Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The night air was brisk and clear with billions of stars starting to come out. The forest was alive with the sounds of big and small critters. Each of the Turtles and Casey carried a powerful flashlight that's beam could be seen even in the dark sky above.

"Is he changing?"

Leonardo shook his head. "Stifle it, Mike."

The group walked in a single file along the dirt and snow trails. Could be a hoax. Perhaps Michaelangelo was right about that. Casey suddenly clutched his chest.

"Oh, God!" Casey bent over with a low moan. Michaelangelo jumped about four feet.

"He's changing! He's changing!"

"Mike, knock it off!" Leonardo rushed to Casey's side. "Hey, you alright?"

"I think April's trying to kill me. I have heartburn from that damn left over casserole!"

The Turtles stood silently.

"Leftovers will do that to ya, huh?" Raph finally said with a laugh.

Don didn't laugh. He looked to Leo whom gave him the same expression. Michaelangelo quietly chuckled.

"Of course! Heartburn! Tums will take care of that in no time!"

"That's one thing we could cure him with." Donatello mumbled.

Casey turned to face them. "It's getting late. Nothing's happening-" He started to walk but they backed away. "What?"

Donatello looked up to see the clouds parting to reveal a bright, full moon. He looked to Casey next.

"The moon has emerged." He spoke quietly.

Casey stood still. "It's going to happen, isn't it?"

"We're not sure." Michaelangelo held out a hand.

"Do you feel any different, Casey?" Leo rested a hand on his arm.

"I feel strange." Casey also looked to the moon. He shook his head and walked further away. "I can't explain it but, it's like my insides are on fire. Guys, I don't know what to think, I-" Casey bent over again, repeating the same moans.

"God, I hope that's just heartburn." Michaelangelo whispered.

Casey fell on his knees next, feeling somewhat awkward. The pain was shooting all through his body. He looked to his friends. They seemed distant and unusual. He couldn't help but continue to moan in deep growls.

Donatello stepped further back with Michaelangelo following. Before their eyes, they witnessed a transformation never before seen by anyone. They were scared. But also fascinated. Casey became wolf-like, horribly disfigured from human to beast.

"Now." Leo whispered.

He and Raphael jumped at Casey, grabbing both his wrists and tying ropes around them. They dragged him to a tree and threw more ropes around it to keep him at bay. Donatello went to assist while Michaelangelo hung back, near to tears.

"Casey?" Mike said weakly. A growl only emerged from Casey's lips.

"Mike, the flashlight! Bring it over!" Leo commanded.

Michaelangelo looked down where he dropped it and picked it back up. He shined the light brightly in their direction. The sight almost caused him to faint. Casey was fully-fledged animal, complete with fangs and large, perked ears.

"This isn't right." Mike still sounded upset. "We can't leave him like this."

"You got a better idea?!" Raph yelled out. "How 'bout we bring 'em home where we could put more lives in danger?! We'll come for him in the morning."

The Turtles all turned and started to walk off, only to get surrounded by hundreds of wolves.

"Not again." Leo said with a hint of discouragement. The wolves took no time and jumped into battle mode.

April watched an old movie on the sofa. 10pm was what the clock read on the television. It was getting late. She finally rose and headed to look out the window. Nothing but darkness. She flicked on the porch light that gave a small bit of illumination.

"Where are they?" She asked herself.

A large thump sound followed by a scream sent her flying up the staircase.

Shadow caught Splinter and they both fell to the floor. She continued to scream. April broke through the door and stared at the two. Splinter was sprawled on the floor, clutching his chest and breathing heavily in Shadow's arms.

"Oh! Splinter!"

"Help-" Shadow said as April came around to help him up.

"April." He said weakly. "Casey-"

"Easy, Splinter." April got him to the bed, giving a worried look to Shadow. "What about Casey?"

"What's wrong with Daddy?" Shadow edged around to face him.

"Casey and my sons are in danger. Please, April. We must do something."

April and Shadow helped him downstairs to the sofa. Much noise was heard outside the house. All three looked around in fear and confusion as to what was happening at that moment.

"What can we do? What can we..." April looked to the walkie talkie on the table and snatched it up.

"Leo? Come in Leo! It's April! Please, Leo!"

It was a bloody war. The Turtles were losing the battle as more wolves came at them left and right. On Leonardo's belt, the communicator flashed brightly. Both hands were in use with both swords. He could take to the call and risk having his throat ripped open.

"Sorry, April...." He mumbled while fighting off bounding wolves.

"This is it." Michaelangelo said gravely. Two wolves attacked from behind, knocking him down. "Shit!" He started in a rumble to kick them off. One went flying while the other continued to slash and bite at him.

Raphael was covered in blood from head to toe. He fought the most off of him and his brothers, changing from normal mode to berserk in just a matter of minutes. It was hard to tell where the stains were on his bandana even. He remained silent, only giving out howls and battle cries. Leonardo was weakening from fighting about 20 wolves whom kept charging at him. He started to stagger around; his vision becoming blurry from blood falling into the sockets. He blinked and wiped it away just as a wolf found a place to insert it's fangs. One of the katanas fell to the ground as his hand was gashed open.

"Damnit!" Was all he said, turning to slice the wolf with the other sword in hand.

Donatello was doing the best in remaining clean of injuries. His bo swiped the wolves by the dozens. That soon changed when they noticed him dodging their buddies. Some pulled away from Raph and Mike and went after him instead. Now, came kicking, punching, and praying.

April paced the room with the communicator in hand while Shadow sat with Splinter.

"He's not answering! Something's wrong....and there's nothing we can do to help them!"

"Much pain....." Splinter sighed with his eyes glazing over. "We must do something."

"How? God, Splinter..." April bent down, placing a hand to his brow. "You've got to fight it."

"It is an inner force that I feel, April." He sighed, turning to Shadow's bugged-eyes. "My sons....are in.....much....pain."

"Go get your grandfather a cup of water, sweetie." Shadow just stared. April ushered her. "Go, please. Hurry!"

Shadow finally jumped up and ran into the kitchen, frantically searching the cupboards. The sound of glass breaking caused her to drop the cup with a 'clang'. A window suddenly shattered in the parlor room next door, startling the three. Wolves came in by twos, sniffing and growling. One entered the living room, causing April and Splinter to leap up as if lightning struck their backsides.

"Oh, my God! Splinter!"

Shadow screeched as a wolf came crashing through the swinging door. She wasted no time and flung the back door wide open to the freezing cold yard. The wolf paused when she bolted the door behind her. Looking around, she panted heavily, shaking all over. More commotion sent her running off toward the woods without once looking back.

"April!" Splinter quickly backed away toward the basement door. "Quickly, April. Get in here, now!"

"But, what about Shadow?! Splinter!" Splinter grabbed her arm and slipped into the entry-way. Scratching was soon heard on the door. April looked to him in fright. "We've got to get help somehow. We're trapped in here and Shadow's somewhere in the house!" The door started to crack on one side as the wolves were pushing their way through. April threw her body against the frame, looking back at Splinter in fright. "Stoppit! Go away!" She yelled through the door as if the wolves would listen to her. Splinter closed his eyes again. He stayed right where he was in body and mind. Instead of contacting the others, he said a quick prayer for him and April. And Shadow. Wherever she ran off to.

"What we need is a fucking gun!" Raphael shouted from out of nowhere. Leo slowly looked up to him.

"Raph." He panted, clutching a bloodied fist. "What we need is help."

"Yeah, well, that's what a gun is for-" A wolf pounced on Raph, cutting his words off.

"Casey." Leonardo's voice echoed. With all his strength, he dragged himself back toward the tree where they left him resting. "Casey?" A grunt came from the tree. He looked horrible. "Casey, we need your help." Casey growled at him, bearing his gleaming, white teeth. Leo looked left to right before untying the ropes. "I'm probably making a big mistake, here." The ropes fell loosely and Casey lunged at Leo's throat, pinning him down. "Big mistake!" Suddenly, Casey went flying as Leo kicked him off with his two hefty boots. "Casey, we're on your side!" Casey ran back in a hunched-over position, snarling and swiping his large claws at him. Leonardo back flipped and dodged the swings. Trapped by a tree blocking his path, Casey got closer with a wide grin. A large thump sound changed his grin to a frown as he fell forward, unconscious. Donatello stood in the back with bo in hand.

"Hi, Leo." He waved. Leonardo nodded, almost ready to pass out.

The wolves were dying down in numbers but were still very active. Leo and Don returned to help Mike and Raph. They seemed to be doing well. Still standing up was a good sign.

"Guys." Leo signaled the three to come closer. "I have a plan."

"Before or after we get killed?" Raphael nursed a bloodied arm.

"I count about 10 left. If we split up, there might be a chance it'll be harder for them to catch us if we go in separate directions."

The three nodded while panting heavily. The wolves barked, howled, and growled at them. In an instant the four took off in each direction. North, south, east, and west in a lightning speed pace. Each kept running without looking back. Some wolves spun in confusion while a few gave chase to go after one, only to try and follow another the opposite way. Leonardo had a small grin to his lips as he cleared a log that was in his path. He paused and looked back, taking out his walkie talkie.

"April? This is Leo. Come in, April!" The walkie talkie crackled his faint voice on the other end. "April, do you hear me?" Sure she could. If she were in the living room! The communicator rested under the coffee table, working perfectly. But no one was in the room to answer it. The area was a disaster from when the wolves came through. Leo shut it off, cursing at it under-breath. Taking another look back, he didn't realize how far he was into the northern woods.

Donatello stopped running in the eastern part after about 5 minutes when he noticed his trail wasn't being followed. He looked around at his surroundings. Then to the sky. The moon disappeared through some thick clouds.

"Better not rain." He mumbled while placing his hood over his head. It was getting colder out. And later. The time said 11:57pm on his digital watch. "Wonder if the curse ends by midnight?" Removing the bo from his belt, he treated it as a walking stick and tried to retrace his steps toward the farmhouse.

Michaelangelo headed southbound, the right direction to the farmhouse. Without a guide or compass, he started going around in circles, facing east, then west, then north again. He heard about following the north star meant heading north but according the Splinter, north was the way they were going. He too, put on his hood after seeing the moon leaving the only light he had to see.

Raphael was on the western edge, emptying his trail out of the woods and near a wide, open stream. A clearing was where he was. The stream was half frozen but some puddles were left open from when the sun partially melted the ice. It was so quiet, and so peaceful, it called for a cigarette break.

"Maybe not. Might cause attention to myself." Instead, he placed a hand into the water, cringing at the bitterness, then placing it on his open gash on his arm. "Damn, that hurts!" It stung so bad but cooled the scratch marks that surrounded it.

Shadow had to stop to a fast-paced walk, her lungs burning like fire. It was freezing out but with her running, she was feeling very hot and sweaty. With the moon hiding in the clouds, it was harder to see where she was going. The only sounds she heard were the rustling of trees from the wind blowing through their bare branches. Her night vision adjusted but she didn't want to keep her eyes open. She was scared of someone or something jumping out at her.

"Zombies." She whispered. Those video games were deadly to a child with a vivid imagination.

Her mind was playing tricks on her. Eerie shadows cast down upon the forest as she now got to a walking pace. The slightest unknown sound sent her running faster. She wouldn't dare look behind her.

Walking further, she spied some people out wondering around. They were dressed like hunters from the looks of it.

"Did you set them?"

"Yeah, just a few in the most common spots. We might be able to catch that creature running loose."

"That damn thing is bound to come out here sooner or later. And when it does, we'll be able to catch him for the boss."

Shadow looked up and around. The trees looked too weak to support her. She wasn't chicken. She was six! Far too young to be fighting like an almighty hero. Her attention turned back to the hunters whom were finally leaving.

"Traps." She whispered, staring to the ground beneath her. "Do be careful."

She decided to take another path from where the men were standing and keep walking, hoping she'd make it to the clearing unharmed. The sound of a twig snapping, though, sent her flying on her feet and running like crazy. Something grabbed her leg that caused her to scream and hit the dirt with a thud. The pain shot down into her ankle where her foot was anchored by some hidden device.

Her hands flailed at the teeth digging in to her defenseless ankle. A bear trap had sprung on her. It didn't know she was the wrong bait to snatch up. All it knew was that it sensed a presence and went into action.

"Heeeeeelp!" Her voice came out grunted with loss of air in her lungs. No one seemed to have heard her. A clap of thunder made her wince on the hard snow. Not only was she wet from landing on ice, but now the rain will drench her next. Shadow's teeth started chattering. Without the proper winter clothing, she would freeze to death from the dropping temperatures. Some vacation this sure turned out to be.

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