I cried silently as my big brothers prepared the funeral in the dojo.
My two big brothers.
That thought only made me cry harder. I sat on the couch in the den awaiting the others' arrival. All of our friends were coming. April, Casey, Rockwell, Slash, Pigeon Pete, and Leatherhead.
I brought my knees up to my chest as I sat on the couch, and I sobbed into my knees. One of my best friends were gone. He died a week ago. After six months of fighting he gave up. I wasn't mad at him. What did I have to be mad for? It was just his time. I don't even know if he could hear us at all.
That's what scares me.
"My friend." I heard a gruff voice say. I look up and see Leatherhead standing by the entrance of the lair.
"Leatherhead!" I cry as I run to him and hug him around the waist. "He's gone, LH! He's really gone!" I sob as his arms wrap around me.
"I know, Michelangelo. I am truly sorry." Leatherhead said as he fought tears of his own. I sobbed as I hugged him around the waist tighter than before. He walks me back over to the couch and sits down as he allows me to hug him tightly.
I continue to sob in agony. "Why, Leatherhead?! Why did he have to go?!"
Leatherhead holds me closer. "It was just his time I'm afraid, my friend. It was a short time of his. Fifteen years isn't that old. But it was his." The wise twenty-year-old said.
I sobbed into his shoulder. "Why did it have to be him?"
Leatherhead sighed. "I don't know, Michelangelo," He patted my shell. "I don't know."
"Hey, Mikey." I looked up and saw April and Casey. April was wearing a black long dress that flowed over her feet and a hat with black lace that flowed from the top of it. Casey was wearing a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black tie and shoes.
"Never seen you in formal clothing, J-J-Jones." I tried to joke, though it sounded empty.
Casey smiled slightly at me. "I did it willingly this time. It's for a good reason."
April came over to me and hugged me tightly, and I returned it. "We're all here for you guys, Mike." She told me.
I sighed as more tears made their way down my face. "Thanks, April."
She nodded and Casey came over to me and hugged me as well. "You guys are like my brothers. I'm here for you all, too."
I sobbed. "Thanks, Case."
He patted my shell and pulled away. I rubbed my eyes from tiredness. Ever since this happened six months ago I hadn't been sleeping regularly, and ever since a week ago, when Donnie died, I barely got any sleep at all.
"You look exhausted, Mikey." April told me.
I nodded as I yawned lightly. "I am. I've been barely able to get any sleep. I don't think the others have either."
April nodded as I sat back down on the couch. "I haven't been able to get much sleep myself. I've been thinking too much of you guys."
"Ditto." Casey said.
I sighed as I hugged Leatherhead's waist. "Will everything ever be ok again?"
April knelt in front of me. "Honestly, Mikey? No. Nothing will be ok again. But things will get better. We'll all move on eventually. It may take some time, but we will."
I nodded as LH wrapped me in a comforting hug. In a time of mourn all you need is to be surrounded by friends and family.
"Hello, everyone," Slash said as he entered the lair. I waved politely as everyone else said 'hi'. "Where is Raphael?"
"He's helping set up the funeral." I answered brokenly.
Slash frowned. "I'm sorry, Michelangelo."
"It's alright," I assured him. "I'll have to get over it eventually."
Soon the others arrived, Rockwell, and Pigeon Pete, and even Kirby O'Neal.
Kirby walked up to Splinter and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry about this, Splinter. I know how hard it is to lose a loved one."
Splinter sighed. "Yes, I suppose you do."
Soon Leo and Raph came out. They talked with friends for a bit before allowing the service to begin. They thought that they should catch up with their friends before they started anything.
"Hey, Slash, how's it been?" Raph asked as he sniffed a bit.
Slash smiled sadly at his old friend. "Hey, Raphael. All's been good until I heard of Donatello."
Raph frowned as tears peeked into his eyes. He swiped at his eyes as he sniffed. "Y-Yeah."
Slash frowned at his friend as he hugged him. "Things will get better, Raph. Maybe not today and definitely not tomorrow, but they will eventually."
Raph nodded as he hugged Slash back. "Yeah. I know."
Leo sniffed silently. He wiped at his eyes vigorously. April took notice and hugged him tightly. "Everything's going to get better, Leo. I promise."
Leo sobbed into her shoulder. "It's all my fault, April. It's all my fault he's gone."
April hugged him tightly. "No, Leo. It's not your fault. You were just so determined to get Karai back. It's not your fault."
Leo sighed and nodded. Soon they began the service.
We all enter the dojo to see chairs sat down and a purple coffin sat at the end of the dojo near the tree. I couldn't bear to look at the purple coffin so I buried my head in Leatherhead's chest.
"Leatherhead, I don't want to look." I sobbed.
He rubbed my shell. "And you don't have to, my friend."
I sat in a chair next to LH as I watched the others say goodbyes to my fallen brother. "He made it to heaven, right, LH?"
Leatherhead patted my shell as he continued to comfort me as I sobbed. "There's no doubt in my mind that he did, Michelangelo."
I nodded into his chest. "Am I being a terrible brother for not looking?"
Leatherhead shook his head. "No, Michelangelo. If you can't handle it, you can't handle it. Each of our mental strengths are different. Yours just happens to be weaker than others."
I nodded gently as everyone sat down except Splinter. He stood by Donnie, and began to speak.
"I'd like to thank all of our friends who have come for coming. My son, Michelangelo, has a poem that he'd like to read that he made for Donatello."
I looked at LH for reassurance and he beckoned me up. I stood shakily as I stood by my brother's coffin. I took out a piece of paper and began to read.
"Month one
We had more hope than ever
Even though we knew your chances were slim
We tried to stay positive whether
It felt light or dim
You look a bit thinner than you were before
But not terribly so
Though our hearts tore
We knew that you may go
We don't want you to
Not the least bit
But soon we may have to
And a candle will be lit
Month 2
I'm a bit more scared
I haven't seen your eyes in a while
I miss you beyond compare
Sometimes your body wracks with coughs and you cough up bile
Though you cough you don't awake
And I can't help but think the worst
I wish you'd jump up from the bed yelling that this is fake
Though I know it's not and it feels like a curse
Open your eyes big brother
I long to see them so
I hate seeing you suffer
But I do wish that you don't go
Month 3
Three months have gone by
And I miss you
Every day I cry
And the others do, too
The coughing has but you vomit now
And blood splotches are in it
I promise that you'll be ok I vowed
I wish I could say you were getting better bit by bit
But in all honesty you're getting worse
And it feels so long
This is the new verse
In the song
Month 4
Why won't you wake up
You're scaring me
You can't drink the water in the cup
And you can't open your eyes and see
I miss you Donnie, please come home
What do I have to do to get you back
Around the lab I always roam
But rest is what I lack
Please come back Donnie
I miss you so
Your body is has gotten so scrawny
Oh brother, please don't go
Month 5
I'm crying so hard
Home is where you need to be
Your arms are scarred
And I just wish you could hear my plea
Brother, please, I feel so lost
I don't know what to do
What will I do if your life is cost
And your spirit leaves me too
Month 6
I can't stop crying
You lost your fight today
Now today you are flying
Above the sky of May
I feel lost without you
And my tears won't stop falling
Never have I felt this blue
While the angels were calling
Why did they choose to call you
Of all people they could have had
Now to keep back tears my lip is what I chew
And now forever I will feel sad."
I fall to my knees near my fallen brother. "Donnie! Why'd you leave us?!" I scream. I punched the floor and curled into a ball. "Donnie!" I screamed.
I felt arms surround me, but it was all a blur. The pain was too agonizing to bear. "Donnie!" I scream in agony. I knew nothing would be ok again. But they had to get better.
Right?
"Mikey, calm down." I heard a voice say. I saw a flash of blue.
"C'mon, knuckle head, calm down." A flash of red.
"My friend, please calm down."
"Mikey, please."
I couldn't stop screaming.
Nothing would be ok.
Suddenly, a strong pair of arms wrapped around my frame. "Mikey, I know this is hard," He sobbed and let out a soft sniff. "We all do. And we're all sad and scared, but you have to calm down."
My screams slowly died down as I gripped whoever was hugging me so tightly. "Why him?"
He sighed. "I don't know, Mike. I really don't know."
I gripped him tighter. "Raphie, would he have ever been the same if he woke up?" I whispered.
He sighed as his arms gripped me tighter. "I don't know, Mike. He had some major brain damage. He wouldn't be able to do science anymore and his training would have had to been discontinued. He wouldn't have been the same. He'd be lucky if he still acted like a teenager."
I nuzzled my face into his chest. "I miss him, Raphie."
He sighed as he placed his chin against my head. "I know. We all do."
It was well after the service and everyone had gone home. Leatherhead had left last, wanting to know if I'd be ok after my melt down.
I lied still in my bed, staring up at my ceiling. I couldn't sleep. I hadn't been able to for a long time.
Six months exactly.
It was catching up to me, too. No matter how tired I was I couldn't sleep. I had nightmares of the fight that killed Donnie. I didn't believe that I had a chance of catching any good sleep.
I couldn't stand the silence, so I turned on the radio. The radio was silent, not giving off too much sound. I just sat there, listening to the radio.
"Mikey, are you ok?"
I looked around the room. "Donnie?"
"What's wrong, Mike?"
"Donnie?!" I yelled looking around the room. "Donnie?! Where are you?!"
"I'm right here, Mikey. Can't you see me?"
I looked around more frantically, not seeing my brother. "Donnie?! Donnie, I can't see you!" I screamed as I searched for my dead brother. I looked around the room, flipping my dresser, my desk, opening my closet and tearing it apart. I began screaming when I couldn't find him.
"Donnie, where are you?!" I screamed as I fell to my knees and pounded my fist against the floor.
"Mikey!" I heard my brother yell. He came over to me and wrapped his arms around me as he held my hands to my sides.
"Donnie, where are you?!" I screamed, my eyes darting around the room.
"Mikey, Donnie's dead!" My other brother yelled as he wrapped me in his arms as well.
I sobbed and screamed. "He can't be! I heard him!"
"Mikey, give it up! Donnie's dead and we can't do anything about it! We have to move on!"
I sobbed as my two older brothers hugged me.
Two.
No longer three.
Never again four.
Forever three.
"I want him back." I sobbed softly.
I heard Leo sigh. "We all do. But we'll see him again, soon."
I sobbed gently as I am pressed against both of my two brothers. "How long until then?"
I heard Raph sigh as they tightened the hug. "Hopefully not for a long time."
Leo gripped me tighter as he picked me up. He carried me to his room. His bed was bigger than mine. I preferred a small bed to a big bed. I felt so alone in a big bed, so mine was smaller.
Raph lied down on the bed, then Leo lied me down on his bed, then Leo lied down, so I was in between my two big brothers.
No longer three.
I sobbed softly, but the sobs died down as Raph threw his arm over me and then Leo. They both kissed my head.
"Love you, bros." I said as I began to fall asleep.
Leo chuckled light. "Love you, too, Mikey."
Before I fell into darkness I heard Raph say, "Love you, too, little brother."
I watched sadly as my brothers fell asleep. And as I slowly began to disappear I whispered, loud enough for them all to hear, "I'm sorry, guys. I love you all."
Did I make any of you cry? Anyone at all? Did you like it, love it, hate it? Let me know. Your opinion matters. :)
