I do not own the TMNT.
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Lost
Chapter 8
After Mikey finally choose the "perfect" outfit and pulled his hair back in a low ponytail, the rest of our evening was spent tagging after a hyperactive, emerald haired teenager. We agreed that our little brother did follow all the rules to the letter. I had to chuckle about the many times he blushed when a pretty girl came up to flirt with him, the Casanova. There was no signs of Katsuro lurking nearby; however, I felt much better when the four of us arrived home safely without seeming to be followed. Yawning, I thought to myself as I prepared for bed, "What will fate throw at us next?"
Damn that fate! Of course New York would have to be hit with the worst snow season of the century. Night after night the shoveled roads and sidewalks were covered with a foot to a foot and half of snow. The news channels were calling this winter the "worst cold season ever" and children rejoiced with the lack of school openings. The walls of the sewers glistened with ice and frost and we could see our breath puff out in smoky white clouds.
Donnie had installed small heating units around the lair years ago to keep the lair livable for a furry, mutant rat and four turtles that did not have as much trouble with the cold compared to a human. Unfortunately, one of the four turtles was now a human and couldn't handles the cold, drafty air. Mikey had caught a dozy of a cold a couple of weeks ago much to his chagrin and seemed to be having trouble getting rid of it much to our chagrin. A sick, whiney Mikey was not pleasant to be around. He was placed in Sensei's bedroom, which was the warmest room of the lair.
AAACHOOO!
"God bless you," I said offering Mikey a tissue, which he loudly blew into.
Hooooonk! Sniff-sniff.
He burrowed further down under his covers and offered me back the tissue he had blown his nose into.
"Um…No thank you Mike-Mike. You keep it," I said offering him a wastebasket to toss the tissue in.
"Weo, I'b don feel goob," he said to me with a still snuffed up nose, "I'b hot."
Mikey began kicking off all of his blankets and tried to pull his pajama top off. This was a pattern that had been repeating itself for the last few days. Mikey would go from freezing cold and want every available blanket piled on top of him until he could barely move; to burning hot where he would try to strip down to nothing, which wasn't good for him in the frosty air of the lair. We were all at our wits end because Mikey wasn't getting better and the weather was getting worse.
"You need to stay covered up," I said settling my little brother back down.
"I'b hot Weo," he whined at me as his face began to flush.
Donnie entered the room and placed a thermometer in Mikey's mouth. He confirmed that his temperature was once again on the rise and placed a cool cloth on Mikey's forehead and got him to drink some herbal tea that would help bring down his fever. Sensei, Raph, and April entered and sat on the cushions scattered about the room.
"Guys, you have got to face the fact that Mikey can no longer live down here in the winter," April said.
"Well what do ya expect us ta do April? Go down ta our Florida lair?" Raph sneered.
"Raphael! Show some respect. Apologize immediately," Sensei ordered.
"Sorry April. Just stressed out ovah the kid," Raph said with sincerity.
"I'b nod a kid," Mikey wheezed out before turning over and falling asleep.
"Apology accepted," April said after chuckling softly at Mikey, "But Mikey needs to be moved to my apartment. I have a spare bedroom that he can use. If he stays down here much longer his cold will turn into pneumonia. He could die from pneumonia."
"He would die if Katsuro got a hold of him as well," I said, "Mikey would not have the protection he needs up above and this would get you involved as well April."
"True Leo," Donnie said, "But he won't need our protection if he dies from sickness down here and his cold is trying to move into his lungs. I say he goes with April."
"What about his and April's safety?" Raphael demanded.
"You will all take turns staying with April and Michelangelo," Sensei said, "If one of you are there, the two of them should be safe. We have no choice. Michelangelo is steadily growing worse. I do not want to lose my youngest so soon."
The decision made, we quickly packed up everything we thought Mikey would need and headed out to April's apartment. I carried Mikey who was wrapped up with so many blankets the cold wouldn't be able to penetrate. We were all happier once we reached April's place, especially Sensei since the cold was not helping his joints, and settled Mikey in his new room. April then convinced us to all stay with her, at least just until Mikey was better. I felt much better about sticking together. After a few days Michelangelo began to get well, but things were changing and not for the better.
To be continued.