Chapter 3: Hybrid of Change

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"So, I got this huge pile of homework, but also this new game, you know, and I know mother's not gonna be home tonight, either. Sooo.. What should I do?"

"Do what?"

"Do the homework or play the game? It's brand new, too! Just got it!"

"I dunno."

"C'mon, Ami, help me out here! You could join and all, if you'd like, too. Mom's not home, ya'know, and we could get snacks and all. My treat."

"Can't. Mom wanted me home tonight. Worried about my grades or something."

"Aww, too bad! I'll be playing the game, then. Tonight till dawn!"

"Cool. We part here. See you tomorrow, Adi."

"Yeah, 'kay. See ya!"

That conversation with Ami swirled in my head when I walked from the last class to my locker. She hadn't been in school for couple of days, and my worry for her started growing bigger. Of course, she skipped some classes sometimes, but she'd has never before skipped two days in a row or leave my texts and calls un-answered.

"Hey! Adira, right?"

April O'Neil called out for me. I knew her by, she was really nice whenever we happened to talk. She had been acting weird, though. At least the last months. Her dad got kidnapped at one point, though, so that would explain everything that's been going around her, I guess. I tried to hang out with her more often after I heard she liked to play video games, too, and that she liked comics but I suppose she didn't like to hang with me. Every time I asked her to hang after school, she said she had other plans, or was already hanging out with some friends out of our school. I understood, of course. That happens a lot with me.

"You got that right! What's up?"

"You haven't seen Amelie lately, have you?" She looked bit worried.

"No, sorry. She doesn't even answer my texts, which is weird and al," I explained. "Why do you need her for? If I can ask, or somethin'." I packed my back and was pretty much ready to leave. I thought it'd be best if I visited Ami right away.

"She was supposed to be my lab partner in science. I heard she's lazy, but I still thought she wouldn't bail on this! She even told me that this one project she'd finish," April sighed. I didn't disagree with her. Ami was one of the laziest people I've ever met. And that's why she wasn't really great at school. Music was a whole different story, though. She really loved playing guitar, and was pretty good at it. "I wouldn't mind, really, but there's a lots of things to do. Would you ask her about this, please?" She looked at me with her blue eyes. She looked serious, way more serious than a normal student should look.

"Of course, I'm headin' at her place now, so no problemo, amiga." I replied smiling. I didn't bother asking her about her life, or ask how is she doing. She probably wouldn't want to talk with me about that, anyway.

"Thanks." She said and waved. She started to walking in a direction way off of mine, so I didn't ask her to join me to visit Ami. I smiled and waved back at her.

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I walked down the street to Ami's place, thinking why she hadn't been in school. Maybe she's just sick. Like, so sick she can't use her phone. She had been more lazy lately, now when I think bout it. Or maybe, she got a new pet! A kitten, maybe, and she was so happy that she got a pet an- but wait, her mom's allergic. Oh no! What if her mom's sick? That'd explain why she hasn't called me, too...

I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice where my legs were taking me. It was a small side alley, similar to one I should take before getting to Ami's. I must have taken one too early. Then I noticed a rat. I saw it a second before it crashed on a dumpster, startling me while at it. I went a bit closer to take a look, and was amazed of what I saw: a rat with bird wings. It was in a bad shape, though, because of the crash. But it also had gashes on it's body and was bleeding from it's face. It looked like someone had cut it. Poor thing..

I didn't know what to do; the ratbird tried to move around but couldn't, and it every few seconds flapped one of it's pathetic wings all while making a horribly high pitched noice. I bet it was from agony, and I though if I should try to end it. Right when I thought about that I also knew I'd never could kill, well, anything. Why would I ever?
So I did what I could do - which was nothing. I settled to next best thing: I waited and watched. It grew silent after few agonizing minutes. I took a photo of it. Ami wouldn't believe what I saw without any evidence.

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I traced my last steps back to the route to Ami's. I've never seen or heard of a rat with wings. Maybe they're evolving? emHehe, just like Pokemon, right? That'd be funny. Maybe you could catch them with something like pokeballs? But, you would just probably hit them if you threw them with anything, and that'd hurt the ratbird and then they wouldn't want to be your friends. Especially the rats, when I think bout it. They attacked in big ass herds a month ago or so, and it was so scary! They really must hate people here..

The apartment building where Ami lived with her mom was in my sight now. What gave me the scares was the police car there. And I saw Mrs Greene, Ami's single mom in her late thirties, talking to an officer. I started jogging towards her, I needed to know why the police was there, and that everyone was all right. Mrs Greene noticed me, and just looked at me with eyes full of worry and despair. She shook her head, telling me to stop. I did so, and decided to wait. After a while she looked into my directions, and mouthed something along lines "Not today, go, I'll call."
I didn't want to go, my body wanted to stay and my brains get to know what had happened. But I had my part of disobeying a parent, and I didn't like the consequences one bit. So I turned away and started walking. It can't be that bad, right? It can't be the worst.

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My home wasn't far away. I was in in less than 20 minutes from Ami's place with normal paced walk. I guessed my mom was home, judging by the lit lights in our house. The fact made my day even sadder – I wasn't close with my mother, and she seemed to enjoy bullying me. I decided to get something to eat from a small grocery shop behind a corner: I wouldn't be cooking anything in the kitchen tonight. Besides, little trash food could possibly distract me of my worry for Ami and Mrs Greene.

After getting some chips, chocolate pudding and sandwiches I prepared myself encountering mother. I opened the door as quiet as possible, and took off my shoes. Fast glimpse on our open hall and dining room and I ran the stairs up to my room. All life of this sneaking around had given me a pretty solid reason to stay fit, and I also loved sports, especially running, so it was no biggie for me. I let go the tension I had gathered from the day, and tried to relax and not think about Ami at the moment. There wasn't anything I could do.

It was pretty easy, I'm good at relaxing and forgetting stuff.

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Feeling of cold air crept onto my skin, and I seek with my hand for the blanket. It was still dark, but so cold, and I couldn't find the damn blanket anywhere. The bed was also hard, and had lots of crums on it. Never eat on the bed - crums get everywhere!
I finally rubbed my eyes open. And then the realization hit me hard on the face: I wasn't on my bed, not even in my house. I was lying on a street Castiel knows where. My whole body was sore and my back hurt like hell. The clothes on me were weird and defiently not mine. I started panicking, what had happened to me? I wasn't raped, right? I so wish I'm not raped. Oh, heavens, please!
Still lying down in shock, I heard some noises and laughter arising behind a corner. People. Acting in panic, I ran to the closest manhole in lack of any other place to hide and managed to lift the lid a nit. Then pushing it aside I slipped into the sewers.

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AN: Little backstory for the future. And OC alert? It's sorta bitchy that in TMNT there is so little characters to use and all. I get so self-conscious using OCs :I

~hammerQueen