I walked down the alley way that led to my old home. Everything seemed the same. The rusty dumpsters were lined up against the wall, holding items that could be rubbish to one person, but great wonders to another. The dark door was still the bright green I painted it when I got bored of the dull brown. The paint had peeled and faded, but it was still there, letting in a little bit of cheer to the depressing alley way. Even the graffiti looked the same ten years on. The mystery 'Zino' was still written on the wall, just barely readable though age.
No one seemed to be at home, or had been for at last a couple of months. I looked up to the window. It was dirty and I could see a spider web hanging from the window. The street lamp in the black just beyond the alley way illustrated it and it's unique pattern.
I grabbed hold of the fire stair's ladder and begin to climb it. The cold metal still felt familiar under my fingertips and it was like greeting an old friend. I climbed until I got to the window and sat in my old place against the wall. I was in full view of the alley way, but no one could see me. I pulled my hood up to shield myself from the coldness of the wind and got out my old diary. It has been ten years, ten long years, since I opened it, just before I moved out of this flat and it was lost to moving boxes. I don't need the diary though. I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was just out of University. 20 years old, young but well educated. I had moved from my life long home in Florida to the busy city of New York. I was in the midst if my teacher training. Teaching children under the supervision of a more experienced teacher. I spent my nights planning the next lesson or marking papers. It was stressful, I will admit, but rewarding.
I had spent my short life helping others. Feeding the hungry at my weekends, singing to the elderly to raise their spirits, reading to the blind and now I was teaching children so they had a brighter and a more successful future.
I hadn't made many friends. I had my collages at work but they were so much older them my self. There was a young woman at a café I went to for a break once in a while. We would chat from time to time, but nothing more then polite, short conversation. My friends at work had gone their ways, as I had mine, and out connect had ended.
So I was lonely. I spent my nights on this fire staircase, just wishing I could see the stars.
That was when I first saw him. Leaning slightly on a wooden stick. His head was hidden by a brown hood. He was short and the little bit of his face, arms and legs that I could see were extremely hairy.
That didn't bother me much. What did bother me was that he had come out of the sewer! He had pushed up a man hole gently and had slid it across slowly, before jumping out of the dark hole.
I watched silently as he quickly lifted one of the dumpster's lid and climbed in. he rummaged around, every now and again putting a piece of food that looked half healthy in a plastic bag that he had brought with him. He put in a bow of half eaten pizza that the next door neighbour had thrown out yesterday, a couple tins I had thrown away because I decided I would never eat them, a stale loaf of French bread and a packet of biscuits that number 11 had thrown away because they hadn't realised that they contain nuts. I heard a faint chuckle when he found the cookies and he got out, silently. He looked around, before disappearing down the man hole.
I felt sorry for the guy, I really did. I couldn't imagine a life where I had to live down a sewer and search thought the bins for a meal. He didn't look young either and someone his age could easily catch an illness. I went back into my warm flat, feeling guilty as I curled into my comfortable bed.
The next night, I was sitting there again, back against the wall, knees up and a notepad rested on my knee.
It had been a life long dream to become a writer, but I never knew where to begin. At the moment, I was mid way through a short story about two brothers who were on a camping trip. They had just caught a huge fish and were wandering what they were going to do with it.
I sighed as I closed the notepad, my writer's block back. I was just about to go back in when I heard a noise below me. I looked down and saw him again. He leapt out of the man hole and looked around, warily. He was hidden again by his coat and hood, but I could see his unusual hairy legs.
A wild thought came to my young mind then. What if he wasn't human? Maybe he was a giant cat, or dog. That was why he was so hairy and why he couldn't live in a house. This thought went just as quick as it had came. I laughed at my stupidity as he went down the man hole again.
The next day, I brought a cooked chicken and some bread. I put them in a dustbin. I watched again as he emerged from the dark sewers. I saw his eyes light up when he found the still warm chicken and the fresh bread. I smiled as he put it in the bag and started to dig around for more.
It also felt good when I helped others.
And it continued like that. I would put fresh food in the dumpster and then watch from my staircase as he found it every night. It might seem like being wasteful, but he was benefiting.
Two weeks later, he brought them with him. Two of them any way. I nearly yelled in shock when I saw them.
They were small, only going up to his waist and green!! I soon realised that they were turtles, but not like any turtles I have ever seen before.
They were walking on just two legs, and instead of being slow, like most turtles, they were jumping around and running about just like the seven year olds I teach. They had bandannas wrapped around their small heads and I was reminded slightly of a Ninja film I watched a couple of days before.
"Stay here" he ordered them. It was the first time I had heard him speak. It was calm and had a Japanese accent to it.
"Yes, Master Splinter" said one of them, the one with a blue bandanna. The other turtles, one with a red bandanna, looked really bored. He ran around the bottom of the dumpster, trying to get the other turtle into a game of tag.
"Come on, Leo" he teased, hitting him on the arm. Leo glared at him and hit him back.
"Leonardo, Raphael, harsh" said Splinter, his head appearing out of the dumpster. He was holding the packet of apples that I had thrown away for him.
The turtles stopped immediately and bowed their heads. I could tell they were brothers and I understood this behaviour between siblings.
"I think we have everything we need" Splinter said, jumping out of the bin. Leo took the bag off of him and they all jumped down the sewers.
I stayed on that staircase for hours. Turtles! Turtles that could walk and talk!
It was amazing, and I wanted to know how.
But then I felt bad. He had children. It didn't matter what they were, turtles of human. What kind of life is that for a child? To live in the cold, damp sewers and to live out of the rubbish that was thrown away. What kind of start in life was that?
I went back to bed that night more amazed, but feeling guiltier then I ever had before in my life.
After that, Splinter, for I was sure that was his name, brought Leonardo and Raphael to the dumpster quite a lot. They soon learnt to be quiet and they would help Splinter search for their meals.
I started to get my sketch book out and draw them. I draw the small bodies, with their half shell and their three fingers, and their two toes feet.
It wasn't long before I discovered that there were two more sons.
I saw Donatello and Michelangelo tumble out of the sewer behind their other brothers. Out of all the turtles, they were defiantly the cutest. Michelangelo had the bluest eyes you could ever imagine and Donatello was shy and quiet.
"I've never been topside before" Michelangelo said in wonder as he looked around. Donatello nodded and clanged to him.
"Donnie is scared" Raphael teased.
"No I'm not" Donatello said, defending himself.
"Are so" Raphael said, sticking out his tongue.
"Well…I'm scared" Michelangelo said in a innocent voice, holding on to Splinter's robe.
"It's ok, my son, just stay quiet" Splinter said, comforting his son. They gathered quite a lot of food that night. Next door had decided to go on a diet and had thrown out all of their unhealthy food, which was quite a lot of food. The turtle's seven year old eyes lit up in joy as their father handed them sweets, cakes, chocolate and crisps.
"Sensei, look at this!" Donatello said, happiness in his young voice. He was holding up a toy car. It had several bits missing. Two wheels, a door and it's motor was broken.
"It's broken, Donatello" Splinter said, taking a close look at it.
"I know, Master Splinter, but I can fix it" Donnie said, excitement ranging in his voice, "Please, Sensei"
"Fine" Splinter smiled. Donnie smiled as he thanked his father and started to go on to Mikey about how he could fix and improve it. They disappeared down the sewer once again.
Four turtles! There were four of them. How could Splinter cope with all of them?
Over the next couple of months, I felt like I got to know them all.
Leonardo was very clearly the eldest of them all. He quickly took the lead and was very queen to please his father. He made sure that his brothers were safe and was always telling his brothers off when they made too much noise.
Raphael was very quick-tempered. He was very much the most aggressive one out of all of them. He would hit any one of his brothers with ease, but I noticed that his most common victim was poor Michelangelo.
Donatello was the smartest one by far. He fixed that car and he was driving it around the alley with pleasure. I was amazed at how smart he was. Knowledge flowed though him like blood did. Rich and plenty of it. He was probably the quietest of them as well, closely followed by Leonardo.
Michelangelo was defiantly the nosiest. His fear of the dark alley way went very quickly and started to run around it and play. He often needed reminding to be quiet by Master Splinter. I think he was the youngest, but I couldn't be certain.
Three months after first seeing Splinter, I draw a picture of him, for I had discovered that he was in fact a rat. I did my best to make the picture recognisable as him and then laid it on the dumpster's lid. I climbed my fire staircase and sat in my normal position.
It was nearly midnight when all five of them emerged from the sewer. Raph was the one to find the picture. He looked at it, his eyes growing wide.
"Master Splinter…it's you!" he said, handing the picture to his father. Splinter studied it before turning to his interested sons.
"Down the sewer now!" he ordered them, in a surprisingly scared tone.
"But…" Raph started.
"Now!" Splinter said in a more demanding manner. The turtles did as they were asked and disappeared into the sewer. Splinter stood there, poised for an attack.
"I don't mean any harm" I said, afraid of the rat. He looked up at me as I stood up.
"How do you know what I am?" he asked. His hood hid his face, but I could see his eyes aflame.
"I've been watching you for months now, I know that you are called Splinter and that your sons are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo" I told him, making my way down the steps.
"Yet I know nothing of you" he said, venom in his Japanese voice.
"I'm Laura" I said, holding out my hand, "Laura Fraser" Splinter looked at my hand, curiously, but at the same time in great surprise. He slowly lowered his raised walking stick and took my hand. I smiled and shook it warmly.
"Would you like to come in for tea?" I asked, politely.
"Is this some kind of trap?" he asked, becoming defensive. I shook my head.
"Oh no, you can go in first if you want, or something to check" I told him. He looked into my eyes and I seemed unable to look away from his deep, meaningful dark eyes.
"I see no lie in your eyes" he told me and a smile seem to reach his whisked face.
"Your sons can come in as well," I suggested, "I could make you all dinner if you wish, or I could order a pizza from the local take away"
"Why are you being so kind to us?" Splinter asked, not moving from where he was standing. I blinked several time. What kind of question was that?
"Because you are in need and everyone deserves a helping hand" I answered. I could see the small turtles peeking out of the man hole, eyes bright with wonder. I smiled at them, and Raph climbed out of the sewer. He ran up to Splinter and stood at his side, almost nervously.
"Hi" I smiled at him, letting him know I was kind. This encouraged his brothers to hurry after him.
"Watcha' name?" Mikey asked in his innocent voice.
"Miss Fraser" I replied, taking on my teacher name.
"Did you mention food?" Mikey asked, coming from behind his father. I laughed.
"Yeh, but you better asked your father if you're allowed" I told him, bending down to his level. Immediately, the four turtles started to beg Splinter for food.
"Please Sensei"
"Come on"
"Pleeeaase"
Splinter looked at each of his sons before sighing.
"Very well" he looked at me and I smiled as the turtles cheered.
I allowed Splinter to go through my front door. A stairway led the way up to my small flat.
"I've never met a human before" Donnie said, walking beside me.
"And I've never met a talking turtle before" I replied, allowing him to go though the door to my flat.
"Wow!" all turtles gasped as they walked in. It wasn't anything to be amazed by, to be honest, but I was pretty sure that this was the first time they had ever seen inside he home of a human. The kitchen and living room were conjured, with one door leading to the bedroom and another leading to the bathroom. The furniture was really mix and match and nothing went with anything, but it was home.
I switched on the TV for the turtles to surf and rang up the all-night pizza parlour. While the pizza was on it's way, me and Splinter sat t my table. It was meant for eating at, but it's only use so far was when I needed to mark papers.
I told him my story at his request and how I came to know if his and his son's existents. I then asked of how he became what he was.
He told the story of the ooze and how he mutated him and his sons into a more human form. I listened in wonder.
It was quite late when the pizza was consumed.
"And you just took them all in?" I asked, still talking to Splinter at the table.
"Yes, as you said, they were in need and everyone deserves a happy hand" he said, "Or in my case, a claw" he chuckled warmly and it was probably the warmest sound I have ever heard. I smiled and looked over to the turtles. Three of them were curled up asleep on the couch.
Mikey was sucking his thumb, while hugging Raph around the middle. Raph had his head buried in Leo's shoulder, with his arm draped over Mikey's stomach. And Leo had his head rested on Raph's, with his arm wrapped around Raph's shoulder.
They looked so sweet. How could anyone neglected them? Even if they were green.
"Miss Fraser?" came a sweet voice from the corner of the living room. Donnie was sitting next to my book self, a book spread across his lap. I got up and walked to him.
"Yes, Donatello?" I asked, kneeling next to him.
"Can you read this to me, please?" he asked, holding the book up. It was 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe', a dear favourite of mine. I smiled and sat next to him. I begun to read the book to him and before long, he was curled up in my lap, sound asleep. I closed the magic world of Narnia and put Donnie beside his brothers. I sat down next to Splinter and watched them.
"Miss Fraser, could I possibly ask you a favour?" Splinter asked, a few minuets later. I nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"Donatello-along with some of his brothers-has expressed a wish to learn how to read, I bring home books sometimes that people have thrown out, but they cannot read the words so are left with just the pictures to glance at" he explained to me, "I would teach them this skill myself, part from the fact that I do not know how to read much English, could you possibly teach them?" I smiled.
"I would love to" I replied.
And so the lessons began. These took place three times a week. Splinter and his sons come around my flat and I would sit the turtles at my table. Splinter sat on the sofa, watching the lessons. We started with group reading, where we all had the same book and we read in shared turns.
I quickly learnt that all the turtles were different. Donnie learnt the fastest, speeding though the book so fast that it was hard for the rest of us to catch up. He was patient with his brothers, but it did irritate him when his other brothers were taking slow and he would sometimes skip ahead. This made the one who was reading normally upset.
Leo was quite smart as well. He was slower at understanding some words, but he never forgot a word. If he had read and learnt it once, he wouldn't forget it. He was slower at reading them Donnie, thinking the text though. I also noticed that he was keen to please.
Mikey preferred looked at the pictures then actual reading the book. He could read, I knew he could, but his attention span was so short. He always lost track of where we were and when he read, he read it so fast that he made silly mistakes.
And Raph. Well, Raph found reading really hard. He took several turns to learn new word and he struggled over long words. He was the slowest at reading and this, I think, embarrassed him. He tried so hard and he got angry so easily in his frustration.
Very soon, I was dealing with four very different levels of reading. I would split the sessions into two. I would do group reading with Mikey and Raph, while Leo and Donnie read a book to Splinter. He maybe couldn't read English, but he could listen and that helped as the students could hear their own mistakes and correct themselves. The next half was the same, but the other way round, with Leo and Donnie reading a book to me and Raph and Mikey with Splinter.
Donnie learnt so fast that he had soon read the whole of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' on his own. Leo had started to read several 'The Famous Five' stories and was making his way though them, slowly. Mikey made his way though 'The Twits' and Raph had attempted a book of short stories that I had found.
I also taught them how to write. Raph was better in this area, with the neatest handwriting out of all of the small turtles. Of course, Donnie had the best spelling, but his hand writing was very scruffy. Mikey and Leo both had problems with spelling and both shared bottom marks in spelling tests.
I sent them home with homework to complete. This was, at first, spellings to learn and books to finish. But, as time went on, I started to teach them about other subjects, like history and geography. Splinter had already taught them quite a lot in these areas so all turtles had a good knowledge.
I taught them about wars, volcanoes, earthquakes, 'old, dead guys' as Raph put it and other such things. I taught them everything that I taught my students at school and more in same cases.
Splinter and the turtles became my friends, my family.
However, good things never least. I was offered work in England, where my aunt and uncle lived. So I had to move. I couldn't bear to tell them. I had never been good with goodbyes and I couldn't stand to see sad faces. Especially the sad faces of four now nine year old turtles.
So I left a note, explaining everything. I wanted them to continue to learn how to read and left each of them a book, including the kind old Splinter. And then I left.
Not a day has gone past who I hadn't thought of my mutated friends.
Now, ten years later, I have returned. I've heard rumours about 'green aliens' that live in the sewers of New York. I guess very few people know about the turtles, but the couple of people that had seen the turtles had not accepted them as I had.
I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a noise above me, on the roof of the apartment. I looked up.
"You can't catch me" someone was teasing.
"Grr…get back here, Mikey" someone else said, in a Brooklyn accent. I could hear feet running across the roof.
"Guys, aren't you too old for this?" someone else said in a gentler voice.
"Donnie, you know as well as I do that Mikey and Raph will never grow up" laughed another voice.
I smiled. I recognised them voice. I stood up and, using my old silent skills, climbed the ladder up to the roof. I peered over the edge.
They had grown. Boy, had they grown. The four innocent seven year old turtles, with eyes that could melt the soul, were now big, ninety year olds, that had matured and their eyes showed many hardships.
Well, some of them had matured, anyway. The red bandannaed turtle, known as Raph, was chasing the orange turtle known as Mikey. Raph looked angry and I see why. Mikey had stolen Raph's ninja weapon and running around with it. I could tell it was Raph's because it had a red handle. It looked dangerous and I felt like shouting out, for my innocent Mikey should not be handling such a weapon.
Mikey had his own weapon. Two items that each had two pieces of wood, clothed in orange and joined by a chain.
I looked at Leo. He was looking at his two younger brothers, with laughter in his eyes. But he also seemed alert and ready for anything, like a real leader.
Donnie was sitting on the edge of the roof, laughing at his brothers. He had in his hand, a screwdriver and something green with wires hanging out.
I smiled at my old students. I watched them for a while, like I use to, taking everything in. I didn't know how to announce my presence and I felt nervous. My hands grew numb from the cold and I slipped slightly on the ladder. I let out a small scream as I tightened my grip.
Immediately, Mikey stopped running around and looked towards to where I was. He threw the weapon to Raph and took out his own. Donnie jumped up, dropped his device and took out his weapon, which was a long stick. Leo spun around and in a quick 'Swish' his weapons were from behind his back and he held them ready in his hands. This surprised me. What were they expecting?
"Now, now, I'm sure Master Splinter taught you better manners then that" I said, climbing onto the roof. I lowered my hood, and smiled at them.
"Who are you? How do you know about Master Splinter?" Leo asked, standing his ground.
"Don't you remember me, Leonardo?" I asked. I guess I, like them, looked different after ten years. I looked at each one in turn, smiling warmly to try and boast their memories.
"Miss Fraser?" Donnie asked, lowering his stick slightly.
"Yes, Donatello, you were always the fastest" I replied. He lowered his weapon completely and walked over to me.
"Is it really you?" he asked. I nodded. Mikey, Raph and Leo lowered their weapons as well and came over to me. I smiled as my students started to ask questions, like where I had gone and why I was back.
They led me back to their lair, where I saw Splinter. He was greyer then I remember, but his kind eyes were just the same. The turtles, Splinter and I talked into the night, just like we use to.
It was like the past ten years never happened.
I don't like this story. I don't even know why I wrote it. I think it something to do with these evil plot bunnies. Laura Fraser isn't me by the way, and I don't know where she came from.
Please review, flames welcome, but nothing too harsh