Song: Monster
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Character/s: Emily
·Past·
I stood on the fire escape, looking down at all the other orphan children playing below me. My heart beat a little slower every time I heard one of them laugh or yell. Everybody in the orphanage had at least one friend that they would always hang out with.
That is, everybody except me. I was an outsider. A loner. A freak. "Scarface." They would always snicker as the children my age or older walked by. The younger ones just avoided me, out of fear.
Ever since I could remember,
Everything inside of me,
Just wanted to fit in.
I climbed back in the window that led to the girl's bedroom. Fourteen beds lined the walls in two even rows of seven. I had the one on the left, closest to the window. Personally, I figured this was rather stupid, considering how much I escaped. I remember how much Mr. Schneider (or Elmer. I just called him by his first name) had freaked out when I came home after going missing for over a week, and then coming back with a huge scar across my face. He had barricaded the window with heavy, metal bars. But… that was last year, and I was still visiting the turtles to this very day.
I was never one for pretenders,
Everything I tried to be,
Just wouldn't settle in.
Yes, I said turtles. Basically, my best friends are four mutant turtles; Leonardo, the calm, kind-hearted, brave one; Raphael, the hot-tempered softie with an attitude; Donatello, the insanely intelligent, quirky one; and, finally, the one and only Michelangelo, the sweet one that just never seemed to run out of energy. Oh, I almost forgot! Splinter, (he's a rat. Literally. But, he's super awesome.) the father of them all.
And then there's me; Emiliah. And… I don't really know what I am yet.
I took a quick peek in the mirror to examine my face. The scar had healed quite nicely (thanks to Donnie), but it was still impossible to miss. The bottom of my hair was turning a black color. I had had an… "experience" with mutagen a few days back, and instead of turning into a mutant, I was… actually, I don't know what's happening to me. I also notices specks of a dark brown in my crystal blue eyes.
I raised my arms above my head and stretched. In the mirror, I saw red sparks fly from my palms. I quickly brought them back down to my eye level, making my shoulder pop. I started at my hands in astonishment. I focused hard, willing myself to do it again. Sure enough, my hands lit up in a flame. I sighed, "I'm probably gonna have to mention this to Donnie…" I said to myself.
·Present Time·
"So, they're your brothers?" Casey asked me. I had just met him tonight. After the whole Footbot masquerade, everybody was out of energy except me. Casey had been up for another run-around, so I took the offer and led him to the rooftops.
"Yep, all four of 'em." I said, staring off at the city lights. I had lived in New York all my life, but I could never get over the beauty of Manhattan at night.
"So you're like… adopted?" He asked.
"Bingo." I smirked.
After a long pause, he said, "Emily, are you human?"
I almost laughed at his question, but I realized that I'm not even close to human. Okay maybe I'm overestimating, but you get the point. "Um… no. I'm actually not."
"Than what are you?"
"A mutant."
"How?"
I paused. I always hated explaining my condition, it usually either confused the person or freaked them out. Either one I didn't like. I figured there was no use running off, figuring that it was most likely that I'm gonna see him again. I sighed and stepped away from the rooftop. "Don't scream."
If I told you what I was,
Would you turn your back on me?
And if I seem dangerous,
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
That this problem lies in me…
An orange flame roared to life in my hands and on my wrists. "Mutagen did this to me. The same thing that mutated my brothers," I explained as I did small tricks with the fire. I shot two, longs streams of flames toward him, each about five feet away from where he stood and ended in front of the ledge behind him. He just stood there, frozen, and I immediately regretted my decision.
"That… was… metal!" He exclaimed.
"Wait… really?" I said, not being able to hold back a smile.
"Yeah! You were all like- bwaaa! And then you were like- whoosh!" He said, demonstrating rather ecstatic hand motions. I covered my mouth, stifling laughter. "Emily, you're a cool dude."
"Well, I'm not technically cool." I said. Ha-ha, fire pun. Casey laughed and rolled his eyes at my lame joke.
"So, are you like, immune to mutagen?" He asked.
"Well… I actually I don't know. I've never been hit by actual mutagen. It was like… a failed experiment. 'Unstable' is what I call it. I don't think I'm immune to it, I'm just unlucky." I explained. Casey nodded in understanding. "It's not all it's cracked up to be. Sure it's cool, and it comes in handy, but it's overpowering. Like, it gets to my head. I'm scared that… what if one day I lose it… a-and hurt somebody?"
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.
A monster, a monster,
I've turned into a monster,
A monster, a monster,
And it keeps getting stronger.
Casey came over and rested his hand on my shoulder. "I saw how good of a fighter you are tonight, skunk. I think you can handle it." He smiled. "Why are you even telling me this?"
"'Cuz I can trust you." That's all I said. "We should get back." We turned and jumped the rooftops as we ran home. "Did you call me skunk?"
"Yeah. It's a nickname!" He called out.
"But skunks are black with a white stripe. Wouldn't a… panda make more sense?" I said, crossing my arms.
"Um… I wouldn't be able to remember that." He protested, turning away.
I scoffed. "Whatever."
·Past·
I moaned to myself. There was nobody upstairs, which gave me the perfect opportunity to crawl out the window to go and visit the boys… but then I remembered the book Donnie had wanted me to bring it. Of course, the book was downstairs.
I trudged down the stairs into the lobby. And, none other than Elmer Schneider was there. "Ah, Emily! What brings you down here?" He asked. I swear, that guy never left the 1960's.
"Just grabbing a book." I said. I went over to the bookshelf and dragged my finger across the spines of the books. "The Secret Zoo" I snatched it from the shelf and whispered, "Bingo," to myself.
"Emily," he said. I turned my head. "I really do hope you're not going out again."
I crossed my arms. "And why's that?"
"Emily, you're seven! You know how dangerous this part of Manhattan is at night! You could be killed!"
"You seriously think I don't know that?" I scoffed. "I'll be fine. It's been three years, and I'm still here!"
"But what if one night you aren't!?" His face was turning red with rage. "What if one night you don't come back!?"
"THIS IS AN ORPHANAGE!" I yelled. "I'm bound to not come back one night!" My breaths were coming in heavily. "At least… I hope I do."
His face softened at my last comment. I turned and quickly headed back upstairs. "I'm not gonna die," I mumbled to myself.
I quickly walked back into the girl's bedroom to see Gaby, one of the older kids, resting on her bed with a bottle of nail polish in front of her. She took a quick glance at me and then looked back at her primped fingers. I ran to the window and undid the latch and moved the loose bar.
"You better not be leaving," She said.
I turned around to face her. "And why's that?" She didn't respond right away, as if she was surprised to hear my voice. "Because you're gonna get in trouble. I'll tell Mrs. Mace if you leave." Ms. Mace was another care keeper, and she was someone you did not want to mess with. But, since when do I follow rules?
"Oh yeah, try me. See if I care." I went back to crawling out the window.
"MRS. MACE! MRS. MACE COME QUICK!" Gaby hollered. Mrs. Mace was in here in an instant. "What is it?!" She asked, out of breath.
"Emily's leaving!" Gaby pointed at me.
"Jeez Gaby, you're so mature," I scoffed. I managed to close the window a second before she could grab my wrist. My feet were at ground level before the 40-year-old could even get the window open.
I smiled as the cool air whipped my hair and face. I always got this huge rush of adrenaline whenever I left to go see the boys (which was like, every night. The people at St. Mary's are really easy to get past). It felt like I was going… home. I was miserable here at the orphanage, but of course that was something I would never admit.
Can I clear my conscience,
If I'm different from the rest,
Do I have to run and hide?
I never said that I want this,
This burden came to me,
And it's made its home inside.
"Emily!" Mikey gave me a big hug after I crawled into the manhole. Every night a different turtle was there to lead me to the lair.
"Hey Mike." I returned the hug and kissed him on the forehead. He grabbed my hand and we started toward the lair. Mikey always held my hand when we walked in the sewers… because he was afraid of the dark. It's an old childhood fear that he hasn't seemed to outgrow. But hey, I don't care. (Just between you and me, Donnie has the same fear. And Raph's scared of bugs, Leo's scared of heights, and I'm scared of bees, wasps, hornets, basically anything in that era.)
Mikey seemed really happy we walked to the lair. I mean, he was always happy, but tonight he was over the top. "What's up, Mikey?" I asked him.
He gave me a big smile. "Can't say!" I rolled my eyes.
I was dying to tell someone about the sparks. Should I tell Mikey? Would he be afraid of me?
If I told you what I was,
Would you turn your back on me?
And if I seem dangerous,
Would you be scared?
I get the feeling just because,
Everything I touch isn't dark enough
That this problem lies in me…
I decided to suck it up. "Hey Mike, you've seen fire before, right?"
He looked up at me. "Yeah, Splinter sometimes lights candles when he meda… mentala…"
"Meditates?" I smiled as he tried to pronounce the word.
"Yeah, meditates! He lights candles when de meditates! Wait, why?"
I sucked in a deep breath. "Don't scream." I stretched out my free hand and sent the same flame that devoured my hand and wrist earlier that day.
"Wow…" Mikey said, totally dazed. "Dude, that's awesome! How do you that?!"
"I don't know, actually. I was gonna ask Donnie and Splinter about it."
All the boys rushed out of the lair and pulled me inside. "Woah! Guys, what are you doing?" I said stopping dead in my tracks. "Oh, Donnie, I got your book."
"Yay!" He gasped with joy and took the book I was holding out. "Anyways, come on!" The boys began to drag me to the dojo once again.
The dojo was lit with dim candle light. Splinter stood in the middle of it all. "Ah, Emiliah. Please, sit"
I slowly walked toward the large rat and kneeled in front of him.
"Emiliah… we have recently discovered a few… 'key concepts' about your mutation-"
"What, like this?" I lit up my hand and I hand. I could hear everybody (except Mikey) let out a huge gasp behind me. Even Splinter's eyes grew wide.
"Yes, very much like that. We also discovered that powers like this are going to grow over time. We thought that it would be best for you to… permanently stay with us."
I gasped and covered my hands with my mouth. "Like… y-you want to a-adopt me?" I stuttered, completely overwhelmed with joy. A large, warm smile grew on Splinter's face. "Yes, Emiliah. Exactly like that."
I didn't even have to think. No, not for a second. "Yes! Please, yes!" The boys all crowded me in a hug, and happy tears pricked me and Mikey's eyes. "Wait. I wanna at least tell somebody," I said. I quickly started again when I saw the sadness in their eyes. "I'll be like five minutes. I just need paper and a pen." Leo ran out of the room and came back with with what I asked for. I pressed the paper against the wall and started to write.
Dear Elmer,
I'm leaving. I finally found a home. A family. Brothers and a dad, and I love them with all my heart. They accept me for who I am and for what I've become. Don't worry about me, I'm happier here than anywhere else. So… bye.
-Emily
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.
A monster, a monster,
I've turned into a monster,
A monster, a monster,
And it keeps getting stronger.
I felt alive. Adrenaline rushed through me as I climbed through the window of the orphanage. Gaby and a few other girls were on their beds. I quickly left and ran down the stairs. Elmer was still at the front desk, appearing as if he hadn't moved for about an hour. I set the small piece of paper as he gave me a puzzled look. I bolted up the stairs after he reached for the note.
Once I was back in the bedrooms, I did my best to act as casual as possible. I reached for the only thing I had; a leather jacket several sizes too large. I was told it was my mother's.
"EMILY!" Elmer yelled from the floor below, making the other girls and I jump. I was out of the building and halfway across the street before he was even at the window.
I opened up the manhole to see five pairs of eyes looking back at me. "Lets go home." Donnie and Mikey each took one of my hands as we walked back home.
When we got back to the lair, Splinter looked me dead in the eye. "How are you feeling, my daughter."
Daughter. I don't think I've ever been called that before. I pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you."
I had a home.
I had a family.
I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.
A monster, a monster,
I've turned into a monster,
A monster, a monster,
And it keeps getting stronger.
A/N: Hopefully this gave you a little more info on Em's past. I will be doing more of these, but I need Ideas. Have a character, song, and scene you want to see? I'm taking requests ATM. Plz R&R, it's appreciated!
