The Thing
~
The morning came slowly to the city of New York. Down below it also meant that it was a slower morning as the sounds of morning traffic started late. It was, as they sensed when they awoke, a rainy day.
Leo was the first to arise. He sat up in bed, listening and sensing for anything out of the ordinary, but found none. He sighed. He had become extra tense now that April had been attacked and that they had found out what it was and what it wanted. Leo shuddered as he thought that this creature was after his and his brother's power and strength, and was already feeding from Raph. Well, hopefully Donnie put a stop to that last night when he gave Raph the medicine he needed. If he did. Donnie had seemed really tired last night and really strained. Leo couldn't blame him. His brother was still blaming himself for what happened to April.
Leo got up from bed and stretched. Looking down to the bottom bunk told him that Donnie was still asleep. Leo allowed a small smile to form on his face. He made his way to the main area for a bite to eat and came across Mikey, who thought he'd do the same. They made breakfast together.
"How's April?" Leo asked, in-between mouthfuls. "Did she sleep sound?"
Mikey swallowed his cereal. "Well she was tossing and turning a bit but I think that was all. I fell sleep so I dunno."
Leo nodded and looked up as they were accompanied by Donnie, and a few seconds later April.
"How'd you guys sleep?" Leo asked, a spoon halfway to his mouth.
"Fine . . . " Donnie yawned and made his breakfast.
"Like a log, I needed that rest." April said, smiling as Mikey plunked her cereal down in front of her. What a gentleman. She dug in hungrily. The attacks yesterday must have given her a big appetite.
"Where's Raph?" Leo looked at Donnie. "You given him that stuff yet?"
Donnie was suddenly wide-awake. "No! Oh, I mean, I should go do it now." He got up and disappeared into his lab.
"He forgot?" Mikey asked skeptically. "That thing is sucking away our brother's life and he forgot?"
"We were all a little shocked yesterday, you can't really blame him." Leo reasoned, though even he found it a bit strange. He lifted the spoonful to his mouth, but stopped as Donnie's alarmed voice called out.
"Raph! Oh God, guys, get in here!" His voice carried from his lab.
Leo, Mikey and April looked at each other and darted to Donnie's lab, where they found him bent over a sleeping Raph, looking very worried.
"What Donnie? What is it?" Leo asked, feeling a dread.
Donnie looked up from his brother with a very worried expression. "It's Raph. I - I - I didn't give him his treatment yesterday and - and the creature must have known or something because it's – his strength – he's nearly – he hasn't got - !" He looked in horror at his brothers and April, then he rushed around his lab, taking small medic boxes out of his draws and other things.
Leo, Mikey and April stood in the doorway, all fearing the worst. Finally Mikey spoke out with their fear.
"Raph's gunna be okay, right? Right Donnie?" He asked, voice shaking.
Donnie didn't say anything. He injected Raph with something, put the syringe in a trashcan, hooked him up to an IV drip he had obtained a while ago and stepped back, watching his pale, unconscious brother, a look of fear, guilt and regret on his face.
Leo walked slowly to Donnie. "Is Raph going to be okay, Donnie?" Leo asked slowly.
Donnie stared at Raph. "I don't know." He said quietly. "I should have given him the medicine last night, but I was too tired, I couldn't . . . "
Mikey stepped over to Raph. He looked down at him. His brother was ghastly pale and his breathing had almost stopped.
April was still in the doorway. Her hands had risen to her face. She moved over next to Mikey and held Raph's hand.
Her movement triggered Donnie into action. Ignoring his guilt, he got to work on saving his brother's life. He ushered everyone out except Mikey who he needed to help with. They did what they could; giving their brother everything he needed to keep alive. Now the injection was done, Donnie was not sure if it was too late for it to work. He kept picturing the beast, growing stronger while his brother grew weaker.
//\\
Hours later, Leo's feet sloshed through sewer water as he hunted down this creature that was killing his brother. He didn't care what happened to him. But he would take this beast down before it could kill him. He hadn't told his brothers where he was going. They had all been quiet and Donnie had stayed in his lab, watching Raph die. It had been too much for Leo, and he had slipped out, away from the sad scene, to find and kill this creature.
Leo was angry. Angrier than he had ever been. Who was this creature to think it could come down to their home sewers, terrify them, attack and plan to kill their Human friend and suck the life out of his brother? Leo grew all the more furious as he thought about it. He could picture himself coming across the sleeping beast, watching it awake in surprise at his appearance, and then tear that hell-beast's throat open. He knew he would find it - or rather it would find him. This is what he had planned. If this monster wanted him, if it wanted Leo's power as it had on the first night, it would know he was now looking for it and it would find him. Leo didn't care. He just wanted to face this creature and kill it in the most agonizing way he could think of. Even now, as he walked through the darkened, deathly quiet tunnels, he could sense this creature seeking him out. It could be, right now, in the shadows, waiting for the right minute to attack. For the first time since he had slipped out of the lair, Leo felt a shiver of fear. He hated enemies that hid. It made it harder to actually kill them as they would have the first, and usually killing blow. Leo crunched his fear down inside him and told himself that fear was what attracted the beast more. Fear encouraged things like that. Leo carried on with his thoughts, unaware that a shadow behind him was following him. It had been tracking him for a few minutes now . . .
//\\
Mikey looked up from the floor, a small frown creased his brow. He could feel something was not right. Someone was in danger.
Splinter felt it too. Their Master had awoke only a few minutes after Donnie had given Raph the injection, and was now fearing for his son's life. But now he feared someone else's too.
"Leo . . . " Mikey whispered.
April looked at him and frowned. She looked around for the being the name belonged to. Leo wasn't there. Her heart froze.
"Where's Leo?" She asked, sitting up from being slouched miserably on the couch.
Mikey stared into space for a few seconds. Then it hit him and he turned to Splinter, wide-eyed.
"Leo's gone looking for it . . . hasn't he?" Mikey asked softly. His voice contained the fear that his face did not.
Splinter closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them they shone with fear. "Yes, my son. He is angry; very angry. But he is now in danger." He looked at Mikey, straight in the eye. "You must go to him, my son. You can save him."
Mikey nodded and flipped himself to his feet. He sped out of the door, and they listened as his footsteps began to fade.
Splinter sighed with sadness and fear. Two sons were in danger of losing their life any time now. One son has braved to save another; and the last was in no mental state to leave his dieing brother. This creature was smart. Splinter knew . . . And feared it.
//\\
Leo sensed it rather than heard it. He spun around, Katana in hand and raised, to face . . . shadows.
No. He could sense it was there. It was going to wait until he turned around again and catch him off guard. Even though it was a creature, Leo thought that was cowardly: Attacking their opponents when their back was turned. But this was and animal. A smart one, but still with animal instincts. A jolt of fear spread through him once more, and again he crushed it deep down inside himself. He had to make the creature think that Leo didn't know it was there. He put his katana back into his belt, leaving them further out than usual, and slowly turned back around. Any second now . . .. Any second now, he thought, readying for it. His whole body was tensed for an impact, one which could arrive any second . . . But it didn't.
Leo relaxed slightly and thought. Why hasn't it attacked yet? It wants me, it's found me, it has me . . . So why the wait? What's it waiting for? It struck Leo at that thought just what the beast was waiting for. It was waiting for Leo to think it won't strike so he'd relax and become easier prey.
Instantly Leo alerted himself and prepared - just in time!
The creature leapt from the shadows just as he pulled his Katana from their sheaths on his shell. He dived out the way just in time and slashed out with his swords. A yowl rang through the tunnels, telling Leo he had hit.
"Damn!" Leo fell hard onto the tunnel floor and immediately pulled himself back up, ready for another attack. Damn! It knew! It knew what it was going to do! This thing is too God damn smart for it's own good!
He scanned the tunnel frantically, looking for a shadow that moved. Nothing stirred. It had gone into hiding again. He knew it would come back at him any second. In the few seconds he had spare, Leo thought about the yowl it had uttered. It was no noise he had never heard any animal utter. It reminded him of a high-pitched screech and a deafening roar of an angry lion. He didn't have long to think about this, after about five seconds of hiding in shadows and moving it's position, choosing a better angle to attack, the creature hurtled itself at Leo once again. But once again Leo ducked and managed to swipe at it for a second time. This time it hissed and croaked at the same time.
Leo rolled and came up straight, swords out in front. He watched as the creature, with amazing swiftness for a beast it's size, turned, and slowly let its gaze swallow Leo's image. It was still in shadows, but it was so big, it blocked out most of the light coming from it's direction and Leo, too, was in shadow; though they could still see each other's silhouette form. Leo stared at it. He could see the glint of saliva over massive, sharp teeth. He realized that this creature did not have an eye, none that he could see of, not even anything that looked like it was from that picture of this creature. But as though reading the turtle's mind, the creature's eyelids opened and narrowed at Leo, and his mouth slowly dropped open in shock. Its eyes were glowing - glowing orange!
A realization hit Leo: If the creature had only just opened its eyes now, that meant that it had been fighting Leo with them closed – which meant it didn't even need sight to move about and coordinate its attacks. Leo was horrified. He didn't realize his mouth was open until the creature leapt at him again and he was forced to slam into the wall, biting his lip. He tasted blood and was almost certain the creature could smell it. That was bad. The creature was most likely driven mad by the smell of blood giving it more of a determined to try to kill Leo. The turtle regained his stance and stood ready, swords out, eyes on the outline of the creature that wanted him dead.
"You want me, Hell-Beast? Come and get me!"
His voice seemed to edge the creature on. It attacked again, spun and attacked from behind. Leo was just as quick and with reflexes slightly faster than his opponent's, he rolled under the beast as it leaped, jumped up, spun and sliced through thick flesh.
The creature was furious. This was meant to be easer for it. It knew it should have killed this one when it was asleep. It turned again and leapt, not over, but onto Leo, who stumbled under the creature's force and weight.
"Agh -!" Leo came down heavily, banged his head on the hard floor and uttered a cut off cry. He saw bright lights flashing in his vision but he knew that was not what was in front of him. The lights quickly faded and were replaced by the most hideous face he had ever seen. He gasped in shock. He'd seen the face too quickly and it felt as though his very soul had fled at the sight of it. He went cold all over. But he forced it away and brought up his Katana - only to find they had been knocked out of his hand when the creature fell on him. This ain't good . . ..
The creature bared its arm-sized teeth, and, opening it's mouth as wide as it felt was necessary (which was enough to scare Leo completely as he could have fit the top half of his body in there) and, drooling thick liquid over the sickened Leo, lowed it's huge jaws to kill . . .
"HYAA!" A Kick from nowhere sent the creature crashing to the floor next to Leo, leaving him stunned. He felt a hand grab his wrist and pull him to his feet, quickly. Leo turned to Mikey.
"M - M - Mi-" Leo stuttered, but there was no time for stuttering. Before Leo knew where Mikey had gone, the creature took a swipe to the face by Mikey's own weapons, as his brother leapt forward and dealt a hard blow. The creature backed away in sudden pain, stunned.
"Leo - let's go!" Mikey grabbed his wrist again and tugged the still shocked Leo around the corner and out of sight of the beast. Mikey shoved Leo's Katana into his welcome hands. They could hear the beast as it wailed in anger as they put more and more distance between it.
"Mikey! It's gonna follow us back to the Lair! We have to kill it!" Leo shouted. Then, with a jolt of horror, heard the sound of heavy beating. The creature was running after them, chasing them through the maze of tunnels.
Mikey realized that Leo was right and they both came to an agreement. They would stop and fight the creature until it was dead.
They stopped. The beating grew louder. They tensed, covering each other's shells - ready to defeat this monster once and for all.
The pounding grew louder - and louder still. From the sounds of the footsteps it should have been on them. Still they gritted their teeth, determined, weapons ready . . . And the footsteps swept passed them, now growing fainter and fainter, heading away from them.
A few seconds passed before Mikey and Leo lowered their weapons slightly and frowned at each other, still tense incase this beast suddenly popped out of the shadows. But no. It didn't.
" . . . Huh?" Mikey shook his head slightly, confused. He noticed Leo held the same confusion. It disappeared an instant later as they both realized where the creature had run off to.
"The Lair!" They both cried at each other. A second later they were running, side-by-side, as fast as they could towards their home. The same thoughts ran through both brothers' head. Splinter! April! Donnie! Raph!
They didn't stop their running. They ran flat out. Never daring to slow down. Mikey didn't notice the stitch that was screaming pain at him from his left side. All his attention was on where they were going and getting to their home. Mikey cursed the sewer water that lay covering the floor. He never knew if he was about to be tripped up by something hidden in the water when he ran this fast. He didn't really care about hurting himself, only that if he did trip it would slow him down, and in the time of a few seconds his friend, Master or brothers could be slaughtered by that creature.
They rounded the corner that took them to their front door - but were knocked aside as they attempted to rush through it by a huge, long, reptilian body.
It had enough time to snap at Leo, who fell onto Mikey in pain, before it fled down the tunnel and round the corner, appearing to be holding something man-sized in one clawed hand which was pulled near it's underside. It's footsteps faded quickly, leaving both Mikey and Leo still stunned on the floor. Leo was bleeding from the nasty nip he had received on his shoulder. They both climbed quickly to their feet. Leo ignored the pain in his badly injured shoulder, and dived into the lair with Mikey.
It was a mess. In such a short time the beast had managed to mangle most things and leave others lying around, far from where they originally stood.
Mikey and Leo stood glued to their spot near the door, taking in the awful scene. Mikey was the first to move. He gingerly stepped forward, looking in absolute horror at what was done in just a few seconds. A moan made both brothers turn to find they looking at a body on the floor. Mikey ran over to her, taking April into his arms. At the first touch, she shrieked.
"NO!" She yelled, but then she saw who it was and flung her arms around his neck, breathing so rapidly Mikey was afraid she might hyperventilate.
"April, it's me. It's okay, April - it's Mikey," he said, wrapping his arms around her middle. Mikey saw blood on her face and hands, and his heart ached in feeling for her.
Leo, who had bent down next to them with his hand on April's back, stood up, fearing the worst. He rushed into Donnie's lab and unconsciously fell to his knees at what he was seeing.
Blood splattered nearly everything: The wall, the desk, the computer, the floor, the work bench and it's devices. The sheets that were laid down on the desk to make a comfortable resting place were strewn all over the floor, splattered in blood. The desk itself was on its side as were the chairs which were used at the computer. Leo's stomach turned as his eyes returned to the cot on its side. There was no Raph in that cot. But beside it, covered in blood also, and in remains on the bed sheets, was -
"Donnie -!" Leo jumped back to his shaky feet, stumbled numbly forward and fell back down next to his shaking brother. He pulled him over and saw the awful injuries that covered his brother's body. Leo stared, shocked and upset. He pulled Donnie up so that his brother was in a slouched position in his arms. Donnie winced.
"It attacked – right after . . . Mikey left to find . . . you," Donnie coughed. "I t-tried to . . . stop it from . . . taking him – but it – it was too str . . . strong . . ." He was very weak, but to Leo it seemed more like the shock had caused Donnie's broken sentences. And regret.
Leo shook his head, realizing what Donnie was telling him. "No . . . NO!" Leo screamed. His memory flashed back to a minute ago when the creature had come from the lair, holding something . . . Something man-sized. Something that didn't belong to it . . .
"S . . . sorry . . . I couldn't d - do anything. It surprised me . . . It . . . It took him, Leo . . . It took him." Donnie swallowed. Tears leaked from his half-closed eyes and down his face as he looked into his brother's eyes.
Leo could do nothing but frown in frozen shock. He shook his head, refusing to believe it. At the same time he was ripping bits of the shredded sheets up to make bandages for Donnie, unaware he was doing it.
"No . . . No . . . It wasn't your fault, Donnie. It wasn't your fault." Without realizing it, his face was screwed up, trying to keep back the anger and urge to not go crazy with sadness and denial. He began to wind the sheets around the worst of Donnie's wounds. He had some very deep ones that looked as though they needed stitches. Leo felt hopeless. He wasn't the one who knew how to fix stitches; Donnie was the one to do that. The ones on his legs were just as bad as those on his arms. Leo doubted Donnie would be able to walk for a while.
When finished patching his brother up, Leo helped him to stand. But Donnie was too weak and in too much pain to do that. His legs gave way and Leo only just caught him just before he fell to the floor. His brother was doing his best at even staying conscious, so Leo carried Donnie out of the bloodied room and into the main area where he laid him down on the couch. He watched as his brother fell unconscious. The pain and exhaustion was too much for him.
Leo stared down miserably, then turned to see where his other brother was. He spotted him crouched down near the door to Splinter's room. A look of sadness and just plain shock masked Mikey's face. Fearing what he would see now, Leo closed his eyes, took a deep, controlled breath, and joined Mikey.
Mikey was cradling their Master, who had obviously been hit on the head, as there was a very nasty cut above his eye. Mikey was shaking his head sadly. He lifted Splinter up into his arms and took him into his room, where he laid him on the bed. Leo stood in the doorway.
"He'll be okay." Mikey said softly. He covered Splinter with his bed sheets and stared around the room. This was the only room that had not been wrecked. But then the beast didn't really notice this room because it was out of the way.
Mikey stood up and left the room in silence. Leo stayed stood in the doorway and watched as Mikey came back a few seconds later with a few bandage gauzes and an antiseptic bottle which had obviously come from Donnie's lab because it was smeared with blood. Mikey didn't seem to notice - or he did and tried to ignore it. He disinfected Splinter's wound and wrapped it up. That was all he could do for his Master.
He and Leo left the room and Mikey joined April again, who was still on the floor, though now she was hugging her knees and crying softly. She looked up, thankful of Mikey's presence, as he sat next to her.
Mikey looked up at Leo, finally deciding to ask the question he had been dreading an answer for.
"Where's . . . Raph?"
Leo stared at his brother, deciding what was the best answer to give. Mikey could tell right away from Leo's hesitation that it wasn't good and that his brother didn't want to tell him. Leo knew Mikey could see this. He sighed.
"Raph's . . . Gone." Leo looked at Mikey's expression. "He was . . . Taken. That was what it was carrying . . . " He broke of, knowing he should keep quiet. His brother was frowning at the floor and Leo knew that wasn't good, even for Mikey. He didn't know how Mikey would react.
Mikey blinked once back into reality and shook his head, disbelieving. He hugged April closer and she hugged back. The wounds seeped blood over him. He knew he should get those seen to. He glanced at Leo, telling him through eyes contact what he wanted Leo to do. Leo nodded and as Mikey went to get the bandages and cream, Leo replaced him at April's side, comforting her. She smiled gratefully at him.
As her wounds were being taken care of by Mikey, April began to speak.
"It came in all of a sudden." She started. Mikey stopped for a moment, then continued to wipe away the blood as she carried on. "It was just . . . So sudden. We didn't even hear it. It came at me and Splinter, knocking us aside - knocking us about as it ripped the place down. I could tell Splinter was knocked unconscious, but I wasn't and it seemed . . . Seemed to anger it. It swiped at me with its tail and I fell to the wall. Then . . . I looked up in time to see it disappear into Donnie's lab . . . It came back out with . . . It - It came out after a few seconds. I could hear Donnie's painful cries as it attacked him. I couldn't do anything. I was – I was frozen in shock." She shook her head. Mikey took over from where Leo had at her side and hugged her. Leo patted her back.
"This wouldn't have happened if I didn't go off searching for it." Leo said, surprised at the bitterness in his voice. He stood up and knelt down at Donnie's side. "Now it's my fault Raph's gone. I thought I could kill it and save his life . . . Instead I as good as killed him."
Mikey couldn't believe what he was hearing from this brother. He and April both looked at him. Mikey shook his head.
"No, Leo. It wasn't your fault." Mikey said softly, but firmly.
Leo only shook his head, resting his hand on Donnie's. "We can still kill it – its as good as dead now anyway. I won't ever let something like this happen again."
Mikey stared, mouth open. Is this the real Leo? "Leo, Raph isn't dead. I know he isn't. All we have to think about now is getting him back. Leo, that's all that matters. Don't go mad on me, I need you - Raph needs you. We can save him, Leo . . . "
Leo remained silent. His head was bowed and his hand was still on Donnie's. He thought about that. Yes, He could feel Raph was alive. He would save his brother and kill the beat. That was all what mattered now . . . Save Raph . . . Kill the beast . . . Save Raph . . . Slaughter that monster . . .