Meat Locker
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A few days past since the burning of the old warehouse. Since then, everything seemed to go back to normal. Or so they thought.
Three out of the four brothers sat around their kitchen table mumbling on with each other and Master Splinter as the small tv played in the background. Master Splinter took a sip from his coffee before looking up to see Donatello was playing around on his laptop, not giving any attention to his family around him.
"Donatello, remember what I told you about using electronics at the table during meals?" he said with mild irritation in his voice. Donnie peaked over his computer for a moment, sighing before closing the laptop.
"Sorry Master Splinter I was just trying to look into more of that cult we encountered the other day."
"Donnie you've been researching that for a couple of days now and you still haven't found anything?" Leo asked placing his toast on the plate before sitting down.
"It's hard because I don't know the name of the cult so there are hundreds in New York. I'm looking further down into it. You wouldn't think it would be that hard. Their method of whatever they were trying to do was nothing I read up about. Sacrificing a person is per say normal. But six kids…that's excessive. And with burning like that… that was just intense."
"They seemed to have been damning their souls to hell, burning them to purity before their souls would enter." Master Splinter answered before taking another sip from his drink.
"Wow Master Splinter, I'm shocked you know anything about Satanist." Raphael mentioned waiting for his eggs to finish cooking.
"Though my beliefs lie with Buddha, it is important to be aware of all religions. Their good intentions and bad intentions." He explained.
"So what do you think their intentions were with those kids?" Leo asked, taking a bite of his toast.
"I am unsure, but I am aware of their presence. There has been a lingering force since you boys have been home." He said.
"Is it something to be worried about?" Leo asked feeling some unease. Before Master Splinter, their attention turned to Michelangelo who came sluggishly down the stairs. He groaned rubbing his neck, yawning before sitting down.
"Mikey you look awful." Donnie mentioned before slurping at some cereal. Mikey glanced at him before facing down again in his lap, keeping his hand on his neck.
"Yeah, didn't sleep too well last night." He said before heaving into an exaggerated cough.
"Are you feeling okay? Are you not well Michelangelo?" Master Splinter asked in worry. Mikey didn't want to answer that. He hasn't eaten in days, feeling too sick to even try and take in anything. His throat has been dry since that bizarre dream he had. Those dreams. They haven't stopped, keeping him up at night. He felt too skittish to try and sleep again. Knowing for him it would just end badly if he tried. More terrors, more monsters chasing him. He couldn't sleep. Not anymore.
"Yeah I'm alright." He lied. "Just a scratchy throat is all." He gave his father a weak smile but he could see the concern was not leaving his face.
"Well you want me to make you something? Eggs? Toast?" Donnie offered, standing back up to fill his coffee.
"No thanks, not hungry." He admitted. He flinched slightly hearing the sound of Leo's cup hit the table.
"Mikey you haven't eaten in two days. This isn't like you." He said.
"I-I know. I don't know just not feeling it I guess." How does he describe the mulled taste that entered his mouth every time he tried to eat? What was supposed to be sweet was sour, what was suppose to be bliss with sweet smells was tainted with an unbearable odor; what was suppose to be fresh tasted spoiled, tasted like death.
"Is this still about that kid Mike? You know you can't let that keep guilt tripping you." Donnie mentioned, not taking his eyes off his coffee as it brewed. The kid. Mikey later found out on the news his name was Jacob Sanders. Nine years old. His whole family was murdered and he was missing for a week prior to the warehouse incident.
Though the boy was no longer popping up in Mikey's nightmares, the curling feeling of his spirit lingering around made him want to vomit.
Suddenly a swarm of irritation flooded his body. Something he was not familiar with since he normally kept his temperament under control. A heated feeling of hatred was burning through his veins. His breathing getting deeper, trying to calm himself of this strange feeling. Then, Raphael opened his mouth.
"Geez Mikey, cant be crying over spilt milk for the rest of ya life. The kid died. Aint nothing you can do about it but move on." He said, Taking a swig from the milk in the fridge.
"Raph!" Leo hissed.
"What? Am I wrong? Yer gonna sit here and tell me this aint crazy? He aint even eating Leo. All because some looney of a kid decided to take a bite out of ya." He shrugged taking another sip.
Breathe.
"Raphael that is no way to talk to your brother. Michelangelo was gone through a traumatic experience and he will grieve in the ways he finds most comfortable for him." Master Splinter told him.
Breathe Mikey Breathe.
"I get that but this is just getting annoying. It's obvious hes just looking or some extra attention he's apparently not getting so Im sorry if I'm gonna call him out on it. What's the Matter Mike, are we not giving you enough attention and feeling sorry for you ya gotta start starving yourself?" Raph asked with a smirk on his face, taking another drink from the milk.
Break.
"Raph, do you ever just shut the Fuck up?" Mikey sneered, facing his older brother. Raph stopped drinking, slowly putting the jug down. Donnie looked away from the coffee and Leo stopped with the toast still in his mouth.
"Michelangelo!" Master Splinter tried to reprimand. Raph snarled, slamming the milk down.
"Got someth'n to say to me you fucking brat?" He raved. Mikey didn't even flinch, staring at him with cold blue eyes.
"You have a lot to say for someone who bitches and moans when shit doesn't go his way or when Leo up fronts him every god damn day. You think we wanna listen to you slamming doors making a fuss so we all can watch you make a fool of yourself because you are nothing more than a sad child who could never be good enough. Guess what? You'll never be good enough." So simple, yet so cold. Somehow Raph lost all his anger and was replaced with mere shock.
"Mikey!" Leo yelled. Splinter put a hand up to stop Leo from intervening as he watched Mikey carefully. For a while he and Raphael locked eyes.
"You fucking prick." Raph Grunted Storming out of the kitchen. Mikey closed his eyes, a splash of relief entered him.
"Mikey.." He opened his eyes to see everyone staring at him. They had no words. They were shocked as well as upset at their baby brother but at the same time so confused. Mikey has never yelled out like that before. He was king at tormenting Raph in the sense of amusement, not actually trying to hurt him.
Without saying a word, He got up from the table and headed towards the front door, ignoring the demands from his father to stay.
He made his way across Manhattan, keeping to the shadows since it was mid day. He just needed some air, some time to think. That burst of anger it felt like it was just brewing inside him with no explanation as to why. He hated it. He hated feeling angry. But, that alone, hurting Raph. It felt good.
A sudden smell hit his nostrils. He took a big sniff of the air and sighed. It smelt good, making his mouth drool and his stomach rumble. He followed the smell through the alleys till he made his way behind a building where in his luck the door was opened. Slipping in, he crept through the back of the building, keeping a mental note of the temperature change. The door slammed, making his jump in surprise. Half of the lights turned on, causing him to hide away from them. The delicious smell was starting to make his stomach cramp from hunger. He was so hungry. He kept to the shadows of the room till he made it to another door. With swiftness, he opened the metal latch.
Meat. Meat hung from hooks from the ceiling. Large slabs of cow kept at an appropriate temperature. The blood of the dead cattle dripped to the floor. Mikey felt a chill down his spine, watching his breath turn into a cloud from the air. He was dying to taste that meat, Like a wild animal.
"Esse en Junge…" And cracked voice echoed in the room. Mikey jumped back, darting his head around to find the source of the voice.
"Esse en Junge!" It screamed, piercing his ears. He cringed, covering them in hopes to help but it didn't.
"God just make it stop, please!" He whined backing up to the wall, sitting down with his knees up.
Footsteps, loud and thunderous started to approach him. He was hesitant but looked up. His breathing quickened, eyes going wide. A woman, heavy set and older stood above him. She wore an apron covered in blood. Half of her head gone, looked at though it was blown off by a shotgun as you could see the inner part of her head could be shown. She held something in her hand. Mikey couldn't find the strength to scream. His heart pounding so fast he thought he would have a heart attack.
Please…" He thought this is where he was going to die. The voices coming from this woman he convinced himself it had to be. He will face death today. He shut his eyes waiting for the blow.
A plop came to his ears and when he opened his eyes he looked to see a large red lump of flash was in front of him. He looked up at the butcher.
"Speisen." She spoke, voice cracked and hoarse.
"What?" Mikey questioned, still not following the full situation.
"Speisen!" She screamed. Mikey coward.
" I don't know what you're saying!" He yelled. The woman only stared at him. His stomach cramped once again. He grunted and realized what she wanted him to do. She wanted him to eat.
He didn't know what this flesh was. All he knew was that he was hungry and he needed to eat something. With little resistance he reach forward and grabbed the meat. Holding it in his hand he realized what it was. It was a heart.
As if he were a wild animal, he took a large bite of it. He grimaced at first but quickly turned to a feeling of relief. The muscle was smooth and slick, tender enough to chew. Mikey felt relieved, he felt content as he swallowed his first bite, feeling it hit his stomach. Days of not eating, he couldn't has asked for a better meal.
As quickly as he received it, he devoured the heart; leaving nothing more than the blood stain remembrance on his face. He sat there, leaning his head back, relaxing now that his stomach was full. The woman was long gone leaving only him and hundreds of cow parts hanging in the air.
"Heh.." Mikey huffed, smiling.
"Hahahaha!" He started to laugh hysterically, releasing all the tension he had. When he finally calmed down, he sighed.
"I understand now."
Hours passed since Mikey left the house, the clock coming to 8pm. Leo sat at the couch watching his shell cell but wasn't receiving any calls from his little brother it seemed. He was worried about him. Ever since that interaction with that cult, his brother hasn't been the same. His whole demeanor was different and it was quite terrifying to see. He flinched slightly when he heard one of the bedroom doors open to see Raphael coming out. Raph was lectured by their father shortly after Mikey left and has been in his room ever since.
"Hey." Leo said.
"Hey." Raph grumbled. "Dick head aint home yet?" He said with spite. Though they fought Leo knew Raph was just as worried as he was about their baby brother.
"No not yet. Just sitting here debating whether or not to go out and look for him." Leo admitted.
"I wouldn't. You know Mikey wouldn't have left unless he really wanted to be alone." Raph said. Leo knew he was right. But that just proved his point even further that there was something wrong.
Speaking of their missing brother, the front door of the lair opened and both their heads swung to look to see Mikey walking in.
"Mikey!" Leo yelled running towards him. Mikey looked up and smiled.
"Hey Leo." But his up beat feeling didn't change the concern on Leonardo's face.
"Mikey there's blood all over your face." He pointed out trying to reach out to wipe at it. Mikey quickly retracted back, not wanting his brother to touch him.
"Oh yeah I just got a really bad nose bleed is all." He said with a nervous laugh. He looked to see Raph standing there but noticed he wasn't going to say anything. That was probably a good thing.
"Well, I'm gonna go to bed. Night!" He said cheerfully heading up the stairs. Leo stood there dumbfounded unable to say anything in response. When he heard the door of Mikeys room closed, he looked behind to make a comment but stopped.
"Raph?" He questioned. Raphael shook where he stood and his blood running down blood.
"Raph?!" Leo said with concern. Raph couldn't speak, he couldn't move. When his brother walked through the door he didn't see Mikey. He saw a dark entitiy. Something of evil. Raph couldn't do anything but allow his body to fall back and slide into darkness.
A:N/ I mean I like my steak raw but not THAT raw! Hope you all enjoyed please leave a review! Till next time! -F