I had written this in my notes app on my iphone, so it might have a slightly different voice to it than when I write on my computer. I hadn't intended to upload it, but then decided why not? And to Breaking readers, sorry I haven't finished it yet. I will when I get the chance.
April O'Neil hadn't noticed it for about fifteen minutes. Even if she had seen it sooner, it wouldn't have made much of a difference to the outcome. Her ipod filled the room with her favorite music, giving her something to block out the silence while she worked on homework. Sitting criss-cross on her bed with her laptop in front of her, her fingers fluttered across the keyboard as the body of her school essay came to life.
She had paused while she thought over the next paragraph, reaching out and taking a waterbottle from off her bedside table. Her fingers untwisted the cap as she hummed along with her music, her left knee giving a slight bounce with the song's rythmn.
As the waterbottle tipped, her gaze flickered towards her window. The sky was clear and sprinkled with a few stars, while the city buildings illuminated the streets afar.
Something was dripping from the roof in front of her window. At first, she disregarded it and pulled her waterbottle away, screwing the lid back on and placing it on the table. Her fingers returned to the keyboard, pausing as she read over what she had already written.
Something was nagging at her. When she remembered it hadn't rained at all that day, she lifted her gaze again to the window, watching the steady dripping.
Normally, she wouldn't question the water from the roof. But as she studied the line of drops, she found curiosity get the best of her. Her laptop was shoved forward, allowing her to swing her legs around and push off of her bed. She walked slowly, angling herself in attempt to see upwards.
As she got closer, she could make out the red tint to each drop. Wonder filled her, and she pressed her hands against the window, opening each door to the night city. She leaned her head forward and looked up, recoiling as a drop landed on her head.
Her fingers wrestled through her hair until she found the small moist spot, pulling her fingers back to her eyesight. Her index finger tip was stained with a small red blur. She stepped through her window, the fire escape clattering under her bare feet, and the cold metal sent a shiver up her spine.
With a huff, she pulled herself up the first few rungs of the freezing ladder. Whatever was dripping from her roof, curiosity was drawing her to investigate.
As her arm came up to the rooftop, she pulled her upper body over the top rung of the ladder. She raised her head to get a look at her roof.
Wide, haunted chocolate eyes filled her vision instead of the normal gray cieling. To match the expression, a green-skinned face laid sideways with his mouth slightly open and a ripped purple mask laid loosely over his face. His arms were bent backwards, and red stained his skin.
With a startled scream, April jerked backwards. Her bare feet slipped from the rung she was staning on, and she fell. For a brief half-second, the night air whistled in her ears before her rear collided with the fire escape floor. She let out a squeal, her arms flying to the side to hold herself up from falling to her left.
She sat still in her sideways position, unable to move. Her breath was caught in her throat, and she sat in shock. Did she imagine it? An illusion? She wanted to climb back up that ladder, look at her empty roof, then laugh. But she knew what she had seen. And she couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Her breaths began to come quick, her hand going up to her eyes to rub them, finding herself trembling violently. She wasn't exactly sure what she had seen, but she knew one thing. She didn't want to see it again.
Her phone was in her room. Too far away, though it was only a few footsteps across the fire escape. The steady line of dripping blood continued to fall from the edge, dancing in front of her window.
Struggling to her feet, she stumbled blindly towards her window. She pulled herself in, her foot catching on the very edge and pulling her to the ground of her room. Her arms were shoved under her, pulling herself upwards and getting her bare feet back into the comfy carpet threads. She threw herself onto her bed and scrambled for her phone.
Since her contact list was in alphabetical order, she found herself scrolling past Donnie and dialing Leo's number. She couldn't lay still as she waited, and began to pace her room. When the voice on the other end rose, she didn't find any relief. "Hey April." He greeted tiredly. In the background, she could hear bickering between Mikey and Raph. She didn't bother to listen to what they were arguing about.
"D- Do-" April choked on a sob, falling to her knees. Her free hand reached up and grasped her own shoulder, and her mouth curved with the cry.
"April, what's wrong?" Leo's voice came concerned, and the background noise died.
Whatever she tried to say, nothing came out in words. Jumbled mumbling carried over from her end, and Leo jumped to calm her down. "April, calm down. Stay put, we'll be right over okay? Are you at home?"
"Mhmm..." She bit her lip, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Are you in danger?"
She sniffled. "N-No."
Leo's voice attempted to soothe her. He sounded relieved, knowing that she wasn't in harm's way. "Don't move okay? It's going to be alright, calm down." He said softly. His voice sounded far away when he spoke again. "Mikey, get Donnie. We need to get to April's, something's wrong." And then the line clicked.
The blood of their brother continued to drip outside her window.