Disturbing Recollection

~

Leo heard Splinter close his door, and a few seconds later heard the quiet sounds of his Sensei's own car door being closed, and he knew his father had gone to bed. He could sense his brothers asleep, but he was far from tired. Thoughts were running through his head at such a speed, he couldn't cling to one to listen to it. After a few more minutes, Leo couldn't stand being sat still any longer, and he climbed out of his top bunk, dropping silently to the floor. He rolled the door open slowly, peering out into the dark lair. He could see the tail of Donny's bandanna over the couch arm, and he could see another brother in the armchair next to it. He crept out, shutting his door behind him, and walked over to the steps, glancing at the couch and seeing it was Raph in the armchair, and Mikey was on the couch with Donny, and Leo could see the center of Mikey's foot was wrapped in a thin bandage. It wasn't like them to fall asleep so soon after an encounter like what they had.

   Leo grabbed his hat, pushing it onto his head as he turned to the ladder and started to climb. He needed fresh air and a walk, even though it was very late. It took him three minutes to reach the manhole that led him to the dark city above, and he pushed at the heavy lid, sliding it away so he could fit through the hole. He replaced it and, stuffing his hands in his pocket, starting walking to the street he and his brothers had been walking down before they had gone into the park. Yet when he arrived, he stopped and looked at the dark trees, leaves blowing slightly in a soundless breeze, almost hiding the dark paths that wound through the park. He had the strangest feeling of being drawn to the park, so he turned direction and made his way towards the trees that would have repelled anyone else that time of night in that eerie darkness.

   As he entered the shadow of the trees, he expected to feel the light breeze that had moved the leaves, but he felt nothing, and it made him glance up to see if he was in the line of the wind. He shook his head and continued to walk, suddenly attacked by a stream of thoughts. Thoughts of what Splinter had told him, and finding it difficult to believe that he didn't remember anything of it, even with the explanation Splinter told him of his memory being purposefully wiped. Leo broke out of his thoughts and looked up to find himself facing the bench that Mikey had stopped at, where they had all seen the strange lights, and the even stranger triangular shaped . . . UFO.

   "What's happening?" Leo whispered to himself, thinking about all the UFO sightings, including his. He walked over to the bench, spotting a few small drops of blood, no doubt Mikey's, and sat down on it with his hands still in his pockets. He took them out and placed them on either side of himself on the bench.

   "If only I could remember what Splinter saw," he said, "all those years ago." He paused, now feeling a small breeze move his coat and bandanna tails. He then shuddered. What had he seen when he had been taken? Had he seen anything at all? He must have done if he was awake when it took him; Splinter said he saw him floating with a silhouette shape. But that didn't mean Leo could have been awake. But if he had been . . . what would a five year old Leo have been feeling ?– exactly what Leo had been feeling an hour ago when he had been curled up against the tree trunk, shaking and feeling utterly scared. Those feelings must have been the first and only emotions Leo remembered in those ten years from the supposedly horrifying experience.

   Leo glanced at the tree to his left that he had been sat against. He couldn't even remember ever getting down there and shaking from looking up because Donny had not answered Mikey's question; then he just remembered being on the floor, shaking, staring at a worried face of Donny. It was so strange.

   Out of the corner of Leo's eyes he swear he saw a very, very quick, bright flash of light right next to him. And he turned to look around him, but there was nothing there. It must have been his eyes playing tricks. He shook his head slightly, but the froze as his eyes landed on the floor at his feet. He frowned, and moved his right foot out the way as he stared harder at the floor. The droplets of Mikey's blood had disappeared, and Leo was sure that small breeze could not have blown dirt over them. He rubbed his foot over the area, just in case, but there were no red smears after he had disturbed the dirt.

   "Hu -?" Leo half said, but he froze again as the path in front of him seemed to get lighter, as though something was shinning a far away light down. Leo watched, frowning, as the light moved, getting brighter, and illuminated him and the bench, creating a circular perimeter around the wide-eyed turtle. Breathing faster now, Leo looked up for the source of the light, but he looked straight into the brightest, white light, and squinted hard. It became so bright, that if anyone happened to have come down the path, all they would have seen was a cylinder beam of light beaming down on an almost colorless figure. Then, the light seemed to close in a rectangle shape, as though its walls were closing, imprisoning the turtle. Then, the light, along with the turtle, disappeared, leaving the park dark and silent once again that night.