps. I coward back into the shadows. The shadow of a figure pasted, turning into a tunnel nearby just as a sob ripped through my body.
"Huh...?" the shadow stopped and backed out of the tunnel, "Is someone there?"
I made another unsuccessful attempt to hold back a broken sob. The figure, carrying what looked like a box, stepped towards me.
"Hey... are you ok?" the shadow, obviously a guy, asked.
I didn't answer, even if I wanted to, I probably couldn't anyway. Instead, I tried to hide further into the darkened of the sewers. To my complete surprise, I fell into the stream of light behind me that fell from the grate above, causing me to curse mentally. He gasped in surprise at seeing me. Did I look that bad?
"Oh my... what happened to you, dudette?"
I looked down at myself to find what he was talking about. Both dried and fresh blood was smeared across my arms, clothes, and most likely, my face as well.
"Dudette... you need to get some help..."
I shook my head and started to move back into the shadows as he came closer. I never made it. He tied a blindfold around my eyes and picked me up. At first, I started to struggle to get away, but finally gave up and broke down again. My arms wrapped around his neck and cried for all I was worth. I was surprised to find, when I woke up, that I was laying on something soft. After a quick investigation, I found I was on a couch. Thanks to the blindfold around my head, I still couldn't see anything. I sat up and backed into the corner of the couch and curled up into a huddled ball. Something was wrapped around my arms, making them even more itchy then they were before, though I had to really concentrate to feel the soreness. Running my hands over the material, I guessed that they were bandages. I heard footsteps, which caused me to look toward them.
"Hey, you're awake," another guy's voice reached my ears, "How are you feeling?"
I shrugged in answer, wrapping my bandaged arms back around my legs and burying my face in my knees. The feeling of loss hit me again, causing sobs to rock my shoulders. The couch dipped and an arm circled around my shoulders, pulling me into a chest.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly.
I tried to answer, but it came out as a series of broken sobs and words that couldn't be understood. He rubbed my back, trying to soothe me.
"Hey, Donny...!" the running footsteps and familiar voice came to a stop not to far away, "I'll, umm... I'll get Master Splinter..."
Pulling away, I pulled the blindfold off and covered my face with my shirt, trying my best to quiet my crying.
"What is wrong, child?" I looked up and took in the sight before me with red, tear filled eyes.
Clad in an old robe stood a large, elderly, pardon me but, large, elderly rat. I sniffed and went to wipe my face with the inside of my shirt an d was handed a tissue. Murmuring a chocked out, cracked "Thank you," I wiped my eyes and nose then wrapped my self in a ball and stared off at the small table in front of me.
"...she's gone..." I whispered a moment later, seeming to surprise the people in the room.
"Who...?"
I stayed silent for a while after that. The TV came on, showing the news channel.
"...And in later news, 15 year old Veronica Layhee has gone missing. She was last seen at her school the day Sandra Renee was tragically killed in a one car accident nine days ago," the television showed a bad picture of my former classmate, "Classmates and friends say that she was neither at her classmate's wake or funeral services. Miss Layhee's parents and class are all very worried and wishes far her safe return home..."
"Please... turn it off..." I whispered, trying to block out the news report.
The report was cut off at my request and I buried my face in my knees, rocking back and forth.
"Veronica..."
"They could've at least got a decent picture of her..." I stared off at the blank TV, "I can't believe she's gone. It all feels like a dream and I'm going to wake up any second, but I know it's not... she was such a great person, I just don't understand why it was her..."
"It was her time to go, child..." I looked up at the old rat with more tears threatening to fall.
"But why? She was only 15, a great cheerleader, softball player, an 'A' student," I hurriedly wiped the rest of my tears away, the rat resting a hand on my shoulder.
"It question of 'why' can never be answered. It's never really understood. But I'm very sure that your friend does not wish for you to suffer her passing. She's gone to a better place, away from this... hellish world. You should be grateful that she will no longer suffer the pains of mortals."
I took in the words, being silent as I sorted through their meanings. Finally, I nodded.
"Maybe... maybe you're right, but that doesn't take the pain away..."
"No, it does not, nor does it bring her back, but it's the understanding that helps to accept the fact of loss," he spoke softly.
With another sniff, I smiled slightly.
"Thank you..." I smiled at each of the four turtles and the rat.
I returned home early that morning to get cleaned up from the mess I was without my parent's knowledge of my being there and returned to school, with a new understanding and five new friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dedicated to Andrea Francis Tynes, lost daughter, friend, classmate, cheerleader, softball player, and student. May you rest in peace, Andrea.
Sailor Vegeta