the curse - 1 - [rottmnt Donnie - COMPLETED]

#10

April didn't lose a second of time. Raph hadn't responded after the eerie noise appeared, and she immediately got on her way. She had a bad idea and her movements were hasty as she grabbed her backpack and helmet and stormed out of her apartment to her scooter. She had the address, and thanks to Donnie, her nondescript vehicle was VERY fast. She put on her helmet and gave it one last try before taking off.

"Raph?!"

"... April."

"Raph, what happened?! I'm coming to you! Stay where you are!"

"April. Donnie. He... He..."

April suddenly got freezing cold. Panic crawled up her neck. She kicked the scooter into gear and almost screamed into her bracelet-disguised communicator.

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

She drove off and accelerated quickly. Donnie! PLEASE DO NOT!

-

A short time later she was in Upper Manhattan and from afar she could make out the cloud of dust. Please don't please don't, don't, don't, don't. She repeated the words like a mantra in her head to keep herself from thinking too far ahead. Maybe it's not THAT bad. Definitely bad, Raph sounded destroyed, but definitely not the WORST! Oh, please NOT!

After a few blocks, she could spot the fire brigade and police, and she stopped a short distance from a completely destroyed building. April looked shocked and had a horrible inkling of what must have happened. The dust was still in the air, and she had to cough.

"Mam, unfortunately you have to go away here" a policewoman approached her. The emergency services were about to cordon off the area, and some onlookers had already gathered.

"I'm April o'Neil, journalist" said April as she got her backpack out front and started to rummage around for her press card, "Could you just tell me what happened here?"

The woman in uniform looked annoyed, but answered when she saw April's card.

"This building collapsed about 15 minutes ago. There was an explosion inside. That's all we know at the moment. PLEASE keep your distance!"

She turned and walked away behind the newly erected barrier. The firefighters began to gather, but appear relaxed and unhurried.

"Don't you want to look for survivors!?" April shouted after the cop

"No need!" she called over her shoulder without turning around, "It was still a shell and nobody was in there!"

-

April found the turtles on a rooftop at the end of the next block. Raph had told her the number, his voice still broken. She climbed up the fire escape and with every meter she got closer to the edge, the lump in her throat grew. That sound from the communicator earlier. That was the collapsing building. A fight must have taken place there. The explosion? What lunatic planted such a powerful bomb in an empty building. Was Donnie injured in the fight?

The young woman tried to arm herself. For the worst. Probably Donnie was badly injured, and they had to get him medical help somehow. Which was always difficult because the purple one had the most medical expertise.

Hope his wounds aren't too bad. I hope he isn't...

April took a deep breath and pulled herself over the edge of the roof. There were Raph, Leo and Mikey. They looked like shadows. Leo stood apart and trembled. Mikey knelt on the floor, face buried in his hands, upper body tilted forward. He sobbed heartbreaking. Raph crouched next to Mikey and tried his best to comfort his little brother. Tears streamed down his face. He looked up and saw April.

It tore her up inside to see her friends like this. They were her family. Her brothers. Her everything. She took a few steps, then she suddenly became aware of something.

"Raph... where's Donnie...?"

Mikey howled loudly and Leo also collapsed again. April could see the struggle on Raph's face as he tried with great effort to control his voice.

"... Under there...." and he pointed to the collapsed building.

April covered her mouth with her hands, and a wave of loss rolled through her.

But suddenly all their communicators lit up brightly