A/N:Sorry it took so long to bump this chapter out. Between work and some family sickness I have finally been able to sit and write. Hope that you enjoy it!
Chapter 11
Signing Your Soul Away
There was no question about it. I had to give it what it wanted. But at the same time, I couldn't. If I gave it my soul, then my family wouldn't go free. Plus, whatever it wanted to do to with my soul, I knew it would be bad. This thing, this beast, this demon...whatever it wanted it couldn't be good for the rest of the world. Society would say to refuse, allow it to kill my family, and therefore save countless people with the mere sacrifice of four mutant freaks. Actually, if you calculate the numbers, it is the most logical solution. Any person looking from the outside in would be no doubt thinking that same thing.
The only problem was that I wasn't on the outside looking in, this was happening to me. And I couldn't let it. I simply couldn't stand myself, I wouldn't go on living. I'd rather die myself than let my family suffer. I'd rather...
Sudden inspiration hit me like a sledgehammer. I knew what to do. I knew exactly what I was going to do. Thoughts raced through my head as I tried to look for loopholes. I could find none. Or at least none that I could think of. What mattered most was that my soul was MINE until I chose to give it. Mine...and damn if I wouldn't fight for it.
I looked up. The moist, dank breeze brushed by me as if on cue. I couldn't help but shiver. "I have reached a decision, but before I make it, I need to know a few things." I tried to make my voice sound strong, and surprisingly I think that I may have pulled it off. I hid my trembling hands behind my shell as I stared into the blackness, awaiting a response.
The demon took its time answering. It nearly drove me mad. When I finally heard something I let out my breath, not entirely realizing that I was holding it in.
Go on...
I licked my lips. I had to choose my words carefully so I didn't give away my plan. "What will I have to do to give my soul away?"
snicker...
You will have to destroy the life in your vessel, and proclaim your soul to me...
Destroy my vessel? Man, that's what I thought. I was hoping for a different answer but I'd have to make do with this one. I inhaled deeply as I prepared my next question. "How do I know that you won't just kill my family anyway after I give it to you? I need proof that you'll keep your word."
Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss...
You dare doubt my word...?
Geesh, I hope that I didn't make it too mad. "Well, no offense, but you're a demon. You're not exactly known for your honesty. Couldn't we just make a contract or something?" I cringed at the jovial, joking tone that my voice had adopted. I always did that when I was scared.
The monster paused, as if it was deliberating. Another moist breeze kissed my cheek. I resisted the urge to scrub down.
Contract, agreement...agreed...
"What do you want my soul for?"
Hisssssss...
I did my best to glare into the darkness. The sheer blackness was daunting. "I'm serious. You didn't exactly tell me before. What makes me so special to you?"
There was a silence. "I give you my word of honor that I will not change my mind, no matter what you tell me." Bold move. Let's hope that it bears the fruit of an actual answer.
A key...
"To what?"
To break my leashes...
Doing what I wish in the human world...
My eyes widened and my mouth went dry. For the hundreth time I licked my lips. "Is that why you are able to target me? And do these things to us? Because we're not human?"
snicker...
Every rule has loopholes...
I clenched my jaw. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Some rule set by a higher being prevented the thing from wreaking havoc on mankind. I guess that as a mutant turtle I wasn't considered part of mankind. But I knew that the course was set. I had given my word and knew that I couldn't break it. But now knowing the full extent of the cost of losing this battle, I knew that I couldn't lose. What I needed was time.
"Uh, one more thing."
Hissssssssss...
"Please?"
Silence. I took that as an impatient wait for an answer. I breathed in. "I'd like one more chance to speak with my family before I go. Give me half an hour, please. I just need some time after I sign the contract, where you won't be allowed to touch me at all. My family and I will be free from your touch until that time is up. Please." I was begging. I knew it. But, God, I wanted this to work so bad. It simply had to work. It was my only option.
The dragged out pause seemed ominous. It was time to put out a threat. "I won't go through with the contract unless you give me this time."
Something crashed in the background. The images of my family had the mute turned off. Suddenly all their gazes zeroed in on me. "MIKEY!" "MY SON!" They struggled in their holds, which caused some of them to gasp, cry out, and wheeze in pain. They continued anyway. I tried not to look at them, somehow knowing that it would anger the demon even furthur. Plus I didn't want it to trick me and claim that my time had started now. But it was hard. I bit my lower lip until it bled, clenching my fists while I physically forced myself to look away.
Their hold on them, at least where sight and sound were concerned, had turned off. The surrounding darkness lightened a bit, to a dark shade of gray, before going pitch black again. It flickered bright white and for the breifest of split seconds I saw a horrifying creature. Then the darkness was back. The sound was turned off again for my family, though their eyes still stayed riveted on me. My skin prickled at the sight I just saw. The thing got so ticked it temporarily lost control and I saw a creature so hideous that I couldn't even begin to describe it.
You can't do that...
Your word of honor...
"No, you're wrong." I challenged. "I gave my word that I wouldn't change my mind based off what you told me. Right now, I'm about to change my mind because you won't give me any time. It's completely unrelated." I was surprised that I was able to twist the events like that. Never thought I had that ability. I just hoped that I didn't push my luck too far.
I'll kill them...
The words stabbed my heart. I turned my face to stone, forcing my emotions not to show. "You could, but then you won't get that soul you wanted, will you? Once you kill them, you lose your collateral." I could see my family's reaction, despite the perdicaments they were in. I knew that they heard every word. I just hope that they can understand.
Insolent creature...
You mock me...
I shook my head fast enough to make my head rattle. "No I'm not, I just want to get the most from my bargain."
You'll have fifteen minutes...
That wasn't enough time.
Under my conditions...
Hey, wait, what? "Now hold on a minute, we never agreed on conditions!"
We will at this moment...
Geesh, freaking demonic smart-ass. The thought surprised me and I supressed a grin despite the situation. Here I am bartering with a demon for my very soul and I'm beginning to sound like Raph!
"What conditions do you propose?" My family's head swiveled over, awaiting a response just as I was.
They will remain as they are, as you are...
You unable to hear them but they can hear you...
"No, I want to talk with them!"
They will change your mind, not a risk to take...will not discuss matter furthur...
I glowered at them. "Why not?" Suddenly there was a flurry of motion to my side. I looked anxiously. The black beast had tightened his hold on Leo, he was clearly having difficulty breathing. Sensei thrashed at the chains as he made even more monumental efforts to take in breath. The spider monsters started to jab at Don's unprotected thighs and the flying monsters dove at the helpless Raph.
"NO! Stop, please stop!" A hiss filled the air in pure demonic anger. The atrocities doubled. Blood spilled on the floor, Splinter shuddered with his efforts and bone splintered in Leo's arm. I screamed into the night, hot tears on my cheeks. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME YOU F#KING GHOST! STOP IT, STOP IT NOW!"
Abruptly the tortures ceased. Talons stopped piercing flesh, Leo stopped getting squeezed, and Splinter hung limp in exhaustion but breathing eaiser at least.
Do not push me...
My knees hit the floor and I put my hand in my lap, sobbing. I sucked in my breath as another wracking sob hit me. How could I do this to them? How could I get cocky like this? I never get cocky, now it was costing my family. How could I do this to them. The hot tears burned my cheeks like streams of molten lava.
Conditions agreed...?
I glared into the darkness with tear filled eyes. "Yes. That part of the conditions are agreed. They cannot speak to me. But I would like it if they weren't in those states..." I looked over at them at their different positions of torture. "You can make it so they can't come to me, I don't care. Just free them for that time. Once I sign the contract you'll be getting what you want at fifteen minutes end anyway. Just please."
The silence told the answer itself.
I gnawed at my lip again, the tears still flowing hot. Setting my hand on the floor, I freely handed over the last of my dignity as I bowed, my nose inches from the floor. "Please." I waited in that position, my head on the floor between my healthy and busted hand, listening for a response.
snicker...
Yes, I will agree...
"Remember, during that fifteen minutes time, you can not affect me in any way. No matter what happens." I stressed.
There was another silence, and I could tell that it was deliberating over my words once more. I knew as soon as I said it that I slipped with that 'no matter what happens' bit. I chewed my lip and added "Remember. At the end of that fifteen minutes my soul is forfeit." It felt odd saying those words. Painful. But they needed to be said, I suppose. Hopefully, with my plan they wouldn't actually come to pass.
Agreed...
Suddenly the darkness moved, it rippled as though made of water. Then it started to draw back from the edges, revealing a weak light in it's wake. Soon it was a gigantic blob in front of me. It was then that I saw the familiar face on the front of the darkness, the shadow. It took on a shape of it's own and grinned as it slowly started to change shape. A figure came out of the shadow.
It was a mixup of pieces and chunks of different creatures. The skin was pruned, wrinkled, and shiny and taught at the same time. It had that distinctive charred, burned appearance. Great bony appendages protruded from the thing's back, tipped with scorpion-like spikes. It's arms were grotesquely skinny and bony, but the horrible thing about it were it's hands. It had wide palms with double jointed fingers, and big eyeballs in the center of those palms with eliptical pupils. They blinked at me and rolled their eyes, their gaze narrowed in on me.
It had no head to speak of, instead it had a big hunking hulk of a body with a wide mouth where the chest was supposed to be. A thick, forked tongue ran over it's fanged teeth as it drooled a constand stream of saliva. It's body was a mixture of that of a spider and of a scorpion, with a stunted stinger at it's rear and ten long, spindly legs with knees standing as tall as it's torsoe.
It reached its bony hands into its wide open mouth. Drool covered the limb. From it it withdrew a rolled piece of parchment. With a flick of the wrist the thing was tossed over to me and I caught it without thinking. I looked at it. Despite the saliva pooling on the floor the parchment was surprisingly free of moisture. With trembling fingers I opened it.
It was a contract. I scanned over the words.
I, Hamato Michelangelo, hereby forfeit my soul in exchange for the lives of my family. After the exchange, my family is garunteed to be free from all bodily, spiritual, or spacial harm for the remainder of their lives.
I will be given fifteen minutes of garunteed time before the exhange, all of which will be free of any and all intrusions. During this time I will be allowed limited contact with my family within set boundries. I will not be allowed to move from this position until the time is up.
X
I looked at the parchment with a sense of dread, yet anticipation. I only hoped that I could pull this off. I had never tried anything like this before, it was probably the fate of the world that rested on my shoulders right now.
Glancing up from the parchment, I looked at the demon. Breifly I wondered whether or not it knew the loophole that I was about to take advantage of. If it had any idea...
I signed my name, signing my soul away.
Hamato Michelangelo
A/N: I will gladly and joyously take any guesses on what he's about to do. Please submit your reviews and tell me what you think!
toodles!