Psychosis
Chapter 5: Downtime
Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to the Ninja Turtle franchise.
"Five days, it's been five days!" I shouted at my brightly lit computer monitor as I poured over the mounds and mounds of data that my machines were gathering. They were all telling me the same thing, yet the present circumstances were still perplexing.
Slamming my fist down on my cool metal table, I spun around in my office chair giving myself enough room to stand and view the unconscious form in the adjacent bed. "Why won't you wake up?" I breathed out heavily as placed a heavy hand over my eyes, "the wounds you sustained were severe, but not enough to keep you unconscious for this long, at least one would think."
Sighing, I sat down with my face in my hands, my exhaustion finally catching up with me. I was used to staying up for multiple nights in a row researching problems and topics of interest that did not provide easy solutions. Matters such as our safety, health, and security were constantly on the forefront, and I was allotted the gift to aide my family in ways that even I do not fully understand. However, an injured family member made the situation even more stressful. Our lack of access to modern day medical machines and supplies was always a difficult obstacle to overcome and it required many thoughtful hours of how to creatively maneuver around the barriers.
"Come on Mikey, wake up, we need you. Things have been getting a little out of hand since you had your near death experience. Leo is blaming this whole ordeal on himself, and has been training in the dojo constantly. Raph, well believe it or not, Raph's emotions have been even more erratic!"
Standing up, and stretching my stiff muscles I silently watched the gentle rise and fall of my injured brother's chest.
Heaving a sigh, my eyes wandered around the small dimly lit room. The room was slightly cluttered with various types of knick-knacks and keepsakes. Even though the room was designated at the medical ward, there was a slight "homey" feeling to. As my eyes bounced from one object to the next, what seemed to be a family photo fell into my field of over to the picture, I picked up the light wooden frame and brought it closer to my face. Smiling slightly, I closed my eyes as I relieved the memory. The picture was taken by our friend April O'neil at Master Splinter's birthday party. A giant cake with Splinter sitting behind it was the focal point of the image. To the right guiltily stood Mikey, with frosting all over his hands because he had already snuck a small piece of cake. I was to the left of our master, lighting the candles with a look of extreme concentration on my face, while Raph and Leo were in the background in what could only be a heated debate. As I stared at the image, Master Splinter slowly became the only one I could focus on, and the familiar feeling of guilt painfully knotted my stomach.
Breaking the news to our father was the hardest, I thought to myself as I placed the image back in its original location. While we were retelling the events of that night in his presence, I remember his face being filled with so many indescribable emotions. I've never felt so much shame or regret in my life. I know that Leo took the lecture the hardest. He tends to do that. He often forgets that we are all equally responsible, and that we all have to carry this baggage on our hearts.
Tearing myself away from the memory of our father solemnly retreating back to his quarters to meditate, I slowly walked back to my lab chair, and pulled it closer to the resting form of my brother. Sitting down on the worn fabric, I winced as the chair made a painful screech that seemed to echo off of every wall in the lair. As I stared down at his resting face, my mind began to run through every possibility of what could have happened to our brother.
Maybe his headaches were something more, however, when I scanned his head, nothing appeared on the scanner. Then again, he was probably burning himself out for the past few months I thought silently to myself. There is no telling what Mikey does during the hours he is supposed to be asleep. I mean, with his game systems and comic books, there's no telling how long hes been consecutively staying up. Shaking my head at the thought of what my younger brother did in his spare time, I reached under the bed and grabbed a box that contained fresh bandages. Grabbing his arm that was closest to me, I gently began unwrapping the soiled bandages. Grimacing at the deep gashes and discolored flesh, I lightly dampened a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol, and carefully sterilized the angry flesh. After I was satisfied, I carefully redressed his arm.
Glancing at the rest of his wounds, I sighed. He is quite lucky I thought wordlessly to myself while grimacing at a rather nasty wound on his leg, these injuries could have been worse.
When everything was taken care of, I briskly walked over to the spare bed that was in the far corner of the ward and allowed myself to collapse on the soft yet worn mattress.
When was the last time I slept? I sleepily asked myself as my eyes wandered to the wastebasket that was overflowing with coffee cups and remnants of various pieces of food.
"It's been too long" I breathlessly breathed out while stroking the soft fabric of the gently used sheet.
Rolling over to my back, I Glanced up at the ceiling. I allowed my mind to drift over various topics; experiments that I needed to work on, techniques that I needed to work on, various items in dire need of repair, and my family.
Raph and Leo feel like this whole ordeal with Mikey was there fault, but I feel like I am also to blame. I am the self-proclaimed medic in the family; I should have noticed the signs of his waning health sooner. He showed all of the classic signs of exhaustion that night, and I never should have allowed him to leave the sewers. However, the thought of not being the slowest turtle on the nightly runs was too palatable, even for me, and I pushed all concern and caution to the deepest regions of my thoughts.
Nevertheless, I did nothing. I was too wrapped up in my own self-interest to care. Sometimes I really hate being a genius because it causes me to put things outside of my current interest on the backburner.
Rolling over to my side so I could have a better view of Mikey, I felt disappointment in myself. Hot acidic regret thickly coated the back of my throat, something I only feel when I do not achieve a task to my full potential.
"I never meant to ignore you Mikey, now that I sit here and think about it, there were obvious warning signs and 'cries' for help," I whispered into the still air. I felt as if I was trying to convince myself more than my brother.
Hold on...
Feeling my brain become active with recent data, I restlessly moved to a sitting position so I could further ponder the new matter that was presented to me.
I was so blind. His sensitivity to light, sound, movement, the nonstop naps, and even his depletion in energy were so obvious…how could I have missed them?
"I should have pulled you aside and talked to you about these headaches, maybe I could have giving you medicine before the gotten out of hand" I quietly spoke aloud to myself.
Staring out into space again, I ultimately decided that I was not utilizing my time to its full potential, and suddenly made the decision to go to my lab to work on Mikey's 'Game Dude'. He had been bugging me to fix that thing for I do not know how long. It still works perfectly fine, however, he did mention that there was some issue with the backlighting. It should be an easy fix, I thought to myself as excitement and pride being welling in my chest. 'sides, it will be an excellent surprise for him once he regains consciousness.
Jumping out of the bed with stored energy, I did not even know I had, I briskly walked out of the medical ward and began making my way to my lab when Leo stopped me.
That is funny; Leo actually is taking a break from his excessive and often unnecessary training?
"Hey Leonardo, what's up?" I asked in a cautiously questioning tone.
Staring at his emotionless face, I found it very uncomfortable how I could not pinpoint what he was feeling. He was a master of the 'pokerface', and he sure wielded it whenever he felt it was necessary.
Curse that ninja training I thought bitterly to myself as I attempted to step around Leo, only to have him cut back in front of me again.
"Is there anything I can help you with", I asked a bit irritated; I had no time for his mind games, I had a game to fix afterall.
We stared at each other for what seemed like hours.
You know, if I did not know any better, I would think Leo has a staring problem. I should ask him about it when I have time. It would be an interesting case study.
"Don" Leo finally spoke carefully, as if testing out how each letter sounded, "Where are you going, and when was the last time you slept?"
Why couldn't you have just asked that in the first place instead of being a total creep?
"I am going to my lab to fix Mikey's 'Game Dude'", I quickly replied straightening up, "I thought it would be an excellent gift for when he came to."
Nodding as if he agreed, I tried sidestepping him again to have him get into my path.
"Donny" Leo spoke rather carefully again.
"Yes Leonardo" I replied, my annoyance clearly showing.
"You still didn't answer the second question. I asked, when was the last time you slept?"
Oh man, Mr. Nosy will not let me within five feet of my lab if he knows I have not slept since Michelangelo's accident. He tends to get uptight when one of us neglects normal bodily functions such as sleeping or eating. Its weird though, I feel as if the human race is rather advanced. Something should have been created to make something so useless as sleep obsolete. Just think about all of the endless possibilities and worlds of accomplishments people could make with that eight extra hours added to their days. I guess it will be up to me to one day lend my brethren a hand and create something that does just that.
"I slept last night", I responded in a slightly shaky voice.
Curse my inability to lie. I am not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.
"Donny, I know you're lying" Leo replied in a slightly dampened voice.
Sighing, I met his gaze only to be shocked that it was filled with concern. Darn it.
"Look Leo, I'm fine, really, just let m-"
"No Don" Leo cut me off, "look, I am worried about him too, but running on fumes and coffee is not going to help the situation any. We need you at one hundred percent Donatello."
"Leo please" I pleaded, "let me fix his game, and I promise you that I will go to sleep"
"How about this, you sleep, and then you can fix his game."
Leo, sometimes you just make me want to kick you, I thought to myself as I definitely started at him. I was going to give him such a tongue lashing about some of his unhealthy habits that he wasn't going to know what hit him
It was not until I saw his face flicker into one of sadness did I back down.
"Please Donny, please just rest, I'll keep an eye on Mikey", Leo replied solemnly, "and I promise I will wake you up if anything happens."
Sighing in defeat, I grumbled a yes and turned on my heels, heading upstairs to my room.
Sometimes I really hate his big brother instincts to protect his sibling.
When I reached my room and fell on my bed, I was surprised by how tired I actually was. My body felt like it weighed a ton, but I knew that was an impossibility. My eyes shut automatically, and not even crowbars could pry the weighted lids open. Yawning while pulling the cover over my slightly chilled body, I could not help but let a small smile cross my exhausted lips.
Yet, I love his instincts at the same time...
Falling asleep had never felt so good.
Here is another chapter of the Psychosis rewrite. I can't wait till I am caught up! I applaud everyone who has stayed with this story thus far, there have been many changes and improvements to the original story. Please Read and Review if you have the time. Constructive Criticism is also welcomed.
-Peace
