"Do you dream of madness as you sleep? Or do you dream of death?"
Mike yawned and looked at his reflection in the cracked mirror that hung on the wall of the bathroom in the lair. He looked a wreck. He groaned softly as another wave of nausea hit him. He closed his eyes and it passed. "Damn." he muttered quietly "Well, it's not always good to try something new." Oyster meat and pepperoni was not a good combo he decided.
'Oh no!' He quickly leaned over the toilet and barfed up again. He groaned and grabbed a glass of water nearby and sank to the floor, cursing all pizza and the day it was invented.
His attention was averted from his aching insides though when he heard small, quiet noises in the main lair. 'What the...?' he thought to himself. It was too early for Splinter or Leo to be up... and too late for Don or Raph for that matter.
"Great..." Mikey mumbled softly to himself as he pulled himself onto his feet and stumbled as quietly as he could to the door of the bathroom. He peered out into the darkness of the lair. He saw one of his brothers walk towards the ladder and start climbing it.
"Hey!" he called out "Where ya going?"
No response... 'Oh great, just perfect.' Mike grabbed his 'chucks and followed his elusive brother up and out of the lair.
As the mystery turtle passed under a sewer grate, some light fell on his face, revealing his identity as Leonardo. Although, he looked a little odd, Mike thought. "Yo! Leo! Whatcha doing?" Mike called out to him again... still no answer. Mike ran to catch up, and chanced once again to see Leonardo's face in the light. His eyes were almost all the way closed... He looked like he was sleepwalking. Now, Mike had watched enough TV to know to never wake a sleepwalker. He followed with a ninja's silence, wondering if Leo would wake up or go back to the lair.
Mike drew in a sharp breath when his brother started climbing a ladder up to a manhole... He stood for a moment, torn between waking Leo up or just following him. "Aw shit.." he muttered "Damn it, Leonardo!" He waited until Leo had left the manhole, then followed him up the ladder.
Emerging onto the street, Mikey looked around, scanning for Leo. He was nowhere in sight. 'Crud!' He thought, 'I lost him!' Suddenly the sounds of a scuffle hit Mike's ears and he quickly turned towards it. 'Chucks out in a flash, he headed towards the sounds. His brother was attacking someone, a girl! A street person by her looks. A terrified scream rang in Mikey's ears and he didn't think anymore, he just reacted. Jumping onto Leo's shell, he knocked his brother off the girl and to the dirty ground. Leonardo grunted beneath him.
Mike looked at the girl to only realize to his horror that he had acted too late. She was dead. A long blade wound ripped open her chest, exposing her insides. "Oh my god!" Mike said, his voice loud in his ears even among the city sounds. His stomach began to churn again, and he fell to his knees. After a few dry heaves, he was able to control it. He turned to Leo, wanting leadership, but almost sure he shouldn't trust the turtle.
Leo stood there, his blades pointed towards the ground by his side, clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes were wide with disbelief and terror and his entire body was shaking. What had he done?
A light switching on and a door opening switched on both the turtles' instincts and they were gone and back down into the manhole cover in the blink of an eye.
Leo stood at the bottom of the ladder that led to the streets and looked at his little brother.
"Leo? What...?" Mike began, but he barely knew what to say.
"I... I... She... The Foot... No." Leo sputtered, trying hard to compose himself but failing. "Oh my god. What did I do, Mike?"
"You.. you were sleepwalking."
"I was dreaming, chasing Karai, and I woke up to that dead girl.... please tell me it's not what I think." Leo pleaded. The look in his eyes scared Mike. He didn't want to see his brother that way. Leo was supposed to be strong, composed... Leo wasn't supposed to freak out!
"It is, man. I followed you and... well... you know."
"Oh god.. no." Leo hid his head in his hands.
The silence in my soul is vast-
no shivering, no sighing.
No dancing in the rain I feel-
no tears to begin my crying.
The more of life I think I know-
the more I think I'm lying.
Authors Notes: I originally had the Title "Nightmares" and may change it back if I get enough feedback that says I should. I'm not sure if I should continue this story, and go on with the mental repercussions of Leo's sleepwalking. However, if I do, I need suggestions... any out there? Oh, and a sick, perverse note to end this... Leo torture is fun!
A special thanks to my good friend, Katrina Hofer for allowing me to use her poem.
A Cracked Shell Production
