Lost In Shadow
Chapter 6
Leo made his way to April's apartment slowly. He had a lot to think about. Clearly his brothers weren't as keen to help the girl out as he thought they'd be. 'Perhaps they'd show more enthusiasm if she were alive,' he thought. He couldn't quite believe that her appearance in their home had freaked them out so much either. I mean, hadn't they dealt with things a hell of a lot worse than some ghost of a little girl? Leo shook his head. He really hoped April would be more sympathetic. No way was he giving up on this. She mightn't be alive… but being stuck in one of the nastiest parts of the sewers having to re-live your death over and over… well… it was pretty grim.
Leo debated whether to attach climbing spikes to his hands and scale April's apartment building, or whether he should use the main entrance. He had a trench coat and hat he'd grabbed on his way out rolled under his arm. Leo stopped. Perhaps it might be a good idea if he put them on.
He shook his head, hard, trying to rid it of the muggy feeling. He was glad Raph wasn't there to laugh at his mistake. He'd been so lost in thought he hadn't even put on his disguise. There was hardly anyone around… and it was only just 7:00am, but still… He cursed himself under his breath for being so stupid. What was wrong? Not like him…
He opted for the main entrance. Climbing the side of the building wouldn't be wise in the morning sunlight. Jeez… why did he even have to think about it? He should know that.
He rang the intercom.
There was a long pause, and then a sleepy voice answered.
"…h'lo…?"
"April. It's me, Leo."
Another pause.
"O' co'rse… wh' else would it be…? sev'n 'clock onna sunday mornin'…"
The door buzzed Leo pushed it and bounded up the stairs to April's apartment. April opened the door, bleary eyed, with her dressing gown hanging off as though she'd just flung it on in a sleepy rush.
"April."
"Leo, hi… "April yawned. "..a little early, aren't you?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry April, I just…"
"Leo… look... I have a man in here. A naked man, in my bed…"
Leo, about to launch into an explanation about the ghost of the girl and what help he desperately needed… paused. He felt himself go slack jawed. There could have been a blush, too. He wasn't sure. He just felt really confused all of a sudden.
"Wha…?" Was all he could muster.
April laughed loudly. "Get in." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her apartment. "The look on your face…" She was still giggling. "You're so easy to wind up…"
"But…" Leo stared at her bewildered. "Don't you want some privacy…?"
"I was joking. Making a point. Never mind." She grinned at him, and then frowned a little. "Leo are you okay? You don't seem like yourself."
"I'm not… at least… I think I am... then I go and do something stupid."
April shrugged and walked into the kitchen. "Everyone makes mistakes. Coffee?"
"There's a ghost in the sewer."
"A ghost, huh? That calls for filter instead of instant. Stronger stuff."
Leo stared at her. "Are you even listening?"
"I will, "April spooned mini mountains of coffee into the percolator. " When I've had my first coffee. It's Sunday morning, Leo. I like a lie in. Remember?"
"… right…" Leo sat down on a kitchen stool. "Sorry."
"No problem." She poured in the water then turned to him. "Right. You have a ghost in the sewer?"
Leo nodded. April shrugged. "…and…?"
"Doesn't that surprise you, April? Or even freak you out a little that ghosts exist? He won't admit it but even Raph's really horrified by it."
April shook her head. "Leo… I know four giant talking turtles, a giant talking rat, and a guy who goes out to play hockey with the body parts of local hoods. A ghost really wouldn't surprise me." She gave him an apologetic look. "In fact, it's even quite tame in comparison…"
"…good point." Leo listened to the gurgling sounds of the percolator for a moment. "I need your help, April. My brothers aren't really interested."
April began to pour some Golden Grahams into a bowl. "What do you need me to do?"
Leo shrugged. "I need to find info on this girl. But all I've got is the name 'Susan' on an identity bracelet. I'd recognise her if I saw a photo."
"Do you know how she died?"
"Yeah… she was re-living it all. She had blood on her shirt, and was thrown into the sewers."
April pulled a face. "We could try searching for old newspaper reports about missing… how old is... was she..?"
"Dunno. About fourteen, I think."
"Missing teenagers. Do you know when she died?"
Leo shrugged.
"Well we need to work that out or we've got a lot of trawling to do. Breakfast?"
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Mikey plonked a bowl of cereal down beside Don. "We should help Leo," he said through a mouthful of Cheerios.
"To do what?"
"…I don't know. Whatever he's doing. He wants to find out about her, right?"
"Why?" Don sighed. "She's dead. What's there to know?"
"To put her at rest."
Don closed his eyes.
Raph glanced over from his position on the couch. "I just want it out of here."
"She's gone, isn't she?" Mike said. "Leo took the bracelet with him so…"
As though on cue, the ghost walked through the wall stopping between him and Don. The temperature dropped in an instant. Mike almost spilt his cereal.
Don grimaced; Raph gave Mike an 'I told you so' look and turned away. The ghost smiled and drifted towards the sofa and Raph. Don looked at Mike with a shudder.
"Will helping Leo make it go away?"
"Maybe," Mike grinned.
Don booted up his p.c. "Okay… one internet search for 'missing girl' coming up…."
An hour later, Don was rubbing his forehead with frustration. Mikey peered over his shoulder.
"The NY Times archives only go back to 1996…" Don grumbled. "But look… I've found stuff about a fire somewhere in Indiana in 1871…!"
Mike pulled a face. "C'mon Donnie, if you can find newspaper articles from 1871, then the 1970's should be no problem?"
"It's harder. People have some kind of historical interest in, like, the 1800's or whatever. The seventies are too recent, they're not… "Don paused. "The seventies…? How do you know she's from the seventies?"
Mikey shrugged. "I dunno, her hair I guess… and those flared jeans. They're seventies, right?"
"I think you're right. I was thinking more recently… but that means the kid would be anything up to 30 years old…"
"If she was alive… "Mikey nodded.
"That too… "Don frowned. "Do you think Leo will know?"
"I'll call April." Mikey grinned.
"Well, when you do, "Raph griped. "Pass it on to Leo that the ghost hasn't gone. Even though he's taken the bracelet with him."
He glowered at the ghost standing in the corner; it's head on one side as it looked about the room. "If it wakes me up again tonight, I'm holdin' Leo responsible…"
Mike rolled his eyes, picked up the phone and dialled April's number.
"April! Hey!"
"Hi Mike."
"Has Leo told you about our pet ghost?"
Don and Raph pulled irritated faces at Mike then looked at each other. Raph shook his head and muttered under his breath.
"Yeah," April said. "He's going to try to trace her."
"Uh huh," Mike replied. "I think she's from the seventies because she's wearing flares and kind of looks like a pre- teen Charlie's Angel."
Raph and Don glanced over at the ghost again with puzzled looks.
"Seventies, that narrows it down. Thanks Mike. We're going to the library tomorrow to check out the newspaper archives. We'll find something. Leo said you guys aren't interested."
"I am!" Mike glanced at his brothers. "Only Raph seems to hate her and Don's still trying to convince himself she doesn't exist."
"I am not." Don scowled.
Raph nodded pleasantly. "He's right, I do hate it. Especially when the damn thing wakes me up at six in the morning…"
Mike stuck a finger in his ear to muffle the sounds of Raph's grumbling.
"Raph also wanted me to pass onto Leo that the ghost's still here even though the bracelet is at your place. So whatever attachment we thought she had to it, I guess it isn't as strong as we thought…"
"Maybe she's lonely…" April suggested. "If the only thing it's had to do for the last twenty or thirty years is re-live its own death it's probably glad for a little company. Look Mike, I'd better go Leo's practicing katas in the kitchen and I just know he's going to break something…."
"Well?" Don asked.
"They're going to the library tomorrow to search newspaper archives."
"Good. I guess I can stop banging my head against a brick wall then." Don disconnected from the net.
"How's Leo?" Raph asked in a tone that said he couldn't care less. "Practicing katas… He'll probably be back soon… he can't go to the library 'til it opens tomorrow and if he breaks any of April's mugs she'll..."
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhh!"
Mikey spun around; Raph leapt over the sofa… both gawked wide eyed at Don. It was Don who had yelled. He stood a couple of feet away from his computer which emitted blue sparks, flashes of light and loud crackles. Don stretched out a shaking hand and pointed at the ghost who had just walked through his electronic pride and joy.
"It just killed my PC…."
Raph swore. "That's it. It's leaving."
"…it was an accident… "Mikey said. "Look at her face she didn't mean it…"
"Well I'm not risking the TV…" Raph began.
"The TV!?! What about my $%£!&*^! computer?!" Don shouted. "I want that thing out of here…! Now!"
Raph stepped forward and glared into the ghosts face. "You. You've overstayed your welcome. Out. Now."
"Yeah… "Don bent over his computer, wincing at the damage. "Get out."
The ghost looked at them her dull grey eyes widening and widening… Mike felt his skin crawl… then her mouth opened and let out a shrill piercing scream. Mike felt like his skull was going to split.
The turtles put their hands over their ears, Splinter dashed into the room… he looked as startled as they'd ever seen him look.
"What has happened?"
Mike tried to shout above the shriek that was building louder and louder in their heads. "They told her to leave, sensei… but I don't think she wants to go…."