*~Wahoo! I'm on a roll this weekend! Maybe "Twisted" is next on the list ;0) Oh, and this one is nearly as heart breaking Danceingfae =0) Read and let me know what you think!
Donatello panned his flashlight right to left with the shifting shadows.
"I dunno Leo. Looks dangerous."
"We have to get across! It's the way to the only opening that I know of!"
Don craned his neck to peek over the edge of an enormous drain blocking the path. Water rushed over the edge with a deafening roar and swirled into what seemed a bottomless pit. He suddenly got dizzy and stepped back.
"No way."
The light's beam moved to his brother's face, revealing only a determined expression.
"Common Donny! Splinter does this all the time, I'm sure. We'll just cross over there."
His small fingers pointed to a cluster of thin and rusted pipes that bridged over the whirlpool.
"Oh no!" Don's eyes widened," You can't make me!"
"Splinter would do it for you," Leo said softly. His voice nearly cracked with emotion.
Their voices echoed away and left only silence to loom over them.
"This is crazy," Don finally mumbled and headed in the pipes' direction. Leo said nothing and followed. When they came to it, both sat down their small packs and starred at each other.
"Whatever you do, don't look down."
Donatello nodded and gave a nervous sideways glance at the danger.
"I'll go first," Leonardo smiled faintly and spread his arms wide for balance. Looking straight ahead, he took the first step on the largest of the cluster. It was slightly slimy and misted, but he managed his grip. Another slow step. Then another.
Don stood his ground while nearly paralyzed with fright. In his right hand, the flashlight quivered while holding the beam just in front of his brother. Leo's step began to quicken with growing confidence. Just then, he yelped as his left foot slipped. Donny dropped the light in shock and fumbled through the water to retrieve it. His heart was hammering so hard it gave him a sudden headache. When it was finally found, the beam moved to the space Leo had previously occupied. To his surprise, a face was there grinning back.
"Sorry. Little slippery right there."
"Don't DO that, Leo!"
"Okay, just watch that spot on your way over."
"Jeez! Give me a heart attack!"
With a whoosh of air, Leo pounced to safety on the other side.
"Your turn. It's not as bad as it looks."
Don let the breath out that he didn't know he was holding and positioned himself at the edge. Water smashed passed his ankles, trying to snatch him in its grasp to take the plummet.
"Think of Splinter. Just think of Splinter," he said repeatedly to himself. He took the first step while testing the metal with his toes before putting his full weight down. Success. A few more steps.
"Good! You're doing great, but that part is coming up. Right there," Leo leaned over and watched. Don gulped and took a wide step over it.
"See? Not so bad."
His feet sped up, and he watched the other side with growing anticipation. Almost there! Then, a weakly rusted spot caved in as his weight came in contact. His leg broke through the pipe and jammed his knee in the opening. With a cry of agony, the flashlight flew from Donatello's fingers and began to circle in the pool. Leo lunged for him, but missed as the light disappeared and darkness engulfed them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Splinter peeked over the door frame and watched the camera swiveled away from him.
"Now!"
He and Michelle emerged from the room while sprinting for the next before the camera's scope caught them. Again, he waited.
"Now!"
They repeated the maneuver and merged into a small room. The walls were lined with cages with death-ridden eyes peering at them.
"Michelle, please inform me: what does the term "the can" refer to?"
She gave him an uncertain glance. He watched her closely as her lips pressed together firmly.
"It's where animals are contained for termination."
Splinter nodded as he approached the first cage. There, his gray feline friend returned the stare.
"A future not fit for innocence," he lifted the lock and swung the door open. Several cats bounded out.
"Wait! What about the cameras?!" she blurted as she tried to catch the cats scrambling around her legs.
"There are no more. Quick, go open the outside door."
She blinked at him for a moment until he waved to her in impatience. He continued to unlock cages as she rushed out into the hall with such speed that her white lab shoes slid and stumbled. Animals poured out of the doorway by the dozen and began to meander dangerously close to the security cameras. Gaining her balance again, she threw herself at the door. Cool crisp air blasted her in he face as she stumbled out in relief.
Splinter opened the last door for some tiny puppies and joined the chaos in the hall. Meows, barks, hisses, and growls echoed from the lost and desperate souls. With a gentle wave of his arms, he guided the herd to the open door. Together, they smiled in satisfaction as the creatures bounded away into the distance.
"Nothing is as precious as one's freedom."
Michelle turned to him with a grin. Suddenly, a loud crash came from indoors and moments later, the gray cat appeared. It began to make the figure '8' around his legs again.
She laughed at what must have been a cage falling over," Leaving his last regards, I suppose."
Splinter picked the cat up and stroked its surprisingly silky fur.
"He will make a wonderful friend," he patted it's purring head," and family member."
The lab assistant's smile widened, and she guided him to her car. However, as she stepped up to the door, she suddenly paused.
"Did you feel that?"
Splinter looked up from the cat with curious eyes.
"I did not."
"Felt like...a rain drop or something."
The rat chuckled as a white fleck floated to the ground. Than another and another until the entire sky was bursting with them like fire works.
"Oh my god! Snow!" she looked upwards and twirled like a little girl," It's snowing in New York City!"
Splinter laughed again," Perhaps we best get inside before we catch an untimely cold."
Michelle's gaze returned to him with an expression of amused disappointment.
"Right," she brought out her keys and unlocked the small blue car. Splinter eased into the passenger seat and set the cat in he back seat. When the animal settled itself, he straightened his robe and reached for the seat belt. She did the same. Then a sudden giggle escaped her in his direction. He looked almost like a child with his feet hanging over the edge and the bright eyes studying her. The blasting air from the heater also rippled his brown fur.
"Where to?" she asked in a mockingly dignified voice.
Splinter grinned and played along," To the nearest manhole please, Madame."
"You got it!"
The windshield wipers stirred into motion and shoved the growing snow pile away. Then the car gently moved into motion and disappeared down the road.
Donatello panned his flashlight right to left with the shifting shadows.
"I dunno Leo. Looks dangerous."
"We have to get across! It's the way to the only opening that I know of!"
Don craned his neck to peek over the edge of an enormous drain blocking the path. Water rushed over the edge with a deafening roar and swirled into what seemed a bottomless pit. He suddenly got dizzy and stepped back.
"No way."
The light's beam moved to his brother's face, revealing only a determined expression.
"Common Donny! Splinter does this all the time, I'm sure. We'll just cross over there."
His small fingers pointed to a cluster of thin and rusted pipes that bridged over the whirlpool.
"Oh no!" Don's eyes widened," You can't make me!"
"Splinter would do it for you," Leo said softly. His voice nearly cracked with emotion.
Their voices echoed away and left only silence to loom over them.
"This is crazy," Don finally mumbled and headed in the pipes' direction. Leo said nothing and followed. When they came to it, both sat down their small packs and starred at each other.
"Whatever you do, don't look down."
Donatello nodded and gave a nervous sideways glance at the danger.
"I'll go first," Leonardo smiled faintly and spread his arms wide for balance. Looking straight ahead, he took the first step on the largest of the cluster. It was slightly slimy and misted, but he managed his grip. Another slow step. Then another.
Don stood his ground while nearly paralyzed with fright. In his right hand, the flashlight quivered while holding the beam just in front of his brother. Leo's step began to quicken with growing confidence. Just then, he yelped as his left foot slipped. Donny dropped the light in shock and fumbled through the water to retrieve it. His heart was hammering so hard it gave him a sudden headache. When it was finally found, the beam moved to the space Leo had previously occupied. To his surprise, a face was there grinning back.
"Sorry. Little slippery right there."
"Don't DO that, Leo!"
"Okay, just watch that spot on your way over."
"Jeez! Give me a heart attack!"
With a whoosh of air, Leo pounced to safety on the other side.
"Your turn. It's not as bad as it looks."
Don let the breath out that he didn't know he was holding and positioned himself at the edge. Water smashed passed his ankles, trying to snatch him in its grasp to take the plummet.
"Think of Splinter. Just think of Splinter," he said repeatedly to himself. He took the first step while testing the metal with his toes before putting his full weight down. Success. A few more steps.
"Good! You're doing great, but that part is coming up. Right there," Leo leaned over and watched. Don gulped and took a wide step over it.
"See? Not so bad."
His feet sped up, and he watched the other side with growing anticipation. Almost there! Then, a weakly rusted spot caved in as his weight came in contact. His leg broke through the pipe and jammed his knee in the opening. With a cry of agony, the flashlight flew from Donatello's fingers and began to circle in the pool. Leo lunged for him, but missed as the light disappeared and darkness engulfed them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Splinter peeked over the door frame and watched the camera swiveled away from him.
"Now!"
He and Michelle emerged from the room while sprinting for the next before the camera's scope caught them. Again, he waited.
"Now!"
They repeated the maneuver and merged into a small room. The walls were lined with cages with death-ridden eyes peering at them.
"Michelle, please inform me: what does the term "the can" refer to?"
She gave him an uncertain glance. He watched her closely as her lips pressed together firmly.
"It's where animals are contained for termination."
Splinter nodded as he approached the first cage. There, his gray feline friend returned the stare.
"A future not fit for innocence," he lifted the lock and swung the door open. Several cats bounded out.
"Wait! What about the cameras?!" she blurted as she tried to catch the cats scrambling around her legs.
"There are no more. Quick, go open the outside door."
She blinked at him for a moment until he waved to her in impatience. He continued to unlock cages as she rushed out into the hall with such speed that her white lab shoes slid and stumbled. Animals poured out of the doorway by the dozen and began to meander dangerously close to the security cameras. Gaining her balance again, she threw herself at the door. Cool crisp air blasted her in he face as she stumbled out in relief.
Splinter opened the last door for some tiny puppies and joined the chaos in the hall. Meows, barks, hisses, and growls echoed from the lost and desperate souls. With a gentle wave of his arms, he guided the herd to the open door. Together, they smiled in satisfaction as the creatures bounded away into the distance.
"Nothing is as precious as one's freedom."
Michelle turned to him with a grin. Suddenly, a loud crash came from indoors and moments later, the gray cat appeared. It began to make the figure '8' around his legs again.
She laughed at what must have been a cage falling over," Leaving his last regards, I suppose."
Splinter picked the cat up and stroked its surprisingly silky fur.
"He will make a wonderful friend," he patted it's purring head," and family member."
The lab assistant's smile widened, and she guided him to her car. However, as she stepped up to the door, she suddenly paused.
"Did you feel that?"
Splinter looked up from the cat with curious eyes.
"I did not."
"Felt like...a rain drop or something."
The rat chuckled as a white fleck floated to the ground. Than another and another until the entire sky was bursting with them like fire works.
"Oh my god! Snow!" she looked upwards and twirled like a little girl," It's snowing in New York City!"
Splinter laughed again," Perhaps we best get inside before we catch an untimely cold."
Michelle's gaze returned to him with an expression of amused disappointment.
"Right," she brought out her keys and unlocked the small blue car. Splinter eased into the passenger seat and set the cat in he back seat. When the animal settled itself, he straightened his robe and reached for the seat belt. She did the same. Then a sudden giggle escaped her in his direction. He looked almost like a child with his feet hanging over the edge and the bright eyes studying her. The blasting air from the heater also rippled his brown fur.
"Where to?" she asked in a mockingly dignified voice.
Splinter grinned and played along," To the nearest manhole please, Madame."
"You got it!"
The windshield wipers stirred into motion and shoved the growing snow pile away. Then the car gently moved into motion and disappeared down the road.