Moonlight
Chapter 10
Splinter had found Raphael's cleaning job lacking in more ways than one. He hadn't wiped down the countertops or stove, and had missed several dribbles of syrup on the table. A few of the dishes drying on the rack could have done with a little more scrubbing as well. He pointed out these things and set Raphael back to work on them.
He then returned to the living room and his favorite chair. Splinter glanced at the cartoon Michaelangelo was watching. He had once thought that his son would outgrow such things, but he knew now that he'd only outgrown some of them, the ones without pretty female characters in short skirts or tight outfits. Splinter shrugged slightly at the thought. Who could blame him with the way they were drawing them? He turned his attention to a magazine.
Janine and Donatello entered the room a short time later. She was still favoring her left leg, but did not look to be moving as stiffly as she was earlier. Donatello sat down in the middle of the couch, and she seated herself next to him. Apparently hearing their arrival, Raphael came in from the kitchen and claimed a pillow on the floor. Splinter briefly wondered whether he had finished the job properly this time, but everyone was eager to hear Janine's story, and he didn't want to delay it any longer.
"So, how is the leg?" He looked at Janine.
She smiled, "It feels much better now that the stitches are out."
Michaelangelo turned off the TV and looked at Donatello incredulously, "You took the stitches out already?"
"I was as surprised as you are. She healed quite well overnight."
Leonardo spoke up, "But how?"
"Is it because it wasn't a silver bullet?" Michaelangelo guessed.
She chuckled at that. "No. Silver bullets are no more dangerous to me than the regular kind. My body just automatically heals a bit while it changes."
Michaelangelo looked intrigued, "Cool! That must come in handy! So what does it feel like?"
"Changing? It's not really painful, just weird, and uncomfortable. Like becoming rubbery and being stretched and molded. I dunno, I don't think I can adequately describe the sensations. Its like nothing else I've ever felt."
Donatello managed to get a question in, "How fast is the process?"
"Not long. I usually start tingling all over about 5 minutes beforehand, then the change takes maybe a minute or less. Afterwards I feel tingly and disoriented for a little while. Going from the point of view of a two- legged creature to a four legged one, and vice versa, takes a little adjustment. Last night was the first time I've ever slept through it. I must have been really out of it!"
"Speaking of last night, how much do you remember about the things that happen while you're a wolf?" Raphael tried to look nonchalant.
She shot him a wicked grin, "Everything. But I'm not going to hold too much against you."
Raphael looked chagrined and Michaelangelo laughed at him. "Yet another reason to always be kind to animals!"
She turned her gaze to Michaelangelo and Donatello, giving them a warm smile. "That reminds me, thank you so much for saving me. I owe you my life."
Donatello blushed slightly and spoke towards his feet, "It was nothing."
Michaelangelo on the other hand jumped to his feet, and making a flourish with is hand bowed to her, "Our pleasure, Milady!"
"Still, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay your kindness. You've all done so much for me, a complete stranger!"
Splinter spoke for all of them, "We have only done what is right. You are in no way in our debt." She nodded her acknowledgement, and he continued, "Might I inquire, as to how you got yourself into such a bad situation last night?"
She let out a deep breath, "Yes. I'm afraid it's a rather long story though."
"Ooh, should I make popcorn?" Michaelangelo was smacked in the face by a pillow that came from Raphael's direction. "Just kidding. Sheesh."
Janine cracked a smile at him and then looked around the room. "Where to start? Well, lycanthropy runs in my family on both sides. I've never really been a genealogy buff, but it goes back at least 5 generations. How or when it started, I don't know."
"Anyway, for about 4 or 5 days every month when the moon is full, my family changes from human to wolf. We have no control over the change, though we do retain normal intelligence and memory. We've always been very careful about this and taken precautions to be away from the human world at those times. Mom and dad started a jewelry business before any of us were born, and as owners were able to schedule those times off."
Leonardo spoke up, "Us? You have siblings?"
"Yes. A pair of twin brothers. Joe and Byron. They're a couple years older than me."
"And how old are you?" Raphael asked.
"Almost 21."
Michaelangelo grinned, "Sweet! So are we!"
She returned his smile, and continued where she had left off, "My parents bought a house on a large piece of mostly wooded property and made a few modifications to make it more suitable for our special needs. Security things like a good gate on the driveway and fences on the property boundaries. Plus things you might not think about, but that made all the difference in the world to us. I was always told that I should be thankful that pet doors were invented because there's nothing more miserable than being locked inside for 5 days."
"They home schooled us so that there would be no suspicious absences from school. For those 'moon days' as we called them, we would roam the property as a pack. They felt that it was important for us to learn to survive as wolves as well as humans. They taught us how to track game, hunt, and avoid dangers like poisons. Not that there was ever any real danger there, but they wanted us to be ready for anything." Her audience nodded with agreement.
"Now, how did I get to where I was when Michaelangelo met me? About three weeks ago, just a little after our moon days, we were set to attend a concert. I came down with a rather nasty case of food poisoning." She made a face, "I'll never eat at McDonald's again!"
Michaelangelo piped up, "Amen to that!"
Janine continued, "Anyway, I started getting sick a couple of hours before we were to leave, and I couldn't go." Her eyes began to get glassy and she focused her gaze on the wall. "On the way home," her voice cracked and she took a deep breath. "On the way home, they got hit by a drunk driver."
She had barely squeaked out those last words, when she burst into tears. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed loudly. Donatello put his left hand on her back and took the box of tissues that Leonardo was holding out to her with his right. He nudged her elbow with it, "Here."
She took several and began blowing her nose and wiping her eyes. Ever thoughtful, Leonardo had returned with a wastebasket, which he placed on the floor directly
in front of her. She dropped the used tissues in it and grabbed a few more. Donatello rubbed her back as her sobs subsided a bit. Just as Splinter was about to speak what words of comfort he could think of, she suddenly began to speak again. "They were all
killed! That bastard crossed over the line and hit them head-on!" Her voice rose and she spoke quicker, "Another car on their side wasn't able to stop in time and smashed into them as well. That driver was killed too. The police at least said that it all happened so quickly that they probably didn't feel anything. But fuck that! I want them back! I miss them so much!"
Everyone sat in stunned silence as Janine burst into a wail. All of them had at times dealt with the fear and pain of the possible loss of a family member. But they had always been fortunate; their close calls had remained just that. The thought of losing one's entire family was almost too terrible to comprehend.
Splinter felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the girl now sobbing in Donatello's arms. He couldn't imagine being able to cope with such a loss. He thought that she must have a great deal of strength to have lasted this long. As if on cue, she straightened up and began to get her breathing under control. She obviously didn't like losing her composure in front of others. Splinter turned to Leonardo who was staring off into the distance with a pained look on his face, "Go get her a glass of water." He nodded and hurried to the kitchen.
Splinter looked back at the girl. She had pulled away from Donatello and was dabbing at her face with a tissue. Leonardo returned and offered her the water. She took a big gulp and swallowed it. "Thanks, sorry about that," she spoke to no one in particular.
"Apologies are unnecessary. Please accept our condolences for the loss of your family." The four turtles murmured their agreement and he continued, "You must be having a very difficult time coping right now."
"I am. That's what got me in trouble. Somehow the family lawyer and our friends got me through the first couple of weeks. It's all a blur, the arrangements, the funeral, everything. But it all got worked out. I now own the house, business, and everything else we had. Then, after all the hustle and bustle was over, I realized just how alone I am. I couldn't handle being in the house alone. I found myself listening for the everyday noises I took for granted. Mom working in the kitchen, my brothers playing videogames, my dad's 'I'm home'. Little things like that."
"I couldn't sleep for more than a couple hours at a stretch. I was always jumping at noises. I couldn't deal with it, so I decided to get out of the house for a while. I wanted to go where there would be things to do at all hours, and lots of people. So I made what arrangements I need to, and left for the city."
She sighed, "I suppose that to an extent this 'vacation' has helped. It's very easy to distract yourself here. There's so much to see and do. So many people around. I immersed myself in anything and everything that caught my whim. I've been visiting museums, seeing shows, shopping, and well, I distracted myself so much that I lost track of time. I forgot about the moon. I forgot up until the tingling started. I was out walking, I had barely enough time to find cover and hide my things before the change came upon me. It was sheer stupidity on my part and I nearly paid the price for it."
"I got a crash course in life as an animal on the streets of New York. My parents taught us well, but I still wasn't prepared for city survival. I've spent the last few days running from animal control, jerks with rocks, then finally those two goons with the gun. Finding food wasn't very easy here either. Even the squirrels are tough. I swear I saw a couple of them with body piercings and tattoos!" She grinned at that and everyone couldn't help but chuckle. Her smile faded and she lowered her head, "Anyway, that's how it happened. It was all my fault. It was just plain dumb of me to get caught unawares like that. I'm such an idiot"
Splinter looked at her with concern, "Don't be so hard on your self Janine. You've gone through a great deal this past month. Your world was turned upside down, making a few mistakes while you regain your balance is to be expected."
"Well, I've certainly learned a lesson about keeping abreast of lunar happenings."
"No doubt. By the way, you mentioned hiding some things before you changed?"
"Yeah, my clothes, purse, keys, jewelry," she paled, "Oh no! I hope I hid it well enough!"
Leonardo spoke up, "You remember where you hid it?"
"Yes."
"If you'll just let us know where, we'll go get it for you once night falls."
"That would be wonderful! Thank you all so much. You've been too kind."
Leonardo waved her thanks off, "Its nothing."
Chapter 10
Splinter had found Raphael's cleaning job lacking in more ways than one. He hadn't wiped down the countertops or stove, and had missed several dribbles of syrup on the table. A few of the dishes drying on the rack could have done with a little more scrubbing as well. He pointed out these things and set Raphael back to work on them.
He then returned to the living room and his favorite chair. Splinter glanced at the cartoon Michaelangelo was watching. He had once thought that his son would outgrow such things, but he knew now that he'd only outgrown some of them, the ones without pretty female characters in short skirts or tight outfits. Splinter shrugged slightly at the thought. Who could blame him with the way they were drawing them? He turned his attention to a magazine.
Janine and Donatello entered the room a short time later. She was still favoring her left leg, but did not look to be moving as stiffly as she was earlier. Donatello sat down in the middle of the couch, and she seated herself next to him. Apparently hearing their arrival, Raphael came in from the kitchen and claimed a pillow on the floor. Splinter briefly wondered whether he had finished the job properly this time, but everyone was eager to hear Janine's story, and he didn't want to delay it any longer.
"So, how is the leg?" He looked at Janine.
She smiled, "It feels much better now that the stitches are out."
Michaelangelo turned off the TV and looked at Donatello incredulously, "You took the stitches out already?"
"I was as surprised as you are. She healed quite well overnight."
Leonardo spoke up, "But how?"
"Is it because it wasn't a silver bullet?" Michaelangelo guessed.
She chuckled at that. "No. Silver bullets are no more dangerous to me than the regular kind. My body just automatically heals a bit while it changes."
Michaelangelo looked intrigued, "Cool! That must come in handy! So what does it feel like?"
"Changing? It's not really painful, just weird, and uncomfortable. Like becoming rubbery and being stretched and molded. I dunno, I don't think I can adequately describe the sensations. Its like nothing else I've ever felt."
Donatello managed to get a question in, "How fast is the process?"
"Not long. I usually start tingling all over about 5 minutes beforehand, then the change takes maybe a minute or less. Afterwards I feel tingly and disoriented for a little while. Going from the point of view of a two- legged creature to a four legged one, and vice versa, takes a little adjustment. Last night was the first time I've ever slept through it. I must have been really out of it!"
"Speaking of last night, how much do you remember about the things that happen while you're a wolf?" Raphael tried to look nonchalant.
She shot him a wicked grin, "Everything. But I'm not going to hold too much against you."
Raphael looked chagrined and Michaelangelo laughed at him. "Yet another reason to always be kind to animals!"
She turned her gaze to Michaelangelo and Donatello, giving them a warm smile. "That reminds me, thank you so much for saving me. I owe you my life."
Donatello blushed slightly and spoke towards his feet, "It was nothing."
Michaelangelo on the other hand jumped to his feet, and making a flourish with is hand bowed to her, "Our pleasure, Milady!"
"Still, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay your kindness. You've all done so much for me, a complete stranger!"
Splinter spoke for all of them, "We have only done what is right. You are in no way in our debt." She nodded her acknowledgement, and he continued, "Might I inquire, as to how you got yourself into such a bad situation last night?"
She let out a deep breath, "Yes. I'm afraid it's a rather long story though."
"Ooh, should I make popcorn?" Michaelangelo was smacked in the face by a pillow that came from Raphael's direction. "Just kidding. Sheesh."
Janine cracked a smile at him and then looked around the room. "Where to start? Well, lycanthropy runs in my family on both sides. I've never really been a genealogy buff, but it goes back at least 5 generations. How or when it started, I don't know."
"Anyway, for about 4 or 5 days every month when the moon is full, my family changes from human to wolf. We have no control over the change, though we do retain normal intelligence and memory. We've always been very careful about this and taken precautions to be away from the human world at those times. Mom and dad started a jewelry business before any of us were born, and as owners were able to schedule those times off."
Leonardo spoke up, "Us? You have siblings?"
"Yes. A pair of twin brothers. Joe and Byron. They're a couple years older than me."
"And how old are you?" Raphael asked.
"Almost 21."
Michaelangelo grinned, "Sweet! So are we!"
She returned his smile, and continued where she had left off, "My parents bought a house on a large piece of mostly wooded property and made a few modifications to make it more suitable for our special needs. Security things like a good gate on the driveway and fences on the property boundaries. Plus things you might not think about, but that made all the difference in the world to us. I was always told that I should be thankful that pet doors were invented because there's nothing more miserable than being locked inside for 5 days."
"They home schooled us so that there would be no suspicious absences from school. For those 'moon days' as we called them, we would roam the property as a pack. They felt that it was important for us to learn to survive as wolves as well as humans. They taught us how to track game, hunt, and avoid dangers like poisons. Not that there was ever any real danger there, but they wanted us to be ready for anything." Her audience nodded with agreement.
"Now, how did I get to where I was when Michaelangelo met me? About three weeks ago, just a little after our moon days, we were set to attend a concert. I came down with a rather nasty case of food poisoning." She made a face, "I'll never eat at McDonald's again!"
Michaelangelo piped up, "Amen to that!"
Janine continued, "Anyway, I started getting sick a couple of hours before we were to leave, and I couldn't go." Her eyes began to get glassy and she focused her gaze on the wall. "On the way home," her voice cracked and she took a deep breath. "On the way home, they got hit by a drunk driver."
She had barely squeaked out those last words, when she burst into tears. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed loudly. Donatello put his left hand on her back and took the box of tissues that Leonardo was holding out to her with his right. He nudged her elbow with it, "Here."
She took several and began blowing her nose and wiping her eyes. Ever thoughtful, Leonardo had returned with a wastebasket, which he placed on the floor directly
in front of her. She dropped the used tissues in it and grabbed a few more. Donatello rubbed her back as her sobs subsided a bit. Just as Splinter was about to speak what words of comfort he could think of, she suddenly began to speak again. "They were all
killed! That bastard crossed over the line and hit them head-on!" Her voice rose and she spoke quicker, "Another car on their side wasn't able to stop in time and smashed into them as well. That driver was killed too. The police at least said that it all happened so quickly that they probably didn't feel anything. But fuck that! I want them back! I miss them so much!"
Everyone sat in stunned silence as Janine burst into a wail. All of them had at times dealt with the fear and pain of the possible loss of a family member. But they had always been fortunate; their close calls had remained just that. The thought of losing one's entire family was almost too terrible to comprehend.
Splinter felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the girl now sobbing in Donatello's arms. He couldn't imagine being able to cope with such a loss. He thought that she must have a great deal of strength to have lasted this long. As if on cue, she straightened up and began to get her breathing under control. She obviously didn't like losing her composure in front of others. Splinter turned to Leonardo who was staring off into the distance with a pained look on his face, "Go get her a glass of water." He nodded and hurried to the kitchen.
Splinter looked back at the girl. She had pulled away from Donatello and was dabbing at her face with a tissue. Leonardo returned and offered her the water. She took a big gulp and swallowed it. "Thanks, sorry about that," she spoke to no one in particular.
"Apologies are unnecessary. Please accept our condolences for the loss of your family." The four turtles murmured their agreement and he continued, "You must be having a very difficult time coping right now."
"I am. That's what got me in trouble. Somehow the family lawyer and our friends got me through the first couple of weeks. It's all a blur, the arrangements, the funeral, everything. But it all got worked out. I now own the house, business, and everything else we had. Then, after all the hustle and bustle was over, I realized just how alone I am. I couldn't handle being in the house alone. I found myself listening for the everyday noises I took for granted. Mom working in the kitchen, my brothers playing videogames, my dad's 'I'm home'. Little things like that."
"I couldn't sleep for more than a couple hours at a stretch. I was always jumping at noises. I couldn't deal with it, so I decided to get out of the house for a while. I wanted to go where there would be things to do at all hours, and lots of people. So I made what arrangements I need to, and left for the city."
She sighed, "I suppose that to an extent this 'vacation' has helped. It's very easy to distract yourself here. There's so much to see and do. So many people around. I immersed myself in anything and everything that caught my whim. I've been visiting museums, seeing shows, shopping, and well, I distracted myself so much that I lost track of time. I forgot about the moon. I forgot up until the tingling started. I was out walking, I had barely enough time to find cover and hide my things before the change came upon me. It was sheer stupidity on my part and I nearly paid the price for it."
"I got a crash course in life as an animal on the streets of New York. My parents taught us well, but I still wasn't prepared for city survival. I've spent the last few days running from animal control, jerks with rocks, then finally those two goons with the gun. Finding food wasn't very easy here either. Even the squirrels are tough. I swear I saw a couple of them with body piercings and tattoos!" She grinned at that and everyone couldn't help but chuckle. Her smile faded and she lowered her head, "Anyway, that's how it happened. It was all my fault. It was just plain dumb of me to get caught unawares like that. I'm such an idiot"
Splinter looked at her with concern, "Don't be so hard on your self Janine. You've gone through a great deal this past month. Your world was turned upside down, making a few mistakes while you regain your balance is to be expected."
"Well, I've certainly learned a lesson about keeping abreast of lunar happenings."
"No doubt. By the way, you mentioned hiding some things before you changed?"
"Yeah, my clothes, purse, keys, jewelry," she paled, "Oh no! I hope I hid it well enough!"
Leonardo spoke up, "You remember where you hid it?"
"Yes."
"If you'll just let us know where, we'll go get it for you once night falls."
"That would be wonderful! Thank you all so much. You've been too kind."
Leonardo waved her thanks off, "Its nothing."