My Best Friend

Chapter 12

Author Ishi Tatsu

I felt like an invalid, having Raph and Mikey feeding me at breakfast was a new level of embarrassment and shame that I've never felt before until now. But with out my ability to properly use my hands for the next couple of days, I had little choice in the matter, that is, unless I wanted to be re-bandaged with loads of pain with nurse Raph shoving pain suppressants down my throat. I opted to live with the embarrassment. I believe Raphael was using me as an excuse to keep from answering Leonardo's questioning gazes. He would give the occasional grunt to the words that came from our leader's mouth because he was purely focused. He was watching me, observing my every move, eyes taking in any flinch I would have from trying to move my fingers. Every five minutes he would check my bandages to see if I was bleeding, and every half hour my bandages were changed with an obsessive compulsive gentleness that I never believed was within the capacity of that particular sibling. It was an eerie, yet comforting experience. I know I was confused as to what to do, so I just let him go about his business while trying to answer as many of Leo's questions as possible. I was just as confused as he was as to what was happening, and no matter what we did Mikey wouldn't talk about what had happened. What we got earlier seemed to be the only lead we were going to get from our brothers.

After breakfast and my third changing of bandages, I found myself on the lazy boy with my laptop on my lap. I winced and muttered pain filled expletive phrases and words while I used my touch mouse pad. If I was any louder than a whispered breath Raph would be all over me once more.

I navigated to the message boards I needed. Thankfully instead of typing I had a voice program or my pride would be in real trouble.

Self-esteem issues not withstanding I was glad at lest Michaelangelo was with me. Whatever this was seamed to enjoy targeting lone individuals when possible, if the record of injuries was anything to go by. But that doesn't account for Raph's scratches he was with Mikey. Wasn't he? Or could this thing get you in your dreams like a bad monster movie? That wouldn't be good.

I raised my head at the loud voices in the other room and my neck bruises reminded me of my own dream encounter. So that was a yes. More evidence to file away until I can lay them out before fitting together the pieces to this rather disturbing puzzle.

As I logged in to the Message board I needed a thought struck me. Something had seamed a little off with our orange loving ninja brother ever since that house and I suddenly realized what it was. It was the stillness; still and Michelangelo don't belong in the same sentence. In between his exaggerated reactions and fear based responses he has just watched or played by himself. Played quietly...

Normally the yelling in the next room had Mikey sitting closer to me and joking or pacing the room. He was doing neither just sitting and looking with concern at the door.

Suddenly that same door burst open and both brothers came out and silently went to opposite corners of the room and looked at each other. I almost laughed, that was what Splinter had them do all the time when we were little. Behavioral conditioning can be hard to beat.

The appearance of a particular message screen distracted me and I became nervous I didn't want to be the one to brake the tense silence. Also the one actual expert I knew of was the only help I could think of right now. I keyed in a request for a private post and tried to keep the pain as unnoticeable as possible. If the look on Raphael's face was any indicator he was willing to do something unpleasant. I didn't want to suddenly wince and be tossed shell first up stairs into his room and have him pace by the door like a wolf until I got better. Luckily the warning growl from across the room told me I hadn't done it well enough in my facade but he was in a better mood than I anticipated; not by much though.

"Type; Spangler I have a problem that might be related to your old line of work. Meet me on AIM at noon. If you can't please post the a time you can; end type," I dictated. Watching the message pop up I saw Mikey eying the video games now that the immediate problem was over.

"Not just yet okay Mikey?" I asked, keeping my voice soft I continued, "We need to know what is going on here and it started at that house." I looked into his blue eyes and noticed fear trying to hid itself.

Spangler's next post interrupted me before I could inquire what was wrong.

Spangler: How many are affected? Their ages? Genders? Any changes in interrelations since the first incident? Number of Incidents? Location of first encounter or suspected first encounter. And a description of each encounter.

"Pause," I instructed my typing program, "Guys I need help with this. The best expert in unusual activity is on line right now. He needs details I don't have."

The objection came from an unexpected corner; Leonardo's, "I don't like this. We can figure this out ourselves if we could just get some cooperation."

He glared meaningfully at Raph who oddly enough did not glare back simply looked.

What happened in the bathroom between those two? Whatever it was Raphael had the upper hand and they both knew it. Things like this always made me feel like the odd turtle out. And this was bordering on the twilit zone.

Leo looked away first, I almost sighed in relief when Mikey asked, "Okay what happed? Raph did you threaten to take Leo's stash of happy pills again? You know that is a low blow." Right then I wanted to hug our youngest brother for keeping his humor. But in current circumstances I settled for a smile witch was returned with beaming proficiency.

Raph though ignored the flippancy, "I say we let him do it. It can't do any harm."

"This isn't going to work. When Master Splinter gets back..." the blue bearing turtle continued to object, but was cut off by Raph.

"When he gets back sure. But when is that gonna be huh? Do we even know?" the red one challenged.

Leonardo pulled the note out of his belt pouch and scanned it only to shake his head in disappointment, "Only that he may be gone a few days."

I tried to reason with him again,"Invisible living attackers we've handled before. Shell we have sensors at every entrance keyed for them, but this is something else and whatever it is, is making my shell tingle."

"You mean like ghosts?" Mikey asked with a tremble in his voice.

"I don't believe in ghosts," Leo stated.

I wish I was that certain.

To Be Continued...