Time skip

Thursday night

Location Donald's home

Grabbing onto the window frame and upper lintel was the only way from stopping himself from flying out of the window and out into the dark of the night like a helium balloon.

Cole held as tight as he could bear. Squeezing his eyes shut in fierce determination; so as not to let go. He tried desperately to cling onto the roof tiles but simultaneously cringed when he grabbed the roof ledge and attached tiles.

He'd finally gained a decent purchase on something to forestall his further ascent.

Cole hadn't noticed until now but the shallow sloping roof was covered in wooden shingles. Back at the monastery, the tiles were mostly terracotta, they were heavy and substantial enough to bear weight, being that those tiles had been baked in a kiln. He assumed that these would be strong too.

He was proven wrong! His face dropped when the shingle tiles began to rattle and lift, "ZANE? A little help here."

To his chagrin, he realised that the wooden tiles probably weren't strong enough to grasp at nor did they provide any decent grip. The stupid things were lifting up like he was. Not that he cared at that exact moment about damaging the house, but the nearest tile he grabbed out at wasn't attached at all and a whole row of them rattled off in quick succession. He gave a choked cry, "Shit, Zane, uh L-Lloyd!" Cole shouted for both but wasn't expecting Lloyd to come forward. Although, it would have been nice to know that he still cared.

All of those cobwebbed shingles went crashing to the floor rapidly and he cringed at the sight below him. At least 25 feet underneath his floating form, were a nice pile of shingles. Cole just knew that was going to take some serious explaining too, that and his current predicament of being a supposed vampire. But, regardless of his dire situation that was quickly getting literally out of hand, that momentous blunder left his right arm flailing again and he had a vague feeling that he now resembled one of those inflatable funnies that had flailing arms, the types seen in used car forecourts.

Finally, in the light of the moon, he spotted a faded long black sliver of perpetual hope otherwise known as a telegraph wire and he grasped onto the exterior cable like it were a life line. Cole pulled on it hopelessly whilst wrapping it around his left wrist, one handed. It was the only thing that was tethering his further ascent and unplanned journey into the sky. As he would have guessed, the rubber covered cable ripped piece by piece from the cable holders which housed and secured the phone line to the house.

A precarious situation for Cole, he was hovering in mid air!

Finally, putting all of his body weight on the cable had procured a device he could actually use. Cole now had a working telephone as he was soaring into the night sky!

This was the second most strangest feeling in the world; the first was learning to control the element of earth. The second, was getting used to the idea that he might just be flying, if he call it that.

Cole had roughly grabbed the dangling handset and the attached base. He lifted the receiver, at least Zane could answer the damn phone and get off of his backside to help.

How so typical, just like being back home and fighting over who gets to use the telephone. He growled in response and rolled his eyes in exasperation because green machine was using the phone, like in an attempt to call all of the emergency services including the coastguard.

"GET OFF THE PHONE, LLOYD!" Cole yelled down the receiver end. He didn't even care or realise that Lloyd hadn't managed to phone anyone. His mind was too pre-occupied with the undeniable fact that he was still holding on for dear life.

"ARGH, G-get off the phone!" He hissed. He couldn't see his brother, only hear his higher toned voice as clear as day.

Lloyd was proceeding to contact Nya in a mad panic because he was shouting her name into the receiver repeatedly, despite slamming the handset down numerous times to get a dial tone.

"Zane," Lloyd called into the house and upper bedroom, "-this phone won't give me a dial tone!"

Cole couldn't hear Zane, only the mildly panicked voice of Lloyd. The slightly younger master of energy sounded like he was cowering somewhere between his bed and the floor, maybe he was hiding under the mattress; that would be a first, "GOD DAMNIT LLOYD, get off the frickin phone!"

"SHIT!" He screeched. The cable holders gave way again and Cole managed to move further across the top of the house until he was near enough staring into Zane's shared bedroom. And typically enough, there he was.

Lloyd was on the floor, nestled between the bed and the bedside cabinet with the phone. The Vampire comic book in one hand and the other on the dialling ring. He was dialling a number but frowning too.

Struck by sudden anger and rage, Cole shouted in response, "What ever he's saying. . .h-he's lying Nya." He growled, shouting at the window.

He could see Lloyd, the master of energy was sitting on the floor whilst scrolling down the comic book page for the telephone number of those damned Frog Brothers. The ones who had filled his head with all this vampire stuff. He wouldn't necessarily call it nonsense now though.

Cole could tell that Lloyd was quite clearly panicking. The blonde haired dude was making crude finger crucifixes, like that would stop him from flat out sucking the blood from his veins.

It wouldn't, but the dog at his side probably would.

"You idiot," Cole spat, "I dare you to do that to my face!"

Lloyd had cowered, he had actually cowered in fear.

Cole smirked in response, but the smug grin soon disappeared when the cable holders came away again, thus giving him a few extra metres of length to use, either to his advantage or demise. His expression dropped like a lead weight and he slid further across the now straining cable. A small part of his mind wondered how much weight a telephone line could hold, bearing in mind that his whole 196 lb body was being tethered to the planet by way of an insulated copper cable.

This, is what he would imagine being in space was like. Typically, when the main tethering cable from a rocket or space station had snapped and the astronauts were cast out into the dangers of cold open space. This is what it would feel like to be cast out into the abyss.

All he had was this cable. It was his literal lifeline from the unknown, from the petrifying unknown that awaited him if he let go or if the cable snapped.

"Argh, Z-Zane. . ." Cole screeched at the top of his lungs.

The master of earth was floating so high above his natural element, it was unreal. Dangling impossibly, yet defying the laws of gravity with his free arm flailing in the night air. Cole did all that he could to hold on, to keep a grasp on some form of reality. "ZANE, PLEASE." Was his plea, he could only hope that Zane had heard him, he knew Lloyd had because the master of energy had been so freaked out about seeing an invisible reflection of him, furthermore at seeing him floating outside his bedroom.

And, there was the small fact that Cole had admitted that Nanook, the dog had only bitten out to protect Lloyd as he bathed.

How had it all come to this, to him flying in mid air? Hanging on to a thin rubbed insulated scrap of sanity. That scrap, being a thin telephone wire and the attached handset and base.

"ZANE! Help me," his desperate shouted pleas for assistance felt like they were going by unnoticed.

But it was all he could do to save from letting go. The cable he had wrapped around his wrist to gain a better purchase, the only issue was that it was starting to bite into his skin as it wound tighter with the weight of his body pulling against it. A noose like effect, the more it pulled, the tighter it got. The good thing, he wasn't going anywhere, but he was still hovering and that in itself was terrifying for someone who had only just woken up...on the ceiling.

Then, 'green machine' had piped up and remembered an excerpt from a stupid comic book that he'd recently been given. Cole growled at the accusation, he couldn't be a vampire, it was insane, there was no such thing. This was happening too damned fast. He'd found out that in the space of one night, he was one of the un-dead. A vampire was what Zane had surmised, it was partially confirmed when Cole stood in front of a mirror and couldn't see his own reflection. It would certainly explain this predicament and the fact that he tried to drink every last drop of blood from his brother as he lay in the bath.

"ARGH, Zane!-" His voice was cracking under the strain of shouting at the top of his lungs,"-please. . .HELP!"

Either Donald had triple glazing, the sound proofing was exceptional or he was being ignored. He hoped it wasn't the latter, none of this was his fault.

Finally like an angel in white, Zane had appeared at the open window of Nya's small bedroom. He stared out of the window and his expression was fairly easy to identify as one of complete and utter disbelief. "Cole?"

Cole registered the look and was about to say something snarky in response but fear took the words from his mouth instead, "Zane, help me!...Please,"

The master of ice thought quickly. Cole was too far away from his and Jay's bedroom window. He had surpassed the front of the house and had floated over the top of the low roof. Somehow, whatever was happening to Cole's body was pulling him into the night and Zane had to act quickly or he'd be reporting another brother as lost and missing.

He noticed that Cole was horizontally hovering a good thirty feet off the floor nearest Lloyd's shared bedroom. Zane had only found out when Lloyd had stared open mouthed at Cole's sneaker covered feet, screaming almost at the top of his own lungs.

He carefully climbed out of the window and, grasping the lintel above the window frame, he hoisted himself up, "-good idea that Donald had chosen to use solid timber for these?" He mumbled thoughtfully, seemingly impressed with the sturdy building materials in use.

"ZANE?"

Snapped back into the hear and now, "Hold on Cole, I just need to get up to the roof before I can attempt to pull you back in." Zane was twisting his body effortlessly in an effort to get up and onto the gentle slope of the roof. A fairly easy manoeuvre for Zane, this was something they did on a regular occurrence. He didn't need to warm up as such nor do toning exercises because his systems were always functioning and up to optimal specification.

Besides, this part of their training came natural, climbing and clambering across roof spaces to make their getaways was all part of the job description. Being up high tended to mean they were inconspicuous to everyone else, no one noticed them.

The same couldn't be said for Cole. If they were in a city, Cole would have given their position away in a heartbeat.

Now finally grasping the telephone cable Zane reeled him in slowly but surely, "You realise that this is a form of flying?" Zane suggested with the smallest hint of a grin.

Cole grumbled, he didn't even entertain that thought because this didn't feel like flying, it felt like the uncoordinated movements of a fledgling. There was no gracefulness to it, just flailing limbs.

It was only Cole that was panting harshly, Zane looked the picture of health, as usual.

"I'm fine Zane, I think I've got it under control now."

"Hmm, I have a feeling that you will undoubtedly experience other episodes of vampirism tonight!" He said sitting next to Cole's panting form as they both sat on the floor of Nya's bedroom. "This, alluding to the fact that you have already experienced three episodes already tonight."

"Is that what you're calling this-" He asked, laughing darkly at the term his brother had used, "Vampirism?" His eyebrow raised.

He prodded at his hand and the dressing he had haphazardly wrapped around it. Luckily it was still secure but it didn't feel any better, it was still stinging like a bitch. Cole was subconsciously checking to see if he was the proud owner of any fangs yet, "three?" he questioned, suspiciously.

"The thirst, the reflection and what just happened." Zane offered, helpfully. He even held three digits up to prove his point, "Three things so far!"

"Haa so far. . . You seem quite calm about all this, Zane?" Cole said, shaking his head, "I really didn't think anything else could happen, it couldn't get any worse, surely?"

"I think the saying is famous last words-" Zane interjected, laughing softly, "Honestly, define worse Cole."

The master of earth was stuck for an answer, "I-I can't be a v. . .Vampi." He couldn't bring himself to say it, it was ludicrous.

"You are a vampire-" Zane said as gently as he could, "-technically you are one of the un-dead, the proof stands for itself."

Cole had taken to pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, "yeah, so ya keep saying." He muttered under his breath.

'And like I keep sayin, this wasn't my fault.'

"And, I like to believe that I would remain calm in times of stress and difficulty, should my brothers need it," He gave a half smile but Cole wasn't buying it, "-as you did tonight."

He turned to look back at Cole, he still looked the picture of death, "You will be okay, Cole? I need to speak with Lloyd, to make sure he is alright!"

'Of course he's alright, he's got a dog to protect him. Everybody else for that matter.'

"Yeah go, Zane-" Cole shuffled slightly and rubbed his sore wrist, "-I'll be just peachy here." He replied sarcastically.

Zane frowned at the tone but steadily rose to his feet, "Do you think you can hold off the thirst?"

"I-I think I can," He said with a small shake of his head. It was just too stupid to entertain the idea that he was a vampire.

"Seriously, I'll be fine, just go Zane. In fact-" Cole had stood quickly and opened the door, allowing his brother free passage. "-I insist."

"Cole, we need to talk abou. . ."

"Later I promise, not now-" Cole growled, and gently pushed Zane out of the room that wasn't even his.

Zane was surprised with the strength that Cole exerted, 'Make that; four things...' He noted to himself.

Cole watched curiously as the master of ice walked off back to his shared bedroom, he hadn't even turned around.

A sigh of complete and utter bewilderment, Cole turned his back to the wall and slumped dejectedly into a pitiful heap on the floor. Now he knew he'd be waiting for his potential belittling and berating talk from the remaining team of ninja.

And it pained him to know that one of the ninja, would have argued his case for him or would've been the neutral party. . . and he was still missing.

'I'll be alright, I've got this, whatever this is!'

Now just resigned to sitting on his own as the events of the evening caught up with him. Zane had left him. His brother had made sure to sit with him until he had calmed down. And, he was partly grateful for that fact. He would have preferred Jay though, he would have given anything to know where he was. To know that he was okay, and alive.

A few minutes later he had crept out of Nya's room and back down the stairs where he simply waited in the darkness. He was waiting for his moment, that moment being when Kai and Nya would be returning. It would be the perfect opportunity to sneak out and find the answers he so desperately craved.

It hadn't taken long. Kai must have been speeding to get to the coast and back in record time. This considering how many lengthy traffic light signals and intersections he had to travel through.

And as soon as he saw the headlights coming down the driveway, Cole skulked off into the garage and grabbed his black motocross. He waited for a few minutes and no longer. They had entered the house and all he could hear was talking and the sounds of Nya talking excitedly about something or other. He grabbed the handlebars, pushing his black bike slowly to the end of the drive without being seen or heard.

Cole didn't think it a good idea to kick start his bike so close to the house, he didn't want to be stopped, he wanted answers and he knew just the person who could provide him with them.

Technically, I'm doing this scene by scene. So this part would be when Cole was hovering in mid air, at least 30 feet above ground. Being pulled by some unknown force. This was the third of his vampiric episodes to surface...the first being the thirst, then the reflection (or lack-thereof) then followed by the uncoordinated flying.

Thanks for the reviews xx