Okay! Quick summary! Xander came looking for us to help him stop a siren – who is apparently the Halloween Murderer – from killing people. Raph said we should split up into teams of two so Merrill and Xander won't kill each other; unfortunately, they ended up together anyway. Lucky for me, I was partnered with Alex. I can hope the two overcompetitive idiots can set aside their differences for a little while. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, Alex had an idea to use the Ho Method which is standing next to a lamppost and looking attractive; let the siren chick come to us. I applaud them for their idea. It sounded plausible enough to work, but it was a massive waste of boredom and getting hit on and flirted with by random strangers. I ignored them. I kept thinking about what Merrill said. He wanted to kiss me! Me! A talking, mutant turtle! The Sexy Lucifer wanted to kiss me! We were about to kiss, and he wanted to kiss me! I just wanted to jump in the air and scream!

"Leonardo!" I was brought back by two fingers snapping in my face. I turned to look at Alex who was looking at me.

"Uh, you said something?" I asked, thinking I wasn't paying attention to whatever my friend was saying.

"I said my plan was a bust and suggested regrouping with someone close by. Then I looked over at your way and saw the massive grin on your face. Judging by the goofy smile, something happened between you and Merry Berry. So, it would be in your best interest to spill the tea."

Was that obvious? I didn't realize I was grinning. "Sorry. Got some stuff in my mind."

"Well... aren't you going to tell me?"

"Um... there's not much to say. Merrill and I talked it out in the park, we danced a little, and we almost kissed. Nothing to be excited about."

Alex laid their hands on my shoulders and shook me violently. "Are you daft? "Nothing to be excited about" my ass! Who kissed who? I must know!"

I gently took their hands off. "Alex, relax. I said we almost kissed. Xander came before we get the chance."

Alex huffed and took out their phone. "That spider is with Merry Bear, right? Let me call him and see if he can rendezvous with us so I can tear him to pieces."

"Alex, no. We're already on Big Mama's bad list. I'm not letting you and the rest of our friends join us."

The fashion designer groaned. "Fine! I never thought you were a spoilsport, Leany Beany." I chuckled wholeheartedly. I knew they meant well. I just don't want to risk it. "Since nothing out of the ordinary happens, other than getting flirted with by random strangers, let's meet with the others."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." We walked down the street. Alex was quiet. I grew worried. They were excited a moment ago. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"You and Merrill just talked? And your relationship is fixed?" they asked.

I titled my head. I'm not sure what they meant. "I guess... I told him about my insecurities, and I guess we moved passed them. We still have a few things that need to be said, but it's a start." Alex hummed in thought. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Am I being petty?"

I blinked at their question. We stopped walking. "What? You're not petty. Who told you that?"

"No! No! Don't get the wrong idea! I was thinking about my behavior toward your brother." oh. That's what they meant. They felt guilty for not apologizing to Raph.

"Do you want to apologize to Raph?"

"Yes...? Maybe. I want him to know how much he upsets me. I know Raphael is trying to speak to me, but I kept pushing him away. Does that make me a bad person?"

"I think you should tell him", I told them, "I know Raph didn't mean any of those things he said to you before and he's trying hard to get your attention."

"I know he is. I feel as though I am being childish ignoring your brother's advances."

I pondered a bit. "Maybe you should put that pride aside and talk. It wouldn't hurt. What's holding you back?"

"My dignity. I am Alex, the confident, inspiring, young fashion designer of our generation! I want to be the chase, not the chaser! Things change... after meeting Raphael..."

I playfully jab them. "Then why are you telling me? I know for a fact my name isn't Raphael."

Alex chuckled. "Yes, yes. I know what you are implying, Leonardo. Perhaps tomorrow I will speak with your brother, after school of course!" We chuckled walking across the street after street. It was peaceful.

I spoke too soon.

We were walking up an alleyway. Someone walked out. My eyes widened seeing someone I recognized. "Merrill?" his eyes looked at us. My heart pounded hard. My body's temperature increased. My legs quivered. We made eye contact. He opened his mouth. He sang. His voice was out of this world. I knew he was an amazing singer, but he was more talented than ever. Alex was already on his right side, cuddling his arm. I was peeved. Why am I not there? Merrill fondly looked at me ignoring his cuddling friend. My best friend sang his beautiful voice again with his free arm welcoming me. I walked to that arm with no hesitation. He wrapped his arms around our waists. We walked together down the alley. I didn't ask where we were going. I assumed we were going to regroup. A fleeting thought occurred to me. Wasn't Merrill with Xander?

"Oh, Raphael. I never knew you had such a soothing voice", Alex said. Raph? This wasn't Raph. I knew Alex wasn't blind enough to not know the obvious difference. Maybe Alex was in denial mixing Merrill and Raph together. Yeah! That sounded right! And Merrill is taking us to his house to serenade us with his piano.

I remembered the first time he sang to me. I was dressed as a maid after I guessed his favorite instrument. Merrill sang a love song... a classic R&B song... it was rough and soft at the same time... it was raw due to him not singing much I'm guessing... it didn't match the voice right now...

I looked up at Merrill. My vision was blurred like I was waking up from a nap. Standing in Merrill's place was a tall woman with dirty blonde hair. Her skin was mint green, scales encased her body, and her gills flared on her neck. When she grinned, her teeth her sharp like a sharp. Her eyes looked my way. They were black; with no pupils in sight. I knew what was holding us.

We've encountered the siren.

The siren saw my shock. She narrowed her eyes. Her voice increased. My ears were ringing. I was getting weaker. I tried pushing her off, but she held a firm grip. I didn't know she held this much power in her song. This was how she lured the innocent. She becomes the person they love as Donnie said. My vision was getting blurry again. My arms were turning to lead. I just need to reach for my sword. Just lift your arm, Leon!

"POWER FIST JITSU!" A giant red fist hit the siren which broke her grip on us. "Leo! Alex! You guys okay?" Raph was at my side. I saw Katie at Alex's side shaking them out of the trance.

"Yeah, I'm good, big guy", I told my big brother, "You got good timing. How'd you know where we were?"

"You can thank Donnie for that. He told all of us. Me and Katie were the closest to your location." That's good to hear. I heard mumbling. We looked over to the siren who was staggering to stand.

"...so close... I'm so close... tonight is the night... nothing is getting in my way... not by the carapace..." she massaged her throat.

"That's the siren, huh? Doesn't look strong enough."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Raph", I warned, "She managed to manipulate me and Alex just by singing. Who knows what else she's capable of."

"...I won't lose... I've come so far... I will fulfill my task!"

Raph ran to her weapons in hand. "Don't think so, lady!"

"Raph, wait!" I yelled, trying to stop him.

The siren sang, yet this time was different. Her voice was high-pitched. It stopped Raph's attack. He dropped down covering his ears. He wasn't the only one. We were all covering our ears. Her voice rang loudly in my ears. It was different from the voice she was singing before. If I had to make a comparison, it was like dragging a hundred nails across the chalkboard. I wasn't able to tell what was going on. My ears were still ringing. I felt something lifting me.

A moment later, I was able to gather my whereabouts. I was in a dark kitchen tied to an old wooden chair. My arms were tied behind and my legs were tied to the legs. A heavy stench reached my nostrils. I had to swallow my vomit. I looked around me seeing the bodies of many people. Oh, God. This was horrifying! Each person was ripped to pieces missing a limb or two; a thing they all have in common: their chests were opened. "NO! NO NO NO! Nothing is working!" I looked over to see the siren was over a body. She threw a bowl; it smashed against the wall shattering it to pieces and leaving a crimson blobby spot. "So close... so very close. I need more... no, I know I have found the final piece. I have come so far... years of searching... years of collecting... tonight is the night... the night where we can finally be together..." I moved my limbs as quietly as possible, but the chair I was tied to let out an old creak. "Ah, our guest of honor is awake." She turned to me transforming into Merrill. "You are unique. What are you?" She had the nerve to copy his voice! My heartbeat pounded hard against my ribcage. She leaned over me. I took a whiff of her scent: salt water.

"Ask again. And this time asks without using my friend's face", I spat at her. She became disgusted. She transformed into her original form. She raised her hand, but she paused. I was expecting her to slap me.

"No. I won't leave a mark", she said, "I need you to be unmarked. Untainted. I need to get one piece from you."

I found myself curious. "What do you want?"

The siren gave me a sickening, sweet smile. She turned into Merrill again. My heartbeat increased. She trailed her finger over my throat and lowered over my plastron. "Your heart."

My body grew cold. "What?" She stood (still Merrill) and walked over to the table where the body she was above was at. She pulled a lever. The table stood. I've got a full look at the person.

"I would like you to meet Daniel." I tried so hard not to vomit. "Daniel" was a handsome man with curly brown hair and peach skin... which stopped just at the neckline. Many skins and limbs were stitched together. Blood seeped through the stitches. There was one hole left open. It was shaped like a heart. Vacant and hollow. "I've met Daniel centuries ago marooned on an island by his people. I took good care of him until his strength returned. I needed his full trust in me so I could have a delicacy later. Weeks turned into months, and something happened to me. Something I never thought could occur to me."

"You fell in love", I answered.

She transformed into a pale-skinned woman with sunshine-wavy hair and dark brown eyes minus the green skin and black eyes. The siren stroked the dead man's cheek as she lay on his chest. "Yes. I wanted to be with him. Forever and always. He told me to wait for him after he was rescued. So, I waited. Years went by in the blink of an eye. I thought of the worst that had happened to him. I decided to seek out a sea witch. I was willing to give up everything for him, even my fins. She granted me my wish and pointed me to where he lived. He lived in the capital... not sure what the name was... it was hundreds of years ago.

"Dressed in just a dirty cloak, I have found him living by the shore. A cozy little home. It was perfect. He had kept his promise... at least I thought he did..." I didn't like where this was going. "I saw him with a woman I never saw before and with two children. Both handsome little boys like their father... he met someone else... he forgot about me... when he felt I went into his home and kill the freeloader and the two boys. Mm... Their hearts were delicious... prepared a dish perfect for Daniel. He came home, shocked to see me there dressed in his wife's clothes serving him her heart on a stew... I barely remembered what happened after. I was so happy to be with him again... until he called me a monster... I came to find his limbs all over the kitchen... his head was in my hands."

"Nice story, but where does this have to do with me?" I asked. I would feel sorry for her if she wasn't such a psychopath. She stopped stroking Daniel's chin.

"I went to the witch again... she told me to for him to return to me, I need a heart. Not just any heart... a heart of pure love. As a siren, it's hard to resist such a beating heart, but if it meant bringing my Daniel back then I would hold my hunger for him. My species can hear heartbeats with our high-induced hearing. With my glamor to boot, I can lure anyone into my chambers. So many mistakes. So many failures. I was losing hope fast... until I landed in New York City where I construct my project. Limbs off men, skins off women, organs from children. I thought a child's heart would be the cure. I wasn't successful..." I grew nauseous. "That is... after I met you..." She was over me again. "Your heart leaped and danced for this man you call a friend. I knew I found the final piece I need." Her cold hand lay on my shoulder as she walked behind me. "Then again... I knew I shouldn't jump to the conclusion. There's another heartbeat I heard; two in fact off in the distance." I bet I can gather who she was talking about. "Maybe if I were to find this friend of yours, his heart would beat like yours. I wonder who he will see..."

"Don't you dare go near him!" I sneered. My heart ached in fear.

The siren immediately went in front of me. She showed her sharp teeth. She licked her lips. "There it is! Fearing for the worst for your beloved! You truly have a pure heart!" she breathed heavily. She pulled away. "No! I need to savor it! Your heart will be for my Daniel! I think you gave me an idea... why not bring your friend over... a romantic demise... yes! Two hearts for us to eat together!" I opened my mouth to protest but she had a cloth and tied it between my teeth. "Save your voice. You might need it for your end, little one. Please keep Daniel company. I won't be long." I yelled for her to come back. It came out muffled. I tried reaching Merrill through our link. I got nothing. It was too far from reach.

Damn it... I haven't told him how I feel. No. I shouldn't lose hope. I spotted my sword on the kitchen counter. I tried moving my body. The ropes were too tight on my skin. I moved even harder. No result. I heard something ahead of me. I looked up and quivered.

The body moved and stood up from the table. Holy Pizza Supreme! Daniel's a zombie! He grabbed my sword from the counter and limped over to me. I tried moving but I couldn't move a muscle. The zombie lifted my weapon. I closed my eyes... but I didn't feel the strike. Instead, the ropes binding me came loose. I looked up to see Daniel giving me my sword. I shakenly took it. I watched him walk over to the gas stove and turned it on. He grabbed a canister of gasoline and poured it all over him. He opened a drawer taking out a box of matches.

I quickly stood up pulling out the gag. "Don't! You don't need to go this far!"

"... I want to die... let me die... please, little one... that creature kept me alive for so long... feeding me flesh and heart... I pray for death every day... I ask of you... let me die in peace... I need to reunite with my family... if not... let me repent by burning this place to Hell..." his plea broke my heart. He wanted this for so long. "Go!" my body grew stiff seeing him pull out a match. "GO!"

I ran out of the kitchen; ran out of the abandoned building. I was across the street breathing in the fresh air. I leaned against the wall. My back turned even when I heard the explosion. My legs gave out. That poor man... got his wish... I hope he gets to meet his family again.

I tightened my fists. That woman... no, that monster needs to pay! She killed people for love! Innocent people! Kept a man alive for hundreds of years for love! That's not love! That's... that's... ridiculous! Insane! Twisted!

She needs to pay for her sins!

...then make her pay...

You're right... the siren needs to pay...

I'M GONNA KILL THAT BITCH!