Author's note: This is the first story in my four-part series: "Dreams". This is mostly Donny's POV. Each story in the series is mostly in one turtle's POV. When the POV switches to another character, it becomes third-person. The tense will change as well!
Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles & company! I only own my villians! Mwahahaha! And the plot...
It's dark. I can't see anything. I'm afraid if I move, I'll get lost in the dark. Noises. Voices. I can't hear them clearly, but I know they're close. Voices I do not recognize. Darkness starts closing in. I can't breathe. I have to move. I have to run.
Fingers in the dark. Reaching. Grabbing. I must run faster. I can't see where I'm going, but it's better then where I was. Water dripping somewhere. Where am I? Is this the sewers? Am I close to home?
The voices return. Louder this time. I still can't tell what they're saying. Closer. I stop running and try to look through the dark. Screams. Pleading for help. This time I recognize them. Running again. Towards the screams. Splashing footsteps. More water? No time to waste.
A sharp pain in my foot causes me to gasp sharply. I fall to the ground. Face first into a puddle. Splash! Dripping wet. Coughing. I lift myself up. Must start running. On my feet again, but I almost collapse. Burning pain in my foot. I ignore it. I must. Running again. Limping. Must go faster. Tugging at my mask tails. Keep running.
The ground disappears beneath my feet. Falling. Reaching for anything that I can grab onto. Fingers brush against metal. I can't get a good grip. Screaming. There's no end in sight. Smashing into the ground…
…My eyes snap open immediately. All I can hear is the sound of my rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing. I sit up in bed and try to calm myself as I wipe away my sweat. I look around at the dark room around me. I'm safe at home. I take a deep breath and stand up. I know it's unnecessary, but I have to check. I walk out of my room. The shadows seem to hide the demons from my nightmare. I shiver involuntarily.
I look in Mikey's room first. I can't resist a small smile as I see him stretched out on his bed, his mouth wide open. As I watch, he turns onto his side, away from me. The comic book he had been reading slid to the floor with a slight crinkling sound along with his blanket. I sneak inside and pick up the comic book, closing it and setting it on the table beside his bed. I pull the blanket back over my little brother's still sleeping form and smile again as he murmurs in his sleep. I leave his room after that.
Next, I look in Raph's room. Surprisingly, his door is unlocked. I look inside and smile again. Raph had obviously gone out again tonight. He is still in his Nightwatcher costume. He looked like he had just walked in, laid across his hammock, and instantly fell asleep. I decide not to disturb him as I know he is a light sleeper so I step back out of his room.
The last room I walk in is Leo's. He is sleeping soundly on his bed. I have the urge to wake him like I used to do as a child after a nightmare, but I resist. Leo will worry about it too much and I didn't want him to worry. It was just a nightmare anyway. One in stream of nightmares that have been going on for the past month only getting more vivid, but still a nightmare. If it gets any worse, maybe I'll tell him. Now, I'll let him sleep.
I leave his room and walk toward my lab. On my way, I have to pass Splinter's room. I look towards what he uses as a door. I could tell him about my nightmare, but I don't want to. For some reason, I want to keep these to myself. I don't why. I just do. I am just about to walk away, when I freeze.
"Donatello?" I hear Splinter call. I double back over and pause at the curtained opening of his door.
"Yes, Sensei?" I ask.
"Come in, my son," He says. I take a deep breath and walk inside. The dim light from the many flickering candles reveal Master Splinter sitting lotus-style on one of his mats. I copy his position across from him and wait for him to begin. "It is late," He says, "What troubles you?"
"Nothing," I lie, "I just couldn't sleep." I feel Splinter's soul-piercing look and I know he can see through my lie.
"Hmm…" He begins after a moment, "This is evil in the air. It hides in the shadows waiting to devour it's next host. It attacks most slowly, weakening the spirit of it's host until nothing is left. The shadows are it's cover, secretes are it's strength. I can sense it is near." I do not respond and Splinter soon sighs before dismissing me.
I leave his room and enter my lab. Inside, everything is as it should be. I smile slightly as I sit down in front of my computer. This is tangible. Something I can actually understand. Nothing is left unknown and I know everyone's safe. I turn the computer on and start typing away, formulating statistics and facts. I must have been at it for hours, because I soon began hearing the sounds of my brothers walking around in the lair and talking amongst themselves. I hope they won't bother me.
&
Leo stood, trying to see into Don's lab's open door as Raph chased Mikey around the room. He was really starting to worry about his tech-savvy brother. Leo never saw Donny out of his lab during the day anymore. He figured Donny was having nightmares. He just wished he knew what they were about so he can at least try to comfort his younger brother. Leo automatically stepped back, avoiding Mikey as Raph launched himself on his youngest brother.
"Ah!" Mikey said, squirming under Raph's weight, "Help! Raph's tryin' ta kill me!"
"Sit still so I can pound ya!" Raph yelled. He grabbed Mikey's wrists in one of his own and looked up at Leo. "Do ya mind helpin' me, Leo?"
"I'm not getting involved this time." Leo said as he continued to stare into Donny's slightly open door. Raph grunted as Mikey moved to kick him away and managed to squeeze out from under him. He cheered in victory and ran off as Raph stood to look at what Leo was looking at.
"Yer still worried 'bout 'im huh?" Raph asked.
"He doesn't leave his lab anymore," Leo said, "And I haven't seen him eat anything for the past few days."
"I don't know what ta tell ya, bro," Raph said, "Don has been actin' strange fer a month now."
"HEY RAPHIE!" Mikey called from where he was standing on the couch, "YOU'RE GIVING UP ALREADY?" That got Raph to go back to chasing Mikey, leaving Lo alone with his thoughts.
Author's note: Please tell me what you think of my nightmares? They get worse (and more vivd) as time goes by! Please review!! It will make me happy!