16: Raph

VENOM

Leo lands heavily, heaving breathes of fresh air into him. I jerk away from him. He ruined my dream! He turned my Leondo into a monster, then turned him to dust!

I only fit in a step before I collapse, a burning sensation flooding my body. My arm is shaking and my lungs feel like they're going to collapse.

Leo! He bit me! His venom! Vampires! Shell, that's what's burning me! Get it out!

I want to scream but all that comes out is a groan, "My… hand…hurts….it's ….it's burning!"

"Leo, the venom," Casey says, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Venom? What venom?" I hear Donnie say.

"Who cares!" I howl," Just get it OUT!"

"Leo, you sure you can do this," April says. Feet come to my side.

I look up and see Leo's harsh red eyes," I have to."

Leo comes down and snatches my arm from me. I try to jerk away as he squeezes his nails into me. He's cold…so cold. His breath is like ice wind. I stare at him as he stares at my bites.

Then he bites down on my arm again!

I scream at the top of my lungs. The pain intensifies before it disappears. I can breathe again. Now I feel cold as Leo keeps sucking the venom out.

"Leo," I say tiredly," I think it's gone. I…I think it's gone."

But Leo doesn't stop. His grip tightens on me. "Leo," I say, stealing a glance at him. His eyes are closed tight and his chest heaves as he gulps.

"Leo," I say again. Donnie and Casey and April all say his name, tell him to stop, but he's too far in.

He's going to kill me.

I told him he wasn't enough. I told him he isn't worth anything. I deserve to die.

I…deserve…this….

Leo screams! I'm suddenly flung backwards by a strong force. My arm is bleeding like Niagara Falls, but all I care about is seeing what stopped Leo.

But nobody stopped him. He pushed me away because he didn't want to hurt me anymore. I can see it in his eyes. They are filled with tears. He's hurt. But I still see hunger in them.

Leo's mouth opens exposing his teeth. They are covered in my blood, gleaming in that red moons shine. Then he lunges at me. I know I have no chance at fighting Leo. Not while he's in this mode.

Luckily, I don't have to. Kate and Felix jump in front of me, grab Leo and slam him into a tree.

"Just a pint more!" he howls, nearly getting out of their grip.

"Leo, stop! Breath!" Kate howls while Felix beats on Leo's chest.

There's a noise, a snarling coming from Leo's chest. He tries to get to me, his teeth snapping. His tongue licks over his bloody teeth and he tries to get to me again. His once loving eyes are wild with hunger and they are locked on me.

For once in my life… I'm scared of my big brother.

"Leonardo!"

Our entire group turns to see two people run up, a dark soldier in hand.

The girl says," Leo, we found a soldier hiding out till our clan left. Decided to bring him to you, knowing you would be hungry."

Felix lets Leo go. Leo jerks away from Kate and leaps on the soldier. There's a small scream, the then he's gone.

"What happened?" Mikey whimpers.

Donnie kneels beside me and starts wrapping my arm up with one of his wrappings. Casey shakes as he says," Leo killed the doppelgänger. He had to bit Raph to do it. It was the only way to break Raph from the things control. We met some vampires along the way. They're the ones helping Leo now. Their names are Amun and Sadie."

I stare at the vampire and- I think it's a Suide- as they help Leo to his feet. "We're taking Leonardo hunting." Amun, I think is what Casey said his name was, says "He can't stay here. We'll be back at dawn. Good-bye."

Amun takes off like a bullet. Sadie, Felix, Kate and Leo fly after him, and then we're alone.

"You okay, Raph?" Donnie asks," Do you feel sick, tired or weak in anyway."

I glare at Donnie," I'm fine. You see me! I'm fine! Finer then fine! I'm PERFECT!"

"Then why do you have tears in your eyes."

I turn to Shredder. I'm about to yell at him when I see Splinter behind him.

At first, I feel excitement. But then I remember Leo's black eye and my excitement turns to rage.

"YOU!" I yell, scrambling to my feet," How dare you harm Leo! How dare you claim to be our father! I HATE YOU!"

Splinter just stares at me. "Raphael-"

"Yes, lie to your son, Yoshi. You'll just make them all hate you more." Shredder says.

Splinter hisses then uses his tail to knock Shredder off his feet. Shredder uses the advantage to do a back flip, then kick Splinter in the face.

"ENOUGH!" Donnie howls. "I'm sick of you two fighting. Just. Stop."

"Does he hate me?"

Everyone looks at me. I'm just as surprised as everyone else to hear myself say that.

"What?" Donnie whispers.

"Never mind," I say quickly, "I didn't say anything. I don't want to know."

April takes a step toward me, "Raph, Leo-"

"NO!" I howl. "I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!"

I really don't. I don't know why I ask that question if I'm scared of the answer. I don't want to know if he hates me for all I've done to him. I guess that I fear that if I know he hates me, then I'm the reason he cuts himself to shreds every day.

"Oh, Raph," April whispers.

After a moment of silence, Donnie says," Let's go. The anchor is in the Infinity Ocean. We have two days to get there. We better not dawdle."

My family and friends and Shredder nod. They start leaving, heading down the path that leads to Tirbury.

I look at my bloody arm. The two bite marks are distinct despite the bandage.

Here's another question I'm afraid to answer.

Do I really hate my big brother?

Or do I just feel like I hate him because of what he has done to himself?

Shell, Leo. What happened to us?