Chapter 2- The Dump

I blink awake at the sound of pans clanking against each other. My brown book with gold writing on the front that reads Journal lies on my chest. The last thing I remember is writing later, kay, bro. I groan as I sit up, letting the book fall into my lap. The event of last night come back and I wonder if Leos' back yet. He has to be if Mikey's out there yellin'.

I climb out of bed, and do my morning routine; I stare at the picture of me and family as I re-put my bandana on. Then I put my belt on, and check my belt pockets for the picture I carry everywhere. No one has ever seen this picture except me. It's my picture and only mine. Last, I grab my phone to check for messages and put my "Journal" away. It's not really a journal to me. I don't do journals. I do letters. For Sensei's sake, not mine.

The only messages I have is one from Casey, saying he's out of town for the weekend and another from Mona saying "I love you." I quickly text her back while waking down to the kitchen. To be honest, I thought Leo might have texted or at least tried to call, but he didn't.

As I enter the kitchen, I hear a smack. I look up to see Donnie smacking the toaster against the counter. Mikey looks on from the table, while eating scrambled eggs.

"Uh…Donnie," I call," What are you doing?"

Donnie throws the toaster down and looks at me," The toaster isn't working again. We're gonna have to go to the dump tonight."

I groan. I hate going to the dump. Not only is it gross as the sewers, but when I go, I have to pack everything Don finds back home. And half that stuff usually ends up being taller than me.

I look around, and I notice that Leo's Japanese rice bowl isn't out on the cupboard like it always is. I frown in concern.

"Donnie, Leo isn't back yet?"

Donnie just kinda looks at me, "No, he's not. I texted him, asking about his hand, and he said he's got it covered and he said he might be back tonight. He's not sure yet."

"What?!" I growl angrily, snatching the last piece of well-done toast, "What do you mean he doesn't know!?"

Donnie's eyes turn hard," What do you care, Raph? You're the one who sent him away."

"Leo was over reacting-"

"DANG IT, RAPH, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BOOK!" Donnie never swears. Leo doesn't like people swearing, so if he's around, nobody curses. Donnie doesn't curse period because he always wants Leo to be proud of him. And Mikey's so stupid he doesn't even know what swearing is.

I bit my lip angrily, then growl," Then what is it about?"

Donnie crinkles up his beak, squinting," This is about everything you've ever done to him."

I open my mouth to object but Don's phone goes off, signaling a call from April. He answers it immediately, and walks off. I snort. Leo would never leave one of our spats for a phone call. What a jerk.

I turn to yell at Mikey but he's already gone, leaving nothing but a licked clean plate. So I spend my morning alone, eating eggs and tearing apart toast when usually I'd be spending this time with Leonardo.


Leo's still not home yet. Well, Mikey hasn't texted us that Leo has come home yet.

Donnie and I are out in the dump, picking up toaster parts and every other thing Donnie deems important. We've been out for an hour. Usually I'd be sweating up a storm, even on a cold night like this one. But tonight, I'm freezing for a change. Also for a change, Leo isn't here. He usually comes to give us company and extra hands. Tonight, though, everything feels…well…empty-handed, so to speak.

I look at this new toaster Donnie found for back up. It's dirty but shiny. I can see my reflection. It makes my beak look big.

I look at the rest of the parts Donnie's gathered, observing it. I wonder…

"Raph," I hear Donnie say. I look up, expecting him to be holding something else for me to carry. Instead, he's still walking, trying to make conversation," I bet Leo's just blowing off steam."

"Why would he need to blow off steam?"

"Because he's a living person, Raph. He gets angry, too."

"What does that mean?"

Donnie groans, pinching the bridge of his beak. "Oh, Raphael, I worry about you sometimes. You put Leo into this perfect glass bubble, Raph. You see him as a perfect man who has no feeling, no opinions. You see him as a turtle who can make no mistakes. And if his bubble shatters, you put him in another, like it never broke."

My anger is coming up again, "I don't put him in a bubble! I know Leo is a living being! I'm not an idiot!"

Donnie looks back at me, sadly, "Then why do you treat him like he isn't one."

If I hadn't been carrying a bunch of garbage, I would have punched Donnie like a punching bag. So instead, I say, "How about you go find your royal highness and bow to his o' so glorious butt!"

Donnie shakes his head," As I said. Bubble."

With that, we don't talk for the rest of the night. And when morning comes, hours later, I find Leo still hasn't come home!

Well, you know what?

For all I care, Leo and Donnie can go to hell!


Dear Donnie,

I knew I'd eventually write to you. I honestly can't believe this is my first letter to you. I've written to everybody else but you. Anyway, remember all that techy junk you got from the dump the other day? You know that toaster? Well, it burnt me. It shocked me when I plugged it in. I would have complained to Spike about you. But since he's gone, I can't. Maybe I'll tell Casey, since you two hate each other so much.

With all that junk of yours, I'm starting to wonder if you're rebuilding those go karts. Why? What's the point? We'll probably never use them again, you know.

Leo is still missing, Donnie. He's been missing for three days. You say he's just blowing off steam. I don't believe you. You'd think he'd be worried about us since he's our big brother, our mother hen. But since he isn't, I don't have to worry about him, either. That's fine, though. I don't care about him, anyway.

-Raphael