Sacrifice One to Save One

"What…The…Fuck" Was all I could say.

I couldn't take my eyes away from it, I was literally staring at myself. But…I…killed it. Or him. Or me. I feel my legs go numb from confusion. It looks just like me, could it really be me?

I find my strength and walk toward it, studying every feature. It was me, down to the last detail. I couldn't even think straight, I looked away, "Please tell me I'm seeing things" I mutter.

Looking at Stockman, I see he's also stricken with confusion. "I…I don't even…" He stammered, clearly unable to explain.

He slowly walked up to it and stared at it, looking closely at it. Opening the eye lids, examining the mouth, feeling the skin. "It...It's real" He said.

"Are you sure?" I ask, stomach in knots.

"I'm dead sure, it has a skeleton, blood, everything"

We stared at the body in front of us, "What the hell is going on around here?" I ask.

"I don't…it's an illusion" He said.

"Are you sure?" I ask, not thinking of any other explanation.

"I don't see any other logical explanation" Stockman explains.

I think about it being an illusion, it's possible, but at this point, I'm willing to believe anything.

"We should get out of here, I feel my mind slowly melting just by looking at it" Stockman said.

I turn around and head for the door, then hear gun cocks. My heart stops beating and I look down the hallway and see two police officers, although they didn't seem like the helpful kind. Their skin was a shadowy black and eyes were bright red, they both had really big guns in their hands.

Stockman walked out right in front of me, unknowing of the cops. One of the cops shot their gun, "WATCH OUT!" I shout as I pushed Stockman to the floor, taking the bullet right in the chest. The bullet didn't feel like a regular bullet, I felt myself heaving for air. Looking down, I saw a bean bag on the ground. The guns were filled with bean bag rounds.

I quickly grabbed Stockman and sprinted the opposite way, bean bags flying past me. Then I felt a sharp pain in my head, then I hit the ground, falling in a deep dark trance.

…..

The pain in my head grew more intensely when I awoke, I groaned and rubbed my head, feeling a pretty big bump on the back of my head. I ignore the pain and look around, studying the room I was in. It was another closet. How does Stockman find so many unlocked doors? Speaking of Stockman, I looked around and found him gone.

"Stockman?" I call, no answer.

I place my hands on the ground and push myself up, standing with shaky feet, I wobble to the door and push it open. Looking outside, I see the door splattered with orange, the one with the hand scanner that belonged to Shredder. I stagger toward it and wobble the door knob, wanting it to open, so I can be faced with yet another horror.

"Michelangelo!" I hear, turn around and see Stockman running up to me, "Good, you're awake" He said.

"Yeah…What happened?" I asked.

"Well, when you were knocked out," He coughed, "I…Kind used you as a human shield, but just to get away from the weird guys! And I used your shell so it wouldn't cause damage to you!" He said quickly.

I shake my head, not knowing how I felt about it, "Doesn't matter, you did what you had to do" I say, "But where did you go?" I ask.

"Well…while waiting for you to get up, I thought about that scanner, and where it was located" He starts, "Oroku wasn't the only person who was able to use that scanner"

I stare with confusion, "Ok…so who else could have used it?" I ask.

He removes his hand from his back, revealing an unnaturally large severed hand.

"Hun" I say softly.

"Exactly" He says with a grin, "A…hand for a hand you might say"

I take the hand with satisfaction, grinning. I moved to place it on the scanner, but Stockman stops me.

"Michelangelo, listen to me very carefully" He says softly.

"I think I have an idea of what's going on here" He says, "One of us is being tested"

"Tested?"

"Yeah, when I went to get Hun's hand, I noticed cameras" He explains, "One in each room and a couple in the hallways"

"So…someone's watching us?"

He nods his head, "I think, now I'm not sure, it's just a theory"

I nod my head uncertainly.

"One more thing" He reaches into his pocket, "I thought…you might want this" He says, handing me something.

I look and see Leo's mask in his hand. I stare at it with upset, feeling misery in my stomach. I take it and hold it tight in my hand.

"Th-Thanks" I say hurt.

He smiled, then allows me to open the door. I look at the hand, then press it up against the green screen, it makes fizzing noises, then dings. The door unlocked.

Fear bubbles inside, I drop the severed hand and look at the mask. I wrapped it around my bicep and tied it in a knot, took a deep breath and placed my hand on the doorknob.

"You ready?" I ask.

"No" He answers, "But let's get this over with"

My heart hammers in my chest as I turn the knob, close my eyes and push the door open.

At first I heard nothing, but then with eyes closed, I heard the familiar shouts.

"Mikey!" A familiar female voice said.

"Oh god, buddy!" A familiar male voice said.

And then it all went silent, but then the next voice made me fall to my knees.

"Michelangelo"

A plop to my knees, I knew who they were, I didn't even need to open my eyes. But he had to. And upon opening them, he saw April on one side, standing on a large platform, hands tied behind back, some kind of metal brace around her neck. On the other side was Casey, same situation. And on the far wall, Master Splinter, same situation. Each had a different number.

April, 1

Splinter, 2

Casey, 3

In big words, written across the floor.

One lives
Two perish
your choice

The door slammed shut behind us, Stockman rushes to try and open it, I hear him tug on the doorknob with trouble, no way to get out. I didn't even want to continue, I fell on my elbows and sobbed uncontrollably on the floor.

"Michelangelo" Splinters voice instantly soothed me.

I looked up, into his eyes.

"It will be alright my son, you must stay strong" He calmed.

I held back my misery and nodded, pushing myself to my feet. I swayed for a second before looking around more, wiping fresh tears from cheeks. On the wall near Casey, were three buttons, marked with each number. Above it wrote.

Pull to save

I clenched my teeth and looked away, unable to control myself in this situation.

"Forget me man" Casey blurted.

I jerked my head toward him, looking into his eyes.

"What?" April shouted.

"I said forget me, I don't mind dying if I know that I'm saving one of you" He said.

"Casey no!" April shouted.

"April think about it! He's choosing between his father and his best friend" Casey said.

"Michelangelo will pick who he thinks is right to pick" Splinter's voice hit strings in my heart, as if every word was the cure for his misery.

"Don't think like that" April shouted.

"Wait…" Casey stopped all talk, "Mikey…is that…Leo's mask?"

My heart hits the floor, I look into his eyes, then April's, tears running down her face, then Splinters.

"Leonardo" Splinter said softly, closing his eyes, allowing fresh tears to flow.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, unknowing of what to say. I felt a hand touch my shoulder.

"You gonna be ok?" Stockman asked softly.

I inhaled sharply and looked at him, nodding slightly.

"Stockman? What is he doing here?" April shouted.

"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here right now" I stated roughly.

He thought about everything, how he had to pick between his two best friends, and his father. Somehow, he felt like he already knew who he was going to pick.

"Listen Mikey, forget about me, just don't even think about me, pretend I'm not here" Casey egged.

"Casey stop it!" April snapped.

"Enough!" Splinter commanded, "Let him think"

The world around me goes dark, I feel like I'm drifting off into another world. This whole situation, it's confusing, scary. Killing Hun, seeing Leo die, seeing an illusion or something of me getting shot in the head, and now choosing between my father and my friends.

I looked at each of them, Casey, his face filled with hopelessness. Splinter, face filled with misery and sadness. And April, face filled with fear.

"Michelangelo?" Stockman said behind me.

I turned around and faced him, "Is there any way to get them out?" I asked.

He looked at them, then walked over to Casey, jumped up on the platform and looked for a way to get him out. I walked to Splinter and placed my hand on the platform, after trying to pull myself up, my arms screamed in distress. I yelped and fell back to the ground.

"Michelangelo" Splinter said softly.

I looked up at him, tears in my eyes.

"I love you my son" He soothed softly.

I cried out abruptly, I stood up and reached out for his hand, grabbing it and holding it tightly. "I love you too father", as I look at him, I see the metal brace around his neck, there's a chain connecting that to the wall, making sure they stay in place.

"Michelangelo!" Stockman shouted, "I'm sorry but…I don't see a way I could get them out"

I figured as much, and I also guess that the door near Splinter can't be opened until I push a button. I let go of Splinters hand and reach for the door, tugging on the knob. I thought so. I clench my teeth in desolation, feeling lower then dirt.

I walked toward the buttons and examined the three of them. Mind on the verge of melting. Stockman walks up to me, "We can find a way" He reasons.

"There's no other way Stockman" I tell the truth, knowing which button to pick.

I move my hand near the button, "I'm so sorry" I say loud enough for them to hear me. "Forgive me
I say as I push the button.

I instantly hear two small pops. Then two bodies hitting the floor. My heart hammers, legs and arms go numb. I don't want to turn around, but I do anyway.

And when I turn around, I instantly see Casey on the floor, head missing, pieces of skull and brain splattered on the ground. And with a look to the left, April's laying face down, head now tiny pieces all over the floor.

I looked away from the sight and looked up at Splinter, his neck brace released and hit the floor, wrist restrains fell to the floor.

Splinter looks up at me, our eye's meet. I walk up to him as he jumps down from the platform. We stand face to face, then in a strange desperation, I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly, concealing my face in his shoulder, weeping in misery.

He rubs my head, softly telling me everything will be ok. I don't want to let go, I want to stay in his arms forever, but we slowly disconnect. I wipe the tears from my eye and look at the door, hearing it unlock. I look back at Stockman. He stretches out his hand toward Splinter.

"I'm willing to put the past behind to get out of here" He says softly.

Splinter gazes at him, then looks at me, "Is it true, that you saved my son's life?" He asks calmly.

Stockman nodded, "Yes"

He takes his hand, "I am forever in your debt" he smiles.

"Don't worry about it" Stockman smiled.

"We should get going" I wanted this tender moment to continue, but we had to keep moving.

Splinter nods and we walk toward the door, I casually push it open and look down the long hallway. It seemed strangely long, as if the hallway was longer than the building itself.

"Something's not right here"

"What do you mean?" Splinter asked.

"It…It just doesn't seem right" I say.

I expect another response, but it was dead silent. I mean dead silent…like…scary silent. To the point where I can hear my insides working.

"Guys?" I say as I turn around.

My heart drops to the farthest pit of my stomach. I'm alone.

"Sensei? Stockman?" I call out. But they're gone. And the door that we just came through is gone to, replaced with more hallway. It was the same thing that was behind me. More strange hallway. I begin to panic. "STOCKMAN! SENSEI!" I scream.

But then I feel it.

The hot breath on the back of neck.

I don't even think about it, I quickly turn around. And there he was. The monster/man that has been following me ever since I got out.

Then my world goes black.